23 UJesu wathi esengene ethempelini, abaphristi abakhokhelayo labadala besizwe bamlanda esafundisa bafika bathi: “Uwathatha ngaphi amandla okwenza izinto lezi? Ngubani okuphe amandla la?”+ 24 UJesu wabaphendula wathi: “Lami ngizalibuza into eyodwa. Nxa lingangiphendula ngizalitshela ukuthi ngiwathatha ngaphi amandla okwenza izinto lezi: 25 Ubhabhathizo lukaJohane lwaluvela ngaphi? Ezulwini kumbe ebantwini?” Baqalisa ukucebisana besithi: “Nxa singathi, ‘Lwaluvela ezulwini,’ uzathi kithi, ‘Pho kungani lingamkholwanga?’+ 26 Kodwa nxa singathi, ‘Lwaluvela ebantwini,’ sesaba abantu ngoba bonke bathi uJohane wayengumphrofethi.” 27 Ngakho baphendula uJesu bathi: “Asikwazi.” Yena wasesithi kubo: “Lami angisoze ngilitshele ukuthi ngiwathatha ngaphi amandla okwenza izinto lezi.

20 Ngelinye ilanga wathi efundisa abantu ethempelini futhi etshumayela izindaba ezinhle, abaphristi abakhokhelayo lababhali kanye labadala bamlanda 2 bathi kuye: “Akusitshele, uwathatha ngaphi amandla okwenza izinto lezi? Ngubani okuphe amandla la?”+ 3 Wabaphendula wathi: “Lami ngizalibuza umbuzo lingiphendule: 4 Ubhabhathizo lukaJohane lwaluvela ezulwini kumbe ebantwini?” 5 Basebecebisana besithi: “Nxa singathi, ‘Lwaluvela ezulwini,’ uzakuthi, ‘Kungani lingamkholwanga?’ 6 Kodwa nxa singathi, ‘Lwaluvela ebantwini,’ bonke abantu bazasikhanda ngamatshe ngoba bakholwa ukuthi uJohane wayengumphrofethi.”+ 7 Ngakho bamtshela ukuthi abakwazi lapho oluvela khona. 8 UJesu wasesithi kubo: “Lami angisoze ngilitshele ukuthi ngiwathatha ngaphi amandla okwenza izinto lezi.”