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Yohane Mʼbatizi

Mʼmasiku amenewo, Yohane Mʼbatizi anadza nalalikira mʼchipululu cha Yudeya kuti, “Tembenukani mtima chifukwa ufumu wakumwamba wayandikira.” Uyu ndi amene mneneri Yesaya ananena za iye kuti,

“Mawu a wofuwula mʼchipululu,
‘Konzani njira ya Ambuye,
    wongolani njira zake.’ ”

Zovala za Yohane zinali zopangidwa ndi ubweya wa ngamira, ndipo amamangira lamba wachikopa mʼchiwuno mwake. Chakudya chake chinali dzombe ndi uchi wa kuthengo. Anthu ankapita kwa iye kuchokera ku Yerusalemu ndi ku Yudeya konse ndi ku madera onse a Yorodani. Ndipo akavomereza machimo awo ankabatizidwa mu mtsinje wa Yorodani.

Koma iye ataona Afarisi ndi Asaduki ambiri akubwera kumene ankabatiza, anawawuza kuti, “Ana a njoka inu! Ndani anakuchenjezani kuthawa mkwiyo umene ukubwera? Onetsani chipatso cha kutembenuka mtima. Ndipo musaganize ndi kunena mwa inu nokha kuti, ‘Tili nawo abambo athu Abrahamu.’ Ndinena kwa inu kuti Mulungu akhoza kusandutsa miyala iyi kukhala ana a Abrahamu. 10 Tikukamba pano nkhwangwa yayikidwa kale pa mizu ya mitengo, ndipo mtengo umene subala chipatso chabwino udulidwa ndi kuponyedwa pa moto.

11 “Ine ndikubatizani ndi madzi kusonyeza kutembenuka mtima. Koma pambuyo panga akubwera wina amene ali ndi mphamvu kuposa ine, amene sindiyenera kunyamula nsapato zake. Iyeyu adzakubatizani ndi Mzimu Woyera ndi moto. 12 Mʼdzanja lake muli chopetera ndipo adzayeretsa popunthirapo pake nadzathira tirigu wake mʼnkhokwe ndi kutentha zotsalira zonse ndi moto wosazima.”

Kubatizidwa kwa Yesu

13 Pamenepo Yesu anabwera kuchokera ku Galileya kudzabatizidwa ndi Yohane mu mtsinje wa Yorodani. 14 Koma Yohane anayesetsa kumukanira nati, “Ndiyenera kubatizidwa ndi Inu, bwanji Inu mubwera kwa ine?”

15 Yesu anayankha kuti, “Zibatero tsopano, ndi koyenera kwa ife kuchita zimenezi kukwaniritsa chilungamo chonse.” Ndipo Yohane anavomera.

16 Yesu atangobatizidwa, nthawi yomweyo potuluka mʼmadzi, kumwamba kunatsekuka ndipo taonani, Mzimu wa Mulungu anatsika ngati nkhunda natera pa Iye. 17 Ndipo mawu anamveka kuchokera kumwamba kuti, “Uyu ndiye mwana wanga wokondedwa amene ndikondwera naye.”

John the Baptist Prepares the Way(A)

In those days John the Baptist(B) came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven(C) has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.’”[a](D)

John’s(E) clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist.(F) His food was locusts(G) and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized(H) by him in the Jordan River.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers!(I) Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?(J) Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.(K) And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’(L) I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.(M)

11 “I baptize you with[b] water for repentance.(N) But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with[c] the Holy Spirit(O) and fire.(P) 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”(Q)

The Baptism of Jesus(R)

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.(S) 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened,(T) and he saw the Spirit of God(U) descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven(V) said, “This is my Son,(W) whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”(X)

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 3:3 Isaiah 40:3
  2. Matthew 3:11 Or in
  3. Matthew 3:11 Or in