The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
New Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
John 18English
Johani 18African Kalanga
- English1
When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was an olive grove, and he and his disciples went into it.
African KalangaJesu kati apedza tembezela, kayenda ne badiyiwa babe kanotjuluka nkuku we Kidironi. Kwakabe kuna nnda seli kwawo, Jesu ne badiyiwa babe bakangina mu nnda iwoyu.
- English2
Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples.
African KalangaNgono Judasi, iye wakawonga Jesu, wakabe euziba, ngobe Jesu wakabe egala ehangana ne badiyiwa babe kuuli.
- English3
So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.
African KalangaNdizo Judasi kayenda ku nnda iwoyo akatungamila babhayani ne balindi be Ng'umba ye Ndzimu banobva ku Bapirisiti bakulu ne Bafarasi bakasenga mathumo ne mavone.
- English4
Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”
African KalangaJesu se akabe eziba tjimwe ne tjimwe tjakabe tjiwon’hingikalila, kapindila mbeli kwe badiyiwa babe ngono kabhuzwa babhayani kati, “Ndiani wamunohaka?”
- African Kalanga
Bakan'dabila beti, “Tohaka Jesu we Nazareta.” Jesu kababva kati, “Ndimi.” Judasi n'wongi, wakabe anabo.
- English6
“I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
African KalangaNgono kukati Jesu eti, “Ndimi” bakasedza ne kuhule bakawila pasi.
- African Kalanga
Jesu kababhuzwa kakale kati, “Ndiani wamunohaka?” Bakati “Jesu we Nazareta.”
- English8
“I told you that I am he,” Jesus answered. “If you are looking for me, then let these men go.”
African KalangaJesu kati, “Ndamubudza kale kuti ndimi. Ha muhaka imi, letjani balume ibaba bayende.”
- English9
This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.”
African KalangaWakaleba ikoku kuti matama aakabe atongo leba kutanga asiwile pasi, anoti; “Tate, andizolahikigwa nenguba ali nng'ompela we bamakandipa.”
- English10
Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)
African KalangaSimoni Pita wakabe ana bukanu, kaguhomola katema nlanda we Ntungamili we Bapirisiti kanthubula zebe ye ludli. Zina la iwoyo nlanda lakabe liyi Maliko.
- English11
Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”
African KalangaIpapo Jesu kati kuna Pita, “Bgwiliza bukanu gugo mu khata. Apa unoalakana kuti anditowong'wa mu bhepe le kudziyidziwa landakapiwa ndi Tate kene?”
- English12
Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him
African KalangaIpapo babhayani be Baroma ne Nkulu wabo ne balindi be Ng'umba ye Ndzimu bakabhata Jesu, bakansunga.
- English13
and brought him first to Annas, who was the father- in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year.
African KalangaKutanga bakansa kuna Anasi, nkalabgwa wa Kaifasi, iye wakabe ali Ntungamili we Bapirisiti gole ilelo.
- English14
Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be good if one man died for the people.
African KalangaKaifasi ndiye wakabe atongo kumbuludza Bajuta kuti koyita kuti nhu nng'ompela afe pana kuti kufe banhu bose.
- English15
Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard,
African KalangaSimoni Pita ne mmwe n'diyiwa bakatobela Jesu. Iwoyo mmwe n'diyiwa kaswika kanginabo tje mukati kwe n’ha we Ntungamili we Bapirisiti, ngobe iye wakabe ezibgwa ne Ntungamili we Bapirisiti.
- English16
but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the girl on duty there and brought Peter in.
African KalangaPita iye kasala kuhhe tje pa nkoba. Ipapo iwoyo n'diyiwa wakabe ezibgwa ne Ntungamili we Bapirisiti kabhuda kanolebeleka ne nlandakadzi unolinda pa nkoba, ngono kangina na Pita mukati.
- English17
“You are not one of his disciples, are you?” the girl at the door asked Peter. He replied, “I am not.”
African KalangaMmwanadi iwoyu kabva Pita kati, “Apa ate uli mmwe we badiyiwa ba iwoyu nlume kene?” Pita kan'dabila eti, “Ate ndili mmwe wabo.”
- English18
It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.
African KalangaKwakabe kupota, ngono balanda ne balindi bakabe bedziya moto, ngono Pita wakabe anabo edziyabo moto.
- African Kalanga
Ntungamili we Bapirisiti akabhuzwa Jesu nekwe badiyiwa babe ne nge diya kukwe.
- English20
“I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret.
African KalangaJesu kan'dabila eti, “Ndagala ndilebeleka ne banhu patjena, ndakadiya mu ng'umba dze mitembezelo ne mu Ng'umba ye Ndzimu, kunokubungana Bajuta bose. Andina tjandakaleba muzwikowha.
- African Kalanga
Ini ngono mundibhuzwa? Bhuzwani banhu bakandiwha. Mubabhuzwe tjandakababudza, banoziba tjandakaleba.”
- English22
When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby struck him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.
African KalangaJesu kati eleba ejalo mmwe we balindi bakabe bali ipapo kanloba mu luhaya kati, “Unodabila Ntungamili we Bapirisiti tjini kene!”
- English23
“If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?”
African KalangaJesu kan’handula eti, “Ha ndaleba tjimwe tjakayipa, undilakidze itjo. Koga ha ndilebesa muna tjandaleba, unondilobelani?”
- African Kalanga
Ipapo Anasi kapizila Jesu akasungwa kuna Kaifasi Ntungamili we Bapirisiti.
- English25
As Simon Peter stood warming himself, he was asked, “You are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it, saying, “I am not.”
African KalangaSimoni Pita kati atjimile ipapo edziya moto, bamwe bakambhuzwa bakati, “Apa ate uli mmwe we badiyiwa babe kene?” Pita kazwilandula kati, “Ate ndili mmwe wabo.”
- English26
One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the olive grove?”
African KalangaMmwe we balanda be Ntungamili we Bapirisiti, wakabe ali gamu le nlume wakabe athubugwa zebe ndi Pita, kabhuzwa kati, “Apa andizokubona unaye mu nnda kene?”
- African Kalanga
Kakale Pita kalandula eti, “Aa, ndobva!” Tjinyolotjo gukurume likalila.
- English28
Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover.
African KalangaKwakati ku tjimangwanana bakadusa Jesu mu ng'umba ya Kaifasi bakan'yisa ku ng'umba whulu ye nlauli we N’roma. Ngono Bajuta bakasingine mu ng'umba ye nlauli, ngobe bakabe behaka kuti batubule dla zodliwa zwe Nzano we Pinda Pehhugwi bakatjenapala, ne mpanga we Tjijuta.
- African Kalanga
Ndizo Pilato kabhuda kayenda kubali kababhuzwa kati, “Mukati nlandu uwe ini?”
- African Kalanga
Bakan'dabila beti, “Tobe tisanlonga mu maboko enyu, ha abe asina bubi gwaathama.”
- African Kalanga
Pilato kababva kati, “Muntole munonsumikilisa ne nlayo wenyu.” Bakan'dabila beti, “Iswi atina fanilo ye bulaya nhu.”
- English32
“But we have no right to execute anyone,” the Jews objected. This happened so that the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was going to die would be fulfilled.
African KalangaOku kwakahingikala kuti ndizo kuhhadzisike matama a Jesu aakaleba nekwe lufu gugwe.
- English33
Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
African KalangaPilato kabgwilila mu ng'umba kadana Jesu. Kambhuzwa kati, “Apa u He nkulu we Bajuta kene?”
- African Kalanga
Jesu kambhuzwabo kati, “Apa bhuzo iyeyi inobva mukuli kene bamwe bakubudza ne kwangu?”
- English35
“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”
African KalangaPilato kan'dabila eti, “Imi ate ndili Njuta. Walongwa mu maboko angu ne banhu ba kanyi kuko ne Bapirisiti babo bakulu. Watjinyani?”
- English36
Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
African KalangaJesu kati, “Buhe gwangu ate guli gwe hango ino, ha buhe gwangu gwabe guli gwe hango ino, balanda bangu banobe bagwa kudzibila Bajuta kundisunga. Aa, buhe gwangu ate guli gwaipapano!”
- English37
“You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
African KalangaNdizo Pilato kati kuunli, “Ndizo u he nkulu kene?” Jesu kan'dabila eti, “Ndiwe unoti ndi he nkulu. Imi ndakazwagwa ahha mu hango ino, ndihhila kuwotendeka nekwe malebeswa. Iye umu malebeswa unondiwhilila.”
- English38
“What is truth?” Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.
African KalangaPilato kabhuzwa kati, “Malebeswa ini?” Pilato kati ajalo kabhudila kuhhe kakale ku Bajuta kababva kati, “Anditobona tjamunonsekesela.
- English39
But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”
African KalangaKoga ne kuyendidzana ne mpanga wenyu, ndagala ndimusunungulila nsungwa nng'ompela mu nsi we Nzano we Pinda Pehhugwi. Mohaka kuti ndimusunungulile He nkulu we Bajuta kene?”
- English40
They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion.
African KalangaBakan'dabila bemimila beti, “Kusi iwoyu nlume! Koga tohaka Bharabhasi!” Bharabhasi wakabe ali tjigebeng'a.
Source: The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible, Ndzimu-unami Emmanuel Moyo, 2026. This online edition was extracted and reformatted from the PDF edition. Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.