Lukha 3

₁Kwakungumnyaka weli-15 wekubusa kwaThibheriyusi, uMbusi; Phontiyuse Philatu bekanguLusibalukhulu waseJudiya, Herodi ayinkhosi yaseGalile, umnakabo Filiphu bekayinkhosi yesigodzi sase-Ithureya naseTrakhonithisi; Lisaniyasi abeyinkhosi yase-Abilene. ₂Bo-Anasi naKhayafase babebaphristi labakhulu.

Livi laNkulunkulu lefika kuJohane, indvodzana yaZakhariya, ngaso leso sikhatsi, asehlane. ₃Ngako-ke Johane wasihamba sonkhe sigodzi lesingasemfuleni iJordane ashumayela atsi: “Phendvukani nibhajatiswe, Nkulunkulu utanitsetselela tono tenu.” ₄Njengobe umphrofethi Isaya wabhala encwadzini yakhe watsi:

₇Ticumbi tebantfu teta kutakubhajatiswa nguJohane. Watsi kubo: “Tinyoka-ndzini! Nitjelwe ngubani kutsi ningalubalekela lolulaka lwaNkulunkulu lolutako? ₈Vetani titselo letikhombisa kuphendvuka. Ningacali nicabange kutsi: ‘Abrahama ngukhokho wetfu.’ Ngiyanitjela ngitsi: Nkulunkulu angawatsatsa nalamatje awente titukulwane ta-Abrahama! ₉Lizembe selibekwe emphandzeni yetihlahla. Sonkhe sihlahla lesingatseli titselo letimnandzi, sitakugecwa siwe, bese silahlwa emlilweni.”

₁₀Bantfu bambuta batsi: “Kepha kufanele sente njani?”

₁₁Waphendula watsi: “Nangabe unemahembe lamabili, nika lomunye longenalo libe linye, lonekudla akacetunele labanye.”

₁₂Labanye batselisi beta nabo kutakubhajatiswa, bafike bambuta batsi: “Mfundzisi, kufanele sente njani?” ₁₃Wabatjela watsi: “Ningabe nisatselisa ngalokungetulu kweyemtsetfo.”

₁₄Emabutfo nawo ambuta atsi: “Tsine-ke? Sifanele sente njani?” Watsi-ke yena kubo: “Ningemuki muntfu imali yakhe ngemacebo, yeneliswani ngumholo wenu.”

₁₅Bantfu bacala kwetsemba bacabangisisa ngaJohane, bacabanga kutsi mhlawumbe kungahle kube nguye loKhristu. ₁₆Ngako Johane wabatjela bonkhe watsi: “Nginibhabhatisa ngemanti, kodvwa kukhona lomkhulu kunami lotako, lengingakafaneli ngisho nekutfukulula imichilo yeticatfulo etinyaweni takhe. Utakunibhabhatisa ngaMoya Longcwele nangemlilo. ₁₇Esandleni sakhe unesitja sekwela emabele lasabhuliwe, awatsele esilulwini, bese kutsi emakhoba awashise ngemlilo longeke ucishe.”

₁₈Johane washumayela ngetindlela letinyenti ancusa bantfu ngesineke abatjela ngeliVangeli.

₁₉Kodvwa Johane abeyisola inkhosi Herodi ngekutsatsa umkhula wayo lobekanguHerodiyasi. Kantsi futsi kunyenti lokubi labesakwentile loHerodi. ₂₀Herodi wase wenta lokubi kakhulu-ke manje ngekubopha Johane amfake ejele.

₂₁Kwatsi nase babhajatiswe bonkhe, kwase kubhajatiswa naJesu. Watsi asathandaza kwavuleka lizulu, ₂₂Moya Longcwele wehlela kuye afana nelituba. Kwevakala livi liphuma ezulwini litsi: “Wena uyiNdvodzana yami letsandzekako. Ngitfokotile ngawe.”

₂₃Nakacala lomsebenti wakhe Jesu abeneminyaka lecishe ibe ngema-30 budzala; bantfu babecabanga kutsi uyindvodzana yaJosefa labengumsa wa-Eli, ₂₄umsa waMathati, umsa waLevi, umsa waMelkhi, umsa waJanayi, umsa waJosefa, ₂₅umsa waMathathiyase, umsa wa-Amosi, umsa waNahume, umsa waHesli, umsa waNagayi, ₂₆umsa waMahathi, umsa waMathathiyase, umsa waSemeyini, umsa waJoseki, umsa waJoda, ₂₇umsa waJowanani, umsa waResa, umsa waZerubhabheli, umsa waSheyaltiyeli, umsa waNeri, ₂₈umsa waMelkhi, umsa wa-Adi, umsa waKhosamu, umsa wa-Elmadamu, umsa wa-Eri, ₂₉umsa waJoshuwa, umsa wa-Eliyezeri, umsa waJorimu, umsa waMathati, umsa waLevi, ₃₀umsa waSimeyoni, umsa waJuda, umsa waJosefa, umsa waJonamu, umsa wa-Eliyakhimu, ₃₁umsa waMeliya, umsa waMena, umsa waMathatha, umsa waNatani, umsa waDavide, ₃₂umsa waJese, umsa wa-Obedi, umsa waBhowazi, umsa waSala, umsa waNasoni, ₃₃umsa wa-Aminadabi, umsa wa-Admini, umsa wa-Arini, umsa wa-Hezroni, umsa waPheresi, umsa waJuda, ₃₄umsa waJakobe, umsa wa-Isaka, umsa wa-Abrahama, umsa waThara, umsa waNahori, ₃₅umsa waSerugi, umsa waRehu, umsa waPhelegi, umsa wa-Ebheri, umsa waShela, ₃₆umsa waKhenani, umsa wa-Aphakisadi, umsa waShemi, umsa waNowa, umsa waLameki, ₃₇umsa waMethusala, umsa wa-Enoki, umsa waJarede, umsa waMahalaleli, umsa waKhenani, ₃₈umsa wa-Enoshi, umsa waSethi, umsa wa-Adamu, umsa waNkulunkulu.