Isahluko 2
1 UJesu esezelwe eBetlehema laseJudiya emihleni kaHerode inkosi, bheka, kwafika izazi eJerusalema, zivela empumalanga, zithi:
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“Uphi lowo ozelwe eyinkosi yabaJuda na? Ngokuba sibonile inkanyezi yakhe kwelasempumalanga, size ukukhuleka kuye.”
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UHerode inkosi esekuzwile lokho wakhathazeka neJerusalema lonke kanye naye.
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Wabutha bonke abapristi abakhulu nababhali besizwe, wabuza kubo ukuthi uKristu uzakuzalelwaphi.
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Bathi kuye: “EBetlehema laseJudiya, ngokuba kulotshiwe kanjalo ngomprofethi ukuthi:
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“ ‘Nawe Betlehema, lizwe lakwaJuda, kawusiye omncane nakanye kubabusi bakwaJuda, ngokuba kuyakuvela kuwe umbusi oyakwalusa isizwe sami u-Israyeli.’ ”
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Khona uHerode, ezibizile izazi ngasese, wabuzisisa kuzo isikhathi inkanyezi ebonakele ngaso,
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wazithuma eBetlehema, wathi: “Hambani nibuzisise ngomntwana; kuyakuthi nxa nimfumene, ningitshele ukuba nami ngiye ngikhuleke kuye.”
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Seziyizwile inkosi, zamuka; bheka, inkanyezi ezayibona kwelasempumalanga yahamba phambi kwazo, yaze yafika yema phezu kwalapho umntwana ekhona.
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Zathi ukuyibona inkanyezi, zathokoza ngokuthokoza okukhulu kakhulu.
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Zase zingena endlini, zabona umntwana noMariya unina, zawa phansi, zakhuleka kuye, zavula amagugu azo, zamkhunga ngezipho: igolide namakha nenhlaka.
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Kwathi ziyaliwe nguNkulunkulu ngephupho ukuba zingabuyeli kuHerode, zabuyela ezweni lakubo ngenye indlela.
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Sezimukile, bheka, ingelosi yeNkosi yabonakala kuJosefa ngephupho, ithi: “Vuka uthabathe umntwana nonina, ubalekele eGibithe, uhlale khona, ngize ngikutshele; ngokuba uHerode uzakumfuna umntwana ukuba ambhubhise.”
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Wavuka-ke, wathabatha umntwana nonina ebusuku, wamuka waya eGibithe,
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wahlala khona, waze wafa uHerode, ukuze kugcwaliseke okwakhulunywa yiNkosi ngomprofethi ukuthi: “Ngayibiza indodana yami iphume eGibithe.”
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Khona uHerode, esebonile ukuthi izazi zimphambile, wathukuthela kakhulu, wathumela wabulala bonke abantwana besilisa baseBetlehema nasendaweni yonke yangakhona, abaminyaka mibili nangaphansi njengesikhathi abesibuzisisile kuzo izazi.
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Khona kwagcwaliseka okwakhulunywa ngoJeremiya umprofethi ukuthi:
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“Kwezwakala izwi eRama, ukukhala nokulila okukhulu, uRakheli ekhalela abantwana bakhe, engavumi ukududuzwa, ngokuba abasekho.”
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Kepha uHerode esefile, bheka, ingelosi yeNkosi yabonakala ngephupho kuJosefa eGibithe, yathi:
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“Vuka uthabathe umntwana nonina, uye ezweni lakwa-Israyeli; ngokuba sebefile ababezingela ukuphila komntwana.”
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Wasuka-ke, wathabatha umntwana nonina, wafika ezweni lakwa-Israyeli.
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Kepha ezwa ukuthi sekubusa u-Arkelawu eJudiya esikhundleni sikaHerode uyise, wesaba ukuya khona; eseyaliwe nguNkulunkulu ngephupho wamuka waya kwelaseGalile;
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wafika wakha emzini othiwa iNazaretha ukuba kugcwaliseke okwakhulunywa ngabaprofethi ukuthi: “Uyakubizwa ngokuthi umNazaretha.”