3. ukuba babuze kuye, bathi: “Ungulowo uzayo na wena, okanye masilinde omnye?”
4. Waphendula uYesu, wathi kubo: “Hambani niye kumbalisela uYohane ezi zinto nizibonayo nenizivayo;
5. okokuba iimfama zibuya zibone, iziqhwala ziyahamba, abaneqhenqa bayahlanjululwa, izithulu ziyeva, abafileyo bayavuswa, abasweleyo bayazishunyayezwa iindaba ezimnandi.
6. Unoyolo othe akakhutyekiswa ndim!”
7. Bakuba bemkile ke abathunywa bakaYohane, uYesu wathetha ngoYohane kwisihlwele, esithi: “Naniphume nisiya kubona ntoni na entlango? Yayiyingcongolo na izanya-zanyiswa ngumoya?
8. Naniphume nisiya kubona ntoni na kakade? Yayingumntu ohombileyo na? Niyabona, abo bahombayo basezindlwini zookumkani.
9. Ngaba naniphumele ntoni kakade? *Yayingumshumayeli? Ewe, ndithi kuni, nibone oyena ungumshumayeli ngokupheleleyo.
10. UYohane ngulowo uThixo atshoyo ngaye *eziBhalweni ukuthi:“ ‘Naso isigidimi sam esiya kukwandulela,sikugabulele izigcawu.’
11. “Ndithi kuni, inene, kubo bonke abazelwe kweli hlabathi akukho bani mkhulu kunoYohane umbhaptizi; kanti noyena mncinane ùphantsi kolawulo olutsha lukaThixo, mkhulu kunaye.
12. Ukususela kwimihla kaYohane umbhaptizi, kude kube ngoku, abantu babegxalathelana ukuya kulo ulawulo lukaThixo, abazimiseleyo bengena benyathelana.
13. Kwakuvakaliswa izibhalo zabo bonke *abashumayeli *nomthetho kaMosis, de kwafika uYohane.
14. UYohane nguye uEliya olindelweyo – ukuba ngaba niyavuma ukukwamkela oko.
15. Oneendlebe zokuva makeve.
16. “Ndiya kubafanisa nantoni na ke abantu besi sizukulwana? Bafana nabantwana abahleli ebaleni lembutho, abanye bebhekisa kwabanye besithi:
17. “ ‘Sanombelela, naza nina anaxhentsa;sanihlabelela ingoma yesililo, naza nina analila!’
18. “Kuba kaloku wafika uYohane umbhaptizi, ezila ukutya, engaseli wayini, kwaza kwathiwa: ‘Unendimoni.’