Kwathi ngonyaka we-15 wokubusa kukaThibheriyu Khesari, uPontiyu Pilatu engumbusi eJudiya, uHerode enguMthethrakhi eGalile, umfowabo uFiliphu enguMthethrakhi e-Ithureya naseThrakhonithi, uLisaniya enguMthethrakhi e-Abhilene, ngesikhathi u-Anase engumphristi omkhulu kanye noKhayifase, kwafika izwi likaNkulunkulu kuJohane, indodana kaZakhariya, esehlane. Wahamba kulo lonke iJordani, eshumayela ngombhabhadiso wokuphenduka, bese kuthethelelwa izono, njengalokhu kulotshiwe encwadini yamazwi ku-Izaya, umphrofethi, ukuthi:
“Izwi lomemezayo ehlane, lithi:
‘Lungisani indlela yeNkosi,
nenze imikhondo yayo iqonde.
Izigodi zonke ziyakugqitshwa,
zonke izintaba namagquma kuyakuhlelenjwa;
kuqonde izinsongansonga,
nemigoxigoxi ibe yizindlela ezihlelembekile;
abantu bonke bazakuyibona insindiso kaNkulunkulu.’ ”
Ngakho-ke wayesethi ezixukwini eziza kuye ukuba azibhabhadise: “Nzalo yezinyoka, ngubani onixwayisile ukuba nibalekele intukuthelo ezayo na? Ngakho-ke vezani izithelo ezifanele ukuphenduka, ningaqali nithi ngaphakathi kwenu: ‘Sinobaba u-Abhrahama,’ ngokuba ngithi kini: uNkulunkulu unamandla okuvusela u-Abhrahama abantwana kulawa matshe.
“Izembe selivele libekiwe ezimpandeni zemithi, ngakho-ke yonke imithi engatheli isithelo esihle, iyakunqunywa, iphonswe emlilweni.”
Izixuku zambuza zathi: “Pho sizakwenzenjani na?”
UJohane waphendula, wathi kubo: “Onezingubo ezimbili, makaphe ongenangubo, nonokudla enze kanjalo.”
Kwafika nabathelisi ukuba babhabhadiswe, bathi kuye: “Mfundisi, kufanele senzenjani na?”
Wathi kubo: “Maningaqoqi okungaphezu kokumisiwe lapho niqoqa intela.”
Namabutho ambuza athi: “Thina-ke kumele senzenjani na?”
Wathi kuwo: “Kumele ningephuci muntu utho ngendluzula, futhi ningamxabheleli, kodwa yeneliswani yilokho enikukhokhelwayo.”
Abantu babesabhekile futhi bonke bezibuza ngoJohane ukuthi, ngabe mhlawumbe unguye uKhristu, uJohane waphendula wathi kubo bonke: “Mina nginibhabhadisa ngamanzi, kodwa uyeza onamandla kunami engingafanele ngisho ukuthukulula umchilo wezicathulo zakhe, Yena-ke uzakunibhabhadisa ngoMoya oNgcwele nangomlilo. Lo oqoma lakhe lokwela lisesandleni sakhe, ukushanelisisa isibuya sakhe, abuthe ukolo awufake enqolobaneni yakhe; amakhoba awashise ngomlilo ongacimekiyo.”
UJohane washumayela ivangeli kubantu, ebayala nangokunye okuningi.
Kepha uHerode, uMthethrakhi, wasolwa nguJohane ngenxa kaHerodiya, umkafowabo, nangenxa yakho konke okubi ayekwenzile uHerode, waze wenezela nangalokhu ebubini bakhe, wavalela uJohane etilongweni.
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