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].
Ngalesosikhathi kwafika uJohane uMbhaphathizi etshumayela enkangala yaseJudiya
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].”
esithi, “Phendukani ngoba umbuso wezulu ususondele.”
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!]
Nguye lo okwakhulunywa ngaye ngumphrofethi u-Isaya kwathiwa: “Ilizwi lomemezayo enkangala lithi, ‘Lungiselani iNkosi indlela, yenzani izindlela zayo ziqonde.’”
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.
Izigqoko zikaJohane zazenziwe ngoboya bekamela, elebhanti lesikhumba okhalweni lwakhe. Ukudla kwakhe kwakuzintethe loluju lwenyosi zeganga.
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].
Abantu baphuma baya kuye bevela eJerusalema lakulo lonke elaseJudiya lemangweni wonke waseJodani.
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.
Bevuma izono zabo, babhaphathizwa nguye emfuleni uJodani.
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]
Kodwa wathi ebona abaFarisi labaSadusi abanengi besiza lapho ayebhaphathizela khona wathi kubo, “Lina nzalo yezinyoka! Lilimukiswe ngubani ukuthi libalekele ulaka oluzayo na?
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]}.
Thelani izithelo ezihambelana lokuphenduka.
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].’
Njalo lingacabangi ukuthi lingazitshela ukuthi, ‘Silo-Abhrahama ongubaba wethu.’ Mina ngilitshela ukuthi kuwonala amatshe uNkulunkulu angamenzela u-Abhrahama abantwana.
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].”
Ihloka selivele selisezimpandeni zezihlahla njalo zonke izihlahla ezingatheli izithelo ezinhle zizaganyulwa, ziphoselwe emlilweni.
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)
Mina ngilibhaphathiza ngamanzi okutshengisa ukuphenduka. Kodwa ngemva kwami kuza olamandla kulami njalo kakungilingananga ukuthwala amanyathela akhe. Uzalibhaphathiza ngoMoya oNgcwele langomlilo.
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].”
Isitsha sakhe sokwela sisesandleni sakhe njalo uzathanyela isiza sakhe, abuthele amabele akhe wonke esiphaleni, kuthi amakhoba awatshise ngomlilo ongacitshekiyo.”
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}.
UJesu weza eJodani evela eGalile ukuba abhaphathizwe nguJohane.
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]?)”
Kodwa uJohane wazama ukwenqaba ngokuthi, “Yimi engidinga ukubhaphathizwa nguwe, kanti pho ungeza njani kimi?”
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.
UJesu waphendula wathi, “Yekela kube njalo okwakhathesi ngoba kufanele ukuba sikwenze lokhu ukuze sigcwalise konke ukulunga.” Ngakho uJohane wasevuma.
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.
Masinyane nje uJesu eqeda kubhaphathizwa waphuma emanzini. Khonokho nje izulu lavuleka, wasebona uMoya kaNkulunkulu usehla njengejuba njalo usehlela phezu kwakhe.
17 Then [God] [SYN] spoke from heaven, saying, “This is my Son. I love him. I am very pleased with him.”
Ilizwi elavela ezulwini lathi, “Lo yiNdodana yami engiyithandayo; ngiyathokoza kakhulu ngayo.”
