< John 1 >

1 IN the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Ekuqaleni wayekhona uLizwi, njalo uLizwi wayeloNkulunkulu, njalo uLizwi wayenguNkulunkulu.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
Yena lo wayeloNkulunkulu ekuqaleni.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not one thing made that was made.
Zonke izinto zenziwa ngaye, njalo ngaphandle kwakhe kakulalutho lolulodwa olwenziwayo lolo olwenziweyo.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Impilo yayikuye, njalo impilo yayiyikukhanya kwabantu,
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness did not comprehend it.
lokukhanya kukhanya emnyameni, kodwa ubumnyama kabukwemukelanga.
6 A man was sent from God, whose name was John.
Kwavela umuntu ethunywe nguNkulunkulu, obizo lakhe linguJohane;
7 He came for a witness, that he might bear testimony concerning the Light, that all men through him might believe.
yena lo wezela ubufakazi, ukuze afakaze ngokukhanya, ukuze bonke bakholwe ngaye.
8 He was not the Light, but sent that he should bear testimony concerning the Light.
Yena wayengayisikho ukukhanya, kodwa ukuze afakaze ngokukhanya.
9 He was that true Light, which illumines every man by his coming into the world.
Kwakuyikukhanya okuqotho, okukhanyisa wonke umuntu oza emhlabeni.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
Wayekhona emhlabeni, njalo umhlaba wenziwa ngaye, kodwa umhlaba kawumazanga.
11 He came unto his peculiar people, and his peculiar people did not receive him.
Weza kokwakhe, kodwa abakhe kabamemukelanga.
12 But as many as did receive him, on them he bestowed authority to become children of God, even on those who believe on his name:
Kodwa bonke abamemukelayo, wabapha amandla okuthi babe ngabantwana bakaNkulunkulu, labo abakholwa ebizweni lakhe;
13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
abazalwa kungeyisikho ngegazi, langentando yenyama, langentando yendoda, kodwa nguNkulunkulu.
14 And the Word became incarnate, and tabernacled with us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, ) full of grace and truth.
ULizwi wasesiba yinyama, wahlala phakathi kwethu, njalo sabona inkazimulo yakhe, inkazimulo injengeyozelwe yedwa kaYise, egcwele umusa leqiniso.
15 John bore witness concerning him, and cried, saying, This is he of whom I said, He that is coming after me, is before me: because before me he was.
UJohane wafakaza ngaye, wamemeza wathi: Nguye lo ebengisitsho ngaye ukuthi: Lowo ozayo emva kwami uphambi kwami; ngoba wayekhona kuqala kulami.
16 And from his plenitude we all have received, even grace corresponding with his grace.
Lekugcwaleni kwakhe thina semukele sonke, futhi umusa ngomusa;
17 For the law was given by Moses, but the grace and the reality came by Jesus Christ.
ngoba umlayo wanikwa ngoMozisi, umusa leqiniso kweza ngoJesu Kristu.
18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath thoroughly described him.
Kakho owake wabona uNkulunkulu; iNdodana ezelwe yodwa, esesifubeni sikaYise, yiyo emvezileyo.
19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and Levites, that they should question him, Who art thou?
Njalo lobu yibufakazi bukaJohane, mhla amaJuda ethuma abapristi lamaLevi bevela eJerusalema ukuze bambuze ukuthi: Wena ungubani?
20 And he confessed, and denied it not; but acknowledged, I am not the Messiah.
Wasevuma, kaphikanga; futhi wavuma wathi: Kangisuye uKristu mina.
21 And they asked him, What then? art thou Elias? and he said, I am not. Art thou that prophet? and he answered, No.
Bambuza futhi bathi: Kuyini pho? Wena unguElija yini? Wasesithi: Kangisuye. Wena ungulowomProfethi yini? Wasephendula wathi: Hatshi.
22 Then said they to him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to those who sent us: What description givest thou of thyself?
Basebesithi kuye: Ungubani? Ukuze sibaphe impendulo abasithumileyo; uthini ngawe?
23 He said, I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way for the Lord, as said the prophet Isaiah.
Wathi: Mina ngiyilizwi lomemezayo enkangala: Lungisani indlela yeNkosi, njengoba uIsaya umprofethi watsho.
24 And they who were sent, were of the Pharisees.
Lalabo ababethunyiwe babevela kubaFarisi.
25 And they questioned him, and said to him, Why then dost thou baptise, if thou be not the Messiah, nor Elias, nor that prophet?
Basebembuza, bathi kuye: Ubhabhathizelani pho, uba wena ungeyisuye uKristu, loElija, lalowomProfethi?
26 John answered them, saying, I baptise with water: but in the midst of you hath stood a person, whom ye have not known;
UJohane wabaphendula, wathi: Mina ngibhabhathiza ngamanzi; kodwa phakathi kwenu kumi, lina elingamaziyo;
27 it is he, though coming after me, who was before me, the thong of whole sandal I am not worthy to untie.
nguye ozayo emva kwami, ophambi kwami, engingafanele mina ukuthukulula umchilo wenyathela lakhe.
28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptising.
Lezizinto zenzeka eBethabara ngaphetsheya kweJordani, lapho uJohane ayebhabhathiza khona.
29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming to him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world,
Kusisa uJohane wabona uJesu esiza kuye, wathi: Khangelani iWundlu likaNkulunkulu, elisusa isono somhlaba.
30 This is he of whom I spake, After me cometh a man who was before me: for before me he existed.
Nguye lo mina ebengilitshela ngaye ukuthi: Emva kwami kuza indoda, eyayikhona phambi kwami, ngoba yayikhona kuqala kulami.
31 And I knew him not: though that he might be manifested to Israel, therefore am I come baptising with water.
Lami bengingamazi; kodwa ukuze abonakaliswe kuIsrayeli, ngalokho mina ngizile ngibhabhathiza ngamanzi.
32 And John bore witness, saying, I saw the Spirit descending as a dove from heaven, and it rested upon him.
UJohane wasefakaza, esithi: Ngibonile uMoya esehla ezulwini njengejuba, wahlala phezu kwakhe.
33 And I did not know him: but he that sent me baptising with water, he said to me, Upon whomsoever thou shalt see the Spirit descending as a dove, and resting upon him, that is he who baptiseth with the Holy Ghost.
Lami bengingamazi; kodwa owangithumayo ukubhabhathiza ngamanzi, yena wathi kimi: Lowo ozabona uMoya esehlela phezu kwakhe ahlale kuye, nguye obhabhathiza ngoMoya oNgcwele.
34 And I have seen it, and have borne testimony that this is the Son of God.
Mina ngibonile, ngafakaza ukuthi lo uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.
35 On the morrow John was again standing with two of his disciples;
Kusisa futhi uJohane wayemi, lababili kubafundi bakhe;
36 and looking upon Jesus as he walked by, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
wasekhangela uJesu ehambahamba, wathi: Khangelani iWundlu likaNkulunkulu.
37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
Abafundi ababili bamuzwa ekhuluma, basebemlandela uJesu.
38 Then Jesus turned about, and seeing them following, saith to them, What are ye seeking? They said unto him, Rabbi (which signifies, when translated, Master), where is thy abode?
Kwathi uJesu enyemukula ebabona belandela, wathi kubo: Lidingani? Basebesithi kuye: Rabi, (okuyikuthi ngokuphendulelwa, Mfundisi) uhlala ngaphi?
39 He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he abode, and continued with him that day: and it was about the tenth hour.
Wathi kubo: Wozani libone. Beza babona lapho ayehlala khona; bahlala laye ngalolosuku; kwakungaba lihola letshumi.
40 One of the two, who had heard from John mention of Jesus, and had followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
UAndreya umfowabo kaSimoni Petro wayengomunye wababili ababekuzwe ngoJohane bamlandela.
41 He first finds his own brother Simon, and saith to him, We have found the Messiah (which is, being translated, the Christ).
Yena wathola kuqala umfowabo uqobo uSimoni, wathi kuye: Simtholile uMesiya, okuphendulelwa ngokuthi, uKristu.
42 And he brought him to Jesus. Then Jesus looking on him, said, Thou art Simon the son of Jonas: thou shalt be called Cephas, which, interpreted in Greek, is Petros, a Rock.
Wasemletha kuJesu. UJesu esemkhangele wathi: Wena unguSimoni indodana kaJona; uzathiwa nguKefasi, okuphendulelwa ngokuthi uPetro.
43 The next day Jesus resolved to go into Galilee, and he findeth Philip, and saith to him, Follow me.
Kusisa uJesu wayefuna ukusuka aye eGalili, wathola uFiliphu, wathi kuye: Ngilandela.
44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
UFiliphu-ke wayengoweBhethisayida, emzini wakibo kaAndreya loPetro.
45 Philip findeth Nathaniel, and saith to him, We have found him whom Moses in the law has described, and the prophets, Jesus the son of Joseph, who is of Nazareth.
UFiliphu wathola uNathaniyeli, wathi kuye: Simtholile lowo abhala ngaye uMozisi emlayweni labaprofethi, uJesu weNazaretha, indodana kaJosefa.
46 And Nathaniel said to him, Can any thing good come out of Nazareth? Philip saith to him, Come and see.
UNathaniyeli wasesithi kuye: Kambe kungavela okuhle eNazaretha? UFiliphu wathi kuye: Woza ubone.
47 Jesus saw Nathaniel coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite in reality, in whom there is no guile!
UJesu wabona uNathaniyeli esiza kuye, wathi ngaye: Khangelani umIsrayeli uqobo, okungekho nkohliso kuye.
48 Nathaniel saith unto him, From whence canst thou know me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw thee.
UNathaniyeli wathi kuye: Ungazela ngaphi? UJesu waphendula wathi kuye: UFiliphu engakakubizi, ungaphansi komkhiwa, ngakubona.
49 Nathaniel answered and said to him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the king of Israel.
UNathaniyeli waphendula wathi kuye: Rabi, wena uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu, wena uyiNkosi kaIsrayeli.
50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said to thee, I saw thee under the fig-tree, dost thou believe? thou shalt see greater things than these.
UJesu waphendula wathi kuye: Uyakholwa ngoba ngithe kuwe, bengikubona ungaphansi komkhiwa. Uzabona izinto ezinkulu kulalezi.
51 And he saith to him, Verily, verily, I tell you, From henceforth ye shall see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
Wasesithi kuye: Ngiqinisile, ngiqinisile, ngithi kini: Kusukela khathesi lizabona izulu livulekile, lengilosi zikaNkulunkulu zisenyuka zisehla phezu kweNdodana yomuntu.

< John 1 >