¹Now in those days comes John the baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

¹Siku hizo Yohane Mbatizaji alitokea, akaanza kuhubiri katika jangwa la Yudea:

²and saying, Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn nigh.

²"Tubuni, maana Ufalme wa mbinguni umekaribia."

³For this is he who has been spoken of through Esaias the prophet, saying, Voice of him that crieth in the wilderness: prepare ye the way of [the] Lord, make straight his paths.

³Huyu Yohane ndiye yule ambaye nabii Isaya alinena juu yake aliposema: "Sauti ya mtu imesikika jangwani: Mtayarishieni Bwana njia yake, nyoosheni vijia vyake."

⁴And John himself had his garment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins, and his nourishment was locusts and wild honey.

⁴Yohane alivaa vazi lililoshonwa kwa manyoya ya ngamia, na ukanda wa ngozi kiunoni mwake. Chakula chake kilikuwa nzige na asali ya mwituni.

⁵Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the country round the Jordan,

⁵Basi, watu kutoka Yerusalemu, kutoka mkoa wote wa Yudea na sehemu zote za kandokando ya mto Yordani, walimwendea,

⁶and were baptised by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

⁶wakaziungama dhambi zao, naye akawabatiza katika mto Yordani.

⁷But seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, Offspring of vipers, who has forewarned you to flee from the coming wrath?

⁷Lakini alipowaona Mafarisayo wengi na Masadukayo wanamjia ili awabatize, aliwaambia, "Enyi kizazi cha nyoka! Ni nani aliyewadokezea kwamba mnaweza kuiepuka ghadhabu inayokuja?

⁸Produce therefore fruit worthy of repentance.

⁸Onyesheni basi kwa matendo, kwamba mmetubu kweli.

⁹And do not think to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for [our] father; for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.

⁹Msidhani kwamba mtaweza kujitetea kwa kusema, Baba yetu ni Abrahamu! Nawaambieni hakika, Mungu anaweza kuyafanya mawe haya yawe watoto wa Abrahamu.

¹⁰And already the axe is applied to the root of the trees; every tree therefore not producing good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.

¹⁰Basi, shoka liko tayari kuikata mizizi ya miti; hivyo, kila mti usiozaa matunda mazuri, utakatwa na kutupwa motoni.

¹¹*I* indeed baptise you with water to repentance, but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not fit to bear; *he* shall baptise you with [the] Holy Spirit and fire;

¹¹Mimi ninawabatizeni kwa maji kuonyesha kwamba mmetubu. Lakini yule anayekuja baada yangu ana uwezo kuliko mimi. Mimi sistahili hata kubeba viatu vyake. Yeye atawabatizeni kwa Roho Mtakatifu na kwa moto.

¹²whose winnowing fan [is] in his hand, and he shall thoroughly purge his threshing-floor, and shall gather his wheat into the garner, but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.

¹²Yeye anashika mkononi chombo cha kupuria nafaka, ili aipure nafaka yake; akusanye ngano ghalani, na makapi ayachome kwa moto usiozimika."

¹³Then comes Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptised of him;

¹³Wakati huo Yesu alitoka Galilaya akafika katika mto Yordani, akamwendea Yohane ili abatizwe naye.

¹⁴but John urgently forbad him, saying, *I* have need to be baptised of thee; and comest *thou* to me?

¹⁴Lakini Yohane alijaribu kumzuia akisema, "Je, wewe unakuja kwangu? Mimi hasa ndiye ninayehitaji kubatizwa nawe."

¹⁵But Jesus answering said to him, Suffer [it] now; for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffers him.

¹⁵Lakini Yesu akamjibu, "Acha tu iwe hivyo kwa sasa, maana kwa namna hii inafaa tuyatekeleze yale yote Mungu anayotaka." Hapo Yohane akakubali.

¹⁶And Jesus, having been baptised, went up straightway from the water, and lo, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him:

¹⁶Mara tu Yesu alipokwisha batizwa, alitoka majini; na ghafla mbingu zikafunguka, akaona Roho wa Mungu akishuka kama njiwa na kutua juu yake.

¹⁷and behold, a voice out of the heavens saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I have found my delight.

¹⁷Sauti kutoka mbinguni ikasema, "Huyu ndiye Mwanangu mpendwa, nimependezwa naye."