The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
New Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
Matthew 21English
Matewu 21African Kalanga
- English1
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples,
African KalangaBakati babepedlo noswika ku Jerusalema, babe pa nzi we Bhetifage ku Dombo le Mitoba, Jesu katuma badiyiwa babili
- English2
saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me.
African Kalangaeti kubali “Yendani mungine mu nzi iwoyu wamakalingisana nawo, ngono mowoti muswika koga mowowana kakambe yakasungiligwa ina mwana yayo. Muzwisunungule muzwihhise kundili.
- English3
If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
African KalangaHa mmwe angamubva tjimwe, mumbve muti, ‘He banozwihaka,’ ngono iye unowozwisunungula tjinyolotjo.”
- African Kalanga
Ikoku kwakahingikala kuti kuhingikale matama e nlebesambeli anoti,
- English5
“Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
African Kalanga“Budza Nkololokadzi we Ziyoni uti, ‘Bona, He nkulu uwo unohha kukuli, ne kuzwiyisa pasi akatanha kakambe, ali pehhugwi kwe kakambe tjitukununu, mwana we kakambe.’”
- African Kalanga
Badiyiwa bakayenda bakahinga sekwa babviwa ndi Jesu.
- African Kalanga
Bakahhisa kakambe ne mwana watjo, bakawala zwiambalo zwabo pehhugwi kwawo, ngono Jesu katjitanha.
- English8
A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
African KalangaMbunga we banhu nkulu kwazo ukawala zwiambalo zwabo mu zila, bamwe bakakwaula nhabi dze miti bedziwala mu zila.
- English9
The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!”
African KalangaMibunga ye banhu yakabe iyenda mbeli ne yakabe ili hule ikapululudza iti, “Hosana ku Nkololo wa Dafite! Unamhahhambuya iye unohha ne zina la He! Hosana, pehhugwi hhugwi.”
- African Kalanga
Jesu kati engina mu Jerusalema, nzi wose ukadzongeka ukabhuzwa uti, “Ndiani iwoyu?”
- African Kalanga
Mibunga ikadabila iti, “Oyu ndi Jesu, nlebesambeli, unobva ku Nazareta mu Galili.”
- English12
Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.
African KalangaJesu kangina mu Ng'umba ye Ndzimu katatila kuhhe bose bakabe betengesa ipapo. Kapitula tafuli dze bakabe betenganya mari, kakale kapitula zwigalo zwe bakabe betengesa ngurukuku.
- English13
“It is written,” he said to them, “ ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers.’”
African KalangaKati kubali, “Kwakakwagwa kukayi, ‘Ng'umba yangu inowodang'wa ng'umba ye ntembezelo,’ koga imwi moithama guwu le mbava!”
- African Kalanga
Mapofu ne zwilema bakahha kuunli ku Ng'umba ye Ndzimu, ngono kabapodza.
- English15
But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.
African KalangaKoga Baphirisiti bakulu ne badiyi be nlayo bakagwadza moyo bebona zwinhu zwinotjenamisa zwaakathama ne bana bemimila mu Ng'umba ye Ndzimu beti, “Hosana ku Nkololo wa Dafite.”
- English16
“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “ ‘From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise’?”
African KalangaBakambhuzwa beti, “Apa unowha kuti bana ibaba bakatini kene?” Jesu kahandula eti, “Ee, apa amunhu mukabala panoti, ‘Makathama milomo ye zwitole ne ngawana kuleba gudzo li hhele.’”
- African Kalanga
Ngono kasiya banhu kabhuda mu nzi kayenda ku Bhetani kwaakanolalako.
- African Kalanga
Ngono kukati kuli mangwanana Jesu, ebgwilila ku Jerusalema, kabe ana hhala,
- English19
Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.
African Kalangakabona nti we ntjelo pa zila kayenda kuuli koga kawana kusina tjimwe kuhhe kwe mahhani woga. Ipapo kati kuuli, “Kusitjabe ne mitjelo inowobhuda mukuli kakale.” Tjinyolotjo nti ukawoma.
- English20
When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.
African KalangaBadiyiwa bakati bebona ikoku bakakaabala kwazo. Ngono bakabhuzwa beti, “Nti iwoyo we ntjelo wawoma tjinyolotjo zwingapa tjini?”
- English21
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.
African KalangaJesu kahandula eti, “Ndolebesa ndoti, ha muna kugalamoyo, musingatongo dudumwa, amutowoyita tjayitiwa mu nti iwoyu we mpaya koga, koga mungati ne ku dombo ileli, ‘Simuka uwile mu gungwa,’ ngono kowohingikala.
- African Kalanga
Ha mugalamoyo tjimwe ne tjimwe tjamunokumbila mu mitembezelo mowotjiwana.”
- English23
Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”
African KalangaJesu kangina mu Ng'umba ye Ndzimu, ngono kukati atjadiya, Baphirisiti bakulu ne bakulu be Bajuta bakahha kuunli bakati, “Zwinhu izwezwi unozwihinga ne simba lipi? Ndiani wakakupa simba ileli?”
- English24
Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
African KalangaJesu kadabila eti, “Ndowomubhuzwabo bhuzo ing'ompela. Ha mungandidabila, ndowomubudza kuti simba landinohingisa ndilipi.
- English25
John’s baptism–where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or from men?” They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’
African KalangaBvubika kwa Johani kwakabva poni? Kwakabva kudzimu kene mu banhu?” Bakalebeleka tje kwabo beti, “Ha tingati, ‘Kwakabva kudzimu,’ unowobhuzwa eti, ‘Ini ngono musakan'galamoyo?’
- English26
But if we say, ‘From men’–we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”
African KalangaKoga ha tingati, ‘Kwakabva mu banhu,’ tohla mbunga we banhu, ngobe banogalamoyo bose kuti Johani wakabe ali nlebesambeli.”
- English27
So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
African KalangaNdizo bakahandula Jesu beti, “Atitoziba.” Ipapo kati kubali, “Namibo andingamubudze kuti zwinhu izwezwi ndozwiyita ne simba lipi.
- English28
“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
African Kalanga“Mobona tjini? Kwakabe kuna mmwe nlume ana bakololo babili. Kayenda kuna we kutanga kati kuunli, ‘Nkololo wangu, en'da unohinga mu nnda we mihhambi nasi.’
- African Kalanga
Nkololo uwe kan'dabila kati, ‘Anditoyenda.’ Koga hule kahandusa nkumbulo kayenda.
- English30
“Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.
African KalangaIpapo tate babe bakayenda kuna we bubili bakaleba sa ikoko. Kahandula kati, ‘Ndowoyenda, tate,’ koga kasiyende.”
- English31
“Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.
African KalangaJesu kababhuzwa kati “Ndiupi wa ibaba babili wakahinga kuda kwa tate babe?” Bakahandula beti, “We kutanga.” Jesu kati kubali, “Ndolebesa ndoti, bakhethisi ne fukula banongina mbeli kwenyu mu buhe gwe Ndzimu.
- English32
For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.
African KalangaJohani wakahha kumuli kumulakidza zila ye ndulamo, koga mukasingalemoyo, ngono bakhethisi ne fukula bakan'galamoyo. Koga kukati ne mabona, mukasihanduke kuti mungalemoyo.
- English33
“Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey.
African Kalanga“Whililani tjimwe tjifaniso, kwakatongobe kuna nhu ali mweni we nzi akalima nnda we mihhambi. Wakauhoshela, katsha gomba linokobolegwa hhambi pakati kwawo, kabaka thungamakole muuli kauhirisa ku bamwe balimi, ngono iye kayenda ku imwe hango ipoga.
- English34
When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.
African KalangaKwakati lubaka gwe mitjelo gusedzela katuma balanda babe ku bahiri be nnda kunotola gobe lile le mitjelo.
- African Kalanga
Bahiri be nnda bakabhata balanda babe bakaloba mmwe, bakabulaya mmwe, ngono bakakikithidza mmwe ne mabgwe.
- English36
Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way.
African KalangaNgono mweni we nnda kapamha katumila balanda bamwe banji pana be kutanga, ngono bahiri be nnda bakabayita sa ikoko kakale.
- African Kalanga
Kubvapo katumila nkololo uwe kubali eti, ‘Banowoteta nkololo wangu.’
- English38
“But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’
African KalangaKoga kukati bahiri be nnda bebona nkololo uwe bakan'langana beti, ‘Oyu ndiye n'gali nhaka, ihhani, ngatimbulayeni titole nhaka iye.’
- African Kalanga
Ndizo bakantola bakanlahila kuhhe kwe nnda we mihhambi bakambulaya.
- African Kalanga
“Ndizo ipapo mweni we nnda we mihhambi ha ehha unowohingani ku bahiri ibabo kene?”
- English41
“He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”
African KalangaBakahandula beti, “Unowolobesa ibaba balume bakayipa kunogwadza, kayisa nnda mu maboko e bahiri bapoga banowompa gobe lile bavuna.”
- English42
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “ ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
African KalangaJesu kati kubali, “Apa amunhu mukatongo bala whalo dze Ndzimu dzinoti, ‘Bgwe ilo lakalambiwa ne babaki lakabe bgwe linotambunudza mbako; ikoku kwakayitiwa ndi He, ngono kotjenamisa mu meho edu?’
- English43
“Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.
African Kalanga“Ndizo ndomubudza nditi, buhe gwe Ndzimu gowotogwa mumuli gukapiwa tjaba tjinodusa mitjelo yago.
- English44
He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”
African KalangaIye unowila pehhugwi kwe bgwe ileli unowovunikana kasala ali zwitibhutibhu, koga ha liwila nhu lowompkhwanya.”
- English45
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them.
African KalangaKukati Baphirisiti bakulu ne Bafarisi bewha zwifaniso zwa Jesu bakaziba kuti unolebeleka ne kwabo.
- English46
They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.
African KalangaBakahaka zila ye kunsunga, koga bakabe behla mbunga we banhu, ngobe banhu bakabe beti nlebesambeli.
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.