ULukha 1
1 Njengoba abanengi sebebeke izandla ukubeka ngendlela efaneleyo ukulandiswa kwezinto eziqiniseke ngokupheleleyo phakathi kwethu,
Since many have undertaken to compile an account of the events that have been fulfilled among us,
2 njengalokhu basinika labo ababonayo ngamehlo ekuqaleni njalo bezinceku zelizwi,
just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us,
3 kukhanye kukuhle lakimi, sengizihlolisisile zonke izinto kusukela ekuqaleni, ukuthi ngikubhalele ngokulandelana, mhlekazi Teyofilu,
it seemed good to me also, having carefully investigated all things from the beginning, to write an orderly account for yoʋ, most excellent Theophilus,
4 ukuze wazi iqiniso ngalezozinto ozifundisiweyo.
so that yoʋ may know the certainty of the things about which yoʋ have been instructed.
5 Ensukwini zikaHerodi inkosi yeJudiya kwakukhona umpristi othile othiwa nguZakariya, oweqembu likaAbhiya; lomkakhe wayevela kumadodakazi kaAroni, lebizo lakhe linguElizabethi.
In the days of Herod, the king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah who belonged to the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6 Njalo babelungile bobabili phambi kukaNkulunkulu, behamba ngayo yonke imilayo lezimiso zeNkosi, bengasoleki.
They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and regulations of the Lord.
7 Njalo babengelamntwana, ngoba uElizabethi wayeyinyumba, basebeleminyaka eminengi bobabili.
But they had no children because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in their days.
8 Kwasekusithi esenza inkonzo yobupristi phambi kukaNkulunkulu esesimisweni seqembu lakibo,
While Zechariah was serving as a priest before God when his division was on duty,
9 ngomkhuba wenkonzo yobupristi, nguye owadliwa yinkatho yokutshisa impepha esengene ethempelini leNkosi.
he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10 Njalo ixuku lonke labantu lalikhuleka ngaphandle ngesikhathi sokutshisa impepha.
At the hour of incense a great crowd was assembled outside, praying.
11 Ingilosi yeNkosi yasibonakala kuye, imi ngakwesokunene selathi lempepha.
Then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
12 Kwathi uZakariya eyibona waqhuqha, lokwesaba kwawela phezu kwakhe.
When Zechariah saw him, he was startled, 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, Zechariah, for yoʋr prayer has been heard. Yoʋr wife Elizabeth will bear yoʋ a son, and yoʋ shall name him John.
14 Futhi uzakuba lenjabulo lentokozo, labanengi bazakujabulela ukuzalwa kwakhe.
Yoʋ will have joy and gladness, and many will 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 will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink any wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.
16 Labanengi kubantwana bakoIsrayeli uzabaphendulela eNkosini uNkulunkulu wabo;
He will turn 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.
And he will go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers back to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
18 UZakariya wasesithi kuyo ingilosi: Ngizakwazi ngani lokhu? Ngoba mina ngilixhegu, lomkami useleminyaka eminengi.
Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I know this for certain? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in her days.”
19 Ingilosi yasiphendula yathi kuye: NginguGabriyeli mina, omayo phambi kukaNkulunkulu; njalo ngithunyiwe ukukhuluma lawe, lokukubikela lezizindaba ezinhle.
The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God and was sent to speak to yoʋ and bring yoʋ 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.
But behold, yoʋ will be silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place, because yoʋ did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their appointed time.”
21 Labantu babemlindele uZakariya; bamangala ngokuphuza kwakhe ethempelini.
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering about his delay 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 in the temple, because he kept making signs to them and remained unable to speak.
23 Kwasekusithi seziphelile insuku zokukhonza kwakhe, waya endlini yakhe.
And when the days of his service had come to an end, he returned to his home.
24 Kwathi emva kwalezonsuku uElizabethi umkakhe wathatha isisu, wazifihla okwezinyanga ezinhlanu, esithi:
After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived and kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying,
25 Yenze kanje kimi iNkosi ensukwini eyangikhangela ngazo ukususa ihlazo lami phakathi kwabantu.
“The Lord has done this for me. In these days he has looked upon me with favor and taken away my reproach among the people.”
26 Kwathi ngenyanga yesithupha ingilosi uGabriyeli yathunywa nguNkulunkulu emzini weGalili othiwa yiNazaretha,
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
27 entombini eyayigane indoda, ebizo layo lalinguJosefa, eyendlu kaDavida; lebizo lentombi linguMariya.
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary.
28 Ingilosi yasingena kuye yathi: Ekuhle, wena othandiweyo! INkosi ilawe, ubusisiwe wena phakathi kwabesifazana.
The angel came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with yoʋ! Blessed are yoʋ among women!”
29 Kwathi eseyibonile wethuswa kakhulu yilizwi layo, wanakana ukuthi yikubingelela okunjani lokhu.
But when Mary saw him, she was greatly perplexed by his statement and began wondering what sort of greeting this could be.
30 Ingilosi yasisithi kuye: Ungesabi, Mariya; ngoba uthole uthando kuNkulunkulu.
Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for yoʋ have found favor with God.
31 Njalo khangela, uzathatha isisu, uzale indodana, uzakuthi ibizo layo nguJesu.
And behold, yoʋ will conceive in yoʋr womb and give birth to a son, and yoʋ shall name him Jesus.
32 Yena uzakuba mkhulu, uzabizwa ngokuthi yiNdodana yoPhezukonke; futhi iNkosi uNkulunkulu izamnika isihlalo sobukhosi sikayise uDavida,
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.
33 njalo uzabusa phezu kwendlu kaJakobe kuze kube nininini, langombuso wakhe kawuzukuba lokuphela. (aiōn g165)
He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (aiōn g165)
34 UMariya wasesithi kuyo ingilosi: Lokhu kungenzeka njani, njengoba ngingazi indoda?
Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
35 Ingilosi yasiphendula yathi kuye: UMoya oNgcwele uzakuza phezu kwakho, lamandla oPhezukonke azakwembesa; ngakho lalokhu okungcwele okuzazalwa nguwe kuzakuthiwa yiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.
The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon yoʋ, and the power of the Most High will overshadow yoʋ; therefore the holy child that is to be born will 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, yoʋr relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren.
37 Ngoba kuNkulunkulu kakulalutho oluzakwehlula.
For nothing is impossible with God.”
38 UMariya wasesithi: Khangela, incekukazi yeNkosi; kakube kimi njengelizwi lakho. Ingilosi yasisuka kuye.
Then Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; may it happen to me according to yoʋr word.” And the angel left her.
39 Ngalezonsuku uMariya wasesukuma waya ezintabeni ngokuphangisa, emzini weJuda,
In those days Mary arose and went with haste to the hill country, to a town of Judah,
40 wangena endlini kaZakariya, wabingelela uElizabethi.
where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
41 Kwasekusithi uElizabethi ezwe ukubingelela kukaMariya, inkonyane yeqa esiswini sakhe; loElizabethi wagcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele,
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 wamemeza ngelizwi elikhulu, wathi: Ubusisiwe wena phakathi kwabesifazana, njalo sibusisiwe isithelo sesizalo sakho!
Then she exclaimed with a loud voice, “Blessed are yoʋ among women, and blessed is the fruit of yoʋr womb!
43 Kanti kuvela ngaphi lokhu kimi, ukuthi unina weNkosi yami eze kimi?
How has this happened 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 behold, when the sound of yoʋr greeting came into my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
45 Futhi ubusisiwe okholiweyo, ngoba kuzagcwaliseka lezozinto ezakhulunywa kuye yiNkosi.
Blessed is she who has believed, for what the Lord has spoken to her will be fulfilled.”
46 UMariya wasesithi: Umphefumulo wami uyayikhulisa iNkosi,
Then Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 lomoya wami uyathokoza kuNkulunkulu uMsindisi wami,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 ngoba ukhangele ubuphansi bencekukazi yakhe. Ngoba khangela, kusukela khathesi zonke izizukulwana zizakuthi ngibusisiwe.
because he has looked favorably on the humble state of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 Ngoba yena olamandla ungenzele izinto ezinkulu, lingcwele lebizo lakhe,
because the Mighty One has done great things for me; holy is his name.
50 lesihawu sakhe sikusizukulwana ngesizukulwana kulabo abamesabayo.
From generation to generation his mercy is upon those who fear him.
51 Wenzile amandla ngengalo yakhe; uhlakazile abazigqajayo ekunakaneni kwenhliziyo zabo.
He has done a mighty deed with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52 Wehlisile iziphathamandla ezihlalweni zobukhosi, kodwa uphakamisile abantukazana.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones and exalted the lowly.
53 Abalambileyo ubasuthise ngezinto ezinhle, kodwa abanothileyo wabamukisa beze.
He has filled the hungry with good things, but the rich he has sent away empty.
54 Umsizile uIsrayeli inceku yakhe, ngokukhumbula isihawu,
He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy,
just as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” (aiōn g165)
56 UMariya wasehlala laye okungaba zinyanga ezintathu, wasebuyela endlini yakhe.
And Mary remained with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned to her house.
57 Isikhathi sikaElizabethi sokuthi abelethe sesiphelele, wasebeletha indodana.
Now the time was fulfilled for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son.
58 Abakhelene laye lezinini zakhe basebesizwa ukuthi iNkosi yenze isihawu sayo saba sikhulu kuye, basebethokoza laye.
Then her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy with her, and they rejoiced with her.
59 Kwasekusithi ngosuku lwesificaminwembili, beza ukuzasoka usane; balubiza ngebizo likayise ngokuthi nguZakariya.
On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah, after his father.
60 Kodwa unina waphendula wathi: Hatshi bo, kodwa luzathiwa nguJohane.
But the child's mother responded, “No! He is to be called John.”
61 Basebesithi kuye: Kakho ezihlotsheni zakho obizwa ngalelibizo.
But they said to her, “There is no one among yoʋr relatives who has that name.”
62 Basebeqhweba uyise, ukuthi angathanda ukuthi lubizwe ngokuthini.
Then they began making signs to the child's father to find out what he wanted to name him.
63 Wasecela into yokubhalela, wabhala, esithi: NguJohane ibizo lalo; basebemangala bonke.
So he asked for a tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.
64 Njalo wahle wavulwa umlomo wakhe lolimi lwakhe lwatshwaphululwa, wasekhuluma edumisa uNkulunkulu.
At once Zechariah's mouth was opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak, blessing God.
65 Lokwesaba kwehlela phezu kwabo bonke abakhelene labo; njalo kwakhulunywa ngazo zonke lezizinto kulo lonke elezintabeni zeJudiya,
Then fear came upon all who dwelt around them, and in the entire hill country of Judea all these things were being discussed.
66 labo bonke abazizwayo bazilondoloza ezinhliziyweni zabo, besithi: Kambe lolusane luzakuba njani? Njalo isandla seNkosi sasilalo.
All who heard about this laid it up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child become?” And the hand of the Lord was with him.
67 LoZakariya uyise wagcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele, waprofetha, esithi:
Then Zechariah, the child's father, was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
68 Ibusisiwe iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, ngoba ihambele yasenzela inkululeko isizwe sayo,
“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited his people and brought them redemption.
69 yasivusela uphondo losindiso endlini kaDavida inceku yayo,
He has raised up for us a horn of salvation in the house of his servant David
70 njengalokho yakhuluma ngomlomo wabaprofethi bayo abangcwele kusukela ekuqaleni komhlaba, (aiōn g165)
(just as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets long ago), (aiōn g165)
71 isikhulula ezitheni zethu, lesandleni sabo bonke abasizondayo;
salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us—
72 ukwenzela obaba bethu isihawu, lokukhumbula isivumelwano sayo esingcwele,
to deal mercifully with our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,
73 isifungo eyasifunga kubaba wethu uAbrahama,
the oath he swore to Abraham our father, to grant us
74 ukusinika, ukuthi sesikhululiwe esandleni sezitha zethu, siyikhonze singelakwesaba,
that we, having been rescued from the hands 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 lives.
76 Lawe-ke, sane, uzabizwa ngokuthi ungumprofethi woPhezukonke; ngoba uzahamba phambi kobuso beNkosi ukulungisa izindlela zayo;
And yoʋ, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for yoʋ will go before the presence of the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 lokunika isizwe sayo ulwazi losindiso ngothethelelo lwezono zabo,
to give his people knowledge of salvation through the remission of their sins,
78 ngesihelo sikaNkulunkulu wethu, okuthi ngaso ukusa kwaphezulu kusethekelele,
through the tender mercy of our God, by which the sunrise has visited us from on high,
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, 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 became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
