ULukha 1
1 Njengoba abanengi sebebeke izandla ukubeka ngendlela efaneleyo ukulandiswa kwezinto eziqiniseke ngokupheleleyo phakathi kwethu,
Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,
2 njengalokhu basinika labo ababonayo ngamehlo ekuqaleni njalo bezinceku zelizwi,
Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; (logos)
3 kukhanye kukuhle lakimi, sengizihlolisisile zonke izinto kusukela ekuqaleni, ukuthi ngikubhalele ngokulandelana, mhlekazi Teyofilu,
It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto you in order, most excellent Theophilus,
4 ukuze wazi iqiniso ngalezozinto ozifundisiweyo.
That you might know the certainty of those things, (logos) wherein you have been instructed.
5 Ensukwini zikaHerodi inkosi yeJudiya kwakukhona umpristi othile othiwa nguZakariya, oweqembu likaAbhiya; lomkakhe wayevela kumadodakazi kaAroni, lebizo lakhe linguElizabethi.
THERE was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
6 Njalo babelungile bobabili phambi kukaNkulunkulu, behamba ngayo yonke imilayo lezimiso zeNkosi, bengasoleki.
And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
7 Njalo babengelamntwana, ngoba uElizabethi wayeyinyumba, basebeleminyaka eminengi bobabili.
And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
8 Kwasekusithi esenza inkonzo yobupristi phambi kukaNkulunkulu esesimisweni seqembu lakibo,
And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,
9 ngomkhuba wenkonzo yobupristi, nguye owadliwa yinkatho yokutshisa impepha esengene ethempelini leNkosi.
According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
10 Njalo ixuku lonke labantu lalikhuleka ngaphandle ngesikhathi sokutshisa impepha.
And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
11 Ingilosi yeNkosi yasibonakala kuye, imi ngakwesokunene selathi lempepha.
And there appeared unto 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 when Zacharias saw him, he 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 unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elisabeth shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
14 Futhi uzakuba lenjabulo lentokozo, labanengi bazakujabulela ukuzalwa kwakhe.
And you shall have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at 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, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit, (pneuma) even from his mother's womb.
16 Labanengi kubantwana bakoIsrayeli uzabaphendulela eNkosini uNkulunkulu wabo;
And many of the children of Israel shall he turn 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 shall go before him in the spirit (pneuma) and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
18 UZakariya wasesithi kuyo ingilosi: Ngizakwazi ngani lokhu? Ngoba mina ngilixhegu, lomkami useleminyaka eminengi.
And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
19 Ingilosi yasiphendula yathi kuye: NginguGabriyeli mina, omayo phambi kukaNkulunkulu; njalo ngithunyiwe ukukhuluma lawe, lokukubikela lezizindaba ezinhle.
And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto you, and to show you these glad tidings.
20 Njalo khangela, uzakuba yisimungulu njalo wehluleke ukukhuluma, kuze kube lusuku okuzakwenzeka ngalo lezizinto, ngenxa yokuthi ungakholwanga amazwi ami, azagcwaliseka ngesikhathi sawo.
And, behold, you shall be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because you believe not my words, (logos) which shall be fulfilled in their season.
21 Labantu babemlindele uZakariya; bamangala ngokuphuza kwakhe ethempelini.
And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
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 unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.
23 Kwasekusithi seziphelile insuku zokukhonza kwakhe, waya endlini yakhe.
And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.
24 Kwathi emva kwalezonsuku uElizabethi umkakhe wathatha isisu, wazifihla okwezinyanga ezinhlanu, esithi:
And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
25 Yenze kanje kimi iNkosi ensukwini eyangikhangela ngazo ukususa ihlazo lami phakathi kwabantu.
Thus has the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.
26 Kwathi ngenyanga yesithupha ingilosi uGabriyeli yathunywa nguNkulunkulu emzini weGalili othiwa yiNazaretha,
And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27 entombini eyayigane indoda, ebizo layo lalinguJosefa, eyendlu kaDavida; lebizo lentombi linguMariya.
To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
28 Ingilosi yasingena kuye yathi: Ekuhle, wena othandiweyo! INkosi ilawe, ubusisiwe wena phakathi kwabesifazana.
And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, you that are highly favoured, the Lord is with you: blessed are you among women.
29 Kwathi eseyibonile wethuswa kakhulu yilizwi layo, wanakana ukuthi yikubingelela okunjani lokhu.
And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, (logos) and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
30 Ingilosi yasisithi kuye: Ungesabi, Mariya; ngoba uthole uthando kuNkulunkulu.
And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for you have found favour with God.
31 Njalo khangela, uzathatha isisu, uzale indodana, uzakuthi ibizo layo nguJesu.
And, behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and 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 Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father 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 for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (aiōn g165)
34 UMariya wasesithi kuyo ingilosi: Lokhu kungenzeka njani, njengoba ngingazi indoda?
Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not 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 answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit (pneuma) shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of you 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 cousin Elisabeth, she has also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
37 Ngoba kuNkulunkulu kakulalutho oluzakwehlula.
For with God nothing (rhema) shall be impossible.
38 UMariya wasesithi: Khangela, incekukazi yeNkosi; kakube kimi njengelizwi lakho. Ingilosi yasisuka kuye.
And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to your word. (rhema) And the angel departed from her.
39 Ngalezonsuku uMariya wasesukuma waya ezintabeni ngokuphangisa, emzini weJuda,
And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;
40 wangena endlini kaZakariya, wabingelela uElizabethi.
And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.
41 Kwasekusithi uElizabethi ezwe ukubingelela kukaMariya, inkonyane yeqa esiswini sakhe; loElizabethi wagcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele,
And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit: (pneuma)
42 wamemeza ngelizwi elikhulu, wathi: Ubusisiwe wena phakathi kwabesifazana, njalo sibusisiwe isithelo sesizalo sakho!
And she spoke out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
43 Kanti kuvela ngaphi lokhu kimi, ukuthi unina weNkosi yami eze kimi?
And whence is this to me, 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, lo, as soon as the voice of your salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
45 Futhi ubusisiwe okholiweyo, ngoba kuzagcwaliseka lezozinto ezakhulunywa kuye yiNkosi.
And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
46 UMariya wasesithi: Umphefumulo wami uyayikhulisa iNkosi,
And Mary said, My soul does magnify the Lord,
47 lomoya wami uyathokoza kuNkulunkulu uMsindisi wami,
And my spirit (pneuma) has rejoiced in God my Saviour.
48 ngoba ukhangele ubuphansi bencekukazi yakhe. Ngoba khangela, kusukela khathesi zonke izizukulwana zizakuthi ngibusisiwe.
For he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49 Ngoba yena olamandla ungenzele izinto ezinkulu, lingcwele lebizo lakhe,
For he that is mighty has done to me great things; and holy is his name.
50 lesihawu sakhe sikusizukulwana ngesizukulwana kulabo abamesabayo.
And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
51 Wenzile amandla ngengalo yakhe; uhlakazile abazigqajayo ekunakaneni kwenhliziyo zabo.
He has showed strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 Wehlisile iziphathamandla ezihlalweni zobukhosi, kodwa uphakamisile abantukazana.
He has put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
53 Abalambileyo ubasuthise ngezinto ezinhle, kodwa abanothileyo wabamukisa beze.
He has filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he has sent empty away.
54 Umsizile uIsrayeli inceku yakhe, ngokukhumbula isihawu,
He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. (aiōn g165)
56 UMariya wasehlala laye okungaba zinyanga ezintathu, wasebuyela endlini yakhe.
And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
57 Isikhathi sikaElizabethi sokuthi abelethe sesiphelele, wasebeletha indodana.
Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.
58 Abakhelene laye lezinini zakhe basebesizwa ukuthi iNkosi yenze isihawu sayo saba sikhulu kuye, basebethokoza laye.
And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had showed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.
59 Kwasekusithi ngosuku lwesificaminwembili, beza ukuzasoka usane; balubiza ngebizo likayise ngokuthi nguZakariya.
And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
60 Kodwa unina waphendula wathi: Hatshi bo, kodwa luzathiwa nguJohane.
And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.
61 Basebesithi kuye: Kakho ezihlotsheni zakho obizwa ngalelibizo.
And they said unto her, There is none of your kindred that is called by this name.
62 Basebeqhweba uyise, ukuthi angathanda ukuthi lubizwe ngokuthini.
And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.
63 Wasecela into yokubhalela, wabhala, esithi: NguJohane ibizo lalo; basebemangala bonke.
And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.
64 Njalo wahle wavulwa umlomo wakhe lolimi lwakhe lwatshwaphululwa, wasekhuluma edumisa uNkulunkulu.
And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, and praised God.
65 Lokwesaba kwehlela phezu kwabo bonke abakhelene labo; njalo kwakhulunywa ngazo zonke lezizinto kulo lonke elezintabeni zeJudiya,
And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings (rhema) were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.
66 labo bonke abazizwayo bazilondoloza ezinhliziyweni zabo, besithi: Kambe lolusane luzakuba njani? Njalo isandla seNkosi sasilalo.
And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.
67 LoZakariya uyise wagcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele, waprofetha, esithi:
And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, (pneuma) and prophesied, saying,
68 Ibusisiwe iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, ngoba ihambele yasenzela inkululeko isizwe sayo,
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he has visited and redeemed his people,
69 yasivusela uphondo losindiso endlini kaDavida inceku yayo,
And has raised up an 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 spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: (aiōn g165)
71 isikhulula ezitheni zethu, lesandleni sabo bonke abasizondayo;
That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
72 ukwenzela obaba bethu isihawu, lokukhumbula isivumelwano sayo esingcwele,
To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;
73 isifungo eyasifunga kubaba wethu uAbrahama,
The oath which he swore to our father Abraham,
74 ukusinika, ukuthi sesikhululiwe esandleni sezitha zethu, siyikhonze singelakwesaba,
That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,
75 ngobungcwele langokulunga phambi kwayo zonke izinsuku zempilo yethu.
In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
76 Lawe-ke, sane, uzabizwa ngokuthi ungumprofethi woPhezukonke; ngoba uzahamba phambi kobuso beNkosi ukulungisa izindlela zayo;
And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest: for you shall go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
77 lokunika isizwe sayo ulwazi losindiso ngothethelelo lwezono zabo,
To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,
78 ngesihelo sikaNkulunkulu wethu, okuthi ngaso ukusa kwaphezulu kusethekelele,
Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high has visited us,
79 ukubakhanyisela abahlezi emnyameni lethunzini lokufa, ukuqondisa inyawo zethu endleleni yokuthula.
To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
80 Wakhula-ke umntwana omncane, waqina emoyeni, waba sezinkangala kwaze kwaba lusuku lokubonakala kwakhe kuIsrayeli.
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, (pneuma) and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel.
