1Ngalezo zinsuku kwabuye kwabuthana izindimbane zabantu, kepha babengenakudla. UJesu wabiza abafundi bakhe, wathi kubo:
2“Ngiyasihawukela isixuku, ngokuba sekuphele izinsuku ezintathu sinami, futhi singenakho esingakudla.
3Uma ngisihambisa silambile, sibuyele emakhaya, siyophelelwa ngamandla endleleni, ngokuba abanye baso bavela kude.”
4Abafundi bakhe bamphendula, bathi: “Umuntu angazithatha kuphi izinkwa lapha ehlane ezingasuthisa laba bantu na?”
5Wababuza abafundi bakhe, wathi: “Ninezinkwa ezingaki na?” Bathi: “Eziyisikhombisa.”
6Wayeseyala isixuku ukuba sihlale phansi; wazithatha izinkwa eziyisikhombisa, wabonga, wazihlephula, wabanika abafundi bakhe ukuze basabele; basabela-ke isixuku.
7Babenezinhlanzana futhi eziyingcosana; nazo wazibusisa, wabayala ukuba basabele zona.
8Abantu badla, basutha, babutha imvuthuluka eningi eyayisele, yagcwala iziqabetho eziyisikhombisa.
9Babebalelwa ezi-4 000; wayesebamukisa.
10Esengene masinyane esikebheni nabafundi bakhe, waya esifundeni eDalimanutha.
11Kwafika kuye abaFarisi, baqala ukuqophisana naye, befuna isibonakaliso esivela ezulwini, bemlinga.
12UJesu wabubula emoyeni wakhe, wathi: “Lesi sizukulwane sifunelani isibonakaliso na? Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: lesi sizukulwane asiyukunikwa sibonakaliso.”
13Wabashiya, wangena futhi esikebheni, walibangisa ngaphesheya.
14Kepha babekhohliwe ukuphatha izinkwa; babengenalutho ngaphandle kwesinkwa esisodwa esasisesikebheni.
15Wayesebayala ethi: “Qaphelani, nixwaye imvubelo yabaFarisi nekaHerode.”
16Babephikisana bodwa, bethi ukusho lokhu ngokuba bengenazinkwa.
17UJesu ekwazi abadlinza ngakho, wathi kubo: “Nikhulumelani nodwa ngokuthi aninazinkwa na? Anikaboni yini, futhi anikaqondi? Inhliziyo yenu iselukhuni na?
18Ninamehlo, kodwa aniboni yini, ninezindlebe kodwa anizwa na? Anisakhumbuli yini
19mhlazana ngihlephulela abayizi-5 000 izinkwa eziyisihlanu ukuthi nabutha iziqabetho ezingaki ezigcwele imvuthuluka na?” Bathi kuye: “Ezili-12.”
20“Mhlazana izinkwa ziyisikhombisa kwabayizi-4 000, lapho nabutha iziqabetho ezingaki ezigcwele imvuthuluka na?” Bathi kuye: “Eziyisikhombisa.”
21Wathi kubo: “Anikaqondi yini namanje na?”
22Bafika eBhethsayida, baletha kuye impumputhe, bamncenga ukuba ayithinte.
23UJesu wayibamba ngesandla impumputhe wayiholela ngaphandle komuzi, waphimisela amathe emehlweni ayo, wabeka izandla zakhe phezu kwayo, wayibuza, wathi: “Kukhona yini okubonayo na?”
24Yabheka, yathi: “Ngibona abantu, ngibabona behamba; kungathi yizihlahla.”
25Waphinda futhi wabeka izandla zakhe emehlweni ayo, yavula amehlo, yasinda, yabonisisa konke ngokucacileyo.
26Wayiphindisela ekhaya, wathi kuyo: “Ungangeni emzini wabantu.”
27UJesu wasuka nabafundi bakhe, waya emizaneni eKhesariya Filiphi. Besesendleleni, wababuza abafundi bakhe, wathi kubo: “Abantu bathi ngingubani na?”
28Baphendula bathi kuye: “UnguJohane uMbhabhadisi;” abanye bathi: “Ungu-Eliya,” abanye bathi: “Ungomunye wabaphrofethi.”
29Wayesebabuza ethi: “Nina-ke nithi ngingubani na?” UPhethro waphendula, wathi kuye: “Wena unguKhristu.”
30Wabayalisisa ukuba bangatsheli muntu ngaye.
31Waqala ukubafundisa ngokuthi iNdodana yomuntu imelwe ukuhlupheka ngokuningi, ilahlwe ngamalunga, abaphristi abakhulu, nezazimthetho, ibulawe, kepha ivuke emva kwezinsuku ezintathu.
32Leli lizwi walisho ngokusobala. UPhethro wamdonsela eceleni, waqala ukumthethisa.
33Kepha uJesu waphenduka, wabheka abafundi bakhe, wamthethisa uPhethro, ethi: “Buyela emva kwami, Sathane. Awuzibuki izinto ngeso likaNkulunkulu, kodwa ngelabantu.”
34UJesu wayesebiza isixuku nabafundi bakhe, wathi kubo: “Uma umuntu ethanda ukungilandela, makazidele, athathe isiphambano sakhe, angilandele.
35Ngokuba yilowo nalowo othanda ukusindisa ukuphila kwakhe uyakulahlekelwa yikho, kodwa olahlekelwa ngukuphila kwakhe ngenxa yami nangenxa yevangeli, uyakukusindisa.
36Ngokuba kuyakumsiza ngani umuntu ukuzuza izwe lonke, alahlekelwe ngukuphila kwakhe na?
37Yini umuntu anganikela ngayo ukuze ibe yisihlengo sokuphila kwakhe na?
38Ngokuba yilowo nalowo onamahloni ngami nangamazwi ami kulesi sizukulwane esiphingayo nesonakeleyo, neNdodana yomuntu iyakuba namahloni ngaye lapho iza ngenkazimulo kaYise kanye nezingelosi ezingcwele.”