1 Ke kaloku ngomnyaka weshumi elinantlanu elawula uTibheriyo *Khesare, inguPontiyo Pilato irhuluneli kwelakwaJuda, inguHerode olawula kwelaseGalili, umntakwabo uFilipu elawula kwelaseJitureya nelaseTrakoniti, inguLisaniyo olawula kwelaseAbhilene,
2 ngemihla yababingeleli abakhulu ooAnas noKayafa, lafika ilizwi likaThixo kuYohane, unyana kaZakariya, entlango.
3 Yena ke wayewujikeleza wonke ummandla weJordan, eshumayela esithi abantu mabaguquke, babhaptizwe, aze uThixo abaxolele izono zabo;
4 njengoko kubhaliweyo kwincwadi *yomshumayeli uIsaya kusithiwa:“Kuvakala ilizwi lodandulukayo entlango, lisithi:“ ‘Yilungiseleleni indlela iNkosi,niyihlahlele umgaqo wayo.
5 Mayiditywe yonke imifula,zidilizwe zonke iinduli neentaba.Mazenziwe zithi tye iindawo ezigoso,ziletyelwe ezinamatye.
6 Bonke abantu baya kulubona usindiso oluvela kuThixo.’ ”
7 Ke kaloku izihlwele zaziphuma ziye kubhaptizwa nguYohane. Wayesithi kuzo: “Nzalandini yamarhamba, ngubani lo unilumkisileyo ukuba niyibaleke ingqumbo ezayo?
8 Ke ngoko yenzani izinto ezibonakalisa inguquko. Ze ningafane nithi: ‘Siyinzala ka-Abraham.’ Ndiyanixelela mna, uThixo unako ngawo la matye ukumvelisela abantwana uAbraham.
9 Kanti ke lona izembe selikulungele ukuyinqumla ezingcanjini imithi. Ngoko ke wonke umthi ongavelisi siqhamo sihle uyagawulwa utshiswe.”
10 Izihlwele zazimbuza zisithi: “Masithini ke ngoko?”
11 Waphendula wathi kuzo: “Lowo uneengubo ezimbini makanike ongenáyo. Nalowo unokutya makenjenjalo.”
12 Abaqokeleli-rhafu beza kubhaptizwa, bathi kuye: “Mfundisi, masithini na?”
13 Wathi kubo: “Ningabizi ngaphezu kwenikumiselweyo.”
14 Namajoni ayebuza kuye esithi: “Masithini thina?”Wathi kuwo: “Ningaphangi mntu ngogonyamelo okanye ngobuxoki. Yanelani yimivuzo yenu.”
15 Ke kaloku lavuseleleka ithemba ebantwini, becamanga bonke ezintliziyweni zabo ngaye uYohane, ukuba akangebi nguye na uKrestu.
16 UYohane ke wabaphendula esithi: “Mna okunene ndinibhaptiza ngamanzi, kodwa uyeza onamandla kunam. Andikufanelanga ukukhulula nemitya le yezihlangu zakhe. Yena uya kunibhaptiza ngoMoya oyiNgcwele nangomlilo.
17 Ingobozi isesandleni sakhe. Uya kukwela kuthi tu okusesandêni, ayigalele kuvimba ingqolowa. Ke wona umququ uya kuwutshisa ngomlilo ongacimiyo.”
18 UYohane wayeyala ekhuthaza nangezinye izinto ezininzi, eshumayela iindaba ezimnandi ebantwini.
19 UHerode, umlawuli waseGalili, wakhalinyelwa nguYohane ngenxa yokungena uHerodiya, umka-mninawe wakhe, nangazo zonke ezinye izinto ezimbi awayezenzile.
20 Suka ke yena uHerode wavalela uYohane lowo entolongweni.
21 Ke ekubhaptizweni kwento eninzi yabantu, noYesu ebhaptiziwe, kwathi ethandaza, lavuleka izulu,
22 wehlela phezu kwakhe uMoya oyiNgcwele enembonakalo yehobe. Kwavakala nezwi livela ezulwini, lisithi: “UnguNyana wam endimthandayo wena; ndikholisiwe nguwe!”
23 Ukuqala kwakhe ukufundisa uYesu wayemalunga neminyaka emashumi mathathu ezelwe. Kwakusithiwa ungunyana kaJosefu, kaEli,
24 kaMatati, kaLevi, kaMeleki, kaJana, kaJosefu,
25 kaMatatiya, ka-Amos, kaNahum, kaHesli, kaNagayi,
26 kaMathi, kaMatatiya, kaShimeyi, kaYoseki, kaJoda,
27 kaYohanan, kaResha, kaZerubhabheli, kaShalatiyeli, kaNeri,
28 kaMeleki, ka-Adi, kaKosam, kaElmadam, kaEre,
29 kaYoshuwa, kaEliyezere, kaYorim, kaMatati, kaLevi,
30 kaSimon, kaJuda, kaJosefu, kaJonam, kaEliyakim,
31 kaMaleya, kaMina, kaMatata, kaNatan, kaDavide,
32 kaJese, kaObhedi, kaBhowazi, kaSalman, kaNashon,
33 ka-Aminadabhi, ka-Admin, ka-Arni, kaHezeron, kaPerezi, kaJuda,
34 kaYakobi, kaIsake, ka-Abraham, kaTera, kaNahore,
35 kaSeruki, kaRewu, kaPelege, kaHebhere, kaShela,
36 kaKenan, ka-Arpakishadi, kaShem, kaNowa, kaLameki,
37 kaMethusela, kaInoki, kaJerede, kaMahalaleli, kaKenan,
38 kaEnoshe, kaSete, ka-Adam, kaThixo.