< Luke 3 >

1 When the Emperor Tiberius had been ruling [the Roman Empire] for 15 years, and while Pontius Pilate was the governor of Judea [district], and Herod [Antipas] was ruling Galilee [district], and his brother Philip was ruling Iturea and Trachonitis [districts], and Lysanius was ruling Abilene [district],
Mwaka wa kumi na tano wa utawala wa Kaisari Tiberio, Pontio Pilato alikuwa anatawala mkoa wa Yudea. Herode alikuwa mkuu wa mkoa wa Galilaya, na Filipo, ndugu yake, alikuwa mkuu wa mikoa ya Iturea na Trakoniti. Lusania alikuwa mkuu wa mkoa wa Abilene,
2 and while Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests [in Jerusalem], God gave messages to Zechariah’s son John while he was living in the desolate region.
na Anasi na Kayafa walikuwa makuhani wakuu mjini Yerusalem. Wakati huo ndipo neno la Mungu lilipomjia Yohane, mwana wa Zakariya, kule jangwani.
3 [So] John went all over the area close to the Jordan [River]. He kept telling people, “If you want [God] to forgive you for your sins, you must (repent/turn away from your sinful behavior) [before you ask me] to baptize [you]!”
Basi, Yohane akaenda katika sehemu zote zilizopakana na mto Yordani, akihubiri watu watubu na kubatizwa ili Mungu awaondolee dhambi.
4 John was the one who [fulfilled] these words that had [been written] by the prophet Isaiah {that the prophet Isaiah had written} on a scroll [long ago]: In a desolate area, someone [SYN] will be heard shouting [to the people who pass by], “Prepare yourselves [to receive] the Lord when he comes! [Make yourselves ready so that you will be prepared when he comes], [just like people] straighten out the road [MET] [for an important official] [MET, DOU]!
Ndivyo ilivyoandikwa katika kitabu cha nabii Isaya: “Sauti ya mtu imesikika jangwani: Mtayarishieni Bwana njia yake; nyosheni mapito yake.
5 [Just like people] level off all the places where the land rises and [just like they] fill all the ravines, and [just like people] make the road straight wherever it is crooked, and [just like people] make smooth the bumps in the road, [similarly you need to remove all the obstacles which prevent God from blessing you]!
Kila bonde litafukiwa, kila mlima na kilima vitasawazishwa; palipopindika patanyooshwa, njia mbaya zitatengenezwa.
6 Then people [SYN] everywhere will understand how God can save [MTY] [people].”
Na, watu wote watauona wokovu utokao kwa Mungu.”
7 Although large groups of people came to John to be baptized {in order that he would baptize them}, [he knew that many of them were not sincere]. So he kept saying to them, “You [people are evil] [MET] [like] poisonous snakes! [I] warn you that [God] will some day punish [MTY] [everyone] who sins. And (do not think that you can escape [from his punishing] [MTY] [you if you do not turn from your sinful behavior!/did someone tell you] that you can escape [from his punishing] [MTY] [you if you do not turn from your sinful behavior]?) [RHQ] (OR, Who told you that you could escape [God’s punishment?])
Basi, Yohane akawa anawaambia watu wengi waliofika ili awabatize: “Enyi kizazi cha nyoka! Ni nani aliyewadokezea kwamba mngeweza kuiepuka ghadhabu inayokuja?
8 Do what is appropriate for people who have truly turned from their sinful behavior! [God promised to give Abraham many] descendants. In order to fulfill that promise, God does not need you! I tell you that he can change these stones to make them descendants of Abraham! So do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We [(exc)] are descendants of Abraham, [so God will not punish us, even though we have] sinned!’
Basi, onyesheni kwa matendo kwamba mmetubu. Msianze sasa kusema: Sisi ni watoto wa Abrahamu. Nawaambieni hakika, Mungu anaweza kuyageuza mawe haya yawe watoto wa Abrahamu!
9 [God is ready to punish you if you do not turn away from your sinful behavior, just like a man] [MET] lays his axe at the roots [of a fruit] tree [to chop it down and throw it into the fire if it does not produce good fruit] [MET].”
Lakini, sasa hivi shoka limewekwa tayari kukata mizizi ya miti. Kila mti usiozaa matunda mazuri utakatwa na kutupwa motoni.”
10 [Then] various ones in the crowd asked John, “What shall we [(exc)] do [to escape God punishing us] (OR), [to show that we have repented]?”
Umati wa watu ukamwuliza, “Tufanye nini basi?”
11 He answered them, “If any of you has two shirts, you should give one of them to someone who has no shirt. If any of you has [plenty of] food, you should give some to those who have no food.”
Akawajibu, “Aliye na nguo mbili amgawie yule asiye na nguo; aliye na chakula afanye vivyo hivyo.”
12 [Some] tax collectors came [and asked] to be baptized ([asked him] to baptize them}. They asked him, “Teacher, what shall we [(exc)] do [to please God]?”
Nao watoza ushuru wakaja pia ili wabatizwe, wakamwuliza, “Mwalimu, tufanye nini?”
13 He said to them, “Do not take from the people any more money than [the Roman government] tells you to take!”
Naye akawaambia, “Msitoze ushuru zaidi ya kima kilichowekwa.”
14 Some soldiers asked him, “What about us? What should we [(exc)] do [to please God]?” He said to them, “Do not [say to anyone], ‘[If you(sg) do not give me] some money, I will hurt you,’ and do not take [people to court and] falsely accuse them of doing something wrong! And be content with your wages.”
Nao askari wakamwuliza, “Na sisi tufanye nini?” Naye akawajibu, “Msichukue vitu vya mtu yeyote kwa nguvu wala kumshtaki yeyote kwa uongo. Toshekeni na mishahara yenu.”
15 People were expecting [that the Messiah would come soon]. Because of that, many of them wondered about John. [Some of them asked him] if he was the Messiah.
Wote walikuwa wanatazamia kitu fulani; basi, wakaanza kujiuliza mioyoni mwao kuhusu Yohane: kuwa labda yeye ndiye Kristo.
16 John replied to them all, “No, [I am not]. I used [only] water when I baptized you. But [the Messiah] will soon come! He is far greater than I am. [He is so great that] I am not worthy to [be like his slave and] untie his sandals [MET] [like] a slave would do! He will put [his] Holy Spirit within [MTY] you [to truly change your lives], and [he will judge others of you and punish you in] the fire [MET] [in hell]. (questioned)
Hapo Yohane akawaambia wote, “Mimi ninawabatiza kwa maji, lakini anakuja mwenye uwezo zaidi kuliko mimi ambaye sistahili hata kumfungulia kamba za viatu vyake. Yeye atawabatizeni kwa Roho Mtakatifu na kwa moto.
17 He [is like a man] [MET] [who wants to] clear away the grain on the ground where it has been threshed {they have threshed it}. That man [uses] a huge fork [to throw the grain into the air] to separate the wheat from the chaff [MET], and then he cleans up the threshing area. [Similarly, God] will [separate righteous people from the evil people, like a man who] gathers the wheat into his storage area, and then he will burn [those who are like] chaff with a fire (that will never be put out/that will burn forever).”
Yeye ni kama mtu anayeshika mikononi mwake chombo cha kupuria nafaka, aipure nafaka yake, akusanye ngano ghalani mwake, na makapi ayachome kwa moto usiozimika.”
18 John kept telling people many things to urge them [to turn to God], as he told them the good message [from God].
Hivyo, pamoja na mawaidha mengine mengi, Yohane aliwahimiza watu akiwahubiria Habari Njema.
19 He also rebuked [the ruler of the district], Herod [Antipas. He rebuked him] for [marrying] Herodias, his brother’s wife, [while his brother was still alive], and for doing many other evil things.
Lakini Yohane alimgombeza Herode, mkuu wa mkoa, kwa sababu alikuwa amemchukua Herodia, mke wa ndugu yake, na kumfanya mke wake; na pia kwa ajili ya mabaya yote aliyokuwa amefanya.
20 But Herod [had his soldiers] put John in prison. That was another evil thing he did.
Kisha Herode akazidisha ubaya wake kwa kumtia Yohane gerezani.
21 [But before John was put in prison], when many people were being baptized {when he was baptizing many people}, after Jesus was baptized {he baptized Jesus} and Jesus was praying, the sky opened.
Watu wote walipokuwa wamekwisha batizwa, Yesu naye alibatizwa. Na alipokuwa akisali, mbingu zilifunguka,
22 Then the Holy Spirit, resembling a dove, descended upon [Jesus]. And [God] [SYN/EUP] spoke to Jesus from heaven, saying, “You [(sg)] are my Son, whom I love dearly. I am very pleased with you!”
na Roho Mtakatifu akamshukia akiwa na umbo kama la njiwa. Sauti ikasikika kutoka mbinguni: “Wewe ndiwe Mwanangu mpendwa, nimependezwa nawe.”
23 When Jesus began [his work for God], he was about 30 years old. It was {[People]} thought that he was [the son of] Joseph. [Joseph was the son] of Heli.
Yesu alipoanza kazi yake hadharani, alikuwa na umri upatao miaka thelathini, na watu walidhani yeye ni mwana wa Yosefu, mwana wa Heli.
24 [Heli was the son] of Matthat. [Matthat was the son] of Levi. [Levi was the son] of Melchi. [Melchi was the son] of Jannai. [Jannai was the son] of Joseph.
Heli alikuwa mwana wa Mathati, mwana wa Lawi, mwana wa Melki, mwana wa Yanai, mwana wa Yosefu,
25 [Joseph was the son] of Mattathias. [Mattathias was the son] of Amos. [Amos was the son] of Nahum. [Nahum was the son] of Esli. [Esli was the son] of Naggai.
mwana wa Matathia, mwana wa Amosi, mwana wa Nahumu, mwana wa Hesli, mwana wa Nagai,
26 [Naggai was the son] of Maath. [Maath was the son] of Mattathias. [Mattathias was the son] of Semein. [Semein was the son] of Josech. [Josech was the son] of Joda.
mwana wa Maathi, mwana wa Matathia, mwana wa Shemeni, mwana wa Yoseki, mwana wa Yuda,
27 [Joda was the son] of Joanan. [Joanan was the son] of Rhesa. [Rhesa was the son] of Zerubbabel. [Zerubbabel was the son] of Shealtiel. [Shealtiel was the son] of Neri.
mwana wa Yohanani, mwana wa Resa, mwana wa Zerubabeli, mwana wa Shealtieli, mwana wa Neri,
28 [Neri was the son] of Melchi. [Melchi was the son] of Addi. [Addi was the son] of Cosam. [Cosam was the son] of Elmadam. [Elmadam was the son] of Er.
mwana wa Melki, mwana wa Adi, mwana wa Kosamu, mwana wa Elmadamu, mwana wa Eri,
29 [Er was the son] of Joshua. [Joshua was the son] of Eliezer. [Eliezer was the son] of Jorim. [Jorim was the son] of Matthat. [Matthat was the son] of Levi.
mwana wa Yoshua, mwana wa Eliezeri, mwana wa Yorimu, mwana wa Mathati, mwana wa Lawi,
30 [Levi was the son] of Simeon. [Simeon was the son] of Judah. [Judah was the son] of Joseph. [Joseph was the son] of Jonam. [Jonam was the son] of Eliakim.
mwana wa Simeoni, mwana wa Yuda, mwana wa Yosefu, mwana wa Yonamu, mwana wa Eliakimu,
31 [Eliakim was the son] of Melea. [Melea was the son] of Menna. [Menna was the son] of Mattatha. [Mattatha was the son] of Nathan. [Nathan was the son] of David.
mwana wa Melea, mwana wa Mena, mwana wa Matatha, mwana wa Nathani, mwana wa Daudi,
32 [David was the son] of Jesse. [Jesse was the son] of Obed. [Obed was the son] of Boaz. [Boaz was the son] of Sala. [Sala was the son] of Nahshon.
mwana wa Yese, mwana wa Obedi, mwana wa Boazi, mwana wa Salmoni, mwana wa Nashoni,
33 [Nahshon was the son] of Amminadab. [Amminadab was the son] of Admin. [Admin was the son] of Arni. [Arni was the son] of Hezron. [Hezron was the son] of Perez. [Perez was the son] of Judah.
mwana wa Aminadabu, mwana wa Admini, mwana wa Arni, mwana wa Hesroni, mwana wa Feresi, mwana wa Yuda,
34 [Judah was the son] of Jacob. [Jacob was the son] of Isaac. [Isaac was the son] of Abraham. [Abraham was the son] of Terah. [Terah was the son] of Nahor.
mwana wa Yakobo, mwana wa Isaka, mwana wa Abrahamu, mwana wa Tera, mwana wa Nahori,
35 [Nahor was the son] of Serug. [Serug was the son] of Reu. [Reu was the son] of Peleg. [Peleg was the son] of Eber. [Eber was the son] of Shelah.
mwana wa Serugi, mwana wa Reu, mwana wa Pelegi, mwana wa Eberi, mwana wa Sala,
36 [Shelah was the son] of Cainan. [Cainan was the son] of Arphaxad. [Arphaxad was the son] of Shem. [Shem was the son] of Noah. [Noah was the son] of Lamech.
mwana wa Kainani, mwana wa Arfaksadi, mwana wa Shemu, mwana wa Noa, mwana wa Lameki,
37 [Lamech was the son] of Methuselah. [Methuselah was the son] of Enoch. [Enoch was the son] of Jared. [Jared was the son] of Mahalalel. [Mahalalel was the son] of Cainan.
mwana wa Mathusala, mwana wa Henoki, mwana wa Yaredi, mwana wa Mahalaleli, mwana wa Kenani,
38 [Cainan was the son] of Enos. [Enos was the son] of Seth. [Seth was the son] of Adam. [Adam was the man] God created.
mwana wa Enosi, mwana wa Sethi, mwana wa Adamu, aliyekuwa wa Mungu.

< Luke 3 >