Ivangeli ka‐Mateyu 3

₁KULEYO imihla kwavela u‐Johane umbapitizeshi, eshumayela entlango yase‐Judeya, ₂esiti nokuti: Guqukani; ngokuba ubukumkani bezulu sebukufupi. ₃Ngokuba enguye lo kwatetwa ngaye ngu‐Yisaya umprofite, esiti: Ilizwi lodandulukayo entlango: Lungisani indlela kayehova; yenzani imendo yake ilungelelane. ₄Kekaloku lowo u‐Johane wayenengubo yake yenziwe ngoboya benkamela, enombinqo wolusu esinqeni sake; nokutya kwake bekuzinkumbi nobusi basendle.

₅Yandula yapumela kuye i‐Yerusaleme, nayo yonke i‐Judeya, nalo lonke ilizwe langase‐Yoredane; ₆babapitizeshwa nguye e‐Yoredane apo, bevuma izono zabo.

₇Kodwa akubona abaninzi babafarisi nabasadusi bezela ubapitizesho lwake, wati kubo: Sizukulwanandini senyoka! ngubanina onibonisileyo ukuba nibaleke umsindo oza kuza? ₈Velisani ngoko izixakato eziyelelana noguquko; ₉nize ningabi niti ngokwenu: Sinaye U‐Abrahame engubawo; ngokuba ndisiti kuni: Utixo angavusela u‐Abrahame usapo kulamatye. ₁₀Kanjako izembe lise libekwe ngasezingcanjeni zemiti: iti ngoko yonke imiti engavelisi izixakato ezilungileyo igaulwe, iposwe emlilweni. ₁₁Mna okunene ndiyanibapitizesha ngamanzi lube luguquko; kodwa lowo uzayo emva kwam unamandla amakulu kwawam, endingafanelekile ukutwala izihlangu zake; yena wonibapitizesha ngomoya oyingcwele nangomlilo: ₁₂omnyazi wokwela usesandleni sake, waeya kucokisa isibaya sake, ati inqolowa yake ayihlanganisele esiseleni, kodwa umququ wowutshisa ngomlilo ongacimekiyo.

₁₃Wandula u‐Yesu wavela e‐Galili weza e‐Yoredane ku‐Johane, ukuba abapitizeshwe nguye. ₁₄Kuloko u‐Johane wabemalela, esiti: Mna ndifanele ukubapitizeshwa nguwe nje, uza wena kum na? ₁₅Kodwa wapendula u‐Yesu wati kuye: Kauvume kube kaloku nje; ngokuba ngokunjalo kufanelekile kuti ukuzalisekisa bonke ubulungisa. Wandula ukumvumela. ₁₆Waza wati u‐Yesu, akuba ebapitizeshiwe, waselenyuka emanzini; kekaloku bona ke, izulu lavulekela kuye, waza wabona umoya katixo esihla njengehobe, esiza pezu kwake. ₁₇Kanjalo bona ke, ilizwi lavela ezulwini, lisiti: Lo ungunyana wam otandiweyo, endikolisiweyo kakuhle nguye.