ULukha 3
1 Kwathi ngomnyaka wetshumi lanhlanu wokubusa kukaTiberiyosi uKesari, uPontiyusi Pilatu engumbusi weJudiya, loHerodi engumtetrarki weGalili, loFiliphu umfowabo engumtetrarki weIturiya lelizweni iTrakoniti, loLisaniya engumtetrarki weAbilene,
NOW in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene:
2 uAnasi loKayafasi bengabapristi abakhulu, ilizwi likaNkulunkulu lafika kuJohane indodana kaZakariya enkangala.
when Annas and Caiaphas were high-priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness;
3 Wasesiza esigabeni sonke seJordani esizingelezeleyo, etshumayela ubhabhathizo lokuphenduka kube yikuthethelelwa kwezono;
and he came into all the country on the confines of Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
4 njengokulotshiweyo egwalweni lwamazwi kaIsaya umprofethi, ukuthi: Ilizwi lomemezayo enkangala lithi: Lungisani indlela yeNkosi; qondisani indledlana zayo.
as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, saying, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths strait:
5 Sonke isigodi sizagqitshwa, layo yonke intaba loqaqa kuzakwehliswa; njalo kuzaqondiswa amazombazombe, lamaxhakaxhaka ezindlela azalungiswa;
every valley shall be filled up, and every mountain and hill shall be levelled, and the crooked ways made strait, and the rough roads smooth:
6 layo yonke inyama izabona usindiso lukaNkulunkulu.
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”
7 Ngakho wathi emaxukwini aphumela ukubhabhathizwa nguye: Nzalo yezinyoka, ngubani olixwayise ukubalekela ulaka oluzayo?
He said, therefore, to the multitudes who came out to be baptised by him, Ye broods of vipers, who hath warned you to fly from the approaching wrath?
8 Ngakho thelani izithelo ezifanele ukuphenduka; njalo lingaqali ukuthi phakathi kwenu: SiloAbrahama ongubaba wethu; ngoba ngithi kini: UNkulunkulu ulamandla okumvusela uAbrahama abantwana kulamatshe.
Produce then fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say in yourselves, We have a father, even Abraham; for I say unto you, That God is able out of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
9 Lakhathesi lehloka selibekiwe empandeni zezihlahla; ngakho sonke isihlahla esingatheli isithelo esihle siyaganyulwa siphoselwe emlilweni.
But now is the ax laid even to the root of the trees; every tree therefore that produceth not good fruit, is cut down and cast into the fire.
10 Amaxuku asembuza, athi: Pho thina sizakwenzani?
And the multitudes asked him, saying, What then shall we do?
11 Wasephendula wathi kubo: Olezembatho ezimbili, kamuphe ongelaso; lolokudla kenze njalo.
And he answering said to them, He that hath two coats, let him give to him that hath none; and he that hath provisions, let him do in like manner.
12 Kwasekufika labathelisi ukuze babhabhathizwe, basebesithi kuye: Mfundisi, sizakwenzani?
Then came also the farmers of the taxes to be baptised, and they said unto him, Master, what shall we do?
13 Wasesithi kubo: Lingabizi okwedlula elikumiselweyo.
He said unto them, Exact nothing more than is appointed for you.
14 Lamabutho lawo ambuza, athi: Thina-ke sizakwenzani? Wasesithi kuwo: Lingenzi udlakela emuntwini, njalo lingacali ngamanga; njalo yeneliswani yimivuzo yenu.
And the military men also asked him, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Extort nothing by force; nor turn informers; and be content with your pay.
15 Kwathi abantu belindile, futhi bonke bezibuza enhliziyweni zabo ngoJohane, ukuthi kambe yena angaba enguKristu,
Now when the people were in expectation, and many reasoned in their hearts respecting John, whether he were the Messiah,
16 uJohane waphendula, esithi kubo bonke: Mina-ke ngilibhabhathiza ngamanzi; kodwa uyeza olamandla kulami, engingafanele ukuthukulula umchilo wamanyathela akhe; yena uzalibhabhathiza ngoMoya oNgcwele langomlilo;
John addressed himself to them all, saying, I indeed baptise you with water; but one mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie: he shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost and with fire;
17 okhomane lwakhe lokwela lusesandleni sakhe, njalo uzahlambululisisa isibuya sakhe, abesebuthela amabele esiphaleni sakhe, kodwa amakhoba uzawatshisa ngomlilo ongacitshekiyo.
whose winnowing fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing-floor, and collect the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.
18 Langokulaya ngezinye izinto ezinengi, watshumayela ivangeli ebantwini.
Thus in many and various discourses exhorting them, he preached the glad tidings of the gospel to the people.
19 Kodwa uHerodi umtetrarki, owayesolwe nguye ngoHerodiyasi umkaFiliphu umfowabo, langakho konke okubi ayekwenzile uHerodi,
Now Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him, on account of Herodias his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the other wicked actions which he had done,
20 wengezelela lalokhu phezu kwakho konke, ukuthi wamvalela uJohane entolongweni.
added this also to all the rest, and shut up John in prison.
21 Kwasekusithi sebebhabhathiziwe bonke abantu, laye uJesu esebhabhathiziwe, ekhuleka, izulu lavulwa,
Now it came to pass, at the time when John was baptising all the people, that Jesus also was baptised, and as he prayed, the heaven was opened,
22 uMoya oyiNgcwele wasesehlela phezu kwakhe elesimo somzimba onjengowejuba, lelizwi lavela ezulwini, lisithi: Wena uyiNdodana yami ethandekayo, ngithokoza ngawe.
and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily form, like a dove, upon him, and a voice came from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased.
23 Yena uJesu waseqala ukuba leminyaka engaba ngamatshumi amathathu, yena (njengokwakunakanwa) eyindodana kaJosefa, kaEli,
And Jesus himself was about thirty years of age when he began his ministry, being (as was supposed the son of Joseph) of Heli,
24 kaMathati, kaLevi, kaMeliki, kaJanayi, kaJosefa,
of Matthat, of Levi, of Melchi, of Janna, of Joseph,
25 kaMatathiya, kaAmosi, kaNahume, kaEseli, kaNagayi,
of Mattathias, of Amos, of Naum, of Esli, of Nagge,
26 kaMahati, kaMatathiya, kaSemeyi, kaJosefa, kaJuda,
of Maath, of Mattathias, of Semei, of Joseph, of Juda,
27 kaJohana, kaResa, kaZerubhabheli, kaSalatiyeli, kaNeri,
of Joanna, of Rhesa, of Zerubbabel, of Salathiel, of Neri,
28 kaMeliki, kaAdi, kaKosamu, kaElimodamu, kaEri,
of Melchi, of Addi, of Cosam, of Elmodam, of Er,
29 kaJose, kaEliyezeri, kaJorima, kaMathati, kaLevi,
of Jose, of Eliezer, of Jorim, of Matthat, of Levi,
30 kaSimeyoni, kaJuda, kaJosefa, kaJonanu, kaEliyakhimi,
of Simeon, of Judah, of Joseph, of Jonan, of Eliakim,
31 kaMeleya, kaMena, kaMathata, kaNathani, kaDavida,
of Melea, of Menan, of Mattatha, of Nathan, of David,
32 kaJese, kaObedi, kaBowosi, kaSalimoni, kaNashoni,
of Jesse, of Obed, of Booz, of Salmon, of Naasson,
33 kaAminadaba, kaAramu, kaEsiromu, kaFaresi, kaJuda,
of Aminadab, of Aram, of Esrom, of Phares, of Judah,
34 kaJakobe, kaIsaka, kaAbrahama, kaThara, kaNahori,
of Jacob, of Isaac, of Abraham, of Terah, of Nachor,
35 kaSarugi, kaRagawu, kaFaleki, kaEberi, kaSala,
of Saruch, of Ragau, of Phalec, of Heber, of Sala,
36 kaKayinani, kaArpakishadi, kaShemu, kaNowe, kaLameki,
of Cainan, of Arphaxad, of Sem, of Noe, of Lamech,
37 kaMethusala, kaEnoki, kaJaredi, kaMaleleyeli, kaKayinani,
of Methusaleh, of Enoch, of Jared, of Maleleel, of Cainan,
38 kaEnosi, kaSeti, kaAdamu, kaNkulunkulu.
of Enos, of Seth, of Adam, the son of God.
