Matthew 3
1 While [Jesus was still in Nazareth town], John, [whom the people called] the Baptizer, went to a desolate place in Judea [district].
Gene mobhago gubhakoposhele a Yowana bhaabhatisha, bhalilunguya kuanga ja ku Yudea,
2 He was preaching [to the people who came there]. He kept saying, “[You need to] turn away from your sinful behavior, because God [MET] will soon begin to rule [over people, and he will reject you if you do not turn away from your sinful life].”
bhalinkuti, “Mwiipetanje, pabha Upalume gwa Kunnungu ubhandishile.”
3 John was the person who [fulfilled] what was said by Isaiah the prophet {what Isaiah the prophet [predicted] when he said}, long ago: In a desolate area ([people will hear someone/someone 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] [MET, DOU], just like people [improve and] straighten out the road [for an important official!]
Bhenebha a Yowana bhalugwilwe na ankulondola bha a Nnungu a Ishaya bhalinkuti, “Lilobhe lika mundu linapilikanika kuanga, ‘Mwaalashiyanje Bhakulungwa mpanda gwabho, Nngoloyanje mushibhapite.’”
4 John wore [coarse] clothing made from camel’s hair. And [as the prophet Elijah did long ago], he wore a leather belt around his waist. His food was [only] grasshoppers and honey [that he found] in that desolate area.
A Yowana shibhawalaga shiwalo sha mabhetya ga ngamia, na nshipi gwa lipende nshigunu. Shalya shabho pushaaliji maije na bhushi gwa mukonde.
5 [People who lived in] Jerusalem [city] [MTY], many [HYP] [people who lived in other places in] Judea [district] [MTY], and many [HYP] [people who lived in] the area around the Jordan [River] [MTY] came to John [to hear him preach].
Bhai, bhandunji kukoposhela ku Yelushalemu na nkowa gowe gwa ku Yudea na ilambo yowe ya nnyenje lushi lwa Yolodani, gubhaajendelenje.
6 After [they heard him tell them to turn away from their sinful behavior], they [openly] confessed their sins, and as a result they were baptized by John {John baptized them} in the Jordan River.
Bhakaipetanjeje yambi yabhonji na bhalabho gubhaabhatishenje mmashi ga lushi lwa Yolodani.
7 After John noted that many men of the Pharisee [religious group] and of the Sadducee [religious group] were coming [to him] to be baptized {in order that he would baptize them}, he said to them, “You people are [evil like poisonous] snakes [MET]! I warn you that God will some day punish [MTY] everyone who sins. (And do not think that you can escape from his punishing you [MTY] [if you do not turn from your sinful behavior]!/Did someone tell you that you can escape from his punishing you [MTY] [if you do not turn from your sinful behavior]?) [RHQ]
Ikabheje a Yowana bhakaabhonanjeje Mapalishayo na Mashadukayo bhabhagwinji bhalikwaajiilanga nkupinga bhabhatishwanje, gubhaalugulilenje, “Mmanganya bhana bha lijoka! Gani ammalanjilenje nnjibhutukanje nnjimwa ja a Nnungu jikwiya?
8 Do what is appropriate [IDM] for people who have truly turned away from their sinful behavior [before you come to me in order to be baptized] {[that I baptize you]}.
Bhai nnanguyanje kwa itendi, kuti mwiipetilenje.
9 [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 start to say to yourselves, ‘Since we are descendants of [our ancestor] Abraham, [God will not punish us even though we have sinned].’
Nnaganishiyanje mmitima jenunji kuti, ‘Uwe, ulongo gwa a Bhulaimu!’ Ngunakummalanjilanga kuti, a Nnungu bhanakombola kugayuya aga magangaga gabhe bha ulongo bha a Bhulaimu.
10 [God is] ready [to punish you if you do not turn away from your sinful behavior, just like] a man who lays his axe at the roots of a [fruit] tree [in order to] chop it down and throw it into the fire if it does not produce good fruit [MET].”
Na libhago libhishilwe tayali mmatepo ga mikongo, bhai kila nkongo ukaogoya iepo ya mmbone upinga shelwa nileshelwa pa moto.
11 “As for me, I [am not very important, because] I baptize you [only] with water. I [baptize you] because of your feeling sorry that you have sinned. But someone else will come soon who is very great; [he will do powerful deeds] (OR, [act powerfully]). [Because he is] superior to me, I am not worthy [even to do a menial task for him, such as] to carry his sandals. He will put [his] Holy Spirit [within] you [to truly change] the way you live [MET], and [he will judge others of you and punish you in] the fire [in hell]. (questioned)
Nne ngunakummatishanga kwa mashi kulangula kuti mwiipetilenje. Ikabheje bhene bhakwiya nnyuma jangubho bhashikola mashili kumbunda nne, numbe ngaatopela nkali jigala ilatu yabho. Bhenebho shibhammatishanje kwa Mbumu jwa Ukonjelo na moto.
12 [He is like a farmer who wants to clear away the grain that is on the ground where it has been threshed] {[they have threshed it]}. [That farmer 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 farmer who] gathers the wheat into his storage area, and then [God] will burn the [people who are like] chaff with a fire that will never be put out [MET].”
Bhenebho bhashikamula shipeta mmakono gabho nkupinga bhapete, ngano bhabhishe munngokwe na maashe bhajoshe pa moto gwangaimika.”
13 During that time, Jesus went from Galilee [District] to the Jordan [River], where John was. [He did that] in order to be baptized by John {in order to ask that John would baptize him}.
Gene mobhago a Yeshu gubhaishe ku lushi lwa Yolodani kukoposhela ku Galilaya, gubhaajendele a Yowana nkupinga bhabhatishwe.
14 [When Jesus asked John to baptize him], John objected, saying, “I need to be baptized by you {you to baptize me} [because you are superior to me. Since you are not a sinner], ([you(sg)] should not come to me [to be baptized by me] {[to ask that I baptize you(sg)]}!/why do you come to me [to be baptized by me] {[ask that I baptize you(sg)]} [RHQ]?)”
Ikabheje a Yowana gubhalinjile kwaibhilila bhalinkuti, “Nne namwene ngunapinga bhatishwa na mmwe, pakuti nnanyiila nne?”
15 But Jesus said to him, “Baptize me at this time, because in this way we [two] will do [everything that God] requires.” Then John consented to baptize him.
Ikabheje a Yeshu gubhaajangwile, “Nnaino mmwe nneshepe ibhe nneyo, pabha inapinjikwa tutende yowe ibhaapinga a Nnungu.” Bhai, a Yowana gubhakundile.
16 After he was baptized {John baptized Jesus}, Jesus immediately came up out of the water. Just then, [it was as though] the sky was opened {split apart}. Then [Jesus] saw God’s Spirit coming down upon him. He came in the form of a dove.
A Yeshu bhakabhatishweje gubhakopweshe mmashi, shangupe ku nnungu kukuugukaga, gubhammweni Mbumu jwa a Nnungu alituluka mbuti nnjubha nikwaatula panani jabho.
17 Then [God] [SYN] spoke from heaven, saying, “This is my Son. I love him. I am very pleased with him.”
Lilobhe gulipilikanishe koposhela kunnungu, “Jweneju mwanangu jungumpinga annonyela.”
