¹And in the fifteenth year of the government of Tiberius Caesar — Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother, tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene —

¹Mwaka wa kumi na tano wa utawala wa Kaisari Tiberio, Pontio Pilato alikuwa anatawala mkoa wa Yudea. Herode alikuwa mkuu wa mkoa wa Galilaya, na Filipo, ndugu yake, alikuwa mkuu wa mikoa ya Iturea na Trakoniti. Lusania alikuwa mkuu wa mkoa wa Abilene,

²Annas and Caiaphas being chief priests — there came a word of God unto John the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness,

²na Anasi na Kayafa walikuwa makuhani wakuu mjini Yerusalem. Wakati huo ndipo neno la Mungu lilipomjia Yohane, mwana wa Zakariya, kule jangwani.

³and he came to all the region round the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of reformation — to remission of sins,

³Basi, Yohane akaenda katika sehemu zote zilizopakana na mto Yordani, akihubiri watu watubu na kubatizwa ili Mungu awaondolee dhambi.

⁴as it hath been written in the scroll of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying, `A voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, straight make ye His paths;

⁴Ndivyo ilivyoandikwa katika kitabu cha nabii Isaya: "Sauti ya mtu imesikika jangwani: Mtayarishieni Bwana njia yake; nyosheni mapito yake.

⁵every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straightness, and the rough become smooth ways;

⁵Kila bonde litafukiwa, kila mlima na kilima vitasawazishwa; palipopindika patanyooshwa, njia mbaya zitatengenezwa.

⁶and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.`

⁶Na, watu wote watauona wokovu utokao kwa Mungu."

⁷Then said he to the multitudes coming forth to be baptised by him, `Brood of vipers! who did prompt you to flee from the coming wrath?

⁷Basi, Yohane akawa anawaambia watu wengi waliofika ili awabatize: "Enyi kizazi cha nyoka! Ni nani aliyewadokezea kwamba mngeweza kuiepuka ghadhabu inayokuja?

⁸make, therefore, fruits worthy of the reformation, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have a father — Abraham; for I say to you, that God is able out of these stones to raise children to Abraham;

⁸Basi, onyesheni kwa matendo kwamba mmetubu. Msianze sasa kusema: Sisi ni watoto wa Abrahamu. Nawaambieni hakika, Mungu anaweza kuyageuza mawe haya yawe watoto wa Abrahamu!

⁹and already also the axe unto the root of the trees is laid, every tree, therefore, not making good fruit is cut down, and to fire it is cast.`

⁹Lakini, sasa hivi shoka limewekwa tayari kukata mizizi ya miti. Kila mti usiozaa matunda mazuri utakatwa na kutupwa motoni."

¹⁰And the multitudes were questioning him, saying, `What, then, shall we do?`

¹⁰Umati wa watu ukamwuliza, "Tufanye nini basi?"

¹¹and he answering saith to them, `He having two coats — let him impart to him having none, and he having victuals — in like manner let him do.`

¹¹Akawajibu, "Aliye na nguo mbili amgawie yule asiye na nguo; aliye na chakula afanye vivyo hivyo."

¹²And there came also tax-gatherers to be baptised, and they said unto him, `Teacher, what shall we do?`

¹²Nao watoza ushuru wakaja pia ili wabatizwe, wakamwuliza, "Mwalimu, tufanye nini?"

¹³and he said unto them, `Exact no more than that directed you.`

¹³Naye akawaambia, "Msitoze ushuru zaidi ya kima kilichowekwa."

¹⁴And questioning him also were those warring, saying, `And we, what shall we do?` and he said unto them, `Do violence to no one, nor accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.`

¹⁴Nao askari wakamwuliza, "Na sisi tufanye nini?" Naye akawajibu, "Msichukue vitu vya mtu yeyote kwa nguvu wala kumshtaki yeyote kwa uongo. Toshekeni na mishahara yenu."

¹⁵And the people are looking forward, and all are reasoning in their hearts concerning John, whether or not he may be the Christ;

¹⁵Wote walikuwa wanatazamia kitu fulani; basi, wakaanza kujiuliza mioyoni mwao kuhusu Yohane: kuwa labda yeye ndiye Kristo.

¹⁶John answered, saying to all, `I indeed with water do baptise you, but he cometh who is mightier than I, of whom I am not worthy to loose the latchet of his sandals — he shall baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire;

¹⁶Hapo Yohane akawaambia wote, "Mimi ninawabatiza kwa maji, lakini anakuja mwenye uwezo zaidi kuliko mimi ambaye sistahili hata kumfungulia kamba za viatu vyake. Yeye atawabatizeni kwa Roho Mtakatifu na kwa moto.

¹⁷whose winnowing shovel [is] in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor, and will gather the wheat to his storehouse, and the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.`

¹⁷Yeye ni kama mtu anayeshika mikononi mwake chombo cha kupuria nafaka, aipure nafaka yake, akusanye ngano ghalani mwake, na makapi ayachome kwa moto usiozimika."

¹⁸And, therefore, indeed with many other things, exhorting, he was proclaiming good news to the people,

¹⁸Hivyo, pamoja na mawaidha mengine mengi, Yohane aliwahimiza watu akiwahubiria Habari Njema.

¹⁹and Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him concerning Herodias the wife of Philip his brother, and concerning all the evils that Herod did,

¹⁹Lakini Yohane alimgombeza Herode, mkuu wa mkoa, kwa sababu alikuwa amemchukua Herodia, mke wa ndugu yake, na kumfanya mke wake; na pia kwa ajili ya mabaya yote aliyokuwa amefanya.

²⁰added also this to all, that he shut up John in the prison.

²⁰Kisha Herode akazidisha ubaya wake kwa kumtia Yohane gerezani.

²¹And it came to pass, in all the people being baptised, Jesus also being baptised, and praying, the heaven was opened,

²¹Watu wote walipokuwa wamekwisha batizwa, Yesu naye alibatizwa. Na alipokuwa akisali, mbingu zilifunguka,

²²and the Holy Spirit came down in a bodily appearance, as if a dove, upon him, and a voice came out of heaven, saying, `Thou art My Son — the Beloved, in thee I did delight.`

²²na Roho Mtakatifu akamshukia akiwa na umbo kama la njiwa. Sauti ikasikika kutoka mbinguni: "Wewe ndiwe Mwanangu mpendwa, nimependezwa nawe."

²³And Jesus himself was beginning to be about thirty years of age, being, as was supposed, son of Joseph,

²³Yesu alipoanza kazi yake hadharani, alikuwa na umri upatao miaka thelathini, na watu walidhani yeye ni mwana wa Yosefu, mwana wa Heli.

²⁴the [son] of Eli, the [son] of Matthat, the [son] of Levi, the [son] of Melchi, the [son] of Janna, the [son] of Joseph,

²⁴Heli alikuwa mwana wa Mathati, mwana wa Lawi, mwana wa Melki, mwana wa Yanai, mwana wa Yosefu,

²⁵the [son] of Mattathias, the [son] of Amos, the [son] of Naum, the [son] of Esli,

²⁵mwana wa Matathia, mwana wa Amosi, mwana wa Nahumu, mwana wa Hesli, mwana wa Nagai,

²⁶the [son] of Naggai, the [son] of Maath, the [son] of Mattathias, the [son] of Semei, the [son] of Joseph, the [son] of Juda,

²⁶mwana wa Maathi, mwana wa Matathia, mwana wa Shemeni, mwana wa Yoseki, mwana wa Yuda,

²⁷the [son] of Joanna, the [son] of Rhesa, the [son] of Zerubbabel, the [son] of Shealtiel,

²⁷mwana wa Yohanani, mwana wa Resa, mwana wa Zerubabeli, mwana wa Shealtieli, mwana wa Neri,

²⁸the [son] of Neri, the [son] of Melchi, the [son] of Addi, the [son] of Cosam, the [son] of Elmodam, the [son] of Er,

²⁸mwana wa Melki, mwana wa Adi, mwana wa Kosamu, mwana wa Elmadamu, mwana wa Eri,

²⁹the [son] of Jose, the [son] of Eliezer, the [son] of Jorim, the [son] of Matthat,

²⁹mwana wa Yoshua, mwana wa Eliezeri, mwana wa Yorimu, mwana wa Mathati, mwana wa Lawi,

³⁰the [son] of Levi, the [son] of Simeon, the [son] of Juda, the [son] of Joseph, the [son] of Jonan, the [son] of Eliakim,

³⁰mwana wa Simeoni, mwana wa Yuda, mwana wa Yosefu, mwana wa Yonamu, mwana wa Eliakimu,

³¹the [son] of Melea, the [son] of Mainan, the [son] of Mattatha, the [son] of Nathan,

³¹mwana wa Melea, mwana wa Mena, mwana wa Matatha, mwana wa Nathani, mwana wa Daudi,

³²the [son] of David, the [son] of Jesse, the [son] of Obed, the [son] of Booz, the [son] of Salmon, the [son] of Nahshon,

³²mwana wa Yese, mwana wa Obedi, mwana wa Boazi, mwana wa Salmoni, mwana wa Nashoni,

³³the [son] of Amminadab, the [son] of Aram, the [son] of Esrom, the [son] of Pharez,

³³mwana wa Aminadabu, mwana wa Admini, mwana wa Arni, mwana wa Hesroni, mwana wa Feresi, mwana wa Yuda,

³⁴the [son] of Judah, the [son] of Jacob, the [son] of Isaac, the [son] of Abraham, the [son] of Terah, the [son] of Nahor,

³⁴mwana wa Yakobo, mwana wa Isaka, mwana wa Abrahamu, mwana wa Tera, mwana wa Nahori,

³⁵the [son] of Serug, the [son] of Reu, the [son] of Peleg, the [son] of Eber,

³⁵mwana wa Serugi, mwana wa Reu, mwana wa Pelegi, mwana wa Eberi, mwana wa Sala,

³⁶the [son] of Salah, the [son] of Cainan, the [son] of Arphaxad, the [son] of Shem, the [son] of Noah, the [son] of Lamech,

³⁶mwana wa Kainani, mwana wa Arfaksadi, mwana wa Shemu, mwana wa Noa, mwana wa Lameki,

³⁷the [son] of Methuselah, the [son] of Enoch, the [son] of Jared, the [son] of Mahalaleel,

³⁷mwana wa Mathusala, mwana wa Henoki, mwana wa Yaredi, mwana wa Mahalaleli, mwana wa Kenani,

³⁸the [son] of Cainan, the [son] of Enos, the [son] of Seth, the [son] of Adam, the [son] of God.

³⁸mwana wa Enosi, mwana wa Sethi, mwana wa Adamu, aliyekuwa wa Mungu.