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2

Izazi zempumalanga

1 Kwathi uJesu esezelwe eBetlehema yeJudiya, ensukwini zikaHerodi inkosi, khangela, kwafika izazi eJerusalema zivela empumalanga, 2 zisithi: Ungaphi ozelwe eyinkosi yamaJuda? Ngoba sibonile inkanyezi yakhe empumalanga, njalo sesize ukumkhonza. 3 Ngakho uHerodi inkosi esezwile wakhathazeka, leJerusalema lonke laye. 4 Esebuthanisile bonke abapristi abakhulu lababhali babantu, wabuza kubo ukuthi uKrestu uzazalelwa ngaphi. 5 Basebesithi kuye: EBetlehema yeJudiya; ngoba kubhaliwe ngokunjalo ngumprofethi ukuthi: 6 Lawe, Betlehema lizwe lakoJuda, kawusuye omncinyane lakanye kubabusi bakoJuda; ngoba kuzavela kuwe umbusi, ozakwelusa abantu bami uIsrayeli.

7 Khona uHerodi, esezibizile izazi ensitha, wabuzisisa kuzo isikhathi sokubonakala kwenkanyezi. 8 Wasezithuma eBetlehema wathi: Hambani libuzisise ngomntwana; kuzakuthi nxa limtholile, libike kimi, ukuze lami ngiye ngimkhonze. 9 Kwathi seziyizwile inkosi zasuka zahamba; njalo khangela, inkanyezi, ezayibona empumalanga, yahamba phambi kwazo, yaze yafika yema phezu kwalapho umntwana ayekhona. 10 Zathi ukuyibona inkanyezi zathokoza ngentokozo enkulu kakhulu. 11 Zasezingena endlini, zabona umntwana kanye loMariya unina, zasezikhothamela phansi zamkhonza, zasezivula impahla zazo eziligugu zamkhunga ngezipho, igolide lempepha lemure*. 12 Kwathi sezilayiwe nguNkulunkulu ephupheni ukuthi zingabuyeli kuHerodi, zasuka zabuyela elizweni lakibo ngenye indlela.

Ukubalekela eGibithe

13 Kwathi sezisukile, khangela, ingilosi yeNkosi yabonakala kuJosefa ephupheni, isithi: Vuka uthathe umntwana lonina, ubusubalekela eGibithe, uhlale khona ngize ngikutshele; ngoba uHerodi uzamdinga umntwana, ukuze ambulale. 14 Wavuka-ke wathatha umntwana lonina ebusuku wasuka waya eGibithe, 15 wasehlala khona kwaze kwaba yikufa kukaHerodi; ukuze kugcwaliswe okwakhulunywa yiNkosi ngomprofethi ukuthi: EGibithe ngiyibizile indodana yami.

Ukubulawa kwabantwana beBetlehema

16 Kwathi uHerodi, esebonile ukuthi uphicwe yizazi, wathukuthela kakhulu, wathuma wabulala abantwana bonke eBetlehema lemikhawulweni yalo yonke, kusukela eminyakeni emibili langaphansi, njengesikhathi abebuzisisile ngaso kuzazi. 17 Kwasekugcwaliseka okwakhulunywa nguJeremiya umprofethi, ukuthi: 18 Kwezwakala ilizwi eRama, ukukhala lokulila lokudabuka okukhulu, uRasheli elilela abantwana bakhe, njalo engavumi ukududuzwa, ngoba bengasekho.

Ukubuyela elizweni lakoIsrayeli

19 Kodwa kwathi esefile uHerodi, khangela ingilosi yeNkosi yabonakala ephupheni kuJosefa eGibithe, 20 yathi: Vuka uthathe umntwana lonina, ubususiya elizweni lakoIsrayeli; ngoba sebefile ababedinga umphefumulo womntwana. 21 Wavuka-ke wathatha umntwana lonina wasefika elizweni lakoIsrayeli. 22 Kodwa esezwile ukuthi uAkelawu usebusa eJudiya esikhundleni sikaHerodi uyise, wesaba ukuya khona; esexwayisiwe nguNkulunkulu ephupheni, wasuka waya kungxenye zeGalili, 23 wasefika wahlala emzini othiwa iNazaretha; ukuze kugcwaliseke okwakhulunywa ngabaprofethi ukuthi: Uzabizwa ngokuthi ngumNazaretha.

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