1, 2. (a) Abazaire abamwe nibeehurira bata abaana baabo baaba nibenda kubatizibwa? (b) Ahabw’enki abo abarikuza kubatizibwa nibabuuzibwa yaaba beehaireyo ahari Yehova? (Reeba ekishushani aha kutandika.)

OBU Maria yaabaire ayemereire na bagyenzi be barikuza kubatizibwa, abazaire be bakaba bariho barikumureeba. Owaabaire naaha orubazo rw’okubatizibwa akabuuza ebibuuzo bibiri. Maria akagarukamu omu iraka rihango kandi eririkuhurirwa gye. Bwanyima y’ekyo, akabatizibwa.

² Abazaire ba Maria kikabeesiimisa munonga kureeba ngu muhara waabo akeehayo ahari Yehova kandi yaabatizibwa. Kwonka Maria atakabatiziibwe, nyina akaba ainemu okwerarikirira. Akaba naayebuuza ati: ‘Hoona Maria yaahikire kubatizibwa? Buzima naayetegyereza obukuru bw’okwehayo ahari Yehova? Ashemereire kutegyerezaho kubatizibwa?’ Abazaire baingi nibeebuuza ebibuuzo nk’ebi abaana baabo babagira ngu nibenda kubatizibwa. (Omubuurizi 5:5) Kandi bahikire, ahakuba  okucwamu okurikukirayo obukuru, n’omuntu kwehayo ahari Yehova kandi akabatizibwa.​—Reeba akabokisi “ Waayehaireyo Ahari Yehova?”

3, 4. (a) Entumwa Petero akatwegyesa ata ngu okubatizibwa ni kukuru munonga? (b) Ahabw’enki Petero okubatizibwa yaakugyeragyeraniise n’okwombeka emeeri ya Noa?

³ Entumwa Petero okubatizibwa akakugyeragyeranisa n’okwombeka emeeri ya Noa. Akagira ati: “Okubatizibwa, nikyo kishushani ky’egi, kandi nakwo hati nikubajuna.” (Shoma 1 Petero 3:20, 21, NW.) Noa okwombeka emeeri kikahamiza gye abandi ngu akaba naayenda kukora ebi Ruhanga arikukunda. Omu bwesigwa Noa akakora omurimo ogu Yehova yaabaire amuhaire. Noa ahabw’okugira okwikiriza, Yehova akamujuna n’eka ye omu bwire bw’Omwegyemure. Petero akaba naateeraho kutwegyesa ki?

⁴ Abantu ku baareebire emeeri, bakamanya ngu Noa naikiririza omuri Ruhanga. Hati abantu ku barikureeba omuntu naabatizibwa, nibamanya ngu ayehaireyo ahari Ruhanga ahabw’okugira ngu naikiririza omuri Kristo. Nka Noa, abo abarikubatizibwa niboorobera Ruhanga, kandi nibakora omurimo ogu abahaire kukora. Kandi nk’oku Yehova yaacungwire Noa omu bwire bw’Omwegyemure, naija kucungura abaheereza be ababatiziibwe yaaba naacwekyereza ensi egi embi. (Mako 13:10; Okushuuruurwa 7:9, 10) Buzima, ni kikuru kwehayo ahari Yehova kandi okabatizibwa. Nangwa, n’omuntu yaakyerererwa kubatizibwa, naabaasa kufeerwa omugisha gw’okugumaho ebiro byona.

5. Nituza kwega ki omu kicweka eki?

⁵ Hati obu turikumanya ngu okubatizibwa n’eidaara rikuru, twine kumanya eby’okugarukamu  by’ebibuuzo bishatu ebi: Baibuli neegamba ki aha kubatizibwa? Omuntu ashemereire kukora ki atakabatiziibwe? Ahabw’enki butoosha twine kwijuka obukuru bw’okubatizibwa twaba nitwegyesa abaana baitu nari abeegi ba Baibuli?

6, 7. (a) Okubatiza kwa Yohaana kukaba kwine makuru ki? (b) N’okubatizibwa kw’oha okwabaire nikutaana n’okw’abandi boona, kandi ahabw’enki?

⁶ Omuntu w’okubanza orikugambwaho omu Baibuli owaabatiize abandi, ni Yohaana Omubatizi. (Matayo 3:1-6) Ahabw’enki abantu baizire ahu ari kubatizibwa? Bakaba nibenda kworeka ngu beeteisize ebibi byabo, ngu bakagomera ebiragiro bya Musa, kandi ngu nikibashaasha. Kwonka hariho omuntu mukuru ou Yohaana yaabatiize kandi okubatizibwa kwe kukaba kwine amakuru g’omutaano munonga. Yohaana akatunga omugisha gw’amaani ogw’okubatiza Yesu, Omwana wa Ruhanga ohikiriire. (Matayo 3:13-17) Yesu akaba atakozire kibi kyona. Kikaba kitarikumwetengyesa kweteisa. (1 Petero 2:22) Mbwenu shi ahabw’enki yaabatiziibwe? Akaba naayoreka ngu ayeteekateekire kwehayo kukora ebi Ruhanga arikukunda.​—Abaheburaayo 10:7.

⁷ Bwanyima ya Yesu kutandika kubuurira, abeegi be nabo bakatandika kubatiza abandi. (Yohaana 3:22; 4:1, 2) Aba nabo bakabatizibwa ahabw’okugira ngu bakaba beeteisize ebibi byabo ahabw’okugomera Ebiragiro bya Musa. Kwonka bwanyima ya Yesu kufa kandi akazooka, buri omwe owaabaire naayenda kuba omwegi wa Yesu akaba aine kubatizibwa ahabw’enshonga y’omutaano.

8. (a) Yesu ku yaaherize kuzooka akaha kiragiro ki? (b) Ahabw’enki Abakristaayo baine kubatizibwa?

⁸ Omu mwaka gwa 33, Yesu aherize kuzooka, akagamba n’abantu abarengire 500 otwariiremu abashaija, abakazi, obundi n’abaana. Obu nibubaasa kuba nibwo bwire obu yaagira ati: “N’ahabw’ekyo mugyende omu mahanga goona, muhindure abantu abeegi nimubabatiza omu iziina rya Isheboona n’ery’Omwana n’ery’omwoyo” gurikwera, “nimubeegyesa kworobera byona ebi naabaragiire.” (Matayo 28:19, 20; 1 Abakorinso 15:6) Yesu akaragiira abakuratsi be kuhindura abantu abeegi. Omuntu weena orikwenda kuba omwegi we, nari orikwenda kwekorera “omugamba” gwe, aine kubatizibwa. (Matayo 11:29, 30) Omuntu kubaasa kuheereza Ruhanga omu muringo ogu arikusiima, aine kwikiriza ngu Ruhanga naakoresa Yesu kuhikiiriza ekigyendererwa kye. Reero obwo omuntu naabaasa kubatizibwa kandi asiimwe Ruhanga. Baibuli neeyoreka gye ngu abeegi ba Yesu aba ira bakaba nibamanya obukuru bw’okubatizibwa. Bakaba batarikuteekateeka ngu baine kutegyereza reero bakabatizibwa bwanyima.​—Ebyakozirwe 2:41; 9:18; 16:14, 15, 32, 33.

9, 10. Nitubaasa kwegyera ki aha kubatizibwa kw’Omwesiopia n’okwa Saulo?

⁹ Ebyakozirwe 8:35, 36. Omushaija Omwesiopia owaabaire aikiriize enyikiriza y’Ekiyudaaya akaba naagaruka omuka arikuruga kuramya aha hekalu omuri Yerusaalemu. Maraika wa Yehova akoohereza Filipo kumubuurira, kandi Filipo akamwegyesa amakuru marungi agarikukwata ahari Yesu. Omushaija Omwesiopia akatwaza ata? Akeetegyereza gye oku kiri kikuru kwikiriza Yesu nka Mukama, kandi akaba naayenda  kukora eki Yehova arikwenza Abakristaayo. N’ahabw’ekyo akabatizibwa atarikweziringa.

¹⁰ Eky’okureeberaho ekindi n’eky’omushaija Omuyudaaya orikwetwa Saulo. Eihanga ry’Ekiyudaaya ryona rikaba ryehaireyo ahari Ruhanga, kwonka Yehova akaba atakisiima Abayudaaya ahakuba bakaba batarikumworobera. Saulo akaba naateekateeka ngu Abayudaaya nibakiheereza Ruhanga omu muringo oguhikire, n’ahabw’ekyo akahiiganisa Abakristaayo. Kwonka eizooba rimwe Yesu aherize kuzooka kandi ari omu iguru, akagamba na Saulo owaabaire naateekateeka ngu Yesu akifiire. Saulo akatwaza ata? Akaikiriza kuhwerwa Omukristaayo orikwetwa Anania. Baibuli neegira eti: ‘akeemerera, yaabatizibwa.’ (Ebyakozirwe 9:17, 18; Abagalatia 1:14) Bwanyima akaija kumanywa nk’entumwa Paulo. Ahonaaho ku yaaherize kwetegyereza ngu Ruhanga akaba naakoresa Yesu kuhikiiriza ekigyendererwa kye, Saulo akabatizibwa atarikweziringa.​—Shoma Ebyakozirwe 22:12-16.

11. (a) Niki ekirikureetera abeegi ba Baibuli hati kucwamu kubatizibwa? (b) Nitwehurira tuta omuntu yaabatizibwa?

¹¹ N’obunaku obu, n’abeegi ba Baibuli abato n’abakuru nibakora nikyo kimwe. Ahabw’okugira ngu nibakunda Baibuli kandi nibeesiga ebi erikwegyesa, nibaba beeteekateekire kwehayo ahari Yehova kandi bakabatizibwa. Nangwa n’orubazo rw’okubatizibwa, niruba ruri orw’omutaano aha nteerane empango. Abajurizi ba Yehova nibashemererwa abeegi ba Baibuli ku barikwikiriza amazima bakacwamu kubatizibwa. N’abazaire nibashemererwa abaana baabo baabatizibwa. Omu mwaka gw’obuheereza ogwa 2017, abantu basya abarikurenga 284,000 bakabatizibwa kworeka ngu beehaireyo ahari Yehova. (Ebyakozirwe 13:48) Buzima, bakeetegyereza ngu nikyetengyesa Abakristaayo kubatizibwa. Kwonka shi bakaba baine kukora ki batakabatiziibwe?

12. Abeegi ba Baibuli baine kukora ki batakabatiziibwe?

¹² Abeegi ba Baibuli baaba batakabatiziibwe, baine kwega amazima agarikukwata ahari Ruhanga, ekigyendererwa eki ainiire abantu n’ensi, n’eki yaakozire kujuna abantu. (1 Timoseo 2:3-6) Nibaba baine n’okugira okwikiriza, okuraabahwere kworobera ebiragiro bya Ruhanga, kandi bakarekyera aho kukora ebi arikwanga. (Ebyakozirwe 3:19) Eki ni kikuru, ahakuba Yehova tarikubaasa kusiima okwehayo kw’omuntu arikuguma naakora ebi arikwanga. (1 Abakorinso 6:9, 10) Kwonka eki tikyo kyonka. Abarikwenda kwehayo ahari Yehova baine kuza omu nteerane z’ekibiina, bakeejumba omu kubuurira n’okwegyesa abandi amakuru marungi. Buri omwe orikwenda kukuratira Kristo eki aine kukikora. (Ebyakozirwe 1:8) Omwegi ashemereire kubanza yaakora ebi byona. Reero bwanyima naabaasa kwehayo ahari Yehova arikumushaba omu mubonano reero akabona kubatizibwa.

13. Twaba nitwegyesa abandi, ahabw’enki twine kwijuka ngu kubaasa kuba Abakristaayo abaabuzima baine kubatizibwa?

¹³ Twahwera abaana baitu n’abeegi ba Baibuli kukora ebintu ebi ebirikwetengyesa, twine kumanya ngu abo abarikwenda kuba abakuratsi ba Yesu abaabuzima baine kubatizibwa. Titushemereire kutiina kubagambira omu bwire buhikire oku okwehayo n’okubatizibwa biri bikuru. Nitwenda ngu abaana baitu n’abandi bagume nibatunguuka kuhika aha kubatizibwa!

14. Ahabw’enki tutarikugyema muntu weena kubatizibwa?

¹⁴ Amazima gari ngu, tihaine oshemereire kugyema omwana nari omwegi wa Baibuli kubatizibwa. Yehova tarikugyema muntu weena ahariitwe kumuheereza. (1 Yohaana 4:8) Twaba nitwegyesa abandi, nituba nitwenda ngu beetegyereze oku kiri kikuru bo kugira omukago murungi na Yehova. Reero, omwegi wa Baibuli yaaba buzima naakunda kumanya amazima agarikukwata ahari Ruhanga kandi arikwenda kukora buri kimwe eki Abakristaayo ab’amazima baine kukora, naija kwenda kubatizibwa.​—2 Abakorinso 5:14, 15.

15, 16. (a) Mbwenu shi haine emyaka etairweho omuntu kubaasa kuba ohikire kubatizibwa? Shoboorora. (b) Ahabw’enki omwegi wa Baibuli aine kubatizibwa kuba omwe aha Bajurizi ba Yehova n’obu yaakuba yaabatiziibwe omu diini endiijo?

¹⁵ Tihariho emyaka etairweho omuntu kubaasa kuba ohikire kubatizibwa. Abantu nibataana, kandi abeegi abamwe nibarahuka kutunguuka kukira abandi. Baingi nibabatizibwa bakiri bato, kandi nibaguma bari abeesigwa ahari Yehova na baakura. Abamwe ku barikuza kwega amazima kandi bakabatizibwa  nibaba baakuzire. Nangwa n’abamwe nibaba baarengize n’emyaka 100!

¹⁶ Omukazi omwe owaabaire naayega Baibuli akaba yaabatiziibwe omu madiini agandi. Niyo nshonga ahabw’enki yaabuurize orikumwegyesa Baibuli yaaba kyabaire nikimwetengyesa kugaruka kubatizibwa. Owaabaire naamwegyesa akamworeka Ebyahandiikirwe ebirikugarukamu ekibuuzo kye. Omukazi ogwo ku yaaherize kwetegyereza eki Baibuli erikwegyesa, akabatizibwa, n’obu araabe yaabaire aine emyaka nka 80. Nitwegyera ki aha ky’okureeberaho eki? Yehova naasiima okubatizibwa kwaitu twaba nitumanya amazima agarikukwata aha bi arikukunda. N’ahabw’ekyo n’obu twakuba twabatiziibwe omu diini endiijo, nabwo nituba twine kugaruka kubatizibwa kubaasa kuba bamwe aha Bajurizi ba Yehova.​—Shoma Ebyakozirwe 19:3-5.

17. Omuntu ashemereire kuteekateeka ahari ki aha izooba rye ry’okubatizibwa?

¹⁷ Obu omuntu arikubatizibwa n’eizooba ry’okushemererwa munonga. Kandi nabwo n’obwire bw’okuteekateeka n’obwegyendesereza aha kirikutwarirwa omu kwehayo n’okubatizibwa. Okukora buri kimwe eki Omukristaayo aine kukora ti murimo gworobi. N’ahabw’ekyo abeegi ba Yesu tibaine “kuguma bariho ahabwabo bonka, kureka ahabw’ogwo owaabafeereire akabazookyera.”​—2 Abakorinso 5:15; Matayo 16:24.

18. Nituza kugarukamu bibuuzo eki omu kicweka ekirikukurataho?

¹⁸ Nk’oku twayega omu kicweka eki, okucwamu kuba Omukristaayo owaabuzima n’ekintu kikuru munonga. Niyo nshonga ahabw’enki nyina wa Maria akeebuuza ebibuuzo ebyagambwaho aha kutandika kw’ekicweka eki. Ku oraabe ori omuzaire, noobaasa kwebuuza oti: ‘Buzima omwana wangye ahikire kubatizibwa? Aine okumanya kurikumara okurikukwata ahari Yehova kubaasa kwehayo ahariwe? Mbwenu shi omwana wangye ashemereire kutunga obwegyese burungi n’omurimo, atakabatiziibwe? Kandi shi ku yaakukora ekibi ky’amaani bwanyima y’okubatizibwa?’ Nituza kugarukamu ebibuuzo ebi omu kicweka ekirikukurataho. Nituza n’okureeba oku Abakristaayo abazaire barikubaasa kugira emiteekateekyere mirungi aha kubatizibwa.