John 1
1 The one who expresses [MET] ([God’s character/what God is like]) has always existed (from the beginning [MTY] [of everything/before everything began]). He has always existed with God, and he has God’s nature.
Pakutatika, kakuli kwabula bintu byonse kwalikuba Liswi, Liswi ili lyalikuba kuli Lesa. Kayi Liswi ili lyalikuba Lesa.
2 He always existed with God [before] he began [MTY] [to create anything].
Liswi ili lyalikuba ne Lesa cindi conse.
3 He is the one by whom [God] caused everything to exist. He is the one who created absolutely everything [LIT].
Byonse byalabako kupitila mulyendiye, kayi kuliyawa cintu calabako kwabula endiye.
4 He is the one who [caused everything to] live. He, who caused us people to live, [revealed to us the truth about God as] a light [MET] [reveals what is in the darkness].
Mulyendiye mwalikuba buyumi, kayi buyumi ubo ebwalikuba cinyina ca mumuni kubantu.
5 People do not want him to reveal [that what they do is evil] [MET], just [like] darkness [is evil]. But [just like] darkness cannot put out light [MET], [evil people have never prevented the one who was like a light from revealing God’s truth] (OR, [evil people have never] understood the [one who was like] a light.)
Mumuni uwu ulamunikinga mumushinshe, kayi mushinshe nkawalacikonsha kushima mumuni.
6 A man whose name was John was sent by God {God sent a man whose name was John}.
Neco Lesa walatuma muntu naumbi, lina lyakendi walikuba Yohane.
7 He came to tell people [about the one who was like] [MET] a light. He came to show that everything that the [one who was like a light] [MET] said was true, in order that he could enable all people to believe [in the one who was like a light].
Nendi uyu walesa kwinshila bukamboni, nekwambila bantu sha mumuni usa, kwambeti bantu bonse banyumfwe nekushoma.
8 John himself was not the [one who was like a] light [MET]. Instead, he came to tell others about that [one who was like a] light.
Nteko kwambeti nendi walikuba mumuni, nsombi walesa kuba kamboni wa mumuni.
9 [While John was doing that], the one who was truly [like] a light was about to show himself to the world. He was the one who enables all people [to know about God, as] a light [MET] enables [people to know what is in the darkness].
Mumuni wancine ncine, weshi kumunikila bantu bonse, walesa pacishi capanshi.
10 Although the one [who was like a light] was [here] on the earth, and although he was the one whom [God] caused to create everything, [most] people [MTY, HYP] did not realize who he [was]. (OR, although he was the one whom [God] caused to create everything, [most] people did not accept him.)
Yesu walikuba pacishi capanshi, nomba bantu bapacishi capanshi baliya kumwinshiba, nambi Lesa walalenga bintu byonse kupitila mulyendiye.
11 Although he came to the land that belonged to him [because he created it, most of] his own people, [the Jews], rejected him (OR, did not accept him).
Walesa kubantu bamushobo wakendi, nomba bantu bakendi baliya kumutambula.
12 But those [of us who welcomed him, God] authorized [that we would have a relationship with] him [MET] [like] children [have a relationship with their father]. We were people who believed [that what he said] about himself [MTY] [was true].
Necikabeco nabambi balamutambula nekushoma lina lyakendi, kayi bopelaba walabapa ngofu shakuba bana ba Lesa
13 We became [like God’s children], not because our ancestors [belonged to God], or because of someone’s sexual desires, nor because some man desired to have children like himself. Instead, we were caused by God {God caused us} to become [like] his children.
Neco Kuba bana ba Lesa kuliya kufuma mukusemwa kwabo, nambi mu kuyanda kwa mubili, nambi kwanda kwa muntu sobwe, sombi kwalafuma kuli Lesa.
14 The one who expresses [MET] ([God’s character/what God is like]) became a human being, and he lived among us [for a while]. As a result, we saw how wonderful he is. He came from [God] his father, and there was no other person as wonderful as he. He was wonderful because he always acted (kindly toward us/in ways we did not deserve), and he always [spoke] truthfully to us [about God].
Lino Liswi lyalasanduka muntu, nekwisa kwikala pamo nenjafwe. Walikuba ne nkumbo kayi ne cancine ncine. Kayi twalabona bulemu bwakendi, bulemu mbwalatambula kuBaishi.
15 [One day] when John was telling people about him, [he saw Jesus]. Then he shouted to them, “I told you [previously] that someone will come later who is more important than I am, since he existed [long] before me. This [is the man I was talking about]!”
Yohane walamubela bukamboni. Walikwambila bantu mwangofu kwambeti, “Uyu engondalikwambeti, kuli lesanga panyuma pakame wampita, pakwinga nkantana nsemwa, nendi walikubapo.”
16 We have all benefited very much from what he has done. Again and again, he has acted in kind way toward us in ways we did not deserve.
Weco kupitila munkumbo shakendi shesula twense twalalelekwa mwakupwililila, kulelekwa kwakonkana konkana.
17 Moses proclaimed [God’s] laws [to our ancestors]. But what Jesus Christ did for us [was much better]. He acted in kindness toward us in ways we did not deserve and told us the truth [about God].
Lesa walatupa Milawo kupitila muli Mose, nomba inkumbo nekushomeka kwalesa kupitila muli Yesu.
18 No one has ever seen God. But God’s only Son, [Jesus], who has always had a very close relationship with God, has told us about God.
kuliya muntu walamubonapo Lesa. Nsombi umo enka Lesa usa, wekala pamo neBaishi, ewalamuyubulula.
19 The Jewish [leaders] [SYN] in Jerusalem [city] sent some [Jewish] priests and (Levites/men who worked in the temple) to where John was, to ask him some questions. They said to him, “What do you [claim about] yourself?”
Lino ubu ebukamboni mbwalapa Yohane kubamakulene baBayuda baku Yelusalemu balatuma beshimilumbo neba Levi nabambi kuyakwipusha Yohane, balamwipusheti “Njobe bani?”
20 So John told them the truth, and he told them clearly [DOU]. He said, “[I] am not (the Messiah/God’s chosen king)!”
Nendi walasumina cancine ncine nekubakumbula mwakubula kusoleka, “Ame ntame Mupulushi Walaiwa usa sobwe.”
21 Then they asked him, “Then what [do you say about yourself]? Are you [the prophet] Elijah [that was prophesied to return] {([someone/another prophet]) [prophesied would return]} [before the Messiah]?” He replied, “No, [I] am not.” Then they asked him, “Are you the prophet [like Moses that] ([we are waiting for/God promised to send])?” He replied, “No.”
Balamwipusha kayi, “Nomba njobe Eliya?” Neye walambeti, “Sobwe, ntame Eliya.” Nabo balambeti, “Njobe Mushinshimi ngotulapembelelenga usa?” Neye Yohane walakumbuleti, “Sobwe ntame.”
22 So they asked him, “Then who do you [claim to be]? [Tell us] so that we can [go back and] report to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
Lino twambile cancine ncine, kwambeti twenga tubapandulwile cena balatutumu. Omwine ukute kwambeti njobe bani?
23 John replied, “[I] am the one [the prophet Isaiah said] would proclaim [this new message] loudly [to the people who would pass by] in this desolate area: ‘Prepare [yourselves to receive] the Lord when he comes [MET], [just like people prepare] a road [for an important official].
Yohane walabakumbuleti, mbuli mwalambila mushinshimi Yesaya, “Ame njame liswi lya muntu lolobeshenga mucinyika; Lambangeti, lulamikani nshila mwakupita Mwami.”
24 Some of those people [who were questioning] John were ones who had been sent by the Pharisee [religious group] {whom the Pharisee [religious group] had sent}.
Lino basa bantu balatumwa ne Bafalisi,
25 They asked John, “Since [you say] you are not the Messiah, nor [the prophet] Elijah, nor the prophet [like Moses], [what authority] do you have? [Furthermore], why are you baptizing [Jews, treating them as though they were non-Jews who wanted to become Jews]?”
balamwipusha Yohane, “Na ntobe Mupulushi Walaiwa usa, nambi Eliya, nambi Mushinshimi ngotulapembelelenga usa, nomba nicani ulabatishinga bantu?”
26 John replied, “I am [just] baptizing people with water [to prepare them to welcome the Messiah]. But [right now] someone is among you whom you people do not know.
Yohane walabakumbuleti, “Ame ndababatishinga ne menshi nsombi pakati penu apa pali umbi ngomutenshi.
27 He [will preach to you] after I [am gone]. [He is so important that] I am not worthy to [serve him as a slave] [MET] [by] untying his sandals.”
Nendi uyu lesanga panyuma pakame, nkandelela nekuba musha wakendi wela kusungulula ntambo sha nkwabilo shakendi.”
28 Those things happened at [a place called] Bethany, on the [east] side of the Jordan [River], where John was baptizing people.
Bintu ibi byalenshikila ku Betaniya, kutala lwa kucwe kwa mulonga waYolodani, uko Yohane nkwali kubatisha.
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him. He said to the people, “Look! Here is the [man whom] God [has appointed to be a sacrifice] [MET], [like] the lambs [that the people of Israel sacrificed! By sacrificing himself] he will [make it possible for everyone in] the world to be no longer [guilty for having] sinned.
Mumene mene Yohane walabona Yesu kesa kulyendiye, lino walambeti, “Kamubonani Mwana Mbelele wa Lesa, weshikufunya bwipishi bwapacishi capanshi!
30 He is the one about whom I said [before], ‘Someone will come later who is more important than I am, since he existed [long] before me.’
Uyu endiye usa ngondalikwambeti, ‘Panyuma pakame palesanga muntu wampita, pakwinga ame nkantanansemwa nendi walikubako.’
31 I myself did not [previously] recognize that he [was the Messiah]. But [now I know who he is], and I have baptized people with water to enable [you people of] Israel to recognize who he is.”
Nenjame nkandimwinshi, nomba ndalesa akubatisha ne menshi kwambeti Baislaeli bamwishibe.”
32 John spoke clearly [what God had shown him about Jesus]. He said, “I saw [God’s] Spirit as he was descending from heaven in the form of a dove. The Spirit remained on Jesus.
Kayi Yohane walamwinshila bukamboni, pakwambeti, “Ndalabona Mushimu Uswepa kauseluka kwilu walikuboneketi nkulimba, walesa kwikala pali endiye.
33 I myself did not know [previously] that he [was the Messiah]. However, [God] sent me to baptize people with water, [people who said they wanted to turn from their sinful ways. While I was doing that], God told me, ‘The man on whom you will see my Spirit descend and remain is the one who will put the Holy Spirit within you [(pl) to truly change your lives].’
Ame nkandali kumwinshiba, nsombi Lesa walantuma kwisa akubatisha ne menshi ewanjishibisha kwambeti, ‘Nubone Mushimu Uswepa wesanga kwikala palyendiye, epeloyo eshi kubatisha ne Mushimu Uswepa.’”
34 I saw [the Spirit descend on him], and I tell you that he is (the Son of God/the person who is both God and man).”
Ame ndalabibona, kayi ndamwambilingeti, “Epele uyu Emwana waLesa.”
35 The next day John was at the same place again (with two of us/with two of his disciples).
Mumene mene busuba bwalakonkapo Yohane walikuba pamusena popelapo pamo ne beshikwiya bambi babili.
36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look! There is the man God [has appointed to be a sacrifice, like] the lambs [MET] [the people of Israel have sacrificed!]”
Mpwalabona Yesu kapita, walambeti, “Kamubonani Mwana mbelele wa Lesa!”
37 (When we/those two disciples) heard John say this, we/they went with Jesus.
Beshikwiya babili basa mpobalanyumfwa maswi alico, balamukonka Yesu.
38 Jesus turned around and saw us/them coming behind him. So he asked us/them, “What do you want?” We/They replied, “Teacher, [tell us] where you are staying, [because we want to talk with you].”
Yesu mpwalacebuka ne kuboneti balamukonkelenga, walabepusheti, “Nomba mulayandanga cani?” Nabo balambeti, “Tulayandanga kwinshiba mukute kwikala kupeyo, Labi? Bupandulushi bwa Labi nikwambeti, shikwiyisha.”
39 He replied, “Come [with me], and you will see [where I am staying]!” So we/they went with him and saw where he was staying. We/They stayed with him until about 4 o’clock (OR, from about 4 PM until the next day).
Yesu walakumbuleti “Tiyeni mwenga mukubone.” Nabo balaya nendi. Nomba cindi calikuba mu ma 4 koloko mansailo mpobalayakubona nkwalikwikala, balekala kopeloko ubo busuba.
40 (One of us/One of the two men) who heard what John had said and who went with Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s [younger] brother.
Umo pali basa babili walanyumfwa maswi a Yohane ne kumukonka Yesu, walikuba Ndileya mukwabo Shimoni Petulo.
41 [After Andrew left Jesus], the first thing he did was to find his own [older] brother Simon and say to him, “We have found the Messiah!”
Mpwalamucana shimoni mukwabo, walamwambileti, “Tulamucana Klistu, Mupulushi Walaiwa.”
42 Then he took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked intently at him, and then said, “You are Simon. Your father’s name is John. You will be given {[I] will give you} the name Cephas.” [Cephas is an Aramaic name that means ‘solid rock’. It] means [the same in Greek as the name] Peter.
Neco walamumanta ne kuya nendi kuli Yesu. Yesu mpwalamulangishisha walambeti, “Njobe Shimoni, mwanendi Yohane, nomba lino Lina lyakobe nube Kefa.” Bupandulushi bwa maina Kefa ne Petulo, alambangeti libwe.
43 The next day [Jesus] decided to leave [the Jordan River valley]. He went to Galilee [district] and (OR, on the way there he) found a man named Philip. Jesus said to him, “Come with me!”
Mpobwalaca Yesu walayeya shakuya ku Galileya. Walacana Filipo, ne kumwambileti, “Unkonke.”
44 Philip and Andrew and Peter were all from Bethsaida [town].
Filipo walikuba waku munshi wa Betsaida, kucomwabo Ndileya ne Petulo.
45 Then Philip [searched for] Nathaniel and found him, and said to him, “We have met [the Messiah], the one Moses [wrote about]! The prophets also [prophesied that he would come]. He is Jesus, from Nazareth [town]. His father’s name is Joseph.”
Filipo walacana Nataniyele ne kumwambileti, “Tulamucana usa Mose ngwalalemba sha endiye mulibuku lya Milawo, usa bashinshimi ngobalalemba sha endiye. Yesu Mwana waYosefe, waku Nasaleti.”
46 Nathaniel replied, “Nazareth? (Nothing good can come from [such an unimportant place]!/Can anything good come from [such an unimportant place]?) [RHQ]” Philip replied, “Come and see!”
Nomba Nataniyele walamwipusheti, “Sena kuNasaleti ngakufuma kantu kayina?” Filipo walakumbuleti, “Tiye ulibonene wenka.”
47 When Jesus saw Nathaniel approaching, he said about Nathaniel, “Here is an example of a good Israelite! He never deceives anyone!”
Yesu mpwalamubona Nataniyele nkesa, walambeti, “Cakubinga uyu emwana mwine mwine waku Islayele wabula bundengamano.”
48 Nathaniel asked him, “How do you know what I [am like]?” Jesus replied, “I saw you before Philip called you, when you were [by yourself] under the fig tree.”
Nataniyele walamwipusheti, “Mulanjishibi aconi?” Yesu walakumbuleti, “Pasa mpowanga wekala mwinshi mwacitondo camukuyu, Filipo katana akukuwa, ame ndalakubona.”
49 Then Nathaniel declared, “Teacher, you [must be] (the Son of God/the person who is both God and man)! You are the King of Israel [we have been waiting for]!”
Nataniyele walambeti, “Bashikwiyisha, cakubinga njamwe Mwana Lesa, njamwe Mwami wa Islayele.”
50 Jesus replied to him, “You [RHQ] believe [those things about me] because I told you I saw you when you were under the fig tree. [I was able to see you supernaturally even though I was far away from you]. But you will see [me do] things that are more surprising than that!”
Yesu walamukumbuleti, “Sena ulashomo pakwinga ndakwambilyeti ndalakubona mwinshi mwa citondo camukuyu. Nomba nubone byapita apa.”
51 Then Jesus said to him, “This is the absolute truth: [Just like what your ancestor Jacob saw long ago in a vision], some day you [(pl)] will see heaven opened up, and you will see God’s angels ascending from me and descending on me, the one who came from heaven.”
Kayi walambeti, “Lino cancine ncine ndakwambilingeti nukabone kwilu kwacaluka, nukabone bangelo ba Lesa nkabatanta kayi kabaseluka kwisa kuli Mwana Muntu.”
