18. Akukho namnye umntu owakha wambona uThixo. Abantu bamazi uThixo ngokumaziswa nguNyana okukuphela kwakhe, yena okwanguThixo, ohlala ehleli esenyongweni kuYise.
19. Nabu ke ubungqina bukaYohane, oko amaJuda aseJerusalem athumela ababingeleli *nabaLevi kuye, okokuba ambuze athi: “Ungubani na?”
20. Watsho ngokuphandle, engafihlisi, wathi: “Mna andinguye *uKrestu.”
21. Bambuza besithi: “Ungubani ke? Ngaba unguEliya?”Yena wathi: “Hayi andinguye.”Bona bathi: “Ngaba unguye laa Mshumayeli?”Waphendula wathi: “Hayi, andinguye.”
22. Ke ngoko bathi kuye: “Sixelele okokuba ungubani na, ukuze sibe nokubaphendula abo basithumileyo. Ngaba uthini na wena ngawe ngokwakho?”
23. Waphendula uYohane, ecaphula kumazwi *omshumayeli uIsaya, esithi:“Mna ndililizwi lodandulukayo entlango, lisithi:‘Yilungiseleleni indlela iNkosi.’ ”
24. Kwakukho nababethunywe *ngabaFarasi.
25. Bona bambuza uYohane besithi: “Ungáthini ke ukubhaptiza, ungenguye uKrestu, okanye uEliya, okanye laa Mshumayeli?”
26. Wabaphendula uYohane wathi: “Mna ndinibhaptiza ngamanzi. Kambe ke phakathi kwenu kumi eningamaziyo.
27. Yena uza emva kwam, kodwa mna andifanele kukhulula nomtya lo wezihlangu zakhe.”
28. Oku kwênzeka eBhetani, ngaphesheya kweJordan, apho uYohane wayebhaptiza khona.
29. Ngengomso uYohane wabona uYesu esiza kuye, wathi: “Nâlo ixhwane likaThixo lokungxengxezela isono sehlabathi.
30. Nguye lo bendixela yena xa bendisithi: ‘Emva kwam kuza umntu omkhulu kunam, kuba wayekho ndingekabikho mna.’
31. Nam ngokwam bendingamazi; koko ndize kubhaptiza ngamanzi ngenjongo yokuba ndimazise kubantu bakwaSirayeli.”