Kwathi ngomnyaka weshumi nanhlanu wokubusa kukaTiberiyu Kesari, uPontiyu Pilatu engumbusi waseJudiya, uHerode engumtetrarki* waseGalile, uFiliphu umfowabo engumtetrarki wezwe lase-Itureya nelaseTrakhoniti, uLisaniya engumtetrarki wase-Abilene, u-Anase engumpristi omkhulu noKayafase, kwafika izwi likaNkulunkulu kuJohane indodana kaZakariya ehlane. Weza ezweni lonke laseJordani eshumayela umbhapathizo wokuphenduka, kube ngukuthethelelwa kwezono, njengokuba kulotshiwe encwadini yamazwi ka-Isaya umprofethi ukuthi:
“Izwi lomemezayo ehlane, lithi:
‘Lungisani indlela yeNkosi,
nenze imikhondo yayo iqonde.
Izigodi zonke ziyakugqitshwa,
zonke izintaba namagquma kuyakwehliswa;
kuqonde izinsongansonga,
nemigoxigoxi ibe yizindlela ezilelezekile;
inyama yonke izakubona insindiso kaNkulunkulu.’ ”
Ngakho-ke wathi ezixukwini ezaziphumela ukubhapathizwa nguye: “Nzalo yezinyoka, ubani onibonise ukubalekela intukuthelo ezayo na? Ngakho vezani izithelo ezifanele ukuphenduka, ningaqali ukuthi phakathi kini: ‘Sinobaba u-Abrahama;’ ngokuba ngithi kini: UNkulunkulu unamandla okumvusela u-Abrahama abantwana kulawa matshe. Namanje izembe selibekiwe empandeni yemithi; ngakho yonke imithi engatheli isithelo esihle iyanqunywa, iphonswe emlilweni.”
Izixuku zambuza zathi: “Pho, sizakwenzani na?”
Waphendula, wathi kubo: “Onezingubo ezimbili akamuphe ongenayo; naye onokudla enze njalo.”
Kwafika nabathelisi ukuba babhapathizwe, bathi kuye: “Mfundisi, sizakwenzani na?”
Wathi kubo: “Ningabizi lutho ngaphezu kwenikumiselweyo.”
Namabutho ambuza athi: “Thina-ke, sizakwenzani na?”
Wathi kuwo: “Ningamuki muntu lutho ngendluzula, ningamxabheleli; yaneliswani yizinkokhelo zenu.”
Abantu besabhekile, bezindla bonke ezinhliziyweni zabo ngoJohane ukuthi ingabe unguKristu yini, uJohane waphendula, wathi kubo bonke: “Mina kambe nginibhapathiza ngamanzi, kepha uyeza onamandla kunami engingafanele ukuthukulula umchilo wezicathulo zakhe; yena uzakunibhapathiza ngoMoya oNgcwele nangomlilo; oqoma lakhe lokwela lisesandleni sakhe ukushanelisisa isibuya sakhe nokubuthela ukolweni enqolobaneni yakhe; kepha amakhoba uzakuwashisa ngomlilo ongacimekiyo.” Nangokunye okuningi washumayela ivangeli kubantu, ebayala.
Kepha uHerode umtetrarki,* esolwa nguye ngenxa kaHerodiya umkamfowabo nangenxa yakho konke okubi abekwenzile uHerode, wenezela nalokhu kokunye konke, wamvalela uJohane etilongweni.
Uhlelo Lokusebenza lweBhayibheli
Uhlelo Lokusebenza LweBhayibheli yezingane
