Ruka 3:1-22

Mugore regumi nemashanu rokutonga kwaTibheriasi Kesari, Pondio Pirato paakanga ari mubati weJudhea, Herodhi ari mubati weGarirea, mununʼuna wake Firipi ari mubati weIturea neTirakoniti, uye Risania ari mubati weAbhurini, panguva youprista hwaAnasi naKefasi, shoko raMwari rakasvika kuna Johani mwanakomana waZekaria mugwenga. Akaenda munyika yose yakapoteredza Jorodhani, achiparidza rubhabhatidzo rwokutendeuka kuti vanhu varegererwe zvivi. Sezvazvakanyorwa mubhuku ramashoko aIsaya muprofita zvichinzi: “Inzwi rounodana murenje richiti, ‘Gadzirai nzira yaShe, ruramisai migwagwa yake. Mipata yose ichafushirwa, makomo ose nezvikomo zvichaderedzwa. Migwagwa yakakombama ichatwasanudzwa, pasakaenzana pachaenzaniswa. Uye marudzi ose avanhu achaona ruponeso rwaMwari.’ ” Johani akati kuvanhu vazhinji vaiuya kuzobhabhatidzwa naye, “Imi vana venyoka! Ndianiko akuyambirai kuti mutize kutsamwa kuchauya? Chiberekai zvibereko zvinoenderana nokutendeuka. Uye musatanga kuti mumwoyo menyu, ‘Abhurahama ndiye baba vedu.’ Nokuti ndinoti kwamuri Mwari anogona kumutsira Abhurahama vana pamabwe aya. Demo ratoiswa pamidzi yemiti, uye muti mumwe nomumwe usingabereki zvibereko zvakanaka uchatemwa ugokandwa mumoto.” Vanhu vazhinji vakati, “Zvino toita seiko?” Johani akapindura akati, “Munhu ane nguo mbiri ngaagovane neasina, uye ane zvokudya ngaaitewo saizvozvo.” Vateresi vakauyawo kuzobhabhatidzwa. Vakamubvunza vakati, “Mudzidzisi, toita seiko?” Akati kwavari, “Musatora mari inopfuura mwero wamunofanira kutora.” Ipapo vamwe varwi vakamubvunza vakati, “Tinofanira kuita seiko?” Iye akati, “Musatorera vanhu mari nechisimba uye musapomera vanhu nhema, mugutsikane nomubayiro wenyu.” Vanhu vakanga vakamirira vakatarisira, uye vose vakanga vachikahadzika mumwoyo mavo kuti zvimwe Johani akanga ari iye Kristu. Johani akavapindura vose achiti, “Ini ndinokubhabhatidzai nemvura. Asi shure kwangu kunouya mumwe ane simba kundipfuura zvokuti ini handina kukodzera kuti ndisunungure rukanda rweshangu dzake. Achakubhabhatidzai noMweya Mutsvene nomoto. Rusero rwake rwuri muruoko rwake kuti apepete paburiro rake uye agounganidza gorosi mudura, asi hundi achaipisa nomoto usingadzimwi.” Uye namamwe mashoko mazhinji, Johani akakurudzira vanhu akaparidza vhangeri kwavari. Asi Johani akati atsiura Herodhi mutongi nokuda kwaHerodhiasi, mukadzi womununʼuna wake, uye nezvimwe zvinhu zvose zvakaipa zvaakanga aita, Herodhi akawedzera pazviri zvose nokuita izvi: Akapfigira Johani mutorongo. Vanhu vose vakati vachiri kubhabhatidzwa, Jesu akabhabhatidzwawo. Uye akati achinyengetera, denga rakazaruka, Mweya Mutsvene akauya pamusoro pake nomufananidzo wenjiva. Uye inzwi rakabva kudenga richiti, “Ndiwe mwanakomana wangu, wandinoda; ndiwe wandinofarira kwazvo.”