Chapter 3
1 Ke kaloku, kuthi ngaloo mihla kufike uYohane umbhaptizi, ememeza entlango yelakwaYuda, esithi,
2 Guqukani, kuba ubukumkani bamazulu busondele.
3 Kuba lo nguye awayethetha yena uIsaya umprofeti, esithi, Izwi lodandulukayo entlango, lisithi, Yilungiseni indlela yeNkosi, Wutyenenezeni umendo wayo.
4 Ke uYohane lowo ingubo yakhe ibiyeyoboya benkamela, enombhinqo wentlonze esinqeni sakhe; kwaye ke ukudla kwakhe kuziinkumbi nobusi basendle.
5 Babephuma oko besiya kuye abaseYerusalem, nabelakwaYuda bonke, nabommandla wonke waseYordan.
6 Babhaptizwa nguye eYordan apho, bezixela izono zabo.
7 Ke kaloku, akubona into eninzi yabaFarisi nabaSadusi besiza ekubhaptizeni kwakhe, wathi kubo, Nzalandini yamarhamba, ngubani na onibonisileyo ukuba niyibaleke ingqumbo ezayo?
8 Velisani ngoko iziqhamo eziyifaneleyo inguquko; ize ningabi nithi phakathi kwenu,
9 Thina sinobawo uAbraham; kuba ndithi kuni, Unako uThixo kuwo la matye ukumvelisela abantwana uAbraham.
10 Kananjalo izembe selibekiwe engcanjini yemithi; ngoko yonke imithi engavelisi siqhamo sihle, iyagawulwa iphoswe emlilweni.
11 Mna okunene ndinibhaptizela enguqukweni ngamanzi; kodwa lowo uzayo emva kwam unamandla kunam, ozimbadada ndingakulingeneyo ukuziphatha; yena ke uya kunibhaptiza ngoMoya oyiNgcwele nangomlilo:
12 omnyazi wokwela usesandleni sakhe; uya kusicokisa kuthi tu isanda sakhe, ayibuthele kuvimba ingqolowa yakhe, kodwa wona umququ uya kuwutshisa ngomlilo ongacimekiyo.
13 Kuthi ngelo xa afike uYesu eYordan kuYohane, evela kwelaseGalili, ukuba abhaptizwe nguye.
14 Ke kaloku uYohane wayemalela, esithi, Mna kufuneka ndibhaptizwe nguwe nje, uza kum na wena?
15 Uphendule ke uYesu wathi kuye, Vuma okwakaloku; kuba kusifanele thina ukwenjenjalo ukuzalisa bonke ubulungisa. Andule ke ukumvumela.
16 Ebhaptiziwe ke uYesu, wenyuka kwaoko emanzini; asuka amazulu avuleka kuye, wambona uMoya kaThixo esihla njengehobe, esiza phezu kwakhe.
17 Nalo izwi liphuma ezulwini, lisithi, Lo nguNyana wam oyintanda, endikholisiweyo nguye.