Negore regumi namashanu rokutonga kwaTibherio Kesari, Pontio Pirato ari ishe weJudhea, Herodhi ari ishe weGariria, Firipi munun'una wake, ari ishe weIturea neTirakoniti, Risanio ari ishe weAbhirene, Anasi naKayafasi vari vapristi vakuru, shoko raMwari rakauya kuna Johani, mwanakomana waZekariya, murenje. Iye akaenda munyika yose yakapoteredza Jorodhani, akaparidza rubhabhatidzo rwokutendeuka kuzokanganwirwa zvivi; sezvazvakanyorwa mubhuku yamashoko aIsaya muporofita, zvichinzi,
“Izwi roanodana murenje,
‘Gadzirai nzira yaIshe,
Ruramisai migwagwa yake.
Mipata yose ichafusirwa,
Makomo ose nezvikomo zvose zvichaderedzwa;
Zvakakombama zvicharuramiswa,
Pasikaenzana pachaitwa nzira dzakaenzaniswa;
Munhu wose ichaona ruponeso rwaMwari.’ ”
Naizvozvo akati kuvazhinji vaiuya kuzobhabhatidzwa naye, “Imi vana venyoka, ndianiko akakunyeverai kuti mutize kutsamwa kunouya? Naizvozvo berekai zvibereko zvakafanira kutendeuka; musatanga kureva mumwoyo menyu, muchiti, Abhurahamu ndibaba vedu; nokuti ndinoti kwamuri, Mwari angamutsira Abhurahamu vana pamabwe awa. Zvino sanhu ratoiswa pamudzi wemiti; naizvozvo muti mumwe nomumwe usingabereki michero yakanaka, unotemwa, ukakandirwa mumoto.”
Vanhu vazhinji vakamubvunza, vachiti, “Zvino todiniko?”
Akapindura, akati kwavari, “Anenguo mbiri ngaagovane noasina; noane zvokudya ngaaite saizvozvo.”
Navateresi vakauyawo kuzobhabhatidzwa, vakati kwaari, “Mudzidzisi, todiniko?”
Akati kwavari, “Musareva mari kupfuura pamakarayirwa napo.”
Navarwiwo vakamubvunza, vachiti, “Nesuo todiniko?” Akati kwavari, “Musatorera munhu chinhu nesimba, kana kupomera munhu nhema; mutende nomubayiro wenyu.”