1 Kwathi ngomnyaka weshumi nanhlanu wokubusa kukaTiberiyu Kesari, uPontiyu Pilatu engumbusi waseJudiya, uHerode engumtetrarki* waseGalile, uFiliphu umfowabo engumtetrarki wezwe lase-Itureya nelaseTrakhoniti, uLisaniya engumtetrarki wase-Abilene,
2 u-Anase engumpristi omkhulu noKayafase, kwafika izwi likaNkulunkulu kuJohane indodana kaZakariya ehlane.
3 Weza ezweni lonke laseJordani eshumayela umbhapathizo wokuphenduka, kube ngukuthethelelwa kwezono,
4 njengokuba kulotshiwe encwadini yamazwi ka-Isaya umprofethi ukuthi:“Izwi lomemezayo ehlane, lithi:‘Lungisani indlela yeNkosi,nenze imikhondo yayo iqonde.
5 Izigodi zonke ziyakugqitshwa,zonke izintaba namagquma kuyakwehliswa;kuqonde izinsongansonga,nemigoxigoxi ibe yizindlela ezilelezekile;
6 inyama yonke izakubona insindiso kaNkulunkulu.’ ”
7 Ngakho-ke wathi ezixukwini ezaziphumela ukubhapathizwa nguye: “Nzalo yezinyoka, ubani onibonise ukubalekela intukuthelo ezayo na?
8 Ngakho vezani izithelo ezifanele ukuphenduka, ningaqali ukuthi phakathi kini: ‘Sinobaba u-Abrahama;’ ngokuba ngithi kini: UNkulunkulu unamandla okumvusela u-Abrahama abantwana kulawa matshe.
9 Namanje izembe selibekiwe empandeni yemithi; ngakho yonke imithi engatheli isithelo esihle iyanqunywa, iphonswe emlilweni.”
10 Izixuku zambuza zathi: “Pho, sizakwenzani na?”
11 Waphendula, wathi kubo: “Onezingubo ezimbili akamuphe ongenayo; naye onokudla enze njalo.”
12 Kwafika nabathelisi ukuba babhapathizwe, bathi kuye: “Mfundisi, sizakwenzani na?”
13 Wathi kubo: “Ningabizi lutho ngaphezu kwenikumiselweyo.”
14 Namabutho ambuza athi: “Thina-ke, sizakwenzani na?”Wathi kuwo: “Ningamuki muntu lutho ngendluzula, ningamxabheleli; yaneliswani yizinkokhelo zenu.”
15 Abantu besabhekile, bezindla bonke ezinhliziyweni zabo ngoJohane ukuthi ingabe unguKristu yini,
16 uJohane waphendula, wathi kubo bonke: “Mina kambe nginibhapathiza ngamanzi, kepha uyeza onamandla kunami engingafanele ukuthukulula umchilo wezicathulo zakhe; yena uzakunibhapathiza ngoMoya oNgcwele nangomlilo;
17 oqoma lakhe lokwela lisesandleni sakhe ukushanelisisa isibuya sakhe nokubuthela ukolweni enqolobaneni yakhe; kepha amakhoba uzakuwashisa ngomlilo ongacimekiyo.”
18 Nangokunye okuningi washumayela ivangeli kubantu, ebayala.
19 Kepha uHerode umtetrarki,* esolwa nguye ngenxa kaHerodiya umkamfowabo nangenxa yakho konke okubi abekwenzile uHerode,
20 wenezela nalokhu kokunye konke, wamvalela uJohane etilongweni.
21 Kwathi bebhapathiziwe abantu bonke, naye uJesu esebhapathiziwe, ekhuleka, izulu lavuleka,
22 uMoya oNgcwele enesimo somzimba njengejuba wehlela phezu kwakhe; kwavela izwi ezulwini, lithi: “Wena uyiNdodana yami ethandekayo; ngithokozile ngawe.”
23 Yena uJesu, ukuqala kwakhe, wayeneminyaka engaba ngamashumi amathathu, eyindodana, njengokushiwoyo, kaJosefa ka-Eli
24 kaMathati kaLevi kaMeliki kaJanayi kaJosefa
25 kaMatathiya ka-Amose kaNahume ka-Eseli kaNagayi
26 kaMati, kaMatathiya kaSemeyini kaJosefa kaJuda
27 kaJohanani kaResa kaZorobabeli kaSalatiyeli kaNeri
28 kaMeliki ka-Adi kaKosamu ka-Elimadamu ka-Eri
29 kaJose ka-Eliyezeri kaJorimi kaMathati kaLevi
30 kaSimeyoni kaJuda kaJosefa kaJonamu ka-Eliyakimi
31 kaMeleya kaMena kaMathata kaNathamu kaDavide
32 kaJesayi ka-Obede kaBowasi kaSala kaNasoni
33 ka-Aminadaba ka-Adameyini ka-Arani ka-Esiromu kaFaresi kaJuda
34 kaJakobe ka-Isaka ka-Abrabama kaThara kaNahori
35 kaSeruki kaRagawu kaFaleki ka-Ebere kaSala
36 kaKayinamu ka-Arfakisadi kaSemi kaNowa kaLameka
37 kaMathusala ka-Enoke kaJarethi kaMaleleyeli kaKayinani
38 ka-Enose kaSeti ka-Adamu kaNkulunkulu.