1. Kwathi ngolunye lwezinsuku lezo esafundisa abantu ethempelini, eshumayela ivangeli, abapristi abakhulu nababhali bekanye namalunga bamvukela.
2. Bakhuluma, bathi kuye: “Sitshele ukuthi lokhu ukwenza ngagunya lini, nokuba ngubani okunike leli gunya na?”
3. Waphendula, wathi kubo: “Nami ngizakunibuza izwi, nize ningitshele.
4. Ukubhapathiza kukaJohane kwavela ezulwini noma kubantu na?”
5. Bazindlisana bodwa, bathi: “Uma sithi: ‘Ezulwini,’ uzakuthi: ‘Anikholwanga nguye ngani na?’
6. Kepha uma sithi: ‘Kubantu,’ abantu bonke bazakusikhanda ngamatshe, ngokuba bakholiwe ukuthi uJohane ungumprofethi.”
7. Base bephendula ukuthi abazi lapho evela khona.
8. UJesu wayesethi kubo: “Nami-ke anginitsheli ukuthi ngenza lokhu ngagunya lini.”
9. Wayeseqala ukulandisa lo mfanekiso, ethi kubantu: “Umuntu watshala isivini, wasiqashisa kubalimi, waya kwelinye izwe isikhathi eside.
10. Ngenkathi efaneleyo wayesethumela inceku kubalimi ukuba bamnike ezithelweni zesivini; kepha abalimi bayishaya, bayimukisa ze.
11. Waphinda wathuma enye inceku; naleyo bayishaya, bayidumaza, bayimukisa ze.
12. Wayesephinda ethuma neyesithathu; nalena bayilimaza, bayiphonsa ngaphandle.
13. “Khona wathi umninisivini: ‘Ngizakwenze njani na? Ngizakuthuma indodana yami ethandekayo; mhlawumbe lena bazakuyazisa.’
14. “Kepha abalimi beyibona bakhulumisana bathi: ‘Lo uyindlalifa; masiyibulale ukuba ifa libe ngelethu.’
15. Bayiphonsa ngaphandle kwesivini, bayibulala; ngakho-ke umninisivini uzakwenze njani kubo na?
16. Uzakuza, ababhubhise labo balimi, isivini asinike abanye.”Bekuzwa bathi: “Qha, makungabi njalo.”
17. Kepha wababheka, wathi: “Yini, pho, lokhu okulotshiweyo ukuthi:“ ‘Itshe abalinqabayo abakhilona laba yinhloko yegumbi’?