1. Mugore regumi neshanu rokutonga kwaTibheriasi Kesari, Pondio Pirato paakanga ari mubati weJudhea, Herodhi ari mubati weGarirea, munun'una wake Firipi ari mubati weIturea neTirakoniti, uye Risania ari mubati weAbhurini,
2. panguva youprista hwaAnasi naKefasi, shoko raMwari rakasvika kuna Johani mwanakomana waZekaria mugwenga.
3. Iye akaenda munyika yose yakapoteredza Jorodhani, achiparidza rubhabhatidzo rwokutendeuka kuti vanhu varegererwe zvivi.
4. Sezvazvakanyorwa mubhuku ramashoko aIsaya muprofita zvichinzi:“Inzwi rounodana murenje,‘Gadzirai nzira yaShe,ruramisai migwagwa yake.
5. Mipata yose ichafushirwa,makomo ose nezvikomo zvichaderedzwa.Migwagwa yakakombama ichatwasanudzwa,pasakaenzana pachaenzaniswa.
6. Uye marudzi ose avanhu achaona ruponeso rwaMwari.’ ”
7. Johani akati kuvanhu vazhinji vaiuya kuzobhabhatidzwa naye, “Imi vana venyoka! Ndianiko akuyambirai kuti mutize kutsamwa kuchauya?
8. Chiberekai zvibereko zvinoenderana nokutendeuka. Uye musatanga kuti mumwoyo menyu, ‘Abhurahama ndiye baba vedu.’ Nokuti ndinoti kwamuri Mwari anogona kumutsira Abhurahama vana pamabwe aya.
9. Demo ratoiswa pamidzi yemiti, uye muti mumwe nomumwe usingabereki zvibereko zvakanaka uchatemwa ugokandwa mumoto.”
10. Vanhu vazhinji vakati, “Zvino toita seiko?”
11. Johani akapindura akati, “Munhu ane nguo mbiri ngaagovane neasina, uye naane zvokudya ngaaitewo saizvozvo.”
12. Vateresi vakauyawo kuzobhabhatidzwa. Vakamubvunza vakati, “Mudzidzisi, toita seiko?”
13. Akati kwavari, “Musatora mari inopfuura mwero wamunofanira kutora.”