uLuka 3:1-20

Ke kaloku, ngomnyaka weshumi elinesihlanu wobukumkani bukaTibheriyo Kesare, inguPontiyo Pilato irhuluneli yelakwaYuda, inguHerode umphathi wesahlulo sesine esilelaseGalili, inguFilipu ke umzalwana wakhe umphathi wesahlulo sesine esilelaseItureya nelaseTrakoniti, inguLisaniyo umphathi wesahlulo sesine esilelaseAbhilene, Ke bona ababingeleli abakhulu ooAnas noKayafa, lafika ilizwi likaThixo kuYohane unyana kaZekariya entlango. Weza kuwo wonke ummandla waseYordan, evakalisa ubhaptizo lwenguquko ukuze kuxolelwe izono; Njengoko kubhaliweyo encwadini yamazwi kaIsaya umprofeti, esithi, Izwi lodandulukayo entlango, lisithi, Yilungiseni indlela yeNkosi, Wutyenenezeni umendo wayo. Zonke iintlambo ziya kugungxulwa, zonke iintaba neenduli zigungxulwe; zibe magoso-goso, neendlela ezimagqagala zibe lula; Yaye yonke inyama iya kulubona usindiso lukaThixo. Wayesithi ngoko kuzo izihlwele ezaziphuma zisiza kubhaptizwa nguye, Nzalandini yamarhamba, ngubani na owanibonisayo, ukuba niyibaleke ingqumbo ezayo? Velisani ngoko iziqhamo eziyifaneleyo inguquko; ize ningaqali nithi ngaphakathi kwenu, Thina sinobawo uAbraham; kuba ndithi kuni, Unako uThixo kuwo la matye ukumvelisela abantwana uAbraham. Kaloku izembe selibekiwe engcanjini yemithi, ngoko wonke umthi ongavelisi siqhamo sihle, uyagawulwa, uphoswe emlilweni. Zaye izihlwele zambuza, zisithi, Masenze ntoni na ke? Aphendule ke athi kubo, Lowo uneengubo zangaphantsi ezimbini, makebele ongenayo: nalowo uneengubo zangaphantsi ezimbini, makabele ongenayo; nalowo unokudla, makenze kwangokunjalo. Kweza ke nababuthi berhafu ukuba babhaptizwe, bathi kuye, Mfundisi, masenze ntoni na? Wathi kubo, Ningabizi nto ngaphezu kwenikumiselweyo. Ayebuza kuye ke namasoldati, esithi, Masenze ntoni na ke thina? Wathi kubo, Musani ukungcangcazelisa mntu, ningadli mntu; yanelani ngumvuzo wenu. Bakubon’ ukuba abantu babelindile, becamanga bonke ezintliziyweni zabo ngaye uYohane, ukuba angaba lo unguye na uKrestu; Waphendula uYohane wathi kubo bonke, Mna okunene ndinibhaptiza ngamanzi; kodwa uyeza lowo unamandla kunam, endingafanelekileyo ukuba ndiwuthukulule nomtya weembadada zakhe: uya kunibhaptiza ngoMoya oyiNgcwele nangomlilo yena; Osesandleni sakhe ifolokhwe yakhe isesandleni sakhe, aze asihlambulule isanda sakhe, ayibuthele kuvimba ingqolowa; ke wona umququ uya kuwutshisa ngomlilo ongacimekiyo. Waye ke ebavuselela nangezinye izinto ezininzi, eshumayela iindaba ezilungileyo ebantwini. Ke kaloku uHerode, umphathi wesahlulo sesine selizwe, ohlwayiwe nguye ngenxa kaHerodiya umkaFilipu umninawa wakhe, nangenxa yazo zonke izinto ezimbi abezenzile uHerode; wongezelela le kuzo zonke, yokuba amvalele entolongweni uYohane.