Ukushumayela KukaJohane UMbhabhadisi
1Kwathi ngonyaka we-15 wokubusa kukaThibheriyu Khesari, uPontiyu Pilatu engumbusi eJudiya, uHerode enguMthethrakhi eGalile, umfowabo uFiliphu enguMthethrakhi e-Ithureya naseThrakhonithi, uLisaniya enguMthethrakhi e-Abhilene, 2ngesikhathi u-Anase engumphristi omkhulu kanye noKhayifase, kwafika izwi likaNkulunkulu kuJohane, indodana kaZakhariya, esehlane. 3Wahamba kulo lonke iJordani, eshumayela ngombhabhadiso wokuphenduka, bese kuthethelelwa izono, 4njengalokhu kulotshiwe encwadini yamazwi ku-Izaya, umphrofethi, ukuthi:
“Izwi lomemezayo ehlane, lithi:
‘Lungisani indlela yeNkosi,
nenze imikhondo yayo iqonde.
5Izigodi zonke ziyakugqitshwa,
zonke izintaba namagquma kuyakuhlelenjwa;
kuqonde izinsongansonga,
nemigoxigoxi ibe yizindlela ezihlelembekile;
6abantu bonke bazakuyibona insindiso kaNkulunkulu.’ ”
7Ngakho-ke wayesethi ezixukwini eziza kuye ukuba azibhabhadise: “Nzalo yezinyoka, ngubani onixwayisile ukuba nibalekele intukuthelo ezayo na? 8Ngakho-ke vezani izithelo ezifanele ukuphenduka, ningaqali nithi ngaphakathi kwenu: ‘Sinobaba u-Abhrahama,’ ngokuba ngithi kini: uNkulunkulu unamandla okuvusela u-Abhrahama abantwana kulawa matshe.
9“Izembe selivele libekiwe ezimpandeni zemithi, ngakho-ke yonke imithi engatheli isithelo esihle, iyakunqunywa, iphonswe emlilweni.”
10Izixuku zambuza zathi: “Pho sizakwenzenjani na?”
11UJohane waphendula, wathi kubo: “Onezingubo ezimbili, makaphe ongenangubo, nonokudla enze kanjalo.”
12Kwafika nabathelisi ukuba babhabhadiswe, bathi kuye: “Mfundisi, kufanele senzenjani na?”
13Wathi kubo: “Maningaqoqi okungaphezu kokumisiwe lapho niqoqa intela.”
14Namabutho ambuza athi: “Thina-ke kumele senzenjani na?”
Wathi kuwo: “Kumele ningephuci muntu utho ngendluzula, futhi ningamxabheleli, kodwa yeneliswani yilokho enikukhokhelwayo.”
15Abantu babesabhekile futhi bonke bezibuza ngoJohane ukuthi, ngabe mhlawumbe unguye uKhristu, 16uJohane waphendula wathi kubo bonke: “Mina nginibhabhadisa ngamanzi, kodwa uyeza onamandla kunami engingafanele ngisho ukuthukulula umchilo wezicathulo zakhe, Yena-ke uzakunibhabhadisa ngoMoya oNgcwele nangomlilo. 17Lo oqoma lakhe lokwela lisesandleni sakhe, ukushanelisisa isibuya sakhe, abuthe ukolo awufake enqolobaneni yakhe; amakhoba awashise ngomlilo ongacimekiyo.”
18UJohane washumayela ivangeli kubantu, ebayala nangokunye okuningi.
19Kepha uHerode, uMthethrakhi, wasolwa nguJohane ngenxa kaHerodiya, umkafowabo, nangenxa yakho konke okubi ayekwenzile uHerode, 20waze wenezela nangalokhu ebubini bakhe, wavalela uJohane etilongweni.
Ukubhabhadiswa KukaJesu
21Lapho bonke abantu sebebhabhadisiwe, noJesu esebhabhadisiwe, ekhuleka, izulu lavuleka, 22uMoya oNgcwele wehlela phezu kwakhe, enesimo somzimba wejuba; kwezwakala izwi livela ezulwini, lithi: “Wena uyiNdodana yami ethandekayo; ngithokozile ngawe.”
Uhla Lozalo LukaJesu
23UJesu uqobo waqala umsebenzi wakhe eseneminyaka cishe engama-30 ubudala. Wayeyindodana, njengalokhu babesho, kaJosefa, ka-Heli, 24kaMathathi, kaLevi, kaMelikhi, kaJanayi, kaJosefa, 25kaMathathiya, ka-Amose, kaNahume, kaHesili, kaNagayi, 26kaMahathi, kaMathathiyase, kaShimeyi, kaJozekhi, kaJoda, 27kaJohanani, kaReza, uZerubhabhele Salathiyeli, kaNeri, 28kaMelikhi, ka-Adi, kaKhosamu, ka-Elimadamu, ka-Eri, 29kaJoshuwa, ka-Eliyezeri, kaJorimu, kaMathathi, kaLevi, 30kaSimeyoni, kaJuda, kaJosefa, kaJonamu, ka-Eliyakimu, 31kaMeleya, kaMena, kaMathatha, kaNathani, kaDavide, 32kaJese, ka-Obhedi, kaBhowazi, kaSala, kaNahashoni, 33ka-Aminadaba, ka-Adimini, ka-Arini, kaHezironi, kaPherezi, kaJuda, 34kaJakobe, ka-Isaka, ka-Abhrahama, kaThera, kaNahori, 35kaZerugi, kaRagawu, kaPhelegi, ka-Ebheru, kaSala, 36kaKhenani, ka-Arifaksadi, kaShemu, kaNowa, kaLameki, 37kaMethusela, ka-Enokhi, kaJaredi, kaMahalaleli, kaKhenani, 38ka-Enose, kaSethi, ka-Adamu kaNkulunkulu.