1 Ke kaloku ngaloo mihla kwafika uYohane umbhaptizi eshumayela entlango yelakwaJuda,
2 esithi: “Guqukani, kuba ulawulo lukaThixo lusemnyango!”
3 Ngulo ke wayexela yena *umshumayeli uIsaya xa wayesithi:“Kuvakala ilizwi lodandulukayo entlango, lisithi:‘Yilungiseleleni indlela iNkosi,niyihlahlele umgaqo wayo.’ ”
4 UYohane lo wayesambatha ingubo yoboya benkamela, abhinqe ngethwathwa. Ukutya kwakhe kwakuziinkumbi nobusi.
5 Babephuma besiya kuye abantu baseJerusalem, nabakulo lonke elakwaJuda, nabommandla wonke waseJordan.
6 Babezixela izono zabo, aze ababhaptize emlanjeni iJordan.
7 Ke kaloku, akubona into eninzi *yabaFarasi *nabaSadusi besiza ekubhaptizeni kwakhe, uYohane wathi kubo: “Nzalandini yamarhamba, ngubani na onilumkisileyo ukuba niyibaleke ingqumbo ezayo?
8 Ke ngoko velisani iziqhamo ezifanele inguquko.
9 Ze ningafane nithi: ‘Siyinzala ka-Abraham.’ Ndiyanixelela mna, uThixo unako kuwo la matye ukumvelisela abantwana uAbraham.
10 Kanti ke izembe selikulungele ukuyinqumla ezingcanjini imithi. Ngoko ke wonke umthi ongavelisi siqhamo sihle uyagawulwa utshiswe.
11 Mna okunene ndinibhaptiza ngamanzi, ndibonisa ukuguquka kwenu; kodwa lowo uzayo emva kwam unamandla kunam. Andikufanelanga nokukhulula izihlangu ezi zakhe. Yena uya kunibhaptiza ngoMoya oyiNgcwele nangomlilo.
12 Ingobozi isesandleni sakhe. Uya kukwela kuthi tu okusesandêni, ayigalele kuvimba ingqolowa. Ke wona umququ uya kuwutshisa ngomlilo ongacimiyo.”
13 Wafika eJordan uYesu, evela eGalili, eze kubhaptizwa nguYohane.
14 UYohane ke wayengavumi, esithi: “Indim nje ofanele ukubhaptizwa nguwe, nguwe na oza kum?”
15 Waphendula uYesu wathi kuye: “Vuma okwangoku, kuba kusifanele thina ukwenjenjalo, ukuze senze konke okufunwa nguThixo.” Wavuma ke uYohane.
16 Ebhaptiziwe uYesu, waphuma kwangoko emanzini. Lasuka izulu lavuleka, wabona uMoya kaThixo enjengehobe esihla esiza kuye.
17 Kwavakala izwi, livela ezulwini, lisithi: “Lo nguNyana wam endimthandayo; ndikholisiwe nguye.”