Johani 1
1 Pakutanga wakange aripo Shoko, uye Shoko wakange ana Mwari, uye Shoko wakange ari Mwari.
The one who expresses [MET] ([God’s character/what God is like]) has always existed (from the beginning [MTY] [of everything/before everything began]). He has always existed with God, and he has God’s nature.
2 Iye uyu wakange ana Mwari pakutanga.
He always existed with God [before] he began [MTY] [to create anything].
3 Zvinhu zvese zvakaitwa naye, uye kunze kwake hakuna kuitwa chinhu chimwe chakaitwa.
He is the one by whom [God] caused everything to exist. He is the one who created absolutely everything [LIT].
4 Maari maiva neupenyu, uye upenyu hwaiva chiedza chevanhu,
He is the one who [caused everything to] live. He, who caused us people to live, [revealed to us the truth about God as] a light [MET] [reveals what is in the darkness].
5 uye chiedza chinovhenekera murima, asi rima harina kuchigamuchira.
People do not want him to reveal [that what they do is evil] [MET], just [like] darkness [is evil]. But [just like] darkness cannot put out light [MET], [evil people have never prevented the one who was like a light from revealing God’s truth] (OR, [evil people have never] understood the [one who was like] a light.)
6 Kwakauya munhu wakatumwa kubva kuna Mwari, zita rake riri Johwani.
A man whose name was John was sent by God {God sent a man whose name was John}.
7 Iye wakauyira uchapupu, kuti apupure zvechiedza, kuti vese vatende naye.
He came to tell people [about the one who was like] [MET] a light. He came to show that everything that the [one who was like a light] [MET] said was true, in order that he could enable all people to believe [in the one who was like a light].
8 Iye wakange asiri icho chiedza, asi wakatumwa kuti apupure pamusoro pechiedza.
John himself was not the [one who was like a] light [MET]. Instead, he came to tell others about that [one who was like a] light.
9 Chaiva chiedza chechokwadi, chinovhenekera munhu umwe neumwe anouya panyika.
[While John was doing that], the one who was truly [like] a light was about to show himself to the world. He was the one who enables all people [to know about God, as] a light [MET] enables [people to know what is in the darkness].
10 Wakange ari munyika, nenyika yakaitwa naye, asi nyika haina kumuziva.
Although the one [who was like a light] was [here] on the earth, and although he was the one whom [God] caused to create everything, [most] people [MTY, HYP] did not realize who he [was]. (OR, although he was the one whom [God] caused to create everything, [most] people did not accept him.)
11 Wakauya kune zvake, asi vake havana kumugamuchira.
Although he came to the land that belonged to him [because he created it, most of] his own people, [the Jews], rejected him (OR, did not accept him).
12 Asi vese vakamugamuchira, wakavapa kodzero kuti vave vana vaMwari, ivo vanotenda kuzita rake;
But those [of us who welcomed him, God] authorized [that we would have a relationship with] him [MET] [like] children [have a relationship with their father]. We were people who believed [that what he said] about himself [MTY] [was true].
13 vakaberekwa kwete neropa, kana nechido chenyama, kana nechido chemurume, asi naMwari.
We became [like God’s children], not because our ancestors [belonged to God], or because of someone’s sexual desires, nor because some man desired to have children like himself. Instead, we were caused by God {God caused us} to become [like] his children.
14 Shoko ndokuzova nyama, akagara pakati pedu, uye takaona kubwinya kwake, kubwinya sekwewakaberekwa umwe ega waBaba, azere nenyasha nechokwadi.
The one who expresses [MET] ([God’s character/what God is like]) became a human being, and he lived among us [for a while]. As a result, we saw how wonderful he is. He came from [God] his father, and there was no other person as wonderful as he. He was wonderful because he always acted (kindly toward us/in ways we did not deserve), and he always [spoke] truthfully to us [about God].
15 Johwani wakapupura pamusoro pake, akadanidzira achiti: Uyu ndiye wandaireva ndichiti: Uyu anouya shure kwangu wakanditangira; nokuti wakange aripo mberi kwangu.
[One day] when John was telling people about him, [he saw Jesus]. Then he shouted to them, “I told you [previously] that someone will come later who is more important than I am, since he existed [long] before me. This [is the man I was talking about]!”
16 Nepakuzara kwake isu tese takagamuchira, uye nyasha nenyasha.
We have all benefited very much from what he has done. Again and again, he has acted in kind way toward us in ways we did not deserve.
17 Nokuti murairo wakapiwa naMozisi, nyasha nechokwadi zvakauya naJesu Kristu.
Moses proclaimed [God’s] laws [to our ancestors]. But what Jesus Christ did for us [was much better]. He acted in kindness toward us in ways we did not deserve and told us the truth [about God].
18 Hakuna wakatongoona Mwari; Mwanakomana wakaberekwa umwe ega, ari pachifuva chaBaba, ndiye wakamuzivisa.
No one has ever seen God. But God’s only Son, [Jesus], who has always had a very close relationship with God, has told us about God.
19 Uye uhu ndihwo uchapupu hwaJohwani, apo VaJudha vakatuma vapristi neVaRevhi kubva kuJerusarema kuti vanomubvunza kuti: Iwe ndiwe ani?
The Jewish [leaders] [SYN] in Jerusalem [city] sent some [Jewish] priests and (Levites/men who worked in the temple) to where John was, to ask him some questions. They said to him, “What do you [claim about] yourself?”
20 Akabvuma, uye haana kuramba; ndokubvuma achiti: Ini handisi Kristu.
So John told them the truth, and he told them clearly [DOU]. He said, “[I] am not (the Messiah/God’s chosen king)!”
21 Zvino vakamubvunza vachiti: Saka kudini? Iwe uri Erija here? Akati: Handisi. Iwe uri uya muporofita here? Akapindura akati: Kwete.
Then they asked him, “Then what [do you say about yourself]? Are you [the prophet] Elijah [that was prophesied to return] {([someone/another prophet]) [prophesied would return]} [before the Messiah]?” He replied, “No, [I] am not.” Then they asked him, “Are you the prophet [like Moses that] ([we are waiting for/God promised to send])?” He replied, “No.”
22 Naizvozvo vakati kwaari: Ndiwe ani? Kuti tipe mhinduro vatituma; unoti kudini pamusoro pako?
So they asked him, “Then who do you [claim to be]? [Tell us] so that we can [go back and] report to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23 Akati: Ini ndini inzwi reanodanidzira murenje: Ruramisai nzira yaIshe; sezvakareva Isaya muporofita.
John replied, “[I] am the one [the prophet Isaiah said] would proclaim [this new message] loudly [to the people who would pass by] in this desolate area: ‘Prepare [yourselves to receive] the Lord when he comes [MET], [just like people prepare] a road [for an important official].
24 Ava vakange vatumwa vaibva kuVaFarisi.
Some of those people [who were questioning] John were ones who had been sent by the Pharisee [religious group] {whom the Pharisee [religious group] had sent}.
25 Zvino vakamubvunza, vakati kwaari: Unogobhabhatidzirei, kana iwe usiri Kristu, kana Eria, kana muporofita uya?
They asked John, “Since [you say] you are not the Messiah, nor [the prophet] Elijah, nor the prophet [like Moses], [what authority] do you have? [Furthermore], why are you baptizing [Jews, treating them as though they were non-Jews who wanted to become Jews]?”
26 Johwani akavapindura, achiti: Ini ndinobhabhatidza nemvura; asi pakati penyu pamire wamusingazivi imwi;
John replied, “I am [just] baptizing people with water [to prepare them to welcome the Messiah]. But [right now] someone is among you whom you people do not know.
27 ndiye anouya shure kwangu, ari mberi kwangu, wandisina kufanira ini kuti ndisunungure rukanda rweshangu yake.
He [will preach to you] after I [am gone]. [He is so important that] I am not worthy to [serve him as a slave] [MET] [by] untying his sandals.”
28 Izvozvi zvakaitika paBhetabhara, mhiri kwaJoridhani, kwaibhabhatidza Johwani.
Those things happened at [a place called] Bethany, on the [east] side of the Jordan [River], where John was baptizing people.
29 Ava mangwana Johwani wakaona Jesu achiuya kwaari, akati: Tarirai, Gwayana raMwari, rinobvisa rotakura chivi chenyika.
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him. He said to the people, “Look! Here is the [man whom] God [has appointed to be a sacrifice] [MET], [like] the lambs [that the people of Israel sacrificed! By sacrificing himself] he will [make it possible for everyone in] the world to be no longer [guilty for having] sinned.
30 Uyu ndiye ini wandaitaura nezvake ndichiti: Shure kwangu kunouya murume, wakanditangira, nokuti wakange ariko mberi kwangu.
He is the one about whom I said [before], ‘Someone will come later who is more important than I am, since he existed [long] before me.’
31 Neni ndakange ndisingamuzivi; asi kuti aziviswe kuna Israeri, nekuda kweizvozvo ini ndakauya ndichibhabhatidza nemvura.
I myself did not [previously] recognize that he [was the Messiah]. But [now I know who he is], and I have baptized people with water to enable [you people of] Israel to recognize who he is.”
32 Johwani ndokupupura, achiti: Ndakaona Mweya achiburuka kudenga senjiva, akagara pamusoro pake.
John spoke clearly [what God had shown him about Jesus]. He said, “I saw [God’s] Spirit as he was descending from heaven in the form of a dove. The Spirit remained on Jesus.
33 Neni ndakange ndisingamuzivi; asi wakandituma kubhabhatidza nemvura, ndiye wakati kwandiri: Uyo waunoona Mweya achiburukira pamusoro pake nekugara pamusoro pake, ndiye anobhabhatidza neMweya Mutsvene.
I myself did not know [previously] that he [was the Messiah]. However, [God] sent me to baptize people with water, [people who said they wanted to turn from their sinful ways. While I was doing that], God told me, ‘The man on whom you will see my Spirit descend and remain is the one who will put the Holy Spirit within you [(pl) to truly change your lives].’
34 Zvino ini ndakaona ndikapupura kuti uyu Mwanakomana waMwari.
I saw [the Spirit descend on him], and I tell you that he is (the Son of God/the person who is both God and man).”
35 Ava mangwanazve Johwani wakange amire, nevaviri vevadzidzi vake;
The next day John was at the same place again (with two of us/with two of his disciples).
36 zvino wakatarisa Jesu achifamba-famba, akati: Tarirai Gwayana raMwari.
When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look! There is the man God [has appointed to be a sacrifice, like] the lambs [MET] [the people of Israel have sacrificed!]”
37 Vadzidzi vaviri ndokumunzwa achitaura, ndokutevera Jesu.
(When we/those two disciples) heard John say this, we/they went with Jesus.
38 Zvino Jesu atendeuka wakavaona vachitevera, akati kwavari: Munotsvakei? Vakati kwaari: Rabhi (ndokuti kana zvichishandurwa, Mudzidzisi) munogarepi?
Jesus turned around and saw us/them coming behind him. So he asked us/them, “What do you want?” We/They replied, “Teacher, [tell us] where you are staying, [because we want to talk with you].”
39 Akati kwavari: Uyai muone. Vakauya vakaona paaigara; ndokugara naye zuva iroro; rakange riri awa rinenge regumi.
He replied, “Come [with me], and you will see [where I am staying]!” So we/they went with him and saw where he was staying. We/They stayed with him until about 4 o’clock (OR, from about 4 PM until the next day).
40 Andiriya munin'ina waSimoni Petro waiva umwe wevaviri vakange vazvinzwa naJohwani vakamutevera.
(One of us/One of the two men) who heard what John had said and who went with Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s [younger] brother.
41 Iye wakatanga kuwana mukoma wake chaiye Simoni, akati kwaari: Tamuwana Mesiasi; ndiko kuti kana zvichishandurwa, Kristu.
[After Andrew left Jesus], the first thing he did was to find his own [older] brother Simon and say to him, “We have found the Messiah!”
42 Zvino akamuisa kuna Jesu. Jesu ndokuti amutarira akati: Iwe uri Simoni mwanakomana waJona; iwe uchanzi Kefasi (zvinoshandurwa kunzi Petro).
Then he took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked intently at him, and then said, “You are Simon. Your father’s name is John. You will be given {[I] will give you} the name Cephas.” [Cephas is an Aramaic name that means ‘solid rock’. It] means [the same in Greek as the name] Peter.
43 Ava mangwana Jesu akada kubudira kuGarirea, ndokuwana Firipi, ndokuti kwaari: Nditevere.
The next day [Jesus] decided to leave [the Jordan River valley]. He went to Galilee [district] and (OR, on the way there he) found a man named Philip. Jesus said to him, “Come with me!”
44 Zvino Firipi wakange ari weBhetisaidha, muguta raAndiriya naPetro.
Philip and Andrew and Peter were all from Bethsaida [town].
45 Firipi akawana Nataniyeri, ndokuti kwaari: Tamuwana Mozisi waakanyora nezvake pamurairo nevaporofita, Jesu weNazareta, mwanakomana waJosefa.
Then Philip [searched for] Nathaniel and found him, and said to him, “We have met [the Messiah], the one Moses [wrote about]! The prophets also [prophesied that he would come]. He is Jesus, from Nazareth [town]. His father’s name is Joseph.”
46 Nataniyeri ndokuti kwaari: Chinhu chakanaka chinogona kubva muNazareta here? Firipi akati kwaari: Uya uone.
Nathaniel replied, “Nazareth? (Nothing good can come from [such an unimportant place]!/Can anything good come from [such an unimportant place]?) [RHQ]” Philip replied, “Come and see!”
47 Jesu wakaona Nataniyeri achiuya kwaari, ndokuti pamusoro pake: Tarira muIsraeri wechokwadi, musina kunyengera maari.
When Jesus saw Nathaniel approaching, he said about Nathaniel, “Here is an example of a good Israelite! He never deceives anyone!”
48 Nataniyeri akati kwaari: Mandizivirepi? Jesu akapindura, akati kwaari: Firipi asati akudana, pawanga uri munyasi memuonde, ndakuona.
Nathaniel asked him, “How do you know what I [am like]?” Jesus replied, “I saw you before Philip called you, when you were [by yourself] under the fig tree.”
49 Nataniyeri akapindura ndokuti kwaari: Rabhi, imwi muri Mwanakomana waMwari, imwi muri Mambo waIsraeri.
Then Nathaniel declared, “Teacher, you [must be] (the Son of God/the person who is both God and man)! You are the King of Israel [we have been waiting for]!”
50 Jesu akapindura ndokuti kwaari: Unotenda nokuti ndati kwauri: Ndakuona munyasi memuonde. Uchaona zvinhu zvikuru kune izvi.
Jesus replied to him, “You [RHQ] believe [those things about me] because I told you I saw you when you were under the fig tree. [I was able to see you supernaturally even though I was far away from you]. But you will see [me do] things that are more surprising than that!”
51 Zvino akati kwaari: Zvirokwazvo, zvirokwazvo, ndinoti kwamuri: Kubva ikozvino muchaona denga razaruka, nevatumwa vaMwari vachikwira nekuburukira pamusoro peMwanakomana wemunhu.
Then Jesus said to him, “This is the absolute truth: [Just like what your ancestor Jacob saw long ago in a vision], some day you [(pl)] will see heaven opened up, and you will see God’s angels ascending from me and descending on me, the one who came from heaven.”
