Mateu 3

¹(Mar. 1. 1-8; Ruka 3. 1-18; Joh. 1. 6-8; 19-36; 3. 23-32.) Namazuva iwayo Johane Mubhabhatidzi wakavuya achiparidza parenje reJudhea,In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

²achiti, tendevukai nokuti vushe hwokudenga hwaswedera pedo.And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

³Nokuti uyu ndiwakarebwa nomuporofita Isaya achiti, Inzwi rounodana murenje, gadzirai nzira yaShe, ruramisai migwagwa yake.For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

⁴Iye Johane waiva nenguvo yamakushe ekamera nebhanhire reganda pachivuno chake zvokudya zvake zvaiva mhashu novuchi bwebundo.And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

⁵Zvino veJerusarema neJudhea rose vakabudira kwaari nenyika yose yakapoteredza Jorodhani.Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,

⁶Vakabhabhatidzwa naye murwizi rwaJoridhani vachizvirevurura zvivi zvavo.And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

⁷Asi wakati achivona vazhinji vavaFarise navaSadhuse vachivuya kuzobhabhatidzwa naye, akati kwavari vana venyoka, ndianiko wakakunyeverai kuti mutize kutsamwa kunovuya?But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

⁸Naizvozvo berekai zvibereko zvakafanira kutendevuka.Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

⁹Musafunga kutaura mumoyo menyu muchiti, Abhurahamu ndibaba vedu, nokuti ndinoti kwamuri Mwari ungamutsira Abhurahamu vana pamabwe awa.And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

¹⁰Zvino sanhu ratoiswa pamudzi wemiti, saka muti mumwe nomumwe usingabereki zvibereko zvakanaka unotemwa ukakandirwa mumoto.And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

¹¹Ini ndinokubhabhatidzai nemvura mutendevuke, asi unovuya shure kwangu unesimba kupfuvureni, uyo wandisakafanira kutakura shangu dzake, Iye uchakubhabhatidzai noMweya Mutsvene nomoto.I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

¹²Rusero rwake ruri muruvoko rwake, uchanatsa buriro rake kwazvo. Uchavunganidzira zviyo mudura. Asi hundi uchaipisa mumoto usingadzimwi. (Mar. 1. 9-11; Ruka 3. 21-22; Joh. 1. 31-34.)Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

¹³Zvino Jesu wakabva Garirea akasvika paJoridhani kuna Johane kuzobhabhatidzwa naye.Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

¹⁴Asi Johane wakaidza kumudzivisa akati, ndini ndinofanira kubhabhatidzwa nemi, ko movuya kwandiri sei?But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

¹⁵Asi Jesu wakapindura akati kwaari, chirega hako zvino nokuti saizvozvo zvakafanira kuti tizadzise kururama kwose. Ipapo akamurega.And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

¹⁶Jesu wakati abhabhatidzwa, Pakarepo akabuda mumvura. Zvino tarira denga rakamuzarurirwa akavona Mweya waMwari achiburuka senjiva. Akavuya pamusoro pake.And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

¹⁷Zvino tarira inzwi rakabva kudenga richiti, Uyu ndiye Mwanakomana wangu unodikanwa wandinofarira!And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.