N̄kpọ nte isua 17 ẹbe tọn̄ọ nte Jesus eketie ye mme andikpep ke temple obụp mmọ mbụme ke ini enye edide isua 12. Idahaemi edi ini ndaeyo eke isua 29 eyo Christ. Ediwak owo ẹtịn̄ n̄kpọ ẹban̄a John emi edide iman Jesus, emi onyụn̄ asan̄ade ke ofụri edem usoputịn Akpa Jordan ọkwọrọ ikọ.

Nte John etiede ye nte enye etịn̄de ikọ idịghe se owo ekemede ndisọp mfre. Enye esịne ọfọn̄ emi ẹdade idet camel ẹnam onyụn̄ akpaha ikpaunam ke isịn. Enye esita n̄kukun̄kpọyọriyọ onyụn̄ adia aranọkwọk ikọt. Nso etop ke enye ọkwọrọ? Enye ọdọhọ mme owo ete: “Ẹkabade esịt, koro obio ubọn̄ heaven ke asan̄a ekpere.”—Matthew 3:2.

Etop John anam idem aduai mbon oro ẹkopde. Ediwak mmọ ẹfiọk ke ana ikabade esịt, oro edi, ikpụhọde nte ikesinamde ye nte ikesikerede n̄kpọ, inyụn̄ ision̄o idem ikpọn̄ ntaha ido oro ikesinyenede. Mbon oro ẹkedide ẹbịne enye ẹketo “Jerusalem ye ofụri Judea ye ofụri n̄kann̄kụk Jordan.” (Matthew 3:5) Ediwak mbon oro ẹdide ẹbịne enye ẹkabade esịt. Enye enịm mmọ baptism ke Akpa Jordan. Ntak emi enye enịmde mmọ baptism?

Enye enịm mmọ baptism ke ntak emi mmọ ẹkabarede esịt ke mme idiọkn̄kpọ oro mmọ ẹkenamde sia mîkenịmke Ibet ediomi oro Abasi okodụkde ye mmọ. (Utom 19:4) Edi, idịghe kpukpru owo ẹkedot ndina baptism. Ke ini ndusụk mme adaiso ido ukpono, mme Pharisee ye Sadducee ẹdide ẹbịne enye, John okot mmọ “nditọ ibọm,” onyụn̄ ọdọhọ mmọ ete: “Ẹsion̄o mfri eke odotde ye edikabade esịt; ẹkûnyụn̄ ẹdodomo ndidọhọ ke esịt mbufo ẹte, ‘Nnyịn imenyene Abraham nte ete.’ Koro ndọhọ mbufo nte Abasi ekeme ndinam mme itiat emi ẹdaha ẹda ẹdi nditọ Abraham. Ekụri anana ke etak eto; ndien ẹnyene ndikpi kpukpru eto eke mîn̄wụmke eti mfri nduọk nnyụn̄ ntop nsịn ke ikan̄.”—Matthew 3:7-10.

Sia ediwak owo ẹmade ndika mbịne John, enye onyụn̄ ọkwọrọde okopodudu etop, onyụn̄ enịmde ediwak owo baptism, mme Jew ẹdọn̄ mme oku ye nditọ Levi ẹkebụp enye ẹte: “Afo edi anie?”

John ọbọrọ mmọ ete: “Ndịghe Christ.”

Mmọ ẹbụp enye ẹte: “Afo edi anie, ndien? Ndi afo edi Elijah?”

Enye ọbọrọ mmọ ete: “Ndịghe.”

Mmọ ẹfiak ẹbụp enye ẹte: “Ndi afo edi Prọfet oro?” oro edi, akwa Prọfet oro Moses eketịn̄de aban̄a.—Deuteronomy 18:15, 18.

John ọbọrọ mmọ ete: “Baba!”

Mmọ ẹsụk ẹyịre ẹbụp enye ẹte: “Afo edi anie? man ikpada ibọrọ isọk mbon oro ẹkedọn̄de nnyịn. Nso ke afo etịn̄ aban̄a idemfo?” Enye ọbọrọ ete: “Ami ndi uyo owo oro ofioride ke wilderness ete, ‘Ẹnen̄ede usụn̄ Jehovah,’ kpa nte prọfet Isaiah ọkọdọhọde.”—John 1:19-23.

Mmọ ẹbụp enye mbụme en̄wen ẹte: “Ntak, ndien, afo enịmde owo baptism edieke mûdịghe Christ m̀mê Elijah m̀mê Prọfet oro?” Enye ọnọ mmọ ata eti ibọrọ ete: “Nnịm owo baptism ke mmọn̄. Owo odu ke otu mbufo emi mbufo mîdiọn̄ọke, enye emi etienede mi ke edem.”—John 1:25-27.

Ke akpanikọ, John ama enyịme ke imọ ikọdiọn̄ usụn̄ ke ndinam mme owo ẹnyene eti esịt man mmọ ẹkpenyịme Messiah emi ẹketịn̄de ẹban̄a, emi akanade akabade Edidem. John eketịn̄ ntem aban̄a Edidem oro ete: “Enye emi etienede mi ke edem enyene odudu akan mi, ami nnyụn̄ ndotke ndisio enye ikpaukot ke ukot.” (Matthew 3:11) John ama etịn̄ n̄ko ete: “Enye emi etienede mi ke edem ebem mi iso, koro enye ama ododu mbemiso ami ndidu.”—John 1:15.

Ntre, etop oro John ọkọkwọrọde ete: “Ẹkabade esịt, koro obio ubọn̄ heaven ke asan̄a ekpere,” ama enen̄ede odot. (Matthew 3:2) Oro ama anam mme owo ẹfiọk ke Jesus Christ, kpa Edidem emi Jehovah emekde, ọmọn̄ ọsọp ọtọn̄ọ utom esie.