UMATEWU 3

₁Emihleni leyo kwavela uJwanisi uMbhabhadisi atjhumayela erhalawumbeni leJudiya ₂asithi: “Phendukani ngombana umbuso wezulu ubandamele!” ₃UJwanisi lo, nguye umphorofidi u-Isaya akhuluma ngaye nasithi:

₄Izambatho zakaJwanisi bezenziwe ngoboya bekamela; bekazibophe ngebhande lesikhumba edinini, ukugoma kwakhe kuziintethe neliju lemmangweni. ₅Abantu beza kuye bavela eJerusalema, kilo loke iJudiya nakiso soke isifunda seJordani; ₆babika izono zabo, wababhabhadisa ngeJordani.

₇Kwathi nabona abaFarisi nabaSadusi abanengi basiza kuye bona bazokubhajadiswa, wathi kibo: “Nina nzalo yeenyoka, ngubani onilemukise bona nibalekele ilaka elizako na? ₈Vezani iinthelo ezikhomba ukuphenduka. ₉Ningadlumbani bona ningazitjela nithi, ‘Sino-Abrahamu njengobabethu’. Ngambala ngiyanitjela bona uZimu angavusela u-Abrahamu abantwana ngamatje la! ₁₀Izembe sele lisemrajini wemithi, omunye nomunye umuthi ongatheli iinthelo ezihle uzakuquntulwa, uphoswe ngemlilweni. ₁₁Nginibhabhadisa ngamanzi malungana nokuphenduka, kodwana emva kwami kuzokuza onamandla khulu kunami, engingasililitho bonyana ngingathinta amapatlagwanakhe. Yena-ke uzonibhabhadisa ngoMoya oCwengileko nangomlilo. ₁₂Unesibhulo sakhe abhulisisa ngaso eselelweni. Uzakubuthelela ikoroyi yakhe ngesilulwini sakhe, kodwana uzakutjhisa iinhluba ngemlilweni ongacimiko!”

₁₃UJesu wavela eGalile weza eJordani kobana azokubhajadiswa nguJwanisi. ₁₄Kodwana uJwanisi walinga ukumkhandela, wathi: “Kufanele bonyana ngibhajadiswe nguwe, kodwana wena uza kimi na?”

₁₅Nje-ke uJesu wamphendula wathi: “Vuma okwagadesi, kusilungele bonyana sikwenze lokhu ukuze kuzaliseke koke ukulunga.” Yeke uJwanisi wavuma.

₁₆Kwathi msinyana bona uJesu abhajadiswe, waphuma ngemanzini. Khonokho izulu lavuleka, wabona uMoya kaZimu wehla njengezuba, wahlala phezu kwakhe. ₁₇Yeke ilizwi lavela ezulwini lisithi: “Le yiNdodanami engiyithandako nengithokozileko ngayo.”