1 Ngalesosikhathi uHerodi umbusi wezwa imibiko ngoJesu, 2 wasesithi ezincekwini zakhe, “Lo nguJohane uMbhaphathizi; usevukile kwabafileyo! Yikho izimangaliso zisenziwa nguye.”

3 UHerodi wayembophile uJohane, wamfaka insimbi, wamphosela entolongweni ngenxa kaHerodiyasi, umkamfowabo uFiliphu, 4 ngoba uJohane wayelokhu esithi kuye, “Kungaphandle komthetho ukuthi umthathe.” 5 UHerodi wayefuna ukumbulala uJohane kodwa wayesesaba abantu ngoba babesithi ungumphrofethi.

6 Ngelanga lesikhumbuzo sokuzalwa kukaHerodi indodakazi kaHerodiyasi yasinela izethekeli, yamjabulisa kakhulu uHerodi 7 waze wathembisa ngesifungo ukuyipha loba yini eyayingayicela. 8 Isicetshiswe ngunina yathi, “Ngipha ikhanda likaJohane uMbhaphathizi lisemganwini.” 9 Inkosi yadana kakhulu kodwa kwathi ngenxa yezifungo zayo langenxa yezethekeli zayo yalaya ukuba isicelo leso senziwe, 10 uJohane wahle waqunywa ikhanda entolongweni. 11 Ikhanda lakhe lalethwa lisemganwini laphiwa intombazana eyalithwalela kunina. 12 Abafundi bakaJohane beza bathatha isidumbu sakhe bayasingcwaba. Basebehamba bayatshela uJesu.

13 UJesu wathi ekuzwa lokho okwenzakalayo wathi nyelele ngesikepe waya endaweni engelabantu. Amaxuku athi ekuzwa lokhu asuka emadolobheni amlandela ngenyawo. 14 UJesu uthe esehla esikepeni wabona ixuku labantu elikhulu walizwela usizi ngakho wasesilisa abagulayo babo.

15 Kwathi selithambeme abafundi beza kuye bathi, “Le yindawo ekhatshana kakhulu njalo sekuntambama. Wothi lababantu bahambe ukuze bayozithengela ukudla emizini.”

16 UJesu waphendula wathi, “Kakudingeki ukuthi bahambe. Bapheni lina ukudla.”

17 Baphendula bathi, “Thina esilakho lapha yizinkwa ezinhlanu lenhlanzi ezimbili.”

18 Wathi, “Kuletheni lapha.” 19 Waselaya abantu ukuthi bahlale phansi phezu kotshani. Wathatha izinkwa ezinhlanu lenhlanzi ezimbili wakhangela ezulwini wabonga, wasehlephuna izinkwa. Waseziqhubela abafundi, bazinika abantu. 20 Bonke badla basutha, abafundi bakhe babutha okuseleyo bagcwalisa izitsha ezilitshumi lambili. 21 Inani lalabo abadlayo lalingaba ngamadoda azinkulungwane ezinhlanu kungabalwa abesifazane labantwana.

22 Masinyane nje uJesu wathi abafundi bakhe bangene esikepeni bamandulele ngakwelinye iphetsheya, yena esavalelisana labantu. 23 Esebakhulule, waya ewatheni lwentaba ukuyakhuleka eyedwa. Sekuhlwile ngalobobusuku wayekhonale eyedwa, 24 kodwa isikepe sasesihambe umango ukusuka okhunjini, siyaluziswa ngamagagasi ngoba sasiphikisana lomoya.

25 Kwathi ngomlindo wesine ebusuku uJesu waya kubo ehamba phezu kwechibi. 26 Kwathi abafundi bembona ehamba phezu kwechibi besaba kakhulu. Bakhala ngokwesaba bathi, “Lithonga.”

27 Kodwa uJesu waphanga wathi kubo, “Manini isibindi! Yimi. Lingesabi.”

28 UPhethro waphendula wathi, “Nkosi, nxa kunguwe, tshono ukuba ngize kuwe phezu kwamanzi.”

29 Wathi, “Woza.”