Umsebenzi kaJohane uMbhapathizi. Ukubhapathizwa kukaJesu
1Kwathi ngomnyaka weshumi nanhlanu wokubusa kukaTiberiyu Kesari, uPontiyu Pilatu engumbusi waseJudiya, uHerode engumtetrarki* waseGalile, uFiliphu umfowabo engumtetrarki wezwe lase-Itureya nelaseTrakhoniti, uLisaniya engumtetrarki wase-Abilene, 2u-Anase engumpristi omkhulu noKayafase, kwafika izwi likaNkulunkulu kuJohane indodana kaZakariya ehlane. 3Weza ezweni lonke laseJordani eshumayela umbhapathizo wokuphenduka, kube ngukuthethelelwa kwezono, 4njengokuba kulotshiwe encwadini yamazwi ka-Isaya umprofethi ukuthi:
“Izwi lomemezayo ehlane, lithi:
‘Lungisani indlela yeNkosi,
nenze imikhondo yayo iqonde.
5Izigodi zonke ziyakugqitshwa,
zonke izintaba namagquma kuyakwehliswa;
kuqonde izinsongansonga,
nemigoxigoxi ibe yizindlela ezilelezekile;
6inyama yonke izakubona insindiso kaNkulunkulu.’ ”
7Ngakho-ke wathi ezixukwini ezaziphumela ukubhapathizwa nguye: “Nzalo yezinyoka, ubani onibonise ukubalekela intukuthelo ezayo na? 8Ngakho vezani izithelo ezifanele ukuphenduka, ningaqali ukuthi phakathi kini: ‘Sinobaba u-Abrahama;’ ngokuba ngithi kini: UNkulunkulu unamandla okumvusela u-Abrahama abantwana kulawa matshe. 9Namanje izembe selibekiwe empandeni yemithi; ngakho yonke imithi engatheli isithelo esihle iyanqunywa, iphonswe emlilweni.”
10Izixuku zambuza zathi: “Pho, sizakwenzani na?”
11Waphendula, wathi kubo: “Onezingubo ezimbili akamuphe ongenayo; naye onokudla enze njalo.”
12Kwafika nabathelisi ukuba babhapathizwe, bathi kuye: “Mfundisi, sizakwenzani na?”
13Wathi kubo: “Ningabizi lutho ngaphezu kwenikumiselweyo.”
14Namabutho ambuza athi: “Thina-ke, sizakwenzani na?”
Wathi kuwo: “Ningamuki muntu lutho ngendluzula, ningamxabheleli; yaneliswani yizinkokhelo zenu.”
15Abantu besabhekile, bezindla bonke ezinhliziyweni zabo ngoJohane ukuthi ingabe unguKristu yini, 16uJohane waphendula, wathi kubo bonke: “Mina kambe nginibhapathiza ngamanzi, kepha uyeza onamandla kunami engingafanele ukuthukulula umchilo wezicathulo zakhe; yena uzakunibhapathiza ngoMoya oNgcwele nangomlilo; 17oqoma lakhe lokwela lisesandleni sakhe ukushanelisisa isibuya sakhe nokubuthela ukolweni enqolobaneni yakhe; kepha amakhoba uzakuwashisa ngomlilo ongacimekiyo.” 18Nangokunye okuningi washumayela ivangeli kubantu, ebayala.
19Kepha uHerode umtetrarki,* esolwa nguye ngenxa kaHerodiya umkamfowabo nangenxa yakho konke okubi abekwenzile uHerode, 20wenezela nalokhu kokunye konke, wamvalela uJohane etilongweni.
