NgokukaMathewu
2 Ngemva kokuba uJesu esezelwe eBhetlehema + laseJudiya ezinsukwini zikaHerode *+ inkosi, kweza eJerusalema ababhula ngezinkanyezi* bevela eMpumalanga, 2 bathi: “Uphi lowo ozelwe oyinkosi yamaJuda? + Ngoba sibone inkanyezi yakhe siseMpumalanga, futhi size ukuzomkhothamela.” 3 Lapho izwa lokhu, iNkosi uHerode yakhathazeka, kanye nalo lonke iJerusalema. 4 Lapho isiqoqele ndawonye bonke abapristi abakhulu nababhali besizwe, yababuza ukuthi uKristu* wayeyozalelwaphi. 5 Bathi kuyo: “EBhetlehema + laseJudiya, ngoba yilokhu okwabhalwa umprofethi: 6 ‘Nawe, Bhetlehema lasezweni lakwaJuda, awulona neze idolobha elingelutho phakathi kwababusi bakwaJuda, ngoba kuwe kuyophuma obusayo, oyokwalusa isizwe sami u-Israyeli.’ ” +
7 UHerode wabe esebabizela ngasese ababhula ngezinkanyezi futhi watholisisa kahle kubo isikhathi eyabonakala ngaso inkanyezi. 8 Lapho ebathumela eBhetlehema, wathi: “Hambani nimfune ngokucophelela umntwana, uma senimtholile nibuye nizongibikela ukuze nami ngiye ngiyomkhothamela.” 9 Ngemva kokuba inkosi ibatshele lokhu bahamba, bheka! inkanyezi ababeyibone ngesikhathi beseMpumalanga + yahamba phambi kwabo, yaze yama phezu kwalapho umntwana ayekhona. 10 Lapho bebona inkanyezi, bajabula kakhulu. 11 Lapho bengena endlini bambona umntwana enoMariya unina, bawa phansi bamkhothamela. Bavula amagugu abo bamupha izipho—igolide nenhlaka yempepho nemure. 12 Nokho, ngenxa yokuthi babexwayiswe uNkulunkulu ephusheni + ukuba bangabuyeli kuHerode, babuyela ezweni lakubo ngenye indlela.
13 Ngemva kokuba sebehambile, ingelosi kaJehova* yabonakala kuJosefa ephusheni, + yathi: “Vuka, thatha umntwana nonina ubalekele eGibhithe, uhlale khona ngize ngikuthumelele izwi, ngoba uHerode usezohamba emfuna umntwana ukuze ambulale.” 14 Ngakho uJosefa wavuka wathatha umntwana nonina ebusuku wahamba waya eGibhithe. 15 Wahlala khona kwaze kwafa uHerode. Lokhu kwagcwalisa lokho okwashiwo nguJehova* ngomprofethi wakhe, ethi: “Ngayibiza indodana yami ukuba iphume eGibhithe.” +
16 Lapho uHerode ebona ukuthi ababhula ngezinkanyezi babemhlakaniphele, wathukuthela kakhulu, wayesethumela wayala ukuba kubulawe bonke abafana eBhetlehema nakuzo zonke izifunda zakhona, kusukela kwabaneminyaka emibili ubudala nangaphansi, ngokwesikhathi ayesitholisise kahle kwababhula ngezinkanyezi. + 17 Kwagcwaliseka lokho okwakhulunywa ngoJeremiya umprofethi, ethi: 18 “Kwezwakala izwi eRama, ukukhala nesililo esikhulu. KwakunguRaheli + ekhalela abantwana bakhe, wayengavumi ukududuzeka ngoba abasekho.” +
19 Lapho uHerode esefile, ingelosi kaJehova* yabonakala ephusheni + kuJosefa eGibhithe 20 yathi: “Vuka, thatha umntwana nonina uhambe uye ezweni lakwa-Israyeli ngoba labo ababefuna ukubulala umntwana sebefile.” 21 Ngakho wavuka wathatha umntwana nonina, wangena ezweni lakwa-Israyeli. 22 Kodwa lapho ezwa ukuthi u-Arkelawu wayebusa eJudiya esikhundleni sikayise uHerode, wesaba ukuya khona. Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba ayexwayiswe nguNkulunkulu ephusheni, + wasuka waya endaweni yaseGalile. + 23 Wafike wahlala edolobheni okuthiwa iNazaretha, + ukuze kugcwaliseke lokho okwakhulunywa ngabaprofethi ukuthi: “Uyobizwa ngokuthi umNazaretha.” *+