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 being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,
2 uAnasi loKayafasi bengabapristi abakhulu, ilizwi likaNkulunkulu lafika kuJohane indodana kaZakariya enkangala.
during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, 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;
He came into all the region around the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for 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 Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying 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 valley will be filled. Every mountain and hill will be brought low. The crooked will become straight, and the rough ways smooth.
6 layo yonke inyama izabona usindiso lukaNkulunkulu.
All flesh will see God’s salvation.’”
7 Ngakho wathi emaxukwini aphumela ukubhabhathizwa nguye: Nzalo yezinyoka, ngubani olixwayise ukubalekela ulaka oluzayo?
He said therefore to the multitudes who went out to be baptized by him, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Ngakho thelani izithelo ezifanele ukuphenduka; njalo lingaqali ukuthi phakathi kwenu: SiloAbrahama ongubaba wethu; ngoba ngithi kini: UNkulunkulu ulamandla okumvusela uAbrahama abantwana kulamatshe.
Therefore produce fruits worthy of repentance, and don’t begin to say among yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father;’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones!
9 Lakhathesi lehloka selibekiwe empandeni zezihlahla; ngakho sonke isihlahla esingatheli isithelo esihle siyaganyulwa siphoselwe emlilweni.
Even now the ax also lies at the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10 Amaxuku asembuza, athi: Pho thina sizakwenzani?
The multitudes asked him, “What then must we do?”
11 Wasephendula wathi kubo: Olezembatho ezimbili, kamuphe ongelaso; lolokudla kenze njalo.
He answered them, “He who has two coats, let him give to him who has none. He who has food, let him do likewise.”
12 Kwasekufika labathelisi ukuze babhabhathizwe, basebesithi kuye: Mfundisi, sizakwenzani?
Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what must we do?”
13 Wasesithi kubo: Lingabizi okwedlula elikumiselweyo.
He said to them, “Collect no more than that which is appointed to you.”
14 Lamabutho lawo ambuza, athi: Thina-ke sizakwenzani? Wasesithi kuwo: Lingenzi udlakela emuntwini, njalo lingacali ngamanga; njalo yeneliswani yimivuzo yenu.
Soldiers also asked him, saying, “What about us? What must we do?” He said to them, “Extort from no one by violence, neither accuse anyone wrongfully. Be content with your wages.”
15 Kwathi abantu belindile, futhi bonke bezibuza enhliziyweni zabo ngoJohane, ukuthi kambe yena angaba enguKristu,
As the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he was 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 answered them all, “I indeed baptize you with water, but he comes who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to loosen. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and 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, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
18 Langokulaya ngezinye izinto ezinengi, watshumayela ivangeli ebantwini.
Then with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people,
19 Kodwa uHerodi umtetrarki, owayesolwe nguye ngoHerodiyasi umkaFiliphu umfowabo, langakho konke okubi ayekwenzile uHerodi,
but Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things which Herod had done,
20 wengezelela lalokhu phezu kwakho konke, ukuthi wamvalela uJohane entolongweni.
added this also to them all, that he shut up John in prison.
21 Kwasekusithi sebebhabhathiziwe bonke abantu, laye uJesu esebhabhathiziwe, ekhuleka, izulu lavulwa,
Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus also had been baptized and was praying. The sky was 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 bodily form like a dove on him; and a voice came out of the sky, saying “You are my beloved Son. In you I am well pleased.”
23 Yena uJesu waseqala ukuba leminyaka engaba ngamatshumi amathathu, yena (njengokwakunakanwa) eyindodana kaJosefa, kaEli,
Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years old, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,
24 kaMathati, kaLevi, kaMeliki, kaJanayi, kaJosefa,
the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,
25 kaMatathiya, kaAmosi, kaNahume, kaEseli, kaNagayi,
the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,
26 kaMahati, kaMatathiya, kaSemeyi, kaJosefa, kaJuda,
the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah,
27 kaJohana, kaResa, kaZerubhabheli, kaSalatiyeli, kaNeri,
the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,
28 kaMeliki, kaAdi, kaKosamu, kaElimodamu, kaEri,
the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er,
29 kaJose, kaEliyezeri, kaJorima, kaMathati, kaLevi,
the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,
30 kaSimeyoni, kaJuda, kaJosefa, kaJonanu, kaEliyakhimi,
the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim,
31 kaMeleya, kaMena, kaMathata, kaNathani, kaDavida,
the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,
32 kaJese, kaObedi, kaBowosi, kaSalimoni, kaNashoni,
the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,
33 kaAminadaba, kaAramu, kaEsiromu, kaFaresi, kaJuda,
the son of Amminadab, the son of Aram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,
34 kaJakobe, kaIsaka, kaAbrahama, kaThara, kaNahori,
the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,
35 kaSarugi, kaRagawu, kaFaleki, kaEberi, kaSala,
the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,
36 kaKayinani, kaArpakishadi, kaShemu, kaNowe, kaLameki,
the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,
37 kaMethusala, kaEnoki, kaJaredi, kaMaleleyeli, kaKayinani,
the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan,
38 kaEnosi, kaSeti, kaAdamu, kaNkulunkulu.
the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
