Luka
3:1 Manje ngomnyaka weshumi nanhlanu wokubusa kukaTiberiyu Khesari, uPontiyu
uPilatu engumbusi waseJudiya, uHerode engumbusi waseGalile,
nomfowabo uFiliphu umtetrarki wase-Itureya nasesifundeni sase-Ithuriya
iTrakonithi, noLisaniya umtetrarki wase-Abilene,
3:2 U-Anase noKayafase bengabapristi abakhulu, izwi likaNkulunkulu lafika kubo
uJohane indodana kaZakariya ehlane.
3:3 Weza ezweni lonke laseJordani, eshumayela umbhapathizo ka
ukuphenduka kube ukuthethelelwa kwezono;
3:4 Njengoba kulotshiwe encwadini yamazwi ka-Isaya umprofethi ukuthi:
Izwi lomemezayo ehlane, lithi: Lungisani indlela yeNkosi
Nkosi, yenza izindlela zakhe ziqonde.
3:5 Zonke izigodi ziyogcwaliswa, futhi zonke izintaba namagquma kuyoba
kwehliswe; nezimangelengele ziyakuqondiswa, nezimangelengele izindlela
izokwenziwa bushelelezi;
3:6 Futhi yonke inyama iyakubona insindiso kaNkulunkulu.
3:7 Wayesethi ezixukwini ezaziphumela ukubhapathizwa nguye, O
sizukulwane sezinyoka, onibonisile ukuba nibalekele ulaka
woza?
3:8 Ngakho vezani izithelo ezifanele ukuphenduka, futhi ungaqali ukusho
phakathi kwenu, sinobaba u-Abrahama; ngokuba ngithi kini:
ukuthi uNkulunkulu ulamandla okumvusela uAbrahama abantwana kulawa matshe.
3:9 Futhi manje imbazo isibekiwe empandeni yemithi: yonke imithi
ngakho-ke okungatheli izithelo ezinhle kuyagawulelwa, kuphonswe
emlilweni.
3:10 Isixuku sambuza, wathi: "Pho, siyakwenzani?"
3:11 Waphendula, wathi kubo: “Onezingubo ezimbili akabele
kongenakho; nalowo onokudla makenze ngokunjalo.
3:12 Kwasekufika nabathelisi ukuba babhapathizwe, bathi kuye: "Mfundisi, yini?"
sizokwenzani?
3:13 Wathi kubo, Ningabizi okungaphezu kwalokho enikumiselweyo.
3:14 Namasosha ambuza, ethi: "Pho, siyakwenzani thina?"
Wasesithi kubo: Lingaphambanisi muntu, lingathwesi muntu icala
ngamanga; neneliswe yinkokhelo yenu.
3:15 Futhi njengoba abantu belindele, futhi bonke bacabanga ezinhliziyweni zabo
kaJohane, noma wayenguKristu, noma qha;
3:16 UJohane waphendula, wathi kubo bonke: Mina nginibhapathiza ngamanzi;
kodwa uyeza onamandla kunami, engingesiye umchilo wezicathulo zakhe
enifanele ukuthukululwa, yena uyakunibhapathiza ngoMoya oNgcwele nangawo
umlilo:
3:17 ophephelo lwakhe esandleni sakhe, futhi uyosihlanza ngokuphelele isibuya sakhe, futhi
uyobuthela amabele enqolobaneni yakhe; kepha amakhoba uyakuvutha ngawo
umlilo ongacimi.
3:18 Futhi nezinye izinto eziningi washumayela ivangeli kubantu.
3:19 Kodwa uHerodi umtetrarki, esolwa nguye ngoHerodiya umfowabo
umkaFiliphu nangakho konke okubi uHerode abekwenzile.
3:20 Wenezela lokhu phezu kwakho konke, ukuthi wamvalela uJohane etilongweni.
3:21 Manje lapho bonke abantu babhapathizwa, kwenzeka ukuthi uJesu naye
ebhapathizwa, ekhuleka, izulu lavuleka.
3:22 Futhi uMoya oNgcwele enesimo somzimba njengejuba wehlela phezu kwakhe, futhi
kwavela izwi ezulwini, lithi: “Wena uyiNdodana yami ethandekayo; kuwe I
ngijabule.
3:23 UJesu ngokwakhe waqala ukuba neminyaka engaba ngamashumi amathathu, enjengoba enjalo
indodana kaJosefa, indodana kaHeli,
3:24 Owayeyindodana kaMatthat, indodana kaLevi, owayeyindodana
indodana kaMelki, indodana kaJana, indodana kaJosefa,
3:25 Owayeyindodana kaMatathias, indodana ka-Amose, okuyinto
indodana kaNawume indodana ka-Esli indodana kaNage,
3:26 Owayeyindodana kaMaath, indodana kaMatathias, okuyinto
indodana kaShimeyi, indodana kaJosefa, indodana ka
Juda,
3:27 Owayeyindodana kaJowana, owayeyindodana kaRhesa, owayeyindodana
indodana kaZorubabele, indodana kaSalatiyeli, indodana ka
Neri,
3:28 Owayeyindodana kaMelki, owayeyindodana ka-Adi, owayeyindodana
indodana kaKosamu, indodana ka-Elimodamu, indodana ka-Eri,
3:29 Owayeyindodana kaJose, owayeyindodana ka-Eliyezeri, owayeyindodana
indodana kaJorimi, indodana kaMathati, indodana kaLevi,
3:30 Owayeyindodana kaSimeyoni, indodana kaJuda, owayenguyise
indodana kaJosefa, indodana kaJonan, indodana ka-Eliyakimi,
3:31 Owayeyindodana kaMeleya, owayeyindodana kaMenan, owayeyindodana
indodana kaMatatha, indodana kaNathani, indodana ka
David,
3:32 Owayeyindodana kaJese, indodana ka-Obede, okuyinto indodana
kaBhowazi indodana kaSalmoni indodana kaNaasoni,
3:33 Owayeyindodana ka-Aminadaba, owayeyindodana ka-Aramu, okwakungu
indodana ka-Esiromu, indodana kaPerezi, indodana kaJuda,
3:34 Owayeyindodana kaJakobe, indodana ka-Isaka, okwakunguye
indodana ka-Abrahama, indodana kaThara, indodana kaNahori,
3:35 Owayeyindodana kaSaruki, owayeyindodana kaRagawu, owayeyindodana
indodana kaPheleki, indodana kaHebhere, indodana kaSala,
3:36 Owayeyindodana kaKhenani, indodana ka-Arpakishadi, okuyinto
indodana kaSemi, indodana kaNowa, indodana kaLameka,
3:37 Owayeyindodana kaMathusela, indodana ka-Enoke, okwakukhona
indodana kaJarede, indodana kaMalalele, indodana ka
Khanani,
3:38 Owayeyindodana ka-Enoshe, indodana kaSeti, okuyinto indodana
ka-Adamu, owayeyindodana kaNkulunkulu.