1UJohani wakhuphuka eGazara wabikela uyise uSimoni ukuthi uKhendebheyusi wayenzeni. 2USimoni wabiza amadodana akhe amabili amadala oJudase noJohani, wayesethi kubo: “Abafowethu nami nendlu kababa sizilwile izimpi zika-Israyeli kusukela ebusheni bethu kuze kube manje, izinto zihambe kahle ezandleni zethu ngendlela yokuthi simkhululile u-Israyeli izikhathi eziningi. 3Kepha manje sengimdala, nani ngokomusa weZulu senikhulile. Thathani indawo yami neyomfowethu, niphume nilwele isizwe sethu, sengathi usizo oluvela ezulwini lungaba nani.”
4Ngakho-ke uJohani wakhetha ezweni amabutho ahamba ngezinyawo angama-20 000 kanye nagibele amahhashi. Waphuma ukuyokulwa noKhendebheyusi, wagoba amadlangala lobo busuku eModeyini. 5Ekuseni ngakusasa baphuma baphikelela ethafeni, lapho impi enkulu yabahamba ngezinyawo nabagibele amahhashi yayizohlangana nabo khona; kwakukhona umfudlana phakathi kwabo. 6Kwase kuthi yena nempi yakhe bama babhekana nabo. Wabona ukuthi amabutho akhe ayenokwesaba ukuwela umfula, ngakho-ke wawela yena kuqala, lapho amabutho ekubona lokho, awela emva kwakhe.
7Wabe eseyehlukanisa phakathi impi yakhe, kwathi abagibele amahhashi wababeka phakathi nendawo, ngokuba abagibele amahhashi ngakweyesitha babebaningi kakhulu. 8Bashaya amacilongo, uKhendebheyusi nempi yakhe babaleka; iningi labo lawa ngenkemba kwathi abasindile babalekela ezinqabeni. 9Ngaleso sikhathi uJudase umfowabo kaJohani walimala, kodwa uJohani waqhubeka wabahubha. UKhendebheyusi wabaleka waze wafika eKedroni ayelakhile. 10Babalekela nasemibhoshongweni eyayisezinkalweni zase-Azotusi, uJohane wayidunqisa ngomlilo, kwafa lapho abalinganiselwa ezinkulungwaneni ezimbili. Wayesebuyela eJudiya ephephile.
Ukubulawa KukaSimoni Namadodana Akhe Amabili
11Ngalesi sikhathi uPhitholemi indodana ka-Abubusi wabe eqokiwe wenziwa umbusi wezinkalo zaseJerikho; wayenesiliva eliningi kanye negolide, 12ngokuba wayengumkhwenyana wendodakazi yomphristi omkhulu. 13Inhliziyo yakhe yagcwala impakamo; wazimisela ukuba athole amandla izwe libuye liphathwe nguye. Wenza amacebo angalungile ngoSimoni kanye namadodana akhe, ukuba abaqothule. 14USimoni ngaleyo nkathi wayehambele imizi ukuze abhekane nezidingo zabantu, ngakho-ke wehlela eJerikho kanye namadodana akhe uMathathiyase noJudase, kwakungunyaka we-177, ngenyanga yeshumi nanye, leyo yinyanga kaSabati. 15Amadodana ka-Abubusi abemukela ngobuqili enqabeni encane eyayibizwa ngokuthi yiDoki, ayeyakhile. Abenzela idili elikhulu, kanti afihle amadoda athile kuwo umuzi. 16Lapho uSimoni namadodana akhe sebephuze kwaze kweqa, uPhitholemi namadoda empi yakhe babavukela, bathatha izikhali zabo, baphuthuma kuSimoni endlini yedili bambulala yena namadodana akhe amabili, kanye nezinceku zakhe. 17Ngakho-ke wenza isenzo esibi kakhulu wabuyisela okubi esenzweni esihle ayesenzelwe.
UJohane Ungena Esikhundleni SikaSimoni
18UPhitholemi wayesebhala umbiko ngalezi zinto wawuthumela enkosini, eyicela ukuba imthumelele amabutho ukuze amsize abuyisele kuye imizi kanye nezwe. 19Wathumela amanye amabutho eGazara ukuze ayobulala uJohane; wathumela izincwadi kubakhuzi bamabutho empi ayizinkulungwane ebacela ukuba beze kuye ukuze abanikeze isiliva negolide kanye nezipho. 20Wathumela namabutho ukuba ayolidla iJerusalema kanye nentaba yethempeli, 21kodwa omunye wakhawuleza ngaphambi kwabo wambikela uJohani eGazara ukuthi uyise kanye nabafowabo babulelwe, nokuthi uthumile amadoda ukuba azombulala naye. 22Lapho ekuzwa lokhu, wethuka kakhulu; wawabamba amadoda ayeze ukuzobulala yena wawabulala, ngokuba wayezwile ukuthi afuna ukumbulala. 23Ezinye izenzo zikaJohani kanye nezimpi zakhe, kanye nezenzo zakhe zobuqhawe azenzayo, kanye nokwakha aqede izingange, kanye nokunye ukuhlabana kwakhe, 24kubhaliwe emiqulwini yemilando yabaphristi abakhulu, kusukela ngesikhathi eba ngumphristi omkhulu emva kukayise.
