ULukha 1
1 Njengoba abanengi sebebeke izandla ukubeka ngendlela efaneleyo ukulandiswa kwezinto eziqiniseke ngokupheleleyo phakathi kwethu,
To his Excellency, Theophilus. Many attempts have been already made to draw up an account of those events which have reached their conclusion among us,
2 njengalokhu basinika labo ababonayo ngamehlo ekuqaleni njalo bezinceku zelizwi,
just as they were reported to us by those who from the beginning were eye-witnesses, and afterward became bearers of the message.
3 kukhanye kukuhle lakimi, sengizihlolisisile zonke izinto kusukela ekuqaleni, ukuthi ngikubhalele ngokulandelana, mhlekazi Teyofilu,
And, therefore, I also, since I have investigated all these events with great care from their very beginning, have resolved to write a connected history of them for you,
4 ukuze wazi iqiniso ngalezozinto ozifundisiweyo.
in order that you may be able to satisfy yourself of the accuracy of the story which you have heard from the lips of others.
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 priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the division called after Abijah. His wife, whose name was Elizabeth, was also a descendant of Aaron.
6 Njalo babelungile bobabili phambi kukaNkulunkulu, behamba ngayo yonke imilayo lezimiso zeNkosi, bengasoleki.
They were both righteous people, who lived blameless lives, guiding their steps by all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
7 Njalo babengelamntwana, ngoba uElizabethi wayeyinyumba, basebeleminyaka eminengi bobabili.
But they had no child, Elizabeth being barren; and both of them were advanced in years.
8 Kwasekusithi esenza inkonzo yobupristi phambi kukaNkulunkulu esesimisweni seqembu lakibo,
One day, when Zechariah was officiating as priest before God, during the turn of his division,
9 ngomkhuba wenkonzo yobupristi, nguye owadliwa yinkatho yokutshisa impepha esengene ethempelini leNkosi.
it fell to him by lot, in accordance with the practice among the priests, to go into the Temple of the Lord and burn incense;
10 Njalo ixuku lonke labantu lalikhuleka ngaphandle ngesikhathi sokutshisa impepha.
and, as it was the Hour of Incense, the people were all praying outside.
11 Ingilosi yeNkosi yasibonakala kuye, imi ngakwesokunene selathi lempepha.
And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right of the Altar of Incense.
12 Kwathi uZakariya eyibona waqhuqha, lokwesaba kwawela phezu kwakhe.
Zechariah was startled at the sight and was awe-struck.
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, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, whom you will call by the name John.
14 Futhi uzakuba lenjabulo lentokozo, labanengi bazakujabulela ukuzalwa kwakhe.
He will be to you a joy and a delight; and many will 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 will be great in the sight of the Lord; he will not drink any wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the very hour of his birth,
16 Labanengi kubantwana bakoIsrayeli uzabaphendulela eNkosini uNkulunkulu wabo;
and will reconcile many of the Israelites 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 will go before him in the spirit and with the power of Elijah, to reconcile fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, and so 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 can I be sure of this?” Zechariah asked 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,” the angel answered, “who stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you 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 will be silent and unable to speak until the day when this takes place, because you did not believe what I said, though my words will be fulfilled in due course.”
21 Labantu babemlindele uZakariya; bamangala ngokuphuza kwakhe ethempelini.
Meanwhile the people were watching for Zechariah, wondering at his remaining so long in the Temple.
22 Kuthe esephuma wehluleka ukukhuluma labo; njalo bazi ukuthi ubone umbono ethempelini; njalo yena wayesebaqhweba, wahlala eyisimungulu.
When he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision there. But Zechariah kept making signs to them, and remained dumb.
23 Kwasekusithi seziphelile insuku zokukhonza kwakhe, waya endlini yakhe.
And, as soon as his term of service was finished, he returned home.
24 Kwathi emva kwalezonsuku uElizabethi umkakhe wathatha isisu, wazifihla okwezinyanga ezinhlanu, esithi:
After this his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and lived in seclusion for five months.
25 Yenze kanje kimi iNkosi ensukwini eyangikhangela ngazo ukususa ihlazo lami phakathi kwabantu.
“The Lord has done this for me,” she said, “he has shown me kindness and taken away the public disgrace of childlessness under which I have been living.”
26 Kwathi ngenyanga yesithupha ingilosi uGabriyeli yathunywa nguNkulunkulu emzini weGalili othiwa yiNazaretha,
Six months later the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
27 entombini eyayigane indoda, ebizo layo lalinguJosefa, eyendlu kaDavida; lebizo lentombi linguMariya.
to a maiden there who was engaged 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.
Gabriel came into her presence and greeted her, saying, “You have been shown great favor – the Lord is with you.”
29 Kwathi eseyibonile wethuswa kakhulu yilizwi layo, wanakana ukuthi yikubingelela okunjani lokhu.
Mary was much disturbed at his words, and was wondering to herself what such a greeting could mean,
30 Ingilosi yasisithi kuye: Ungesabi, Mariya; ngoba uthole uthando kuNkulunkulu.
when the angel spoke again, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 Njalo khangela, uzathatha isisu, uzale indodana, uzakuthi ibizo layo nguJesu.
And now, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will give him the name Jesus.
32 Yena uzakuba mkhulu, uzabizwa ngokuthi yiNdodana yoPhezukonke; futhi iNkosi uNkulunkulu izamnika isihlalo sobukhosi sikayise uDavida,
The child will be great and will be called ‘Son of the Most High,’ and the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David,
33 njalo uzabusa phezu kwendlu kaJakobe kuze kube nininini, langombuso wakhe kawuzukuba lokuphela. (aiōn g165)
and he will reign over the descendants of Jacob for ever; And to his kingdom there will be no end.” (aiōn g165)
34 UMariya wasesithi kuyo ingilosi: Lokhu kungenzeka njani, njengoba ngingazi indoda?
“How can this be?” Mary asked the angel. “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 will descend on you,” answered the angel, “and the Power of the Most High will overshadow you; and therefore the child will be called ‘holy,’ and ‘Son of God.’
36 Njalo khangela, isinini sakho uElizabethi, laye ukhulelwe yindodana ebudaleni bakhe; lale yinyanga yesithupha kuye obekuthiwa uyinyumba.
And Elizabeth, your cousin, is herself also expecting a son in her old age; and it is now the sixth month with her, though she is called barren;
37 Ngoba kuNkulunkulu kakulalutho oluzakwehlula.
for no promise from God will fail to be fulfilled.”
38 UMariya wasesithi: Khangela, incekukazi yeNkosi; kakube kimi njengelizwi lakho. Ingilosi yasisuka kuye.
“I am the servant of the Lord,” exclaimed Mary. “Let it be with me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
39 Ngalezonsuku uMariya wasesukuma waya ezintabeni ngokuphangisa, emzini weJuda,
Soon after this Mary set out, and made her way quickly into the hill-country, to a town in Judah;
40 wangena endlini kaZakariya, wabingelela uElizabethi.
and there she went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.
41 Kwasekusithi uElizabethi ezwe ukubingelela kukaMariya, inkonyane yeqa esiswini sakhe; loElizabethi wagcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele,
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child moved within her, and Elizabeth herself was filled with the Holy Spirit,
42 wamemeza ngelizwi elikhulu, wathi: Ubusisiwe wena phakathi kwabesifazana, njalo sibusisiwe isithelo sesizalo sakho!
and cried aloud, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is your unborn child!
43 Kanti kuvela ngaphi lokhu kimi, ukuthi unina weNkosi yami eze kimi?
But how have I this honor, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 Ngoba khangela, kuthe ilizwi lokubingelela kwakho lifika endlebeni zami, umntwana weqa esiswini sami ngokuthokoza.
For, as soon as your greeting reached my ears, the child moved within me with delight!
45 Futhi ubusisiwe okholiweyo, ngoba kuzagcwaliseka lezozinto ezakhulunywa kuye yiNkosi.
Happy indeed is she who believed that the promise which she received from the Lord would be fulfilled.”
46 UMariya wasesithi: Umphefumulo wami uyayikhulisa iNkosi,
And Mary said: “My soul exalts the Lord,
47 lomoya wami uyathokoza kuNkulunkulu uMsindisi wami,
and my spirit delights in God my Savior,
48 ngoba ukhangele ubuphansi bencekukazi yakhe. Ngoba khangela, kusukela khathesi zonke izizukulwana zizakuthi ngibusisiwe.
for he has looked with favor on his humble servant girl. From now on all generations will call me blessed!
49 Ngoba yena olamandla ungenzele izinto ezinkulu, lingcwele lebizo lakhe,
“For the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
50 lesihawu sakhe sikusizukulwana ngesizukulwana kulabo abamesabayo.
He has mercy on those who revere him in every generation.
51 Wenzile amandla ngengalo yakhe; uhlakazile abazigqajayo ekunakaneni kwenhliziyo zabo.
“Mighty are the deeds of his arm! He has scattered the self-satisfied proud,
52 Wehlisile iziphathamandla ezihlalweni zobukhosi, kodwa uphakamisile abantukazana.
he has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and he uplifts the humble,
53 Abalambileyo ubasuthise ngezinto ezinhle, kodwa abanothileyo wabamukisa beze.
he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 Umsizile uIsrayeli inceku yakhe, ngokukhumbula isihawu,
“He has stretched out his hand to his servant Israel, ever mindful of his mercy,
as he promised to our ancestors, to Abraham and his descendants for ever.” (aiōn g165)
56 UMariya wasehlala laye okungaba zinyanga ezintathu, wasebuyela endlini yakhe.
Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months, and then returned to her home.
57 Isikhathi sikaElizabethi sokuthi abelethe sesiphelele, wasebeletha indodana.
When Elizabeth’s time came, 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 relatives, hearing of the great goodness of the Lord to her, came to share her joy.
59 Kwasekusithi ngosuku lwesificaminwembili, beza ukuzasoka usane; balubiza ngebizo likayise ngokuthi nguZakariya.
A week later they met to circumcise the child, and were about to call him Zechariah after his father,
60 Kodwa unina waphendula wathi: Hatshi bo, kodwa luzathiwa nguJohane.
when his mother spoke up, “No, he is to be called John.”
61 Basebesithi kuye: Kakho ezihlotsheni zakho obizwa ngalelibizo.
“You have no relation of that name!” they exclaimed;
62 Basebeqhweba uyise, ukuthi angathanda ukuthi lubizwe ngokuthini.
and they made signs to the child’s father, to find out what he wished the child to be called.
63 Wasecela into yokubhalela, wabhala, esithi: NguJohane ibizo lalo; basebemangala bonke.
Asking for a writing tablet, he wrote the words – ‘His name is John.’ Everyone was surprised
64 Njalo wahle wavulwa umlomo wakhe lolimi lwakhe lwatshwaphululwa, wasekhuluma edumisa uNkulunkulu.
and immediately Zechariah recovered his voice and the use of his tongue, and began to bless God.
65 Lokwesaba kwehlela phezu kwabo bonke abakhelene labo; njalo kwakhulunywa ngazo zonke lezizinto kulo lonke elezintabeni zeJudiya,
All their neighbors were awe-struck at this, and throughout the hill-country of Judea the whole story was much talked about.
66 labo bonke abazizwayo bazilondoloza ezinhliziyweni zabo, besithi: Kambe lolusane luzakuba njani? Njalo isandla seNkosi sasilalo.
All who heard it kept it in mind, asking one another – “What can this child be destined to become?” For the Power of the Lord was with him.
67 LoZakariya uyise wagcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele, waprofetha, esithi:
Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and, speaking under inspiration, said:
68 Ibusisiwe iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, ngoba ihambele yasenzela inkululeko isizwe sayo,
“Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, who has visited his people and wrought their deliverance,
69 yasivusela uphondo losindiso endlini kaDavida inceku yayo,
and has raised up for us the strength of our salvation in the house of his servant David –
70 njengalokho yakhuluma ngomlomo wabaprofethi bayo abangcwele kusukela ekuqaleni komhlaba, (aiōn g165)
as he promised by the lips of his holy prophets of old – (aiōn g165)
71 isikhulula ezitheni zethu, lesandleni sabo bonke abasizondayo;
salvation from our enemies and from the hands of all who hate us,
72 ukwenzela obaba bethu isihawu, lokukhumbula isivumelwano sayo esingcwele,
showing mercy to our ancestors, and mindful of his sacred covenant.
73 isifungo eyasifunga kubaba wethu uAbrahama,
This was the oath which he swore to our ancestor Abraham –
74 ukusinika, ukuthi sesikhululiwe esandleni sezitha zethu, siyikhonze singelakwesaba,
that we should be rescued from the hands of our enemies,
75 ngobungcwele langokulunga phambi kwayo zonke izinsuku zempilo yethu.
and should serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness, in his presence all our days.
76 Lawe-ke, sane, uzabizwa ngokuthi ungumprofethi woPhezukonke; ngoba uzahamba phambi kobuso beNkosi ukulungisa izindlela zayo;
And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to make ready his way,
77 lokunika isizwe sayo ulwazi losindiso ngothethelelo lwezono zabo,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 ngesihelo sikaNkulunkulu wethu, okuthi ngaso ukusa kwaphezulu kusethekelele,
through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn will break on us from heaven,
79 ukubakhanyisela abahlezi emnyameni lethunzini lokufa, ukuqondisa inyawo zethu endleleni yokuthula.
to give light to those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, and guide our feet into the way of peace.”
80 Wakhula-ke umntwana omncane, waqina emoyeni, waba sezinkangala kwaze kwaba lusuku lokubonakala kwakhe kuIsrayeli.
The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he lived in the wilds until the time came for his appearance before Israel.
