UMatewu 3 - iBhayibhili Elingcwele 1978

Ukutshumayela kukaJohane uMbhaphathizi

¹ Ngalezonsuku kwafika uJohane uMbhaphathizi etshumayela enkangala yaseJudiya,

² esithi: Phendukani, ngoba umbuso wezulu ususondele!

³ Ngoba nguye okwakhulunywa ngaye ngumprofethi uIsaya esithi: Ilizwi lomemezayo enkangala lithi: Lungisani indlela yeNkosi, qondisani indledlana zayo.

⁴ UJohane lo wayelengubo yoboya bekamela, elozwezwe okhalweni lwakhe: ukudla kwakhe kwakuzintethe lenyosi zeganga.

⁵ Kwasekuphumela kuye iJerusalema, leJudiya lonke, lelizwe lonke laseJordani,

⁶ babhaphathizwa nguye emfuleni iJordani bevuma izono zabo.

⁷ Kwathi ebona abanengi babaFarisi labaSadusi besiza ekubhaphathizeni kwakhe, wathi kubo: Lina nzalo yezinyoka, ngubani olixwayise ukuba libalekele ulaka oluzayo na?

⁸ Thelani izithelo ezifanele ukuphenduka.

⁹ Lingacabangi ukuba lingatsho phakathi kwenu ukuthi: Silobaba uAbrahama. Ngoba ngithi kini: UNkulunkulu ulamandla okumenzela uAbrahama abantwana kulamatshe.

¹⁰ Lakhathesi ihloka selibekiwe empandeni zezihlahla. Ngakho ileso laleso isihlahla esingatheli isithelo esihle siyaganyulwa, siphoselwe emlilweni.

¹¹ Mina ngilibhaphathiza ngamanzi, kube yikuphenduka; kodwa yena oza emva kwami ulamandla kulami engingafanele ukuphatha amanyathelo akhe; yena uzakulibhaphathiza ngoMoya oNgcwele langomlilo.

¹² Ositsha sakhe sokwela sisesandleni sakhe; uzakuthanyela isibuya sakhe, abuthele amabele akhe esiphaleni sakhe; kodwa amakhoba uzakuwatshisa ngomlilo ongacimekiyo.

Ukubhaphathizwa kukaJesu

¹³ Kwathi uJesu evela eGalili wafika kuJohane eJordani ukuba abhaphathizwe nguye.

¹⁴ Kodwa uJohane wazama ukumnqanda, wathi: Yimi engiswela ukubhaphathizwa nguwe; wena uze kimi na?

¹⁵ UJesu wamphendula wathi: Vuma khathesi, ngoba kusifanele ukuba sigcwalise ngokunjalo ukulunga konke. Kwang’khona amvumelayo.

¹⁶ UJesu esebhaphathiziwe wakhuphuka masinyane emanzini; izulu lavuleka, wabona uMoya kaNkulunkulu esehla kungathi lijuba, esiza phezu kwakhe.

¹⁷ Khangela, kwezwakala ilizwi livela ezulwini, lisithi: Lo uyiNdodana yami ethandekayo, ngithokozile ngayo.