UMathewu 14:1-36
14 Ngalesosikhathi uHerodi, umbusi wesigaba,* wezwa umbiko omayelana loJesu
2 wasesithi ezincekwini zakhe: “Lowo nguJohane uMbhabhathizi. Uvusiwe kwabafileyo, yikho elamandla okwenza izimangaliso lezi.”
3 UHerodi* wayebophe uJohane wamphosela ejele ebotshwe ngamaketane ngenxa kaHerodiya, umkaFiliphu umfowabo.
4 Phela uJohane wayekade esithi kuye: “Akukho emthethweni ukuthi umthathe.”
5 Lanxa wayefuna ukumbulala, wayesesaba ixuku labantu ngenxa yokuthi lalisithi uJohane ngumphrofethi.
6 Kodwa kwathi kuthakazelelwa ilanga lokuzalwa kukaHerodi, indodakazi kaHerodiya yagida phambi kwababemenyiwe, yamthokozisa kakhulu uHerodi,
7 waze wayithembisa efunga ukuthi uzayipha loba kuyini ekucelayo.
8 Yasicela lokho unina ayeyikhuthaze ukuthi ikucele, yathi: “Nginika ikhanda likaJohane uMbhabhathizi lisemganwini.”
9 Inkosi yezwa ubuhlungu kakhulu, kodwa ngenxa yezifungo zayo langenxa yabantu eyayisidla labo,* yalaya ukuthi intombazana iliphiwe.
10 Ngakho yathumela ilizwi lokuthi uJohane aqunywe ikhanda ejele.
11 Ikhanda lakhe lalethwa lisemganwini laphiwa intombazana, yona yaliletha kunina.
12 Ngemva kwesikhathi, abafundi bakhe beza basusa isidumbu sakhe bayasingcwaba; basebesiza kuJesu bambikela.
13 UJesu uthe esizwa lokhu wasuka lapho ngesikepe waya endaweni engelabantu ukuze abe yedwa. Kodwa amaxuku athi ekuzwa lokho, amlandela ngenyawo evela emadolobheni.
14 Wathi efika ekhunjini wabona nanti ixuku elikhulu, walizwela usizi, welapha abagulayo.
15 Kodwa kuthe sekuntambama abafundi bakhe beza kuye bathi: “Indawo le ikhatshana lemizi yabantu futhi lesikhathi sesihambile; tshela abantu bahambe ukuze bayengena ezigabeni eziseduze bazithengele ukudla.”
16 Loba kunjalo, uJesu wathi kubo: “Akulasizatho sokuthi bahambe; bapheni lina ukudla.”
17 Bathi kuye: “Kasilalutho lapha ngaphandle kwezinkwa ezinhlanu lenhlanzi ezimbili.”
18 Yena wathi: “Kuletheni lapha.”
19 Watshela amaxuku ukuthi ahlale etshanini. Wasethatha izinkwa ezinhlanu lenhlanzi ezimbili, wakhangela phezulu ezulwini, wathandaza,* wasehlephuna izinkwa wazinika abafundi bakhe, abafundi bazipha amaxuku.
20 Ngakho bonke badla basutha, njalo babutha iziqephu ezazisele, zagcwala amabhasikiti angu-12.
21 Abadlayo kwakungamadoda angaba ngu-5 000 kanye labesifazana labantwana abancane.
22 Ngemva kwalokho, wahle watshela abafundi bakhe ukuthi bangene esikepeni baye ekhunjini ngaphetsheya, yena asale evalelisa amaxuku, abeselandela.
23 Uthe esetshele amaxuku ukuthi ahambe, wakhwela entabeni eyedwa esiyathandaza. Kwaze kwaba sebusuku elokhu eyedwa khonale.
24 Ngalesosikhathi isikepe sasesihambe amakhilomitha athile* sisuka ekhunjini, silokhu sitshaywa ngamagagasi esisa le lale ngoba umoya wawuphambana labo.
25 Kodwa ngomlindo wesine wobusuku* weza kubo ehamba phezu kolwandle.
26 Abafundi bathe bembona ehamba phezu kolwandle bakhathazeka bathi: “Yinto bani le?”* Baklabalala ngenxa yokuthi babesesaba.
27 Kodwa uJesu wahle wakhuluma labo wathi: “Wobani lesibindi! Yimi, lingesabi.”
28 UPhetro wamphendula wathi: “Nkosi, nxa kunguwe, wothi ngize kuwe ngihamba phezu kwamanzi.”
29 Yena wathi: “Woza!” Ngakho uPhetro waphuma esikepeni wahamba phezu kwamanzi eqonde kuJesu.
30 Kodwa wathi ekhangela isiphepho wesaba. Uthe esecwila, wamemeza wathi: “Nkosi, ngisindisa bo!”
31 Masinyane uJesu welula isandla sakhe wambamba, wathi kuye: “Wena olokholo oluncane, kungani ukhulelwe yikuthandabuza?”
32 Bathe sebengene esikepeni, isiphepho saphela.
33 Ngemva kwalokho ababesesikepeni bamkhothamela besithi: “Wena uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu sibili.”
34 Basebechapha bafika eGenesaretha.
35 Abantu bendawo le bathi bembona bathumela ilizwi kuzo zonke indawo ezaziseduze, futhi abantu baletha kuye bonke ababegula.
36 Bamncenga becela ukuthinta nje umphetho wesembatho sakhe sangaphandle, njalo bonke ababewuthinta babesila baqine saka.
Amabala angaphansi
^ NgesiGrikhi, “umthethirakhi,” okutsho isikhulu sendawo ethile esimele umbusi waseRoma.
^ Lapha kutshiwo uHerodi Antiphasi. Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala.
^ Kumbe, “eyayihlezi labo etafuleni.”
^ NgesiGrikhi, “wabusisa.”
^ NgesiGrikhi, “amastadiya amanengi.” Istadiya yayingamamitha angu-185.
^ Lesi yisikhathi esisukela kubo-3 ekuseni kusiya kubo-6 ekuphumeni kwelanga.
^ Kumbe, “Ngumbono!”
