ULukha 1
1 Njengoba abanengi sebebeke izandla ukubeka ngendlela efaneleyo ukulandiswa kwezinto eziqiniseke ngokupheleleyo phakathi kwethu,
As a number of attempts have been made to put together in order an account of those events which took place among us,
2 njengalokhu basinika labo ababonayo ngamehlo ekuqaleni njalo bezinceku zelizwi,
As they were handed down to us by those who saw them from the first and were preachers of the word,
3 kukhanye kukuhle lakimi, sengizihlolisisile zonke izinto kusukela ekuqaleni, ukuthi ngikubhalele ngokulandelana, mhlekazi Teyofilu,
It seemed good to me, having made observation, with great care, of the direction of events in their order, to put the facts in writing for you, most noble Theophilus;
4 ukuze wazi iqiniso ngalezozinto ozifundisiweyo.
So that you might have certain knowledge of those things about which you were given teaching.
5 Ensukwini zikaHerodi inkosi yeJudiya kwakukhona umpristi othile othiwa nguZakariya, oweqembu likaAbhiya; lomkakhe wayevela kumadodakazi kaAroni, lebizo lakhe linguElizabethi.
In the days of Herod, king of Judaea, there was a certain priest, by name Zacharias, of the order of Abijah; and he had a wife of the family of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
6 Njalo babelungile bobabili phambi kukaNkulunkulu, behamba ngayo yonke imilayo lezimiso zeNkosi, bengasoleki.
They were upright in the eyes of God, keeping all the rules and orders of God, and doing no wrong.
7 Njalo babengelamntwana, ngoba uElizabethi wayeyinyumba, basebeleminyaka eminengi bobabili.
And they were without children, because Elisabeth had never given birth, and they were at that time very old.
8 Kwasekusithi esenza inkonzo yobupristi phambi kukaNkulunkulu esesimisweni seqembu lakibo,
Now it came about that in his turn he was acting as priest before God,
9 ngomkhuba wenkonzo yobupristi, nguye owadliwa yinkatho yokutshisa impepha esengene ethempelini leNkosi.
And as was the way of the priests, he had to go into the Temple to see to the burning of perfumes.
10 Njalo ixuku lonke labantu lalikhuleka ngaphandle ngesikhathi sokutshisa impepha.
And all the people were offering prayers outside, at the time of the burning of perfumes.
11 Ingilosi yeNkosi yasibonakala kuye, imi ngakwesokunene selathi lempepha.
And he saw an angel of the Lord in his place on the right side of the altar.
12 Kwathi uZakariya eyibona waqhuqha, lokwesaba kwawela phezu kwakhe.
And Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear came on 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, Have no fear, Zacharias, for your prayer has come to the ears of God, and your wife Elisabeth will have a son, and his name will be John.
14 Futhi uzakuba lenjabulo lentokozo, labanengi bazakujabulela ukuzalwa kwakhe.
And you will be glad and have great delight; and numbers of people will have joy at 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 eyes of the Lord; he will not take wine or strong drink; and he will be full of the Spirit of God from his birth.
16 Labanengi kubantwana bakoIsrayeli uzabaphendulela eNkosini uNkulunkulu wabo;
And through him great numbers of the children of Israel will be turned 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.
And he will go before his face in the spirit and power of Elijah, turning the hearts of fathers to their children, and wrongdoers to the way of righteousness; to make ready a people whose hearts have been turned to the Lord.
18 UZakariya wasesithi kuyo ingilosi: Ngizakwazi ngani lokhu? Ngoba mina ngilixhegu, lomkami useleminyaka eminengi.
And Zacharias said to the angel, How may I be certain of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is far on in years.
19 Ingilosi yasiphendula yathi kuye: NginguGabriyeli mina, omayo phambi kukaNkulunkulu; njalo ngithunyiwe ukukhuluma lawe, lokukubikela lezizindaba ezinhle.
And the angel, answering, said, I am Gabriel, whose place is before God; I have been sent to say these words to you and to give 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.
Now, see, you will be without voice or language till the day when these things come about, because you had not faith in my words, which will have effect at the right time.
21 Labantu babemlindele uZakariya; bamangala ngokuphuza kwakhe ethempelini.
And the people were waiting for Zacharias and were surprised because he was in the Temple for such a long time.
22 Kuthe esephuma wehluleka ukukhuluma labo; njalo bazi ukuthi ubone umbono ethempelini; njalo yena wayesebaqhweba, wahlala eyisimungulu.
And when he came out he was not able to say anything, and they saw that he had seen a vision in the Temple; and he was making signs to them without words.
23 Kwasekusithi seziphelile insuku zokukhonza kwakhe, waya endlini yakhe.
And when the days of his work in the Temple were ended, he went back to his house.
24 Kwathi emva kwalezonsuku uElizabethi umkakhe wathatha isisu, wazifihla okwezinyanga ezinhlanu, esithi:
After that time, Elisabeth, being certain that she was to become a mother, kept herself from men's eyes for five months, saying,
25 Yenze kanje kimi iNkosi ensukwini eyangikhangela ngazo ukususa ihlazo lami phakathi kwabantu.
The Lord has done this to me, for his eyes were on me, to take away my shame in the eyes of men.
26 Kwathi ngenyanga yesithupha ingilosi uGabriyeli yathunywa nguNkulunkulu emzini weGalili othiwa yiNazaretha,
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee, named Nazareth,
27 entombini eyayigane indoda, ebizo layo lalinguJosefa, eyendlu kaDavida; lebizo lentombi linguMariya.
To a virgin who was to be married to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary.
28 Ingilosi yasingena kuye yathi: Ekuhle, wena othandiweyo! INkosi ilawe, ubusisiwe wena phakathi kwabesifazana.
And the angel came in to her and said, Peace be with you, to whom special grace has been given; the Lord is with you.
29 Kwathi eseyibonile wethuswa kakhulu yilizwi layo, wanakana ukuthi yikubingelela okunjani lokhu.
But she was greatly troubled at his words, and said to herself, What may be the purpose of these words?
30 Ingilosi yasisithi kuye: Ungesabi, Mariya; ngoba uthole uthando kuNkulunkulu.
And the angel said to her, Have no fear, Mary, for you have God's approval.
31 Njalo khangela, uzathatha isisu, uzale indodana, uzakuthi ibizo layo nguJesu.
And see, you will give birth to a son, and his name will be Jesus.
32 Yena uzakuba mkhulu, uzabizwa ngokuthi yiNdodana yoPhezukonke; futhi iNkosi uNkulunkulu izamnika isihlalo sobukhosi sikayise uDavida,
He will be great, and will be named the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God will give him the kingdom of David, his father:
33 njalo uzabusa phezu kwendlu kaJakobe kuze kube nininini, langombuso wakhe kawuzukuba lokuphela. (aiōn g165)
He will have rule over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. (aiōn g165)
34 UMariya wasesithi kuyo ingilosi: Lokhu kungenzeka njani, njengoba ngingazi indoda?
And Mary said to the angel, How may this be, because I have had no knowledge of a man?
35 Ingilosi yasiphendula yathi kuye: UMoya oNgcwele uzakuza phezu kwakho, lamandla oPhezukonke azakwembesa; ngakho lalokhu okungcwele okuzazalwa nguwe kuzakuthiwa yiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.
And the angel in answer said to her, The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will come to rest on you, and so that which will come to birth will be named holy, Son of God.
36 Njalo khangela, isinini sakho uElizabethi, laye ukhulelwe yindodana ebudaleni bakhe; lale yinyanga yesithupha kuye obekuthiwa uyinyumba.
Even now Elisabeth, who is of your family, is to be a mother, though she is old: and this is the sixth month with her who was without children.
37 Ngoba kuNkulunkulu kakulalutho oluzakwehlula.
For there is nothing which God is not able to do.
38 UMariya wasesithi: Khangela, incekukazi yeNkosi; kakube kimi njengelizwi lakho. Ingilosi yasisuka kuye.
And Mary said: I am the servant of the Lord; may it be to me as you say. And the angel went away.
39 Ngalezonsuku uMariya wasesukuma waya ezintabeni ngokuphangisa, emzini weJuda,
Then Mary got up and went quickly into the high lands, to a town of Judah;
40 wangena endlini kaZakariya, wabingelela uElizabethi.
And went into the house of Zacharias and took Elisabeth in her arms.
41 Kwasekusithi uElizabethi ezwe ukubingelela kukaMariya, inkonyane yeqa esiswini sakhe; loElizabethi wagcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele,
And when the voice of Mary came to the ears of Elisabeth, the baby made a sudden move inside her; then Elisabeth was full of the Holy Spirit,
42 wamemeza ngelizwi elikhulu, wathi: Ubusisiwe wena phakathi kwabesifazana, njalo sibusisiwe isithelo sesizalo sakho!
And she said with a loud voice: May blessing be on you among women, and a blessing on the child of your body.
43 Kanti kuvela ngaphi lokhu kimi, ukuthi unina weNkosi yami eze kimi?
How is it that the mother of my Lord comes to me?
44 Ngoba khangela, kuthe ilizwi lokubingelela kwakho lifika endlebeni zami, umntwana weqa esiswini sami ngokuthokoza.
For, truly, when the sound of your voice came to my ears, the baby in my body made a sudden move for joy.
45 Futhi ubusisiwe okholiweyo, ngoba kuzagcwaliseka lezozinto ezakhulunywa kuye yiNkosi.
Happy will she be who had faith that the things which the Lord has said to her will be done.
46 UMariya wasesithi: Umphefumulo wami uyayikhulisa iNkosi,
And Mary said: My soul gives glory to God;
47 lomoya wami uyathokoza kuNkulunkulu uMsindisi wami,
My spirit is glad in God my Saviour.
48 ngoba ukhangele ubuphansi bencekukazi yakhe. Ngoba khangela, kusukela khathesi zonke izizukulwana zizakuthi ngibusisiwe.
For he has had pity on his servant, though she is poor and lowly placed: and from this hour will all generations give witness to the blessing which has come to me.
49 Ngoba yena olamandla ungenzele izinto ezinkulu, lingcwele lebizo lakhe,
For he who is strong has done great things for me; and holy is his name.
50 lesihawu sakhe sikusizukulwana ngesizukulwana kulabo abamesabayo.
His mercy is for all generations in whom is the fear of him.
51 Wenzile amandla ngengalo yakhe; uhlakazile abazigqajayo ekunakaneni kwenhliziyo zabo.
With his arm he has done acts of power; he has put to flight those who have pride in their hearts.
52 Wehlisile iziphathamandla ezihlalweni zobukhosi, kodwa uphakamisile abantukazana.
He has put down kings from their seats, lifting up on high the men of low degree.
53 Abalambileyo ubasuthise ngezinto ezinhle, kodwa abanothileyo wabamukisa beze.
Those who had no food he made full of good things; the men of wealth he sent away with nothing in their hands;
54 Umsizile uIsrayeli inceku yakhe, ngokukhumbula isihawu,
His help he has given to Israel, his servant, so that he might keep in mind his mercy to Abraham and his seed for ever,
As he gave his word to our fathers. (aiōn g165)
56 UMariya wasehlala laye okungaba zinyanga ezintathu, wasebuyela endlini yakhe.
And Mary was with her for about three months and then went back to her house.
57 Isikhathi sikaElizabethi sokuthi abelethe sesiphelele, wasebeletha indodana.
Now it was time for Elisabeth to give birth, and she had a son.
58 Abakhelene laye lezinini zakhe basebesizwa ukuthi iNkosi yenze isihawu sayo saba sikhulu kuye, basebethokoza laye.
And it came to the ears of her neighbours and relations that the Lord had been very good to her, and they took part in her joy.
59 Kwasekusithi ngosuku lwesificaminwembili, beza ukuzasoka usane; balubiza ngebizo likayise ngokuthi nguZakariya.
And on the eighth day they came to see to the circumcision of the child, and they would have given him the name of Zacharias, his father's name;
60 Kodwa unina waphendula wathi: Hatshi bo, kodwa luzathiwa nguJohane.
But his mother made answer and said, No, his name is John.
61 Basebesithi kuye: Kakho ezihlotsheni zakho obizwa ngalelibizo.
And they said, Not one of your relations has that name.
62 Basebeqhweba uyise, ukuthi angathanda ukuthi lubizwe ngokuthini.
And they made signs to his father, to say what name was to be given to him.
63 Wasecela into yokubhalela, wabhala, esithi: NguJohane ibizo lalo; basebemangala bonke.
And he sent for writing materials and put down: His name is John; and they were all surprised.
64 Njalo wahle wavulwa umlomo wakhe lolimi lwakhe lwatshwaphululwa, wasekhuluma edumisa uNkulunkulu.
And straight away his mouth was open and his tongue was free and he gave praise to God.
65 Lokwesaba kwehlela phezu kwabo bonke abakhelene labo; njalo kwakhulunywa ngazo zonke lezizinto kulo lonke elezintabeni zeJudiya,
And fear came on all those who were living round about them: and there was much talk about all these things in all the hill-country of Judaea.
66 labo bonke abazizwayo bazilondoloza ezinhliziyweni zabo, besithi: Kambe lolusane luzakuba njani? Njalo isandla seNkosi sasilalo.
And all who had word of them kept them in their minds and said, What will this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him.
67 LoZakariya uyise wagcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele, waprofetha, esithi:
And his father, Zacharias, was full of the Holy Spirit, and with the voice of a prophet said these words:
68 Ibusisiwe iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, ngoba ihambele yasenzela inkululeko isizwe sayo,
Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and made them free,
69 yasivusela uphondo losindiso endlini kaDavida inceku yayo,
Lifting up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,
70 njengalokho yakhuluma ngomlomo wabaprofethi bayo abangcwele kusukela ekuqaleni komhlaba, (aiōn g165)
(As he said, by the mouth of his holy prophets, from the earliest times, ) (aiōn g165)
71 isikhulula ezitheni zethu, lesandleni sabo bonke abasizondayo;
Salvation from those who are against us, and from the hands of those who have hate for us;
72 ukwenzela obaba bethu isihawu, lokukhumbula isivumelwano sayo esingcwele,
To do acts of mercy to our fathers and to keep in mind his holy word,
73 isifungo eyasifunga kubaba wethu uAbrahama,
The oath which he made to Abraham, our father,
74 ukusinika, ukuthi sesikhululiwe esandleni sezitha zethu, siyikhonze singelakwesaba,
That we, being made free from the fear of those who are against us, might give him worship,
75 ngobungcwele langokulunga phambi kwayo zonke izinsuku zempilo yethu.
In righteousness and holy living before him all our days.
76 Lawe-ke, sane, uzabizwa ngokuthi ungumprofethi woPhezukonke; ngoba uzahamba phambi kobuso beNkosi ukulungisa izindlela zayo;
And you, child, will be named the prophet of the Most High: you will go before the face of the Lord, to make ready his ways;
77 lokunika isizwe sayo ulwazi losindiso ngothethelelo lwezono zabo,
To give knowledge of salvation to his people, through the forgiveness of sins,
78 ngesihelo sikaNkulunkulu wethu, okuthi ngaso ukusa kwaphezulu kusethekelele,
Because of the loving mercies of our God, by which the dawn from heaven has come to us,
79 ukubakhanyisela abahlezi emnyameni lethunzini lokufa, ukuqondisa inyawo zethu endleleni yokuthula.
To give light to those in dark places, and in the shade of death, so that our feet may be guided into the way of peace.
80 Wakhula-ke umntwana omncane, waqina emoyeni, waba sezinkangala kwaze kwaba lusuku lokubonakala kwakhe kuIsrayeli.
And the child became tall, and strong in spirit; and he was living in the waste land till the day when he came before the eyes of Israel.
