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.”