9 UJesu wathi ekuzwa lokhu wamangala ngaye, wasephendukela exukwini labantu ababemlandela wathi, “Ngiyalitshela, kangikaluboni ukholo olukhulu kangaka kanye lako-Israyeli.” 10 Abantu ababethunyiwe babuyela endlini bafica inceku isiziphilela.
14 Wasesondela wathinta ithala elalilesidumbu, kwathi labo ababelithwele bema mpo. Wathi, “Jaha, ngithi kuwe, vuka!” 15 Indoda efileyo yavuka yahlala, yasikhuluma, uJesu wayinika unina.
16 Bonke bamangala kakhulu badumisa uNkulunkulu. Bathi, “Umphrofethi omkhulu usevelile phakathi kwethu. UNkulunkulu usefikile ukuzasiza abantu bakhe.” 17 Udumo lukaJesu lwamemetheka kulolonke elaseJudiya lemangweni wakhona.
20 Amadoda lawo athi efika kuJesu athi, “UJohane uMbhaphathizi usithumile kuwe ukuthi sizobuza sithi, ‘Unguye yini ozayo kumbe silindele omunye’?”
21 Ngalesosikhathi uJesu wasilisa abanengi ababelezifo, lemikhuhlane lemimoya emibi, wazivula amehlo iziphofu ezinengi. 22 UJesu waphendula wathi, “Buyelani liyebikela uJohane lokhu elikubonayo lelikuzwayo ukuthi iziphofu zenziwa zibone, abaqhugezelayo bayahamba, abalobulephero bayahlanjululwa, izacuthe ziyezwa, abafileyo bayavuswa, levangeli liyatshunyayelwa kubayanga. 23 Ubusisiwe lowomuntu ongakhubekiyo ngenxa yami.”
24 Sezihambile izithunywa zikaJohane uJesu waqala ukukhuluma labantu ngoJohane esithi: “Laphuma lisiyabonani enkangala na? Umhlanga owazunguzwa ngumoya na? 25 Nxa kwakungenjalo, pho lalisiyabonani? Indoda eyayicecile na? Hatshi, labo abagqoka izigqoko ezidulayo bazitike ngezinto ezinhle basezigodlweni. 26 Kodwa kanti kuyini elaphuma lisiyakubona? Umphrofethi yini? Yebo, ngiyalitshela, omkhulu kulomphrofethi. 27 Lo nguye okulotshwe ngaye ukuthi:
29 (Bonke abantu, kanye labathelisi, bathi sebewazwile amazwi kaJesu bavuma ukuthi indlela kaNkulunkulu yayilungile, ngoba babebhaphathizwe nguJohane. 30 Kodwa abaFarisi lezazi zomthetho bayala injongo kaNkulunkulu ngabo, ngoba babengabhaphathizwanga nguJohane.)
31 UJesu waqhubeka wathi, “Pho ngingabafanisa lani abantu besizukulwane lesi? Bafanana lani? 32 Banjengabantwana behlezi emkambo bememeza abanye besithi:
39 Kwathi lowomFarisi owayemnxusile ekubona lokho wazitshela wathi, “Aluba indoda le ibingumphrofethi, ibizakwazi ukuthi ngubani oyibambabambayo lokuthi umfazi lo uyisoni.”
40 UJesu wamphendula wathi, “Simoni, kukhona engifuna ukukutshela khona.”
41 “Amadoda amabili ayelesikwelede semali kumeboleki wemali. Oyedwa wayelesikwelede samadenari angamakhulu amahlanu, omunye esamatshumi amahlanu. 42 Bobabili babengelayo imali yokumbhadala, ngakho wasewesula umlandu wabo bobabili. Manje nguphi wabo ozamthanda okudlula omunye na?”
43 USimoni waphendula wathi, “Ngibona kungathi ngulowo owesulelwa isikwelede esikhulu.”
44 Wasephendukela kowesifazane wathi kuSimoni, “Uyambona na owesifazane lo? Ngifikile endlini yakho, kawungiphanga amanzi okugeza inyawo zami, kodwa yena uthambise inyawo zami ngezinyembezi zakhe, wazesula ngenwele zakhe. 45 Kawunganganga, kodwa owesifazane lo selokhu ngingenileyo lapha akemanga ukwanga inyawo zami. 46 Kawuthelanga amafutha ekhanda lami, kodwa yena uthele amakha ezinyaweni zami. 47 Yikho-ke ngiyakutshela ukuthi izono zakhe ezinengi sezithethelelwe, ngoba utshengise uthando olukhulu. Kodwa lowo othethelelwe okuncinyane uthanda kancinyane.”
48 UJesu wasesithi kowesifazane, “Izono zakho sezithethelelwe.”
49 Ezinye izethekeli zasezibuzana zisithi, “Ungubani kanti yena lo oze athethelele izono na?”
50 UJesu wasesithi kowesifazane, “Ukukholwa kwakho kukusindisile; hamba ngokuthula.”
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