1. Ngelo xesha uHerode, owayephethe, waziva iindaba ezingoYesu,
2. waza wathi kwizicaka zakhe: “Lo nguYohane umbhaptizi. Uvukile kwabafileyo; yiyo le nto anamandla okwenza ezi zinto.”
3. Kaloku uHerode wambamba uYohane, wamkhonkxa, wamfaka entolongweni. Oku wakwenza ngenxa yokuba yena Herode wayehlalisana noHerodiya umka-Filipu, umninawe wakhe.
4. UYohane wasola uHerode, wamxelela ukuba akuvumelekanga ukuba ahlalisane naye.
5. UHerode wafuna ukumbulala uYohane, kodwa wayesoyika abantu, kuba babesithi ungomnye *wabashumayeli bamandulo.
6. Ngomhla wesikhumbuzo sokuzalwa kukaHerode, intombi kaHerodiya yangqungqa phambi kwababekho kwelo theko, yamkholisa uHerode,
7. waza wayithembisa efunga okokuba woyinika nantoni na esukuba iyicela.
8. Ke yona, iqhutywe ngunina, yathi: “Ndinike ngoku ngesitya intloko kaYohane umbhaptizi.”
9. Waba buhlungu ukumkani, kodwa ngenxa yesifungo, nangenxa yâbo babesethekweni kunye naye, wathi mayiyinikwe;
10. wathumela okokuba uYohane anqunyulwe intloko entolongweni apho.
11. Yeziswa ke ngesitya intloko yakhe, yanikwa intombi leyo, eyathi yona yayisa kunina.
12. Beza ke abafundi bakaYohane, basithatha isidumbu sakhe, basingcwaba; baza baya kuxelela uYesu.
13. UYesu, evile ngokufa kukaYohane, wemka ngesikhitshana, waya kwindawo engenabantu eyedwa. Bekuvile oku abantu, baya kuye ngeenyawo, bevela ezidolophini.