¹In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying,

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

²“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”

²"Tubuni, maana Ufalme wa mbinguni umekaribia."

³For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight.” Isaiah 40:3

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

⁴Now John himself wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food 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 people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him.

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

⁶They were baptized or, immersed by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

⁶wakaziungama dhambi zao, naye akawabatiza katika mto Yordani.

⁷But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, or, immersion he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

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

⁸Therefore bring forth fruit worthy of repentance!

⁸Onyesheni basi kwa matendo, kwamba mmetubu kweli.

⁹Don’t think to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

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

¹⁰“Even now the axe lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that doesn’t bring forth 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.

¹¹I indeed baptize or, immerse you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit. TR and NU add “and with 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.

¹²His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.”

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

¹³Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.

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

¹⁴But John would have hindered him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?”

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

¹⁵But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him.

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

¹⁶Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him.

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

¹⁷Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

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