Matewu 2:1-23
2 Ngemva kokubelethwa kwakaJesu eBhetlehema leJudiya emihleni yekosi uHerode,* amadoda athukula ngeenkwekwezi* avela ePumalanga eza eJerusalema,
2 athi: “Uphi loyo obelethiweko oyikosi yamaJuda? Ngombana sibone ikwekwezakhe sisePumalanga, yeke size ukuzomkhothamela.”
3 IKosi uHerode ithe ingezwa lokho, yasilingeka, nabantu boke beJerusalema basilingeka.
4 Yeke yabiza boke abaphristi abakhulu nabatloli,* yababuza ukuthi uKrestu* uzokubelethelwa kuphi.
5 Bathi kiyo: “EBhetlehema leJudiya, ngombana nakhu okwatlolwa mphorofidi:
6 ‘Kodwana wena, Bhetlehema lakwaJuda, nanyana uqaleka njengedorobho elingakaqakatheki kubabusi bakwaJuda, kuwe kuzokuvela umbusi, ozokwelusa abantu bami u-Israyeli.’ ”
7 Ngalokho uHerode wabizela ngerhorhomejeni amadoda athukula ngeenkwekwezi, wawabuzisisa ukuthi ikwekwezi leyo ibonakale nini.
8 Wawathuma eBhetlehema, wathi kiwo: “Khambani niyomfunisisa umntwana loyo, nithi ningamfumana, nibuye nizongitjela, ukwenzela bona nami ngiyomkhothamela.”
9 Ngemva kobana ikosi iwatjele lokho, akhamba. Qala, kwabonakala ikwekwezi leya ayibona nawasePumalanga, yawanqophisa beyayokujama poro lapho umntwana akhona.
10 Kuthe nawayibonako, athaba khulu.
11 Nawangena ngendlini, afumana umntwana nonina uMariya, amkhothamela. Akhupha izipho amupha zona: igolide, ipepho emhlophe nemire.*
12 Nokho, ngebanga lokuthi uZimu wawanqophisa ngebhudango bona angabuyeli kuHerode, abuyela enarhenawo ngenye indlela.
13 Ngemva kobana akhambile, ingilozi kaJehova yabonakala kuJosefa ngebhudango, yathi: “Vuka, uthathe umntwana nonina niye eGibhide, nihlale lapho bekube kulapho nginitjela ukuthi nibuye, ngombana uHerode uzokuzuma umntwana bona ambulale.”
14 UJosefa wavuka ngobusukobo wathatha umntwana noMariya baya eGibhide.
15 Wahlala lapho bekwahlongakala uHerode. Lokhu kwazalisa amezwi akhulunywa nguJehova ngomphorofidakhe, athi: “Ngayibiza indodanami bona iphume eGibhide.”
16 UHerode nakabona ukuthi amadoda athukula ngeenkwekwezi amkhohlisile, wabhoka ngobukhali, wakhupha umyalo wokuthi kubulawe boke abantwana babesana eBhetlehema nakizo zoke iimfunda zalo, kusukela kwabaneminyaka emibili kuya phasi ngokuya ngokwalokho akuzwe emadodeni athukula ngeenkwekwezi bona umntwana useminyakeni leyo.
17 Ngalokho kwazaliseka okwakhulunywa nguZimu ngomphorofidi uJoromiya, owathi:
18 “Kwazwakala isililo nokurhuwelela okukhulu eRama. URaheli bekalilela abantwabakhe, angaduduzeki, ngombana abasekho.”
19 Ngemva kokuhlongakala kwakaHerode, ingilozi kaJehova yabonakala kuJosefa ngebhudango eGibhide
20 yathi: “Vuka uthathe umntwana nonina niye enarheni yakwa-Israyeli, ngombana labo egade bafuna ukumbulala sebahlongakele.”
21 Wavuka wathatha umntwana nonina baya enarheni yakwa-Israyeli.
22 Kodwana nakezwa bona eJudiya sekubusa u-Arikhilawosi esikhundleni sakayise uHerode, wasaba ukuya khona. Ngemva kokufumana isinqophiso esivela kuZimu ngebhudango, waya eGalile.
23 Wahlala edorobheni elibizwa ngokuthi yiNazaretha ukwenzela bonyana kuzaliseke okwakhulunywa baphorofidi, nabathi: “Uzokubizwa ngokobana mNazaretha.”*
