Mateyu
3 Ngaloo mihla kwafika uYohane umBhaptizi+ eshumayela entlango+ yelakwaYuda, 2 esithi: “Guqukani,+ kuba ubukumkani bamazulu busondele.”+ 3 Lo, enyanisweni, ngulowo kwathethwa ngaye ngoIsaya umprofeti+ kwathiwa: “Phulaphula! Uthile udanduluka entlango esithi, ‘Lungisani+ indlela kaYehova! Yenzani iindlela zakhe zithi tye.’” 4 Ke uYohane lowo, isinxibo sakhe sasisesoboya+ benkamela, enombhinqo+ wethwathwa esinqeni sakhe; ukutya kwakhe nako kwakuziinkumbi+ nobusi+ basendle. 5 Babephuma besiya kuye abantu baseYerusalem nabakulo lonke elakwaYuda nelizwe elijikeleze iYordan, 6 bazivume ekuhleni izono zabo, aze ababhaptize kuMlambo iYordan.+
7 Xa wabona abaninzi babaFarisi nabaSadusi+ besiza elubhaptizweni, wathi kubo: “Nzalandini yamarhamba,+ ngubani na onicebisileyo ukuba niyisabe ingqumbo ezayo?+ 8 Ngoko ke velisani iziqhamo ezifanele inguquko;+ 9 yaye ze ningafane nithi, ‘Sinobawo uAbraham.’+ Kuba ndithi kuni uThixo unako ukumvelisela abantwana kuwo la matye uAbraham.+ 10 Izembe+ sele libekiwe engcanjini yemithi; ngoko, wonke umthi ongavelisi siqhamo sihle uya kugawulwa+ uze uphoswe emlilweni.+ 11 Mna ndinibhaptiza ngamanzi+ ngenxa yenguquko yenu;+ kodwa lowo uzayo+ emva kwam womelele kunam, ombadada zakhe ndingakufanelekelanga ukuzikhulula.+ Yena uya kunibhaptiza ngomoya oyingcwele+ nangomlilo.+ 12 Umhlakulo wakhe wokwela usesandleni sakhe, yaye uya kusicoca ngokupheleleyo isanda sakhe, ayihlanganisele kuvimba+ ingqolowa yakhe, kodwa wona umququ uya kuwutshisa+ ngomlilo ongacimekiyo.”
13 Ngoko uYesu weza eYordan kuYohane evela eGalili,+ ukuze abhaptizwe+ nguye. 14 Kodwa yena wazama ukumalela, esithi: “Indim nje ekufuneka ebhaptizwe nguwe, kutheni na usiza kum?” 15 Ekuphenduleni uYesu wathi kuye: “Vuma okwangoku, kuba kufanelekile ngathi ukuphumeza konke oko kububulungisa.”+ Wandula ke wayeka ukumalela. 16 Emva kokuba ebhaptiziwe uYesu ngoko nangoko wenyuka emanzini; yaye, khangela! amazulu avuleka,+ waza wabona umoya kaThixo usihla njengehobe+ phezu kwakhe.+ 17 Khangela! Kwakukho ilizwi+ eliphuma emazulwini lisithi: “Lo nguNyana wam,+ oyintanda,+ endikholisiweyo nguye.”+