ULukha 3:1-38
3 Ngomnyaka wesi-15 wokubusa kukaThibheriyu Khesari, ngesikhathi uPhontiyu Philathu engusibalukhulu waseJudiya, uHerodi* engumbusi wesigaba* saseGalile, loFiliphu umfowabo engumbusi wesigaba sase-Ithuriya lesaseTrakhonithi, uLisaniya yena engumbusi wesigaba sase-Abhilene,
2 ngensuku zomphristi okhokhelayo u-Anasi loKhayifasi, ilizwi likaNkulunkulu lafika enkangala kuJohane indodana kaZekhariya.
3 Ngakho wahamba umango wonke waseJodani etshumayela esithi abantu babhabhathizwe, betshengisa ukuthi sebephendukile ukuze bathethelelwe izono,
4 njengoba nje kubhaliwe ebhukwini elilamazwi omphrofethi u-Isaya ukuthi: “Ilizwi lalowo omemeza esenkangala lithi: ‘Lungisani indlela kaJehova! Yenzani imigwaqo yakhe iqonde.
5 Izihotsha zonke kumele zigcwaliswe, kudilizwe izintaba zonke kanye lamaqaqa; izindlela ezimazombezombe ziqonde lezimibundubundu zibe butshelezi;
6 njalo abantu bonke* bazabona insindiso kaNkulunkulu.’”*
7 Ngakho wakhuluma lamaxuku ayesiza kuye ezobhabhathizwa wathi: “Lina nzalo yamabululu, ngubani olixwayisileyo ukuthi libalekele intukuthelo ezayo?
8 Qalani lithele izithelo ezitshengisa ukuthi seliphendukile. Lingaqali ukuzitshela lisithi, ‘Ubaba wethu ngu-Abrahama,’ ngoba ngilitshela ukuthi uNkulunkulu angavezela u-Abrahama abantwana ematsheni la.
9 Vele ihloka selibekwe empandeni zesihlahla. Ngakho loba yisiphi isihlahla esingatheli izithelo ezinhle sizaganyulwa siphoselwe emlilweni.”
10 Abantu abanengi babembuza besithi: “Manje kumele senzeni?”
11 Yena wayebaphendula athi: “Umuntu olezembatho ezimbili* kathathe esisodwa aphe ongelaso, lalowo olokudla kaphe ongelakho.”
12 Labathelisi baze bamlanda bezobhabhathizwa, bathi kuye: “Mfundisi, thina kumele senzeni?”
13 Wathi kubo: “Lingabhadalisi abantu umthelo owedlula lowo okumele bawubhadale.”
14 Amasotsha lawo ayembuza esithi: “Kumele senzeni?” Yena athi kuwo: “Lingahlukuluzi muntu* futhi lingethesi umuntu icala angalenzanga, kodwa suthisekani ngelikuholayo.”
15 Njengoba abantu babelindele uKhristu, bonke babelokhu benakana ngoJohane ezinhliziyweni zabo besithi: “Kungabe kunguye yini uKhristu?”
16 UJohane wabaphendula bonke wathi: “Mina ngilibhabhathiza ngamanzi, kodwa olamandla kulami uyeza njalo kakungifanelanga ukuthukulula intambo zamanyathela akhe. Uzalibhabhathiza ngomoya ongcwele langomlilo.
17 Ifotsholo yakhe yokwela amabele isesandleni sakhe ukuze ayihlanze ngokupheleleyo indawo yakhe abhulela kuyo, futhi aqoqe ingqoloyi ayifake esiphaleni sakhe, kodwa amakhoba uzawatshisa ngomlilo ongeke ucitshwe.”
18 Waphinda wabakhuthaza ngezindlela ezinengi, waqhubeka etshumayela izindaba ezinhle ebantwini.
19 Kodwa uHerodi umbusi wesigaba wathi esekhuzwe nguJohane ngoHerodiya inkosikazi yomfowabo langazo zonke izinto ezimbi ayezenzile,
20 waphinda wenza enye into embi, wavalela uJohane ejele.
21 Abantu bonke sebebhabhathiziwe, uJesu laye wabhabhathizwa. Wathi esathandaza izulu lavuleka,
22 umoya ongcwele wehlela phezu kwakhe unjengejuba, kwezwakala ilizwi livela ezulwini lisithi: “Wena uyiNdodana yami engiyithandayo; ngiyakwamukela.”
23 UJesu wathi eqalisa umsebenzi wakhe wayeleminyaka engaba ngu-30. Abantu babesithiuyindodana kaJosefa,indodana kaHeli,
24 indodana kaMathathi,indodana kaLevi,indodana kaMeliki,indodana kaJanayi,indodana kaJosefa,
25 indodana kaMathathiya,indodana ka-Amosi,indodana kaNahume,indodana ka-Esili,indodana kaNagayi,
26 indodana kaMahathi,indodana kaMathathiya,indodana kaSemeyini,indodana kaJoseki,indodana kaJoda,
27 indodana kaJohanani,indodana kaResa,indodana kaZerubhabheli,indodana kaSheyalithiyeli,indodana kaNeri,
28 indodana kaMeliki,indodana ka-Adi,indodana kaKhosamu,indodana ka-Elimadami,indodana ka-Eri,
29 indodana kaJesu,indodana ka-Eliyezeri,indodana kaJorimu,indodana kaMathathi,indodana kaLevi,
30 indodana kaSimeyoni,indodana kaJudasi,indodana kaJosefa,indodana kaJonami,indodana ka-Eliyakhimu,
31 indodana kaMeleya,indodana kaMena,indodana kaMathatha,indodana kaNathani,indodana kaDavida,
32 indodana kaJese,indodana ka-Obhedi,indodana kaBhowazi,indodana kaSalimoni,indodana kaNashoni,
33 indodana ka-Aminadabi,indodana ka-Ani,indodana kaHezironi,indodana kaPherezi,indodana kaJuda,
34 indodana kaJakhobe,indodana ka-Isaka,indodana ka-Abrahama,indodana kaThera,indodana kaNahori,
35 indodana kaSerugi,indodana kaRewu,indodana kaPhelegi,indodana ka-Ebheri,indodana kaShela,
36 indodana kaKhayinani,indodana ka-Aphakhishadi,indodana kaShemu,indodana kaNowa,indodana kaLameki,
37 indodana kaMethusela,indodana ka-Enoki,indodana kaJaredi,indodana kaMahalaleli,indodana kaKhayinani,
38 indodana ka-Enoshi,indodana kaSethi,indodana ka-Adamu,indodana kaNkulunkulu.
Amabala angaphansi
^ Lapha kutshiwo uHerodi Antiphasi. Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala.
^ NgesiGrikhi, “umthethirakhi,” okutsho isikhulu sendawo ethile esimele umbusi waseRoma.
^ NgesiGrikhi, “yonke inyama.”
^ Kumbe, “indlela kaNkulunkulu yokusindisa.”
^ Kumbe, “olesinye isembatho.”
^ Kumbe, “lingathatheli abantu imali ngenkani.”
