Kuthe engena ethempelini, kweza kuye abapristi abakhulu namalunga esizwe, esafundisa, bathi: “Ukwenza lokhu ngagunya lini na? Futhi ngubani okunike leli gunya na?”
UJesu waphendula, wathi kubo: “Nami ngizakunibuza izwi libe linye; uma ningitshela lona, nami ngizakunitshela ukuthi ngenza lokhu ngagunya lini. Ukubhapathiza kukaJohane kwavelaphi, ezulwini nokuba kubantu, na?”
Bakhulumisana bodwa, bathi: “Uma sithi: ‘Ezulwini,’ uzakuthi kuthi: ‘Pho, anikholwanga nguye ngani na?’ Kepha uma sithi: ‘Kubantu,’ siyasesaba isixuku; ngokuba bonke bathi uJohane ungumprofethi.”
Base bemphendula uJesu, bethi: “Asazi.”
Wayesethi kubo naye: “Nami anginitsheli ukuthi ngenza lokhu ngagunya lini.”
“Kepha nithini na? Umuntu wayenamadodana amabili; waya kweyokuqala, wathi: ‘Mntanami, hamba, uyosebenza namuhla esivinini.’
“Yaphendula yathi: ‘Angithandi;’ kodwa ngasemuva yaguquka, yaya.
“Wayeseya kwenye, washo kanjalo. Yona yaphendula yathi: ‘Ngiyaya, nkosi;’ kepha kayiyanga.
“Yiyiphi kulawa amabili eyenza intando kayise na?”
Bathi kuye: “Eyokuqala.”
UJesu wathi kubo: “Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Abathelisi nezifebe bangena phambi kwenu embusweni kaNkulunkulu. Ngokuba uJohane weza kini ngendlela yokulunga, anikholwanga nguye; kepha abathelisi nezifebe bakholwa nguye; kodwa nina, khona nikubona, aniguqukanga nakamuva, nize nikholwe nguye.”
“Yizwani omunye umfanekiso. Kwakukhona umuntu, umninindlu, owatshala isivini, wasibiyela ngothango, wemba khona isikhamo, wakha isiqongo sokulinda, wasiqashisa kubalimi, waya kwelinye izwe. Kwathi sekusondele isikhathi sezithelo, wathuma izinceku zakhe kubalimi ukuba zithathe izithelo zakhe.
“Abalimi bazibamba izinceku zakhe, enye bayishaya, enye bayibulala, enye bayikhanda ngamatshe. Waphinda wathuma ezinye izinceku eziningi kunezokuqala; benze njalo nakulezo. Ekugcineni wathuma kubo indodana yakhe, ethi: ‘Bayakuyazisa indodana yami.’
“Kepha kwathi abalimi bebona indodana, bakhuluma bodwa, bathi: ‘Lo uyindlalifa; wozani siyibulale, sidle ifa layo.’ Base beyibamba, bayiphonsa ngaphandle kwesivini, bayibulala.
“Pho-ke, mhla kufika umninisivini, uzakubenze njani labo balimi na?”
Bathi kuye: “Uzakubabhubhisa kabi labo ababi, isivini sakhe sinikwe abanye abalimi abayakumnika izithelo ngezikhathi zazo.”
UJesu wathi kubo: “Anizange nifunde yini emibhalweni ukuthi:
“ ‘Itshe abalinqabayo abakhi
lona laba yinhloko yegumbi;
lona lavela eNkosini;
liyisimangaliso emehlweni ethu,’ na?
“Ngalokho ngithi kini: Niyakwamukwa umbuso kaNkulunkulu, uphiwe isizwe esiyakuveza izithelo zawo. Owayo phezu kwaleli tshe uyakuphohlozwa; kepha yilowo nalowo eliyakuwela phezu kwakhe liyakumcolisa.”
Abapristi abakhulu nabaFarisi beyizwa imifanekiso yakhe bazi ukuthi ukhuluma ngabo. Base befuna ukumbamba; kepha bazesaba izixuku, ngokuba zazithi ungumprofethi.
Uhlelo Lokusebenza lweBhayibheli
Uhlelo Lokusebenza LweBhayibheli yezingane
