Luka 8:1-7, 9-39

Kwathi ngasemuva wahamba imizi ngemizi nemizana, eshumayela ivangeli lombuso kaNkulunkulu, nabayishumi nambili babenaye. Nabesifazane abathile, ababephulukiswe kubomoya ababi nasezifweni, uMariya othiwa Magdalena, okwaphuma kuye amademoni ayisikhombisa. NoJowana umkaKhuza inceku kaHerode, noSusana, nabanye abaningi, ababemkhonza ngempahla yabo. Kwasekubuthene ixuku elikhulu, leza kuye livela emizini yonke, wakhuluma ngomfanekiso. Kwaphuma umhlwanyeli ukuyohlwanyela imbewu yakhe; yanyathelwa, izinyoni zezulu zayidla zayidla. Enye yawela edwaleni; kwathi nje imila yabuna, ngoba yayintula umswakama. Enye yawela emeveni; ameva akhula kanye nayo, ayiminyanisa.

Abafundi bakhe basebembuza besithi: Ungaba uyini lumfanekiso? Wathi: “Niphiwe nina ukwazi izimfihlakalo zombuso kaNkulunkulu, kepha kwabanye ngemifanekiso; ukuze bebona bangaboni, lokuzwa bangaqedisisi. Umfanekiso yilokhu: Imbewu iyizwi likaNkulunkulu. Abasendleleni yilabo abezwayo; bese kufika uSathane, alisuse izwi ezinhliziyweni zabo, funa bakholwe, basindiswe. Labasedwalani yilabo abathi, lapho belizwa, balamukele izwi ngokuthokoza; kepha laba kabanampande, abakholwa isikhashana, kuthi ngesikhathi sokulingwa bawa. Leyo eyawela emeveni yilabo abathi sebezwile, bahambe baminyaniswe yizinkathazo nengcebo nezinjabulo zalokhukuphila, bangathelisithelo. Kodwa esemhlabathini omuhle, yilabo abathi belizwile izwi, baligcine ngenhliziyo enhle nelungileyo, bathele izithelo ngokubekezela. Akakho othi esokhela isibani, asimboze ngesitsha, noma asibeke ngaphansi kombhede; kodwa ulubeka othini lwesibane, ukuze abangenayo babone ukukhanya. Ngokuba akukho okusithekile okungayikubonakaliswa; futhi okufihliweyo okungayikwaziwa nokuphumela obala. Ngakho qaphelani ukuthi nizwa kanjani, ngokuba yilowo nalowo onakho uyakuphiwa; futhi lowo ongenakho uyothathwa kuye ngisho nalokho angathi unakho. Kwase kufika kuye unina nabafowabo, kepha behluleka ukufinyelela kuye ngenxa yesixuku. Wabikelwa ukuthi: “Unyoko nabafowenu bemi ngaphandle befuna ukukubona. Wasephendula wathi kubo: Umama labafowethu yilaba abalizwayo ilizwi likaNkulunkulu balenze. Kwathi ngolunye usuku wangena emkhunjini kanye nabafundi bakhe, wathi kubo: “Asiwele siye ngaphesheya kolwandle. Base bephuma. Kwathi besahamba ngomkhumbi walala ubuthongo; basebegcwaliswa ngamanzi, baba sengozini. Basebesondela bamvusa, besithi: Nkosi, nkosi, siyabhubha. Wasevuka, wawukhuza umoya lokuzanyaza kwamanzi; Wathi kubo: “Kuphi ukukholwa kwenu na? Besaba bamangala, bathi omunye komunye: “Umuntu onjani lo? ngoba uyala ngisho imimoya namanzi, futhi kuyamlalela. Bafika ezweni lamaGadara, elibhekene neGalile. Esephumele emhlabathini, kwamhlangabeza indoda ethile evela emzini, eyayinamademoni isikhathi eside, ingagqoki, ingahlali endlini, kodwa emathuneni. Yathi imbona uJesu, yamemeza yawa phansi phambi kwakhe, yathi ngezwi elikhulu: “Nginamsebenzi muni nawe Jesu, Ndodana kaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke? ngiyakuncenga, ungangihluphi. (Ngokuba wayeyalile umoya ongcolileyo ukuba uphume kumuntu, ngokuba wawumbambe kaningi, eboshiwe ngamaketanga nangamaketanga, wazigqabula izibopho, waqhutshelwa nguSathane ehlane.) UJesu wambuza wathi: “Ungubani igama lakho na? Wathi: “ILegiyoni, ngokuba amademoni amaningi abengene kuye. Zamncenga ukuthi angazilaya ukuthi ziphumele ekujuleni. Kwakukhona lapho umhlambi wezingulube eziningi ziklabile entabeni, zamcela ukuba azivumele zingene kuzo. Futhi wabavumela. Khona aphuma amademoni kumuntu, angena ezingulubeni; Kwathi ababezalusa bebona okwenzekileyo, babaleka, babika emzini nasemaphandleni. Base bephuma ukuyobona okwenzekileyo; bafika kuJesu, bamfumana umuntu okwakuphume kuye amademoni ehlezi ngasezinyaweni zikaJesu embethe, esangulukile; Lababekubonile babatshela ukuthi okhwelwe ngamadimoni usiliswe njani. Isixuku sonke sesifunda samaGadara samncenga ukuba amuke kubo; ngoba babebanjwe ngukwesaba okukhulu; wasekhwela emkhunjini, wabuya. Kodwa indoda okwakuphume kuyo amadimoni yamncenga ukuthi abe laye; kodwa uJesu wayimukisa, esithi. Buyela endlini yakho, ulandise ukuthi kungakanani uNkulunkulu akwenzele khona. Wamuka, washumayela emzini wonke ukuthi kungakanani uJesu akwenzile kuye.