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,
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],
2 uAnasi loKayafasi bengabapristi abakhulu, ilizwi likaNkulunkulu lafika kuJohane indodana kaZakariya enkangala.
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.
3 Wasesiza esigabeni sonke seJordani esizingelezeleyo, etshumayela ubhabhathizo lokuphenduka kube yikuthethelelwa kwezono;
[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]!”
4 njengokulotshiweyo egwalweni lwamazwi kaIsaya umprofethi, ukuthi: Ilizwi lomemezayo enkangala lithi: Lungisani indlela yeNkosi; qondisani indledlana zayo.
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]!
5 Sonke isigodi sizagqitshwa, layo yonke intaba loqaqa kuzakwehliswa; njalo kuzaqondiswa amazombazombe, lamaxhakaxhaka ezindlela azalungiswa;
[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]!
6 layo yonke inyama izabona usindiso lukaNkulunkulu.
Then people [SYN] everywhere will understand how God can save [MTY] [people].”
7 Ngakho wathi emaxukwini aphumela ukubhabhathizwa nguye: Nzalo yezinyoka, ngubani olixwayise ukubalekela ulaka oluzayo?
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?])
8 Ngakho thelani izithelo ezifanele ukuphenduka; njalo lingaqali ukuthi phakathi kwenu: SiloAbrahama ongubaba wethu; ngoba ngithi kini: UNkulunkulu ulamandla okumvusela uAbrahama abantwana kulamatshe.
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!’
9 Lakhathesi lehloka selibekiwe empandeni zezihlahla; ngakho sonke isihlahla esingatheli isithelo esihle siyaganyulwa siphoselwe emlilweni.
[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].”
10 Amaxuku asembuza, athi: Pho thina sizakwenzani?
[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]?”
11 Wasephendula wathi kubo: Olezembatho ezimbili, kamuphe ongelaso; lolokudla kenze njalo.
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.”
12 Kwasekufika labathelisi ukuze babhabhathizwe, basebesithi kuye: Mfundisi, sizakwenzani?
[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]?”
13 Wasesithi kubo: Lingabizi okwedlula elikumiselweyo.
He said to them, “Do not take from the people any more money than [the Roman government] tells you to take!”
14 Lamabutho lawo ambuza, athi: Thina-ke sizakwenzani? Wasesithi kuwo: Lingenzi udlakela emuntwini, njalo lingacali ngamanga; njalo yeneliswani yimivuzo yenu.
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.”
15 Kwathi abantu belindile, futhi bonke bezibuza enhliziyweni zabo ngoJohane, ukuthi kambe yena angaba enguKristu,
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.
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 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)
17 okhomane lwakhe lokwela lusesandleni sakhe, njalo uzahlambululisisa isibuya sakhe, abesebuthela amabele esiphaleni sakhe, kodwa amakhoba uzawatshisa ngomlilo ongacitshekiyo.
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).”
18 Langokulaya ngezinye izinto ezinengi, watshumayela ivangeli ebantwini.
John kept telling people many things to urge them [to turn to God], as he told them the good message [from God].
19 Kodwa uHerodi umtetrarki, owayesolwe nguye ngoHerodiyasi umkaFiliphu umfowabo, langakho konke okubi ayekwenzile uHerodi,
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.
20 wengezelela lalokhu phezu kwakho konke, ukuthi wamvalela uJohane entolongweni.
But Herod [had his soldiers] put John in prison. That was another evil thing he did.
21 Kwasekusithi sebebhabhathiziwe bonke abantu, laye uJesu esebhabhathiziwe, ekhuleka, izulu lavulwa,
[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.
22 uMoya oyiNgcwele wasesehlela phezu kwakhe elesimo somzimba onjengowejuba, lelizwi lavela ezulwini, lisithi: Wena uyiNdodana yami ethandekayo, ngithokoza ngawe.
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!”
23 Yena uJesu waseqala ukuba leminyaka engaba ngamatshumi amathathu, yena (njengokwakunakanwa) eyindodana kaJosefa, kaEli,
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.
24 kaMathati, kaLevi, kaMeliki, kaJanayi, kaJosefa,
[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.
25 kaMatathiya, kaAmosi, kaNahume, kaEseli, kaNagayi,
[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.
26 kaMahati, kaMatathiya, kaSemeyi, kaJosefa, kaJuda,
[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.
27 kaJohana, kaResa, kaZerubhabheli, kaSalatiyeli, kaNeri,
[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.
28 kaMeliki, kaAdi, kaKosamu, kaElimodamu, kaEri,
[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.
29 kaJose, kaEliyezeri, kaJorima, kaMathati, kaLevi,
[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.
30 kaSimeyoni, kaJuda, kaJosefa, kaJonanu, kaEliyakhimi,
[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.
31 kaMeleya, kaMena, kaMathata, kaNathani, kaDavida,
[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.
32 kaJese, kaObedi, kaBowosi, kaSalimoni, kaNashoni,
[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.
33 kaAminadaba, kaAramu, kaEsiromu, kaFaresi, kaJuda,
[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.
34 kaJakobe, kaIsaka, kaAbrahama, kaThara, kaNahori,
[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.
35 kaSarugi, kaRagawu, kaFaleki, kaEberi, kaSala,
[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.
36 kaKayinani, kaArpakishadi, kaShemu, kaNowe, kaLameki,
[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.
37 kaMethusala, kaEnoki, kaJaredi, kaMaleleyeli, kaKayinani,
[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.
38 kaEnosi, kaSeti, kaAdamu, kaNkulunkulu.
[Cainan was the son] of Enos. [Enos was the son] of Seth. [Seth was the son] of Adam. [Adam was the man] God created.
