uMateyu 2:1-18

Ke kaloku, akubon’ ukuba uYesu uzelwe eBhetelehem yelakwaYuda, emihleni kaHerode ukumkani, kwabonakala kufika eYerusalem izazi zivela empumalanga, zisithi, Uphi na lo uzelweyo, ukumkani wamaYuda? Kuba sibone inkwenkwezi yakhe empumalanga, size kumnqula. Ezivile ke ezo kumkani uHerode, wakhathazeka, yena nayo yonke iYerusalem naye. Wabahlanganisa ke bonke ababingeleli abakhulu nababhali babantu, wababuza ukuba ubeya kuzalelwa phi na uKristu. Baza bathi kuye, eBhetelehem yelakwaYuda; kuba kubhaliwe ngokunjalo ngomprofeti kwathiwa, Nawe Bhetelehem, mhlaba wakwaYuda, Akunguye nakanye omncinanana phakathi kwabalawuli bakwaYuda, kuba kuwe kuya kuphuma uMlawuli, oya kubalusa abantu bam amaSirayeli. Kwakuba njalo, uHerode, ezibize ngasese izazi ezo, waqondisisa kuzo kakuhle ixesha lokubonakala kwenkwenkwezi leyo; Wazithuma ke eBhetelehem, wathi, Hambani niye nicokise ukubuzisa ngomntwana lowo; xa ke nithe namfumana, ze nindibikele, ukuze nam ndiye kumnqula. Zimvile ke zona ukumkani, zahamba; nantso inkwenkwezi leyo zayibonayo empumalanga izikhokela, yada yaya kuma phezu kwendawo abekuyo umntwana lowo. Zathi ke, zakuyibona inkwenkwezi, zavuya ngovuyo olukhulu. Zingenile endlwini, zambona umntwana enoMariya unina, zawa phantsi, zaqubuda kuye; igolide, nentlaka yokuqhumisa, nemore. Zakuba zihlatyelwe nguThixo ephupheni ukuba zingabuyi ziye kuHerode, zemka ngayimbi indlela ukuya ezweni lakowazo. Zithe xa zimkile ke zona, naso isithunywa seNkosi sibonakala kuYosefu ephupheni, sisithi, Vuka, umthabathe umntwana nonina, usabele eYiputa, ube khona apho ndide ndikuxelele; uya kumfuna umntwana lowo ukuba amtshabalalise. Evukile ke yena, wamthabatha umntwana nonina ebusuku, wemka waya eYiputa. Waba khona apho wada wabhubha uHerode, ukuze kuzaliseke okwathethwayo yiNkosi ngomprofeti isithi, Ndambiza unyana wam ukuba aphume eYiputa. Uthe ke uHerode, akubona ukuba izazi zidlale ngaye, waba nomsindo kunene, wathumela, wababulala bonke abantwana abaseBhetelehem, nakuyo yonke imida yayo, abaminyaka mibini bezelwe nangaphantsi, ngokwesiko lazo. Ixesha awayelibuzile ngenkuthalo kwizilumko. Kwaza kwazaliseka okwathethwayo ngomprofeti uYeremiya, esithi, Kwavakala eRama izwi, isijwili, nesijwili, nesijwili esikhulu, uRakeli elilela abantwana bakhe, engafuni kuthuthuzeleka, ngokuba bengasekho.