UJesu LoJohane UMbhaphathizi
1UJesu wathi eseqedile ukulaya abafundi bakhe abalitshumi lambili wasuka kuleyondawo ukuyafundisa lokutshumayela emadolobheni aseGalile.
2UJohane esentolongweni wathi esizwa ukuthi uKhristu wayesenzani, wathuma abafundi bakhe 3ukuba bayembuza bathi, “Unguye yini ozayo kumbe silindele omunye na?”
4UJesu waphendula wathi, “Buyelani liyebikela uJohane lokhu elikuzwayo lelikubonayo ukuthi 5Iziphofu zenziwa zibone, abaqhugezelayo bayahamba, abalobulephero bayahlanjululwa, izacuthe ziyezwa, abafileyo bayavuswa, levangeli liyatshunyayelwa kubayanga. 6Ubusisiwe umuntu ongakhubekiyo ngenxa yami.”
7Kwathi abafundi bakaJohane sebesuka, uJesu waqala ukukhuluma labantu ngoJohane esithi: “Laphuma lisiyabonani enkangala na? Umhlanga owazunguzwa ngumoya na? 8Nxa kungayisikho, pho lalisiyabonani? Indoda eyayicecile na? Hatshi, labo abagqoka izigqoko ezinhle basezigodlweni zamakhosi. 9Pho laphuma lisiyabonani na? Umphrofethi? Yebo, ngiyalitshela, odlula umphrofethi. 10Lo nguye okulotshwe ngaye ukuthi:
‘Ngizathuma isithunywa sami phambi kwakho,
esizalungisa indlela yakho phambi kwakho.’
11Ngilitshela iqiniso ukuthi, phakathi kwabo bonke abazelwe ngabesifazane akukaveli loyedwa omkhulu kuloJohane uMbhaphathizi ikanti lowo ongomncinyane kakhulu embusweni wezulu mkhulu kulaye. 12Kusukela ensukwini zikaJohane uMbhaphathizi kuze kube khathesi, umbuso wezulu wala uqhubeka ngamandla ngoba abantu abalamandla bawubambile. 13Ngoba bonke abaPhrofethi kanye loMthetho baphrofitha kwaze kwafika uJohane. 14Ngakho nxa likwamukela lokhu, ungu-Elija okwathiwa uyeza. 15Lowo olendlebe zokuzwa, kezwe.
16Kambe ngingasifanisa lani isizukulwane lesi na? Banjengabantwana abahlezi emikambo bememeza abanye besithi:
17‘Salitshayela umhubhe,
kodwa kaligidanga;
salihlabelela ingoma yesililo
kodwa kalililanga.’
18Ngoba uJohane wafika engadli njalo enganathi basebesithi, ‘Uledimoni,’ 19INdodana yoMuntu yafika yadla, yanatha, bathi, ‘Nansi isidli lesidakwa, umngane wabathelisi lezoni.’ Kodwa, ukuhlakanipha kuziveza ukuthi kuqondile ngemisebenzi yakho.”
