ULukha 1
1 Njengoba abanengi sebebeke izandla ukubeka ngendlela efaneleyo ukulandiswa kwezinto eziqiniseke ngokupheleleyo phakathi kwethu,
Seeing that many have taken it in hand to draw up an account of those matters which have been fully established among us,
2 njengalokhu basinika labo ababonayo ngamehlo ekuqaleni njalo bezinceku zelizwi,
just as they reported them to us, who were from beginning eye- witnesses and ministers of the word,
3 kukhanye kukuhle lakimi, sengizihlolisisile zonke izinto kusukela ekuqaleni, ukuthi ngikubhalele ngokulandelana, mhlekazi Teyofilu,
it seemed good to me also accurately, from the very beginning, to write them to you in order, most excellent Theophilus,
4 ukuze wazi iqiniso ngalezozinto ozifundisiweyo.
so that you may know the certainty of the story which you have been taught by the word of mouth.
5 Ensukwini zikaHerodi inkosi yeJudiya kwakukhona umpristi othile othiwa nguZakariya, oweqembu likaAbhiya; lomkakhe wayevela kumadodakazi kaAroni, lebizo lakhe linguElizabethi.
In the reign of Herod, King of Judea, there was a certain priest, named Zachariah, belonging to the class of Abijah. He had a wife named Elizabeth,
6 Njalo babelungile bobabili phambi kukaNkulunkulu, behamba ngayo yonke imilayo lezimiso zeNkosi, bengasoleki.
who was a descendant of Aaron. They were both righteous in the sight of the Lord, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the law, blameless.
7 Njalo babengelamntwana, ngoba uElizabethi wayeyinyumba, basebeleminyaka eminengi bobabili.
Now they had no child, for Elizabeth was barren, and both were far advanced in years.
8 Kwasekusithi esenza inkonzo yobupristi phambi kukaNkulunkulu esesimisweni seqembu lakibo,
Now while Zachariah was acting as priest before God in the due course of his class, it fell to his lot, according to the custom of priesthood,
9 ngomkhuba wenkonzo yobupristi, nguye owadliwa yinkatho yokutshisa impepha esengene ethempelini leNkosi.
to enter into the sanctuary of the Lord and to burn incense.
10 Njalo ixuku lonke labantu lalikhuleka ngaphandle ngesikhathi sokutshisa impepha.
And the whole multitude of the people were without, praying at the hour of incense.
11 Ingilosi yeNkosi yasibonakala kuye, imi ngakwesokunene selathi lempepha.
Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 Kwathi uZakariya eyibona waqhuqha, lokwesaba kwawela phezu kwakhe.
And as he saw him Zachariah was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13 Kodwa ingilosi yathi kuye: Ungesabi Zakariya; ngoba umkhuleko wakho uzwakele, lomkakho uElizabethi uzakuzalela indodana, njalo uzakuthi ibizo layo nguJohane.
But the Angel said to him. "Do not be afraid, Zachariah, because your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.
14 Futhi uzakuba lenjabulo lentokozo, labanengi bazakujabulela ukuzalwa kwakhe.
"And he shall be to you a joy and an exultation, and many shall rejoice over his birth.
15 Ngoba uzakuba mkhulu phambi kweNkosi, iwayini kanye lokunathwayo okulamandla kasoze akunathe, futhi uzagcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele kusukela esesesiswini sikanina.
"For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, "He shall drink neither wine nor strong drink, "He shall be filled with the Holy Spirit from the hour of his birth,
16 Labanengi kubantwana bakoIsrayeli uzabaphendulela eNkosini uNkulunkulu wabo;
"And shall win many of the sons of Israel to the Lord, their God.
17 njalo yena uzahamba phambi kwayo emoyeni lemandleni kaElija, ukuphendulela inhliziyo zaboyise kubantwana, labangalaleliyo ekuhlakanipheni kwabalungileyo, ukulungiselela iNkosi isizwe esilungisiweyo.
"He shall go before Him in the wisdom and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, and so to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him."
18 UZakariya wasesithi kuyo ingilosi: Ngizakwazi ngani lokhu? Ngoba mina ngilixhegu, lomkami useleminyaka eminengi.
"How shall I be sure of this?" said Zachariah to the Angel. "For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years."
19 Ingilosi yasiphendula yathi kuye: NginguGabriyeli mina, omayo phambi kukaNkulunkulu; njalo ngithunyiwe ukukhuluma lawe, lokukubikela lezizindaba ezinhle.
"I am Gabriel," answered the angel, "who stand in the presence of God; and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring and to bring you this good news.
20 Njalo khangela, uzakuba yisimungulu njalo wehluleke ukukhuluma, kuze kube lusuku okuzakwenzeka ngalo lezizinto, ngenxa yokuthi ungakholwanga amazwi ami, azagcwaliseka ngesikhathi sawo.
"And now you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day the day when this has taken place; because you did not believe my words - Words which will be fulfilled at their appointed time."
21 Labantu babemlindele uZakariya; bamangala ngokuphuza kwakhe ethempelini.
Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zachariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the sanctuary.
22 Kuthe esephuma wehluleka ukukhuluma labo; njalo bazi ukuthi ubone umbono ethempelini; njalo yena wayesebaqhweba, wahlala eyisimungulu.
And when he came out he could not speak to them, and then they knew that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept making signs to them and remained dumb.
23 Kwasekusithi seziphelile insuku zokukhonza kwakhe, waya endlini yakhe.
As soon as his term of priestly service was ended he went home;
24 Kwathi emva kwalezonsuku uElizabethi umkakhe wathatha isisu, wazifihla okwezinyanga ezinhlanu, esithi:
and after those days Elizabeth, his wife, Conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying.
25 Yenze kanje kimi iNkosi ensukwini eyangikhangela ngazo ukususa ihlazo lami phakathi kwabantu.
"This has the Lord done for me. He has now deigned to take the away my reproach among men."
26 Kwathi ngenyanga yesithupha ingilosi uGabriyeli yathunywa nguNkulunkulu emzini weGalili othiwa yiNazaretha,
Six months later the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee, called Nazareth,
27 entombini eyayigane indoda, ebizo layo lalinguJosefa, eyendlu kaDavida; lebizo lentombi linguMariya.
to a maiden betrothed to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. Her name was Mary.
28 Ingilosi yasingena kuye yathi: Ekuhle, wena othandiweyo! INkosi ilawe, ubusisiwe wena phakathi kwabesifazana.
The angel went in and said to her. "Joy to you, highly favored one! "The Lord is with you."
29 Kwathi eseyibonile wethuswa kakhulu yilizwi layo, wanakana ukuthi yikubingelela okunjani lokhu.
Mary was greatly agitated at his word, and was revolving in her mind what this salutation could mean.
30 Ingilosi yasisithi kuye: Ungesabi, Mariya; ngoba uthole uthando kuNkulunkulu.
when the angel said to her. "Fear not Mary, for you have found grace with God.
31 Njalo khangela, uzathatha isisu, uzale indodana, uzakuthi ibizo layo nguJesu.
"And behold, you shall conceive in your womb and bear a son; and you shall call his name Jesus.
32 Yena uzakuba mkhulu, uzabizwa ngokuthi yiNdodana yoPhezukonke; futhi iNkosi uNkulunkulu izamnika isihlalo sobukhosi sikayise uDavida,
"He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High. "And the Lord God will give him the throne of his forefather David,
33 njalo uzabusa phezu kwendlu kaJakobe kuze kube nininini, langombuso wakhe kawuzukuba lokuphela. (aiōn g165)
"and he shall reign over the House of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." (aiōn g165)
34 UMariya wasesithi kuyo ingilosi: Lokhu kungenzeka njani, njengoba ngingazi indoda?
And Mary said to the angel. "How can this be? For I have no husband?"
35 Ingilosi yasiphendula yathi kuye: UMoya oNgcwele uzakuza phezu kwakho, lamandla oPhezukonke azakwembesa; ngakho lalokhu okungcwele okuzazalwa nguwe kuzakuthiwa yiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.
"The Holy Spirit shall come upon you," said the angel, "and the power of the most High shall overshadow you, and therefore the holy offspring which is born, shall be called the son of God.
36 Njalo khangela, isinini sakho uElizabethi, laye ukhulelwe yindodana ebudaleni bakhe; lale yinyanga yesithupha kuye obekuthiwa uyinyumba.
"And behold your kinswoman, Elizabeth, she also has conceived a son in her old age, and this was the sixth month with her that was called barren.
37 Ngoba kuNkulunkulu kakulalutho oluzakwehlula.
"For no word of God shall be void of power."
38 UMariya wasesithi: Khangela, incekukazi yeNkosi; kakube kimi njengelizwi lakho. Ingilosi yasisuka kuye.
Then Mary said. "Behold I am Lord’s slave. Let it be to me as you have said." Then the angel departed from her.
39 Ngalezonsuku uMariya wasesukuma waya ezintabeni ngokuphangisa, emzini weJuda,
Soon after this Mary set out and hastened unto the hill-country to a town in Judah;
40 wangena endlini kaZakariya, wabingelela uElizabethi.
and there she came into the house of Zachariah, and greeted Elizabeth.
41 Kwasekusithi uElizabethi ezwe ukubingelela kukaMariya, inkonyane yeqa esiswini sakhe; loElizabethi wagcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele,
And when Elizabeth heard her salutation, the babe leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth herself was filled with the Holy Spirit,
42 wamemeza ngelizwi elikhulu, wathi: Ubusisiwe wena phakathi kwabesifazana, njalo sibusisiwe isithelo sesizalo sakho!
and called out with a loud cry. "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is your unborn child!
43 Kanti kuvela ngaphi lokhu kimi, ukuthi unina weNkosi yami eze kimi?
"But why is this honor done me, that the mother of my Lord should come me?
44 Ngoba khangela, kuthe ilizwi lokubingelela kwakho lifika endlebeni zami, umntwana weqa esiswini sami ngokuthokoza.
"For behold when the sound of your salutation reached my ears, the babe leaped with joy within my womb.
45 Futhi ubusisiwe okholiweyo, ngoba kuzagcwaliseka lezozinto ezakhulunywa kuye yiNkosi.
"And blessed is she who believed that the Lord’s words spoken to her would be fulfilled."
46 UMariya wasesithi: Umphefumulo wami uyayikhulisa iNkosi,
And Mary said. "My soul doth magnify the Lord,
47 lomoya wami uyathokoza kuNkulunkulu uMsindisi wami,
"My spirit exults in the God, who is my Saviour,
48 ngoba ukhangele ubuphansi bencekukazi yakhe. Ngoba khangela, kusukela khathesi zonke izizukulwana zizakuthi ngibusisiwe.
"For he has regarded the humiliation of his slave, And from this hour all ages will count me blessed.
49 Ngoba yena olamandla ungenzele izinto ezinkulu, lingcwele lebizo lakhe,
"For he who is mighty has done great things for me; And holy is his name.
50 lesihawu sakhe sikusizukulwana ngesizukulwana kulabo abamesabayo.
"His mercy is unto generations and generations on those who reverence him.
51 Wenzile amandla ngengalo yakhe; uhlakazile abazigqajayo ekunakaneni kwenhliziyo zabo.
"He has showed strength with his arm. "He has scattered proud in the imagination of their hearts;
52 Wehlisile iziphathamandla ezihlalweni zobukhosi, kodwa uphakamisile abantukazana.
"he has put down princes from their thrones, and has exalted those of low degree.
53 Abalambileyo ubasuthise ngezinto ezinhle, kodwa abanothileyo wabamukisa beze.
"The hungry he has filled with good things, But the rich he has sent empty away.
54 Umsizile uIsrayeli inceku yakhe, ngokukhumbula isihawu,
"He has helped Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,
"As he spoke to our forefathers, to Abraham and his offspring forever." (aiōn g165)
56 UMariya wasehlala laye okungaba zinyanga ezintathu, wasebuyela endlini yakhe.
So Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and returned home.
57 Isikhathi sikaElizabethi sokuthi abelethe sesiphelele, wasebeletha indodana.
Now when the time of Elizabeth’s delivery was come, she gave birth to a son;
58 Abakhelene laye lezinini zakhe basebesizwa ukuthi iNkosi yenze isihawu sayo saba sikhulu kuye, basebethokoza laye.
and her neighbors and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy toward her; and they rejoiced with her,
59 Kwasekusithi ngosuku lwesificaminwembili, beza ukuzasoka usane; balubiza ngebizo likayise ngokuthi nguZakariya.
and came on the eighth day to circumcise the child. They were about to call him "Zachariah," after his father,
60 Kodwa unina waphendula wathi: Hatshi bo, kodwa luzathiwa nguJohane.
when his mother said, "No, he is to be called John."
61 Basebesithi kuye: Kakho ezihlotsheni zakho obizwa ngalelibizo.
Said they, "You have no relatives of that name!"
62 Basebeqhweba uyise, ukuthi angathanda ukuthi lubizwe ngokuthini.
Then they asked his father by signs what he wished to call the child.
63 Wasecela into yokubhalela, wabhala, esithi: NguJohane ibizo lalo; basebemangala bonke.
So he asked for a writing tablet and wrote down, "His name is John."
64 Njalo wahle wavulwa umlomo wakhe lolimi lwakhe lwatshwaphululwa, wasekhuluma edumisa uNkulunkulu.
Every one was surprised, and at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.
65 Lokwesaba kwehlela phezu kwabo bonke abakhelene labo; njalo kwakhulunywa ngazo zonke lezizinto kulo lonke elezintabeni zeJudiya,
And there came a great fear upon all in the neighborhood; and throughout the hill country of Judea all these sayings were much talked about.
66 labo bonke abazizwayo bazilondoloza ezinhliziyweni zabo, besithi: Kambe lolusane luzakuba njani? Njalo isandla seNkosi sasilalo.
All the story laid it up in their hearts, saying "What, then, will this child be?" For the Lord’s hands was with him.
67 LoZakariya uyise wagcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele, waprofetha, esithi:
And his father, Zachariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying.
68 Ibusisiwe iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, ngoba ihambele yasenzela inkululeko isizwe sayo,
"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, For he has visited and redeemed his people,
69 yasivusela uphondo losindiso endlini kaDavida inceku yayo,
"And has raised up a mighty Deliverer for us In the house of his servant David,
70 njengalokho yakhuluma ngomlomo wabaprofethi bayo abangcwele kusukela ekuqaleni komhlaba, (aiōn g165)
"As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets Which have been since the world began (aiōn g165)
71 isikhulula ezitheni zethu, lesandleni sabo bonke abasizondayo;
To deliver us from our enemies, and from the power Of all who hate us.
72 ukwenzela obaba bethu isihawu, lokukhumbula isivumelwano sayo esingcwele,
"He showed mercy to our forefathers, He remembered his holy covenant,
73 isifungo eyasifunga kubaba wethu uAbrahama,
"The oath which he swore to Abraham, our forefather,
74 ukusinika, ukuthi sesikhululiwe esandleni sezitha zethu, siyikhonze singelakwesaba,
"That he we should be delivered out of the Hand of our enemies, And should serve him without fear,
75 ngobungcwele langokulunga phambi kwayo zonke izinsuku zempilo yethu.
"In holiness and righteousness before him All our days.
76 Lawe-ke, sane, uzabizwa ngokuthi ungumprofethi woPhezukonke; ngoba uzahamba phambi kobuso beNkosi ukulungisa izindlela zayo;
"And thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Most High, For thou shalt go before the Lord to prepare the way
77 lokunika isizwe sayo ulwazi losindiso ngothethelelo lwezono zabo,
"To give to his people a knowledge of salvation Through the remission of their sins,
78 ngesihelo sikaNkulunkulu wethu, okuthi ngaso ukusa kwaphezulu kusethekelele,
"Through the heart of mercy of our God, Whereby the Dayspring from on high shall visit us,
79 ukubakhanyisela abahlezi emnyameni lethunzini lokufa, ukuqondisa inyawo zethu endleleni yokuthula.
"To give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, And to guide our feet into the paths of peace."
80 Wakhula-ke umntwana omncane, waqina emoyeni, waba sezinkangala kwaze kwaba lusuku lokubonakala kwakhe kuIsrayeli.
And the child grew, and became strong in the Spirit, and remained in the desert till the day of his showing to Israel.
