Kwathi ngomnyaka weshumi nanhlanu wokubusa kukaTiberiyu Kesari, uPontiyu Pilatu engumbusi waseJudiya, noHerode engumbusi wesifunda saseGalile, noFiliphu umfowabo engumbusi wesifunda sase-Itureya nasesifundeni saseTrakoniti, noLisaniya engumtetrarki wase-Abilene,
U-Anase noKayafase bengabapristi abakhulu, izwi likaNkulunkulu lafika kuJohane indodana kaZakariya ehlane.
Weza ezweni lonke laseJordani, eshumayela umbhapathizo wokuphenduka kukho ukuthethelelwa kwezono;
njengokulotshiweyo egwalweni lwamazwi kaIsaya umprofethi ukuthi: Ilizwi lomemezayo enkangala, lithi: Lungisani indlela yeNkosi, nenze imikhondo yayo iqonde.
Zonke izigodi ziyakugcwaliswa, zonke izintaba namagquma kuyakwehliswa; nezimangelengele ziyakuqondiswa, izindlela ezimazombezombe zibe bushelelezi;
Futhi yonke inyama iyakubona insindiso kaNkulunkulu.
Khona wathi ezixukwini ezaziphumela ukubhapathizwa nguye: “Nzalo yezinyoka, ubani onibonise ukubalekela ulaka oluzayo na?
Ngakho vezani izithelo ezifanele ukuphenduka, ningaqali ukuthi phakathi kwenu: ‘Sinobaba u-Abrahama;’ ngokuba ngithi kini: UNkulunkulu unamandla okumvusela u-Abrahama abantwana kulawa matshe.
Kalokhu izembe selibekiwe empandeni yemithi; ngakho yonke imithi engatheli izithelo ezinhle iyagawulwa, iphonswe emlilweni.
Amaxuku ambuza athi: Pho-ke sizakwenzani?
Waphendula, wathi kubo: “Onezingubo ezimbili akabele ongenalutho; nalowo odlayo makenze ngokunjalo.
Kwasekufika nabathelisi ukuba babhapathizwe, bathi kuye: “Mfundisi, siyakwenzani na?
Wathi kubo: Ningabizi okungaphezu kwalokho enikumiselweyo.
Namasosha ambuza, ethi: “Thina-ke siyakwenzani na? Wasesithi kubo: Lingaphambanisi muntu, lingaqambi amanga; neneliswe yinkokhelo yenu.
Kwathi abantu besalindile, bezindla bonke ezinhliziyweni zabo ngoJohane ukuthi unguKristu yini, kumbe hatshi;
UJohane waphendula, wathi kubo bonke: Mina nginibhapathiza ngamanzi; kodwa uyeza onamandla kunami, engingafanele ukuwuthukulula umchilo wezicathulo zakhe;
olwelo lwakhe lusesandleni sakhe, aze ahlanze isibuya sakhe, abuthele ukolweni enqolobaneni yakhe; kepha amakhoba uyakuwashisa ngomlilo ongacimekiyo.
Esikhundleni sakhe nangezinye izinto eziningi washumayela ivangeli kubantu.
Kodwa uHerodi umtetrarki, esolwa nguye ngoHerodiya umkaFiliphu umfowabo langakho konke okubi uHerodi abekwenzile;
Wenezela nalokhu phezu kwakho konke, ukuthi wavalela uJohane etilongweni.
Uhlelo Lokusebenza lweBhayibheli
Uhlelo Lokusebenza LweBhayibheli yezingane
