Johane 3

₁Kwase kwaba khona umuntfu wakubaFarisi, libito lakhe bekunguNikhodemu; abeyindvuna yemaJuda. ₂Weta kuJesu ngalobunye busuku, wefike watsi: “Mfundzisi, siyati kutsi wena ungumfundzisi lophuma kuNkulunkulu. Ngobe kute umuntfu longenta timangaliso letingaka, nakate Nkulunkulu.”

₃Jesu watsi kuye: “Ngicinisile, ngicinisile, ngitsi kuwe: Ngaphandle kwekutsi umuntfu atalwe kabusha ngekwasezulwini, angeke awubone umbuso waNkulunkulu!”

₄Nikhodemu wabuta watsi: “Kodvwa umuntfu losamdzala angatalwa njani kabusha? Angangena yini ngekwesibili esiswini senina aphindze atalwe?”

₅Jesu wamphendvula watsi: “Ngicinisile, ngicinisile, ngitsi kuwe: Ngaphandle kwekutsi umuntfu atalwe ngemanti nangaMoya, angeke angene embusweni waNkulunkulu. ₆Loko lokutelwe yinyama kuyinyama, naloko lokutelwe nguMoya kungumoya. ₇Ungamangali, ngobe naku ngitsi kuwe: ‘Nifanele kutsi nitalwe kabusha.’ ₈Umoya uhhusha lapho utsandza khona, uyakuva kuhhusha kwawo, kodvwa awati lapho uphuma khona nalapho uya khona. Loko-ke kufanana naye wonkhe umuntfu lotelwe nguMoya.”

₉Nikhodemu wambuta watsi: “Loku kungenteka kanjani?”

₁₀Jesu waphendvula watsi: “Wena, ungumfundzisi waka-Israyeli. Pho, awukucondzi ngani loku? ₁₁Ngicinisile, ngicinisile, ngitsi kuwe: Sikhuluma lesikwatiko sifakaze ngalesikubonile, kepha anibemukeli bufakazi betfu. ₁₂Nanginitjela ngetintfo talelive, aningikholwa; pho, ningangikholwa kanjani, nasenginitjela ngetintfo tasezulwini? ₁₃Kute lowase wenyukela ezulwini ngaphandle kweNdvodzana yeMuntfu, leyehla ezulwini.

₁₄“Njengobe naMosi aphakamisa inyoka ehlane, kanjalo-ke neNdvodzana yeMuntfu ifanele kuphakanyiswa, ₁₅kuze kutsi wonkhe umuntfu lokholwa ngiyo abe nekuphila lokuphakadze. ₁₆Nkulunkulu walitsandza live kakhulu kangangekutsi wadzimate wanikela ngeNdvodzana yakhe lekukuphela kwayo, kuze kutsi nome ngubani lokholwa ngiyo angabhubhi, kodvwa abe nekuphila lokuphakadze. ₁₇Ngobe Nkulunkulu akazange atfumele iNdvodzana yakhe emhlabeni kutsi itewulahla live ngelicala, kodvwa kwekutsi live litewusindziswa ngayo.

₁₈“Lokholwa kuyo akalahlwa ngelicala, kodvwa longakholwa vele sewulahliwe, ngobe angakholwa egameni leNdvodzana yaNkulunkulu lekukuphela kwayo. ₁₉Kwehlulelwa ngiko loko kutsi: Kukhanya kutsi sekufikile emhlabeni, kepha bantfu babe batsandza bumnyama kunekukhanya, ngenca yemisebenti yabo lemibi. ₂₀Umuntfu lowenta lokubi uyakutondza kukhanya; aketi ekukhanyeni, funa imisebenti yakhe ibonakale ebaleni. ₂₁Kepha lowenta liciniso uyeta ekukhanyeni, kuze kubonakale imisebenti yakhe, kutsi yentiwe kuNkulunkulu.”

₂₂Emvakwaloko Jesu wahamba nebafundzi bakhe baya eveni laseJudiya, befika bahlala khona, kwabhajatiswa bantfu. ₂₃NaJohane-ke abebhabhatisa, yena-ke ase-Enoni madvutane nje neSalimi, ngobe emanti abemanyenti kuleyo ndzawo, bantfu beta lapho befike babhajatiswa. ₂₄Phela ngaleso sikhatsi Johane abesengakafakwa ejele.

₂₅Kwabe sekuvela kuphikisana kubafundzi baJohane neliJuda lelitsite mayelana nekuhlambuluka ngekugeza tandla. ₂₆Ngako-ke base beta kuJohane, befika batsi: “Mfundzisi, uyayikhumbula yini lendvodza bewunayo uyifakazela ngesheya kweJordane? Seyiyabhabhatisa nyalo, bonkhe bantfu sebaya kuyo!”

₂₇Wabaphendvula Johane watsi: “Kute umuntfu longaba nelutfo angakaluphiwa luvela ezulwini. ₂₈Nani ngekwenu ningangifakazela kutsi ngake ngasho ngatsi: ‘Angisiye mine Khristu, kodvwa ngitfunyelwe kumvulela indlela.’ ₂₉Lowo lonamakoti ungumyeni; kepha umngani wemyeni nakaliva livi lemyeni, ujabula kakhulu. Ngako-ke lenjabulo yami seyiphelele. ₃₀Kufanele akhule yena, nginciphe mine.”

₃₁“Lowo lophuma etulu, ungetulu kwako konkhe; lowo lophuma emhlabeni wemhlaba, futsi ukhuluma tintfo temhlaba. Lophuma ezulwini ungetulu kwako konkhe. ₃₂Ufakaza ngaloko lakubonile nalakuvile, kodvwa kute umuntfu lowemukela bufakazi bakhe. ₃₃Lowemukela bufakazi bakhe ulubekile luphawu lwekutsi: Nkulunkulu ucinisile. ₃₄Ngobe lowo lotfunywe nguNkulunkulu ukhuluma emavi aNkulunkulu; ngobe Moya akaniki ngekwesilinganiso. ₃₅UYise uyayitsandza iNdvodzana, waniketa konkhe etandleni tayo. ₃₆Lokholwa yiNdvodzana, unekuphila lokuphakadze; kodvwa longakholwa yiNdvodzana, ute kuphila lokuphakadze; kodvwa lulaka lwaNkulunkulu lulengela etikwakhe.”