15
UJesu Ephambi KukaPhilathu
1 Ekuseni kakhulu abaphristi abakhulu, labadala, labafundisi bomthetho kanye leSanihedrini yonke bavumelana ngesinqumo sabo. Bambopha uJesu bamqhuba bayamethula kuPhilathu.
2 UPhilathu wambuza wathi, “Uyinkosi yamaJuda na?”
UJesu waphendula wathi, “Usukutshilo lokho.”
3 Abaphristi abakhulu bamethesa amacala amanengi. 4 Ngakho uPhilathu wambuza njalo wathi, “Kanti kungani ungaphenduli na? Khangela, bakubeka amacala amanengi.”
5 Kodwa uJesu wala elokhu ethule, uPhilathu wamangala.
6 Kwakungumkhuba ukuthi ngomkhosi kukhululwe isibotshwa esasizabe sicelwe ngabantu. 7 Indoda eyayithiwa nguBharabhasi yayisentolongweni kanye labahlamuki ababebulele abantu kulowomvukela. 8 Ixuku labantu leza kuPhilathu ukuthi abenzele leyo nhlalayenza.
9 “Lifuna ukuthi ngilikhululele inkosi yamaJuda na?” UPhilathu wabuza, 10 esazi ukuthi kwakungenxa yomhawu okwenza abaphristi abakhulu banikela uJesu kuye. 11 Kodwa abaphristi abakhulu badunga abantu babakhuthaza ukuthi bacele uPhilathu abakhululele uBharabhasi.
12 UPhilathu wasebabuza wathi, “Pho ngithini ngalo elimbiza ngokuthi uyinkosi yamaJuda na?”
13 Bamemeza bathi, “Mbethele!”
14 UPhilathu wabuza wathi, “Yindaba? Woneni?”
Kodwa bamemeza ngamandla bathi, “Mbethele!”
15 UPhilathu wasebakhululela uBharabhasi ngoba wayefuna ukusuthisa ixuku labantu. Wathi uJesu katshaywe, ngemva kwalokho wasebapha ukuba bambethele.
Amabutho Ahoza UJesu
16 Amabutho amqhuba uJesu amusa esigodlweni (kutshiwo iPhrethoriyamu) basebebiza iviyo lonke lamabutho laqoqana ndawonye. 17 Bamgqokisa ijazi eliyibubende, basebeseluka umqhele wameva bamethesa wona. 18 Basebememeza besithi kuye, “Bayethe, nkosi yamaJuda!” 19 Bamtshaya ekhanda ngomqwayi baphindaphinda, bamkhafulela. Baguqa phansi ngamadolo bamkhonza. 20 Sebemhozile, bamhlubula ijazi eliyibubende bamgqokisa ezakhe izigqoko. Basebephuma laye bamqhuba ukuba bayombethela.
Ukubethelwa
21 Indoda ethile yaseKhureni, eyayithiwa nguSimoni, uyise ka-Alekizanda loRufasi, wayezedlulela khonapho evela emaphandleni, basebembamba ngamandla ukuthi athwale isiphambano. 22 Baletha uJesu endaweni eyayithiwa yiGoligotha (okutsho ukuthi, “Indawo yoKhakhayi”). 23 Basebemupha iwayini elihlanganiswe lemure, kodwa wala ukulinatha. 24 Basebembethela. Bahlukanisa izigqoko zakhe basebesenza inkatho ukuze babone ukuthi ngulowo athathe kuphi.
25 Kwakulihola lesithathu isikhathi abambethela ngaso. 26 Umbhalo wecala lakhe wawusithi:
INkosi yamaJuda.
27 Babethela kanye laye abaphangi ababili, omunye kwesokunene sakhe, omunye kwesokhohlo. [ 28 Kwagcwaliseka umbhalo othi, “Wabalwa ndawonye lezephulamthetho.”]* 15.28 Livesi ayikho kwamanye amaBhayibhili esiLungu. 29 Labo ababedlula lapho babemthuka benikina amakhanda abo besithi, “Ehe! Wena ozadiliza ithempeli ulakhe ngezinsuku ezintathu, 30 yehla esiphambanweni uzisindise!” 31 Ngaleyondlela labaphristi abakhulu labafundisi bomthetho bamklolodela behlekisana ngaye phakathi kwabo. Bathi, “Wasindisa abanye, kodwa uyehluleka ukuzisindisa yena! 32 Ake kuthi uKhristu lo, iNkosi le yako-Israyeli, yehle esiphambanweni ukuze sibone, sikholwe.” Lalabo ayebethelwe kanye labo, labo babemhlambaza.
Ukufa KukaJesu
33 Ngehola lesithupha ubumnyama bembesa ilizwe lonke kwaze kwaba lihola lesificamunwemunye. 34 Kwathi ngehola lesithathu emini uJesu wakhala ngelizwi elikhulu wathi, “Eloyi, Eloyi, lamasabakithani?”† 15.34 AmaHubo 22.1 (okutsho ukuthi, “Nkulunkulu wami, Nkulunkulu wami, ungitshiyelani na?”).
35 Kwathi abanye balabo ababemi eduzane bekuzwa lokho bathi, “Zwanini, ubiza u-Elija.”
36 Enye indoda yagcwalisa uzipho ngewayini elimunyu, yaluxhumela oluthini, yasiluqhubela uJesu ukuthi anathe. Yasisithi, “Ake simyekele manje, kesibone ingabe u-Elija uzakuza azomehlisa.”
37 Ngomkhosi omkhulu, uJesu waphefumula okokucina.
38 Ikhetheni lethempeli ladabuka kabili lisuka phezulu kusiya phansi. 39 Kwathi induna yekhulu eyayimi khonapho phambi kukaJesu isizwa ukukhala kwakhe njalo ikubonile ukuthi ufe kanjani yathi, “Ngeqiniso indoda le ibe iyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu!”
40 Abanye abesifazane babebukele bebucwala. Phakathi kwabo kwakuloMariya Magadalini loMariya unina kaJakhobe omncinyane lokaJosefa loSalome. 41 Laba abesifazane babemlandele bemsebenzela eseGalile. Labanye abesifazane abanengi ababeze laye eJerusalema labo babekhona.
Ukungcwatshwa KukaJesu
42 Kwakulusuku lokuLungiselela (kutsho usuku olwandulela iSabatha). Kwathi sekuntambama 43 uJosefa wase-Arimathiya indoda elesithunzi eNkundleni, yona ngokwayo eyayilindele umbuso kaNkulunkulu, yaqunga isibindi yaya kuPhilathu yacela isidumbu sikaJesu. 44 UPhilathu wamangala ukuthi wayesefile. Wabiza induna yekhulu wayibuza ukuthi uJesu wayesefile yini. 45 Wathi esezwile ngenduna yekhulu ukuthi kwasekwenzakele, wamupha uJosefa isidumbu. 46 Ngakho uJosefa wasethenga amalembu elineni, wathatha isidumbu wasigoqela ngelineni wasibeka ethuneni elaligujwe edwaleni. Wasegiqela ilitshe emlonyeni wethuna. 47 UMariya Magadalini loMariya unina kaJosefa babona lapho abekwa khona.