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,
In the fifteenth year of the reign of the Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was Governor of Judea, Herod Ruler of Galilee, his brother Philip Ruler of the territory comprising Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias Ruler of Abilene,
2 uAnasi loKayafasi bengabapristi abakhulu, ilizwi likaNkulunkulu lafika kuJohane indodana kaZakariya enkangala.
and when Annas and Caiaphas were High Priests, a Command from God came to John, the son of Zechariah, while he was in the wilderness.
3 Wasesiza esigabeni sonke seJordani esizingelezeleyo, etshumayela ubhabhathizo lokuphenduka kube yikuthethelelwa kwezono;
And John went through the whole district of the Jordan, proclaiming baptism upon repentance, for the forgiveness of sins.
4 njengokulotshiweyo egwalweni lwamazwi kaIsaya umprofethi, ukuthi: Ilizwi lomemezayo enkangala lithi: Lungisani indlela yeNkosi; qondisani indledlana zayo.
This was in fulfilment of what is said in the writings of the Prophet Isaiah — ‘The voice of one crying aloud in the wilderness: “Make ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight.
5 Sonke isigodi sizagqitshwa, layo yonke intaba loqaqa kuzakwehliswa; njalo kuzaqondiswa amazombazombe, lamaxhakaxhaka ezindlela azalungiswa;
Every chasm shall be filled, Every mountain and hill shall be levelled, The winding ways shall be straightened, The rough roads made smooth,
6 layo yonke inyama izabona usindiso lukaNkulunkulu.
and all mankind shall see the Salvation of God.”’
7 Ngakho wathi emaxukwini aphumela ukubhabhathizwa nguye: Nzalo yezinyoka, ngubani olixwayise ukubalekela ulaka oluzayo?
And John said to the crowds that went to be baptized by him: “You brood of vipers! who has prompted you to seek refuge from the coming judgment?
8 Ngakho thelani izithelo ezifanele ukuphenduka; njalo lingaqali ukuthi phakathi kwenu: SiloAbrahama ongubaba wethu; ngoba ngithi kini: UNkulunkulu ulamandla okumvusela uAbrahama abantwana kulamatshe.
Let your lives, then, prove your repentance; and do not begin to say among yourselves ‘Abraham is our ancestor,’ for I tell you that out of these very stones God is able to raise descendants for Abraham!
9 Lakhathesi lehloka selibekiwe empandeni zezihlahla; ngakho sonke isihlahla esingatheli isithelo esihle siyaganyulwa siphoselwe emlilweni.
Already, indeed, the axe is lying at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that fails to bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10 Amaxuku asembuza, athi: Pho thina sizakwenzani?
“What are we to do then?” the people asked.
11 Wasephendula wathi kubo: Olezembatho ezimbili, kamuphe ongelaso; lolokudla kenze njalo.
“Let the man who has two coats,” answered John, “share with him who has none; and the man who has food do the same.”
12 Kwasekufika labathelisi ukuze babhabhathizwe, basebesithi kuye: Mfundisi, sizakwenzani?
Even tax-gatherers came to be baptized, and said to John: “Teacher, what are we to do?”
13 Wasesithi kubo: Lingabizi okwedlula elikumiselweyo.
“Do not collect more than you have authority to demand,” John answered.
14 Lamabutho lawo ambuza, athi: Thina-ke sizakwenzani? Wasesithi kuwo: Lingenzi udlakela emuntwini, njalo lingacali ngamanga; njalo yeneliswani yimivuzo yenu.
And when some soldiers on active service asked “And we — what are we to do?” he said: “Never use violence, or exact anything by false accusation; and be content with your pay.”
15 Kwathi abantu belindile, futhi bonke bezibuza enhliziyweni zabo ngoJohane, ukuthi kambe yena angaba enguKristu,
Then, while the people were in suspense, and were all debating with themselves whether John could be the Christ,
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, addressing them all, said: “I, indeed, baptize you with water; but there is coming one more powerful than I, and I am not fit even to unfasten his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
17 okhomane lwakhe lokwela lusesandleni sakhe, njalo uzahlambululisisa isibuya sakhe, abesebuthela amabele esiphaleni sakhe, kodwa amakhoba uzawatshisa ngomlilo ongacitshekiyo.
His winnowing-fan is in his hand, that he may clear his threshing-floor, and store the grain in his barn, but the chaff he will burn with inextinguishable fire.”
18 Langokulaya ngezinye izinto ezinengi, watshumayela ivangeli ebantwini.
And so with many different exhortations John told his Good News to the people.
19 Kodwa uHerodi umtetrarki, owayesolwe nguye ngoHerodiyasi umkaFiliphu umfowabo, langakho konke okubi ayekwenzile uHerodi,
But Prince Herod, being rebuked by John respecting Herodias, the wife of Herod’s brother, and for all the evil things that he had done,
20 wengezelela lalokhu phezu kwakho konke, ukuthi wamvalela uJohane entolongweni.
crowned them all by shutting John up in prison.
21 Kwasekusithi sebebhabhathiziwe bonke abantu, laye uJesu esebhabhathiziwe, ekhuleka, izulu lavulwa,
Now after the baptism of all the people, and when Jesus had been baptized and was still praying, the heavens opened,
22 uMoya oyiNgcwele wasesehlela phezu kwakhe elesimo somzimba onjengowejuba, lelizwi lavela ezulwini, lisithi: Wena uyiNdodana yami ethandekayo, ngithokoza ngawe.
and the Holy Spirit descended, in a visible form, like a dove, upon him, and from the heavens came a voice — “Thou art my Son, the Beloved; in thee I delight.”
23 Yena uJesu waseqala ukuba leminyaka engaba ngamatshumi amathathu, yena (njengokwakunakanwa) eyindodana kaJosefa, kaEli,
When beginning his work, Jesus was about thirty years old. He was regarded as the son of Joseph, whose ancestors were — Eli,
24 kaMathati, kaLevi, kaMeliki, kaJanayi, kaJosefa,
Mattith, Levi, Melchiah, Janna, Joseph,
25 kaMatathiya, kaAmosi, kaNahume, kaEseli, kaNagayi,
Mattithiah, Amos, Nahum, Azaliah, Nogah,
26 kaMahati, kaMatathiya, kaSemeyi, kaJosefa, kaJuda,
Mattith, Mattithiah, Shimei, Joseph, Josheh,
27 kaJohana, kaResa, kaZerubhabheli, kaSalatiyeli, kaNeri,
Johanan, Rhesa, Zerubbabel, Shealtiel, Neriah,
28 kaMeliki, kaAdi, kaKosamu, kaElimodamu, kaEri,
Melchiah, Addi, Cosam, Elmodam, Er,
29 kaJose, kaEliyezeri, kaJorima, kaMathati, kaLevi,
Joshua, Eliezer, Joram, Mattith, Levi,
30 kaSimeyoni, kaJuda, kaJosefa, kaJonanu, kaEliyakhimi,
Simeon, Judah, Joseph, Jonam, Eliakim,
31 kaMeleya, kaMena, kaMathata, kaNathani, kaDavida,
Meleah, Menan, Mattithiah, Nathan, David,
32 kaJese, kaObedi, kaBowosi, kaSalimoni, kaNashoni,
Jesse, Obed, Boaz, Salah, Nahshon,
33 kaAminadaba, kaAramu, kaEsiromu, kaFaresi, kaJuda,
Amminadab, Arni, Hezron, Perez, Judah,
34 kaJakobe, kaIsaka, kaAbrahama, kaThara, kaNahori,
Jacob, Isaac, Abraham, Terah, Nahor,
35 kaSarugi, kaRagawu, kaFaleki, kaEberi, kaSala,
Serug, Reu, Peleg, Eber, Shelah,
36 kaKayinani, kaArpakishadi, kaShemu, kaNowe, kaLameki,
Kenan, Arpachshad, Shem, Noah, Lamech,
37 kaMethusala, kaEnoki, kaJaredi, kaMaleleyeli, kaKayinani,
Methuselah, Enoch, Jared, Mahalalel, Kenan,
38 kaEnosi, kaSeti, kaAdamu, kaNkulunkulu.
Enosh, Seth and Adam the son of God.
