Luke 3
1 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,
2 U-Anase noKayafase bengabapristi abakhulu, izwi likaNkulunkulu lafika kuJohane indodana kaZakariya ehlane.
3 Weza ezweni lonke laseJordani, eshumayela umbhapathizo wokuphenduka kukho ukuthethelelwa kwezono;
4 njengokulotshiweyo egwalweni lwamazwi kaIsaya umprofethi ukuthi: Ilizwi lomemezayo enkangala, lithi: Lungisani indlela yeNkosi, nenze imikhondo yayo iqonde.
5 Zonke izigodi ziyakugcwaliswa, zonke izintaba namagquma kuyakwehliswa; nezimangelengele ziyakuqondiswa, izindlela ezimazombezombe zibe bushelelezi;
6 Futhi yonke inyama iyakubona insindiso kaNkulunkulu.
7 Khona wathi ezixukwini ezaziphumela ukubhapathizwa nguye: “Nzalo yezinyoka, ubani onibonise ukubalekela ulaka oluzayo na?
8 Ngakho vezani izithelo ezifanele ukuphenduka, ningaqali ukuthi phakathi kwenu: ‘Sinobaba u-Abrahama;’ ngokuba ngithi kini: UNkulunkulu unamandla okumvusela u-Abrahama abantwana kulawa matshe.
9 Kalokhu izembe selibekiwe empandeni yemithi; ngakho yonke imithi engatheli izithelo ezinhle iyagawulwa, iphonswe emlilweni.
10 Amaxuku ambuza athi: Pho-ke sizakwenzani?
11 Waphendula, wathi kubo: “Onezingubo ezimbili akabele ongenalutho; nalowo odlayo makenze ngokunjalo.
12 Kwasekufika nabathelisi ukuba babhapathizwe, bathi kuye: “Mfundisi, siyakwenzani na?
13 Wathi kubo: Ningabizi okungaphezu kwalokho enikumiselweyo.
14 Namasosha ambuza, ethi: “Thina-ke siyakwenzani na? Wasesithi kubo: Lingaphambanisi muntu, lingaqambi amanga; neneliswe yinkokhelo yenu.
15 Kwathi abantu besalindile, bezindla bonke ezinhliziyweni zabo ngoJohane ukuthi unguKristu yini, kumbe hatshi;
16 UJohane waphendula, wathi kubo bonke: Mina nginibhapathiza ngamanzi; kodwa uyeza onamandla kunami, engingafanele ukuwuthukulula umchilo wezicathulo zakhe;
17 olwelo lwakhe lusesandleni sakhe, aze ahlanze isibuya sakhe, abuthele ukolweni enqolobaneni yakhe; kepha amakhoba uyakuwashisa ngomlilo ongacimekiyo.
18 Esikhundleni sakhe nangezinye izinto eziningi washumayela ivangeli kubantu.
19 Kodwa uHerodi umtetrarki, esolwa nguye ngoHerodiya umkaFiliphu umfowabo langakho konke okubi uHerodi abekwenzile;
20 Wenezela nalokhu phezu kwakho konke, ukuthi wavalela uJohane etilongweni.
21 Kwathi sebebhabhathiziwe abantu bonke, uJesu laye esebhabhathiziwe, ekhuleka, izulu lavuleka;
22 UMoya oNgcwele enesimo somzimba njengejuba wehlela phezu kwakhe, kwavela izwi ezulwini, lithi: “Wena uyiNdodana yami ethandekayo; ngiyathokoza ngawe.
23 UJesu yena waqala eneminyaka engaba ngamashumi amathathu (njengoba kwakucatshangwa) indodana kaJosefa, indodana kaHeli,
24 eyayiyindodana kaMathathi, eyayiyindodana kaLevi, eyayiyindodana kaMelki, eyayiyindodana kaJana, eyayiyindodana kaJosefa,
25 owayeyindodana kaMathathiya, indodana ka-Amose, indodana kaNawume, indodana ka-Esli, indodana kaNagi,
26 owayeyindodana kaMahathi, indodana kaMathathiya, indodana kaShimeyi, indodana kaJosefa, indodana kaJuda,
27 owayeyindodana kaJowana, indodana kaResa, indodana kaSorubabele, indodana kaSalatiyeli, indodana kaNeri,
28 owayeyindodana kaMelki, indodana ka-Adi, indodana kaKosamu, indodana ka-Elimodamu, indodana ka-Eri,
29 owayeyindodana kaJose, indodana kaEliyezeri, indodana kaJorimi, indodana kaMathati, indodana kaLevi,
30 owayeyindodana kaSimeyoni, indodana kaJuda, indodana kaJosefa, indodana kaJonan, indodana ka-Eliyakimi,
31 owayeyindodana kaMeleya, indodana kaMenani, indodana kaMatatha, indodana kaNathani, indodana kaDavide,
32 owayeyindodana kaJese, indodana ka-Obede, indodana kaBhowazi, indodana kaSalimoni, indodana kaNashoni,
33 eyayiyindodana ka-Aminadaba, indodana ka-Aramu, indodana ka-Eziromu, indodana kaPheresi, indodana kaJuda,
34 owayeyindodana kaJakobe, indodana ka-Isaka, indodana ka-Abrahama, indodana kaThara, indodana kaNahori,
35 eyayiyindodana kaSaruki, eyayiyindodana kaRagawu, eyayiyindodana kaPhaleki, eyayiyindodana kaHebhere, indodana kaSala,
36 Owayeyindodana kaKhayinan, indodana ka-Arpakishadi, indodana kaSemi, indodana kaNowa, indodana kaLameka,
37 owayeyindodana kaMathusela, indodana ka-Enoke, indodana kaJarede, indodana kaMalaleli, indodana kaKhenani,
38 Owayeyindodana ka-Enoshe, owayeyindodana kaSeti, owayeyindodana ka-Adamu, owayeyindodana kaNkulunkulu.