21 Bambuza besithi: “Ungubani ke? Ngaba unguEliya?”Yena wathi: “Hayi andinguye.”Bona bathi: “Ngaba unguye laa Mshumayeli?”Waphendula wathi: “Hayi, andinguye.”
22 Ke ngoko bathi kuye: “Sixelele okokuba ungubani na, ukuze sibe nokubaphendula abo basithumileyo. Ngaba uthini na wena ngawe ngokwakho?”
23 Waphendula uYohane, ecaphula kumazwi *omshumayeli uIsaya, esithi:“Mna ndililizwi lodandulukayo entlango, lisithi:‘Yilungiseleleni indlela iNkosi.’ ”
24 Kwakukho nababethunywe *ngabaFarasi.
25 Bona bambuza uYohane besithi: “Ungáthini ke ukubhaptiza, ungenguye uKrestu, okanye uEliya, okanye laa Mshumayeli?”
26 Wabaphendula uYohane wathi: “Mna ndinibhaptiza ngamanzi. Kambe ke phakathi kwenu kumi eningamaziyo.
27 Yena uza emva kwam, kodwa mna andifanele kukhulula nomtya lo wezihlangu zakhe.”