Wolembedwa ndi Mateyu
3 Mʼmasiku amenewo, Yohane+ Mʼbatizi anapita mʼchipululu cha Yudeya nʼkuyamba kulalikira.+ 2 Iye ankalalikira kuti: “Lapani, chifukwa Ufumu wakumwamba wayandikira.”+ 3 Mneneri Yesaya ananeneratu za iyeyu+ mʼmawu awa: “Winawake akufuula mʼchipululu kuti: ‘Konzani njira ya Yehova!* Muwongole misewu yake.’”+ 4 Yohane ankavala chovala chaubweya wa ngamila ndi lamba wachikopa mʼchiuno mwake.+ Chakudya chake chinali dzombe ndi uchi.+ 5 Choncho anthu ochokera ku Yerusalemu ndi mʼchigawo chonse cha Yudeya ndiponso ochokera mʼmidzi yonse yapafupi ndi Yorodano ankapita kwa iye.+ 6 Iye ankawabatiza* mumtsinje wa Yorodano+ ndipo anthuwo ankaulula machimo awo poyera.
7 Yohane ataona Afarisi ndi Asaduki+ ambiri akubwera ku ubatizowo, anawauza kuti: “Ana a njoka inu,+ ndi ndani wakuchenjezani kuti muthawe mkwiyo umene ukubwerawo?+ 8 Ndiyetu mubale zipatso zosonyeza kulapa. 9 Musamadzinamize kuti, ‘Tili ndi atate wathu Abulahamu.’+ Chifukwa ndikukuuzani kuti Mulungu akhoza kupangira Abulahamu ana kuchokera kumiyala iyi. 10 Nkhwangwa yaikidwa kale pamizu yamitengo. Choncho mtengo uliwonse wosabereka zipatso zabwino udulidwa nʼkuponyedwa pamoto.+ 11 Ine ndikukubatizani mʼmadzi chifukwa chakuti mwalapa,+ koma amene akubwera mʼmbuyo mwanga ndi wamphamvu kuposa ine, ndipo sindili woyenera kumuvula nsapato zake.*+ Ameneyo adzakubatizani ndi mzimu woyera+ komanso moto.+ 12 Fosholo yake youluzira mankhusu* ili mʼmanja mwake, ndipo malo ake opunthirapo mbewu adzawayeretseratu kuti mbee! Tirigu adzamututira munkhokwe, koma mankhusu adzawawotcha ndi moto+ umene sungazimitsidwe.”
13 Kenako Yesu anabwera kwa Yohane ku Yorodano kuchokera ku Galileya, kuti iye amubatize.+ 14 Koma Yohane anayesa kumuletsa ponena kuti: “Ineyo ndi amene ndikuyenera kubatizidwa ndi inu, ndiye nʼchifukwa chiyani mukubwera kwa ine?” 15 Yesu anamuyankha kuti: “Pa nthawi ino yokha lola kuti zikhale choncho, chifukwa tikufunikira kuchita zimenezi kuti tikwaniritse chilungamo chonse.” Atatero, anasiya kumuletsa. 16 Atabatizidwa, nthawi yomweyo Yesu anavuuka mʼmadzimo. Pamenepo kumwamba kunatseguka,+ ndipo Yohane anaona mzimu wa Mulungu ukutsika ngati nkhunda nʼkudzamutera.+ 17 Panamvekanso mawu ochokera kumwamba+ onena kuti: “Uyu ndi Mwana wanga+ wokondedwa ndipo amandisangalatsa kwambiri.”+