Johane Chapter 3

1. Kwakukhona umuntu wakubaFarisi, nguNikodemu igama lakhe, isikhulu sabaJuda.

2. Lowo-ke weza kuye ebusuku, wathi kuye: “Rabi, siyazi ukuthi ungumfundisi ovele kuNkulunkulu, ngokuba akakho ongenza lezi zibonakaliso ozenzayo, uma uNkulunkulu engenaye.”

3. UJesu waphendula, wathi kuye: “Ngiqinisile, ngiqinisile ngithi kuwe: Uma umuntu engazalwa ngokusha, angewubone umbuso kaNkulunkulu.”

4. UNikodemu wathi kuye: “Umuntu angazalwa kanjani esemdala na? Angangena ngokwesibili esiswini sikanina, azalwe, na?”

5. Waphendula uJesu, wathi: “Ngiqinisile, ngiqinisile ngithi kuwe: Uma umuntu engazalwa ngamanzi nangoMoya, angengene embusweni kaNkulunkulu.

6. Lokho okuzelwe yinyama kuyinyama; nalokho okuzelwe nguMoya kungumoya.

7. Ungamangali ngokuba ngithe kuwe: ‘Nimelwe ukuzalwa ngokusha.’

8. Umoya uphephetha lapha uthanda khona; uyaluzwa udumo lwawo, kodwa kawazi lapho uvela khona nalapho uya khona; banjalo bonke abazelwe nguMoya.”

9. UNikodemu waphendula, wathi kuye: “Lokhu kungenzeka kanjani na?”

10. UJesu waphendula, wathi kuye: “Wena ungumfundisi ka-Israyeli, awukwazi lokhu na?

11. Ngiqinisile, ngiqinisile ngithi kuwe: Sikhuluma esikwaziyo, sifakaza ngesikubonileyo; kepha anibamukeli ubufakazi bethu.

12. Nxa nginitshelile okomhlaba, kanakholwa; ningakholwa kanjani, uma nginitshela okwasezulwini na?

13. Akakho owenyukele ezulwini, kuphela yena owehla ezulwini, iNdodana yomuntu.

14. Njengokuba uMose waphakamisa inyoka ehlane, kanjalo iNdodana yomuntu imelwe ukuphakanyiswa

15. ukuba yilowo nalowo okholwa yiyo abe nokuphila okuphakade.

16. “Ngokuba uNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kangaka, waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ukuba yilowo nalowo okholwa yiyo angabhubhi, kodwa abe nokuphila okuphakade.

17. Ngokuba uNkulunkulu kayithumelanga iNdodana ezweni ukuba yahlulele izwe, kodwa ukuba izwe lisindiswe ngayo.

18. Okholwa yiyo kahlulelwa; ongakholwa usahlulelwe, lokhu engakholwanga egameni leNdodana ezelwe yodwa kaNkulunkulu.

19. Ukwahlulela kuyilokhu ukuba ukukhanya kufikile ezweni, kepha abantu bathanda ubumnyama kunokukhanya, ngokuba imisebenzi yabo ibimibi.

20. Ngokuba yilowo nalowo owenza okubi uzonda ukukhanya, akezi ekukhanyeni ukuba imisebenzi yakhe ingasolwa.

21. Kepha owenza iqiniso uyeza ekukhanyeni, ukuze imisebenzi yakhe ibonakaliswe ukuthi yenziwe kuNkulunkulu.”

22. Ngasemva kwalokho uJesu weza nabafundi bakhe ezweni laseJudiya; wahlala khona nabo, wabhapathiza.

23. Naye uJohane wayebhapathiza e-Enoni eduze neSalimi, ngokuba amanzi ayemaningi lapho; beza babhapathizwa.

24. Ngokuba uJohane wayengakafakwa etilongweni.

25. Kwase kuvela ukuphikisana phakathi kwabafundi bakaJohane nabaJuda ngokuhlambulula.

26. Base beza kuJohane, bathi kuye: “Rabi, lowo owayenawe phesheya kweJordani, owamfakazelayo, bheka, uyabhapathiza, bonke beza kuye.”

27. UJohane waphendula wathi: “Umuntu angelwamukele utho, uma engaluphiwanga luvela ezulwini.

28. Nina ngokwenu niyangifakazela ukuba ngathi: ‘Angisiye uKristu mina, kodwa ngithunyiwe ngaphambi kwakhe.’

29. Onomlobokazi ungumyeni, kepha umhlobo womyeni omiyo emuzwa uthokoza nokuthokoza ngezwi lomyeni. Le ntokozo yami isiphelele.

30. Umelwe ukukhula yena, nginciphe mina.

31. “Ovela phezulu uphezu kwakho konke; ovela emhlabeni ungowomhlaba, ukhuluma okomhlaba. Ovela ezulwini uphezu kwakho konke.

32. Akubonileyo nakuzwileyo lokho ufakaza ngakho; kepha akakho owamukela ubufakazi bakhe.

33. Owamukele ubufakazi bakhe ulubekile uphawu lokuthi uNkulunkulu uqinisile.

34. Ngokuba lowo uNkulunkulu amthumileyo ukhuluma amazwi kaNkulunkulu; ngokuba akaniki uMoya ngokulinganisela.

35. UYise uyayithanda iNdodana, wanikela konke esandleni sayo.

36. Okholwa yiNdodana unokuphila okuphakade; kepha ongakholwa yiNdodana kayikubona ukuphila, kodwa intukuthelo kaNkulunkulu ihlezi phezu kwakhe.”