ULukha 1
1 Njengoba abanengi sebebeke izandla ukubeka ngendlela efaneleyo ukulandiswa kwezinto eziqiniseke ngokupheleleyo phakathi kwethu,
Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled amongst us,
2 njengalokhu basinika labo ababonayo ngamehlo ekuqaleni njalo bezinceku zelizwi,
even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word 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 traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus;
4 ukuze wazi iqiniso ngalezozinto ozifundisiweyo.
that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were 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 Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. He had a wife 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 ordinances of the Lord.
7 Njalo babengelamntwana, ngoba uElizabethi wayeyinyumba, basebeleminyaka eminengi bobabili.
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.
8 Kwasekusithi esenza inkonzo yobupristi phambi kukaNkulunkulu esesimisweni seqembu lakibo,
Now while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his division
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 enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10 Njalo ixuku lonke labantu lalikhuleka ngaphandle ngesikhathi sokutshisa impepha.
The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.
11 Ingilosi yeNkosi yasibonakala kuye, imi ngakwesokunene selathi lempepha.
An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 Kwathi uZakariya eyibona waqhuqha, lokwesaba kwawela phezu kwakhe.
Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, 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, “Don’t be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
14 Futhi uzakuba lenjabulo lentokozo, labanengi bazakujabulela ukuzalwa kwakhe.
You 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, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. 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 children 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 will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for the Lord.”
18 UZakariya wasesithi kuyo ingilosi: Ngizakwazi ngani lokhu? Ngoba mina ngilixhegu, lomkami useleminyaka eminengi.
Zacharias said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
19 Ingilosi yasiphendula yathi kuye: NginguGabriyeli mina, omayo phambi kukaNkulunkulu; njalo ngithunyiwe ukukhuluma lawe, lokukubikela lezizindaba ezinhle.
The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was 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.
Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak until the day that these things will happen, because you didn’t believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”
21 Labantu babemlindele uZakariya; bamangala ngokuphuza kwakhe ethempelini.
The people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marvelled that he delayed 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 could not speak to them. They perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute.
23 Kwasekusithi seziphelile insuku zokukhonza kwakhe, waya endlini yakhe.
When the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house.
24 Kwathi emva kwalezonsuku uElizabethi umkakhe wathatha isisu, wazifihla okwezinyanga ezinhlanu, esithi:
After these 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.
“Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach amongst 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 city of Galilee named Nazareth,
27 entombini eyayigane indoda, ebizo layo lalinguJosefa, eyendlu kaDavida; lebizo lentombi linguMariya.
to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary.
28 Ingilosi yasingena kuye yathi: Ekuhle, wena othandiweyo! INkosi ilawe, ubusisiwe wena phakathi kwabesifazana.
Having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, you highly favoured one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you amongst women!”
29 Kwathi eseyibonile wethuswa kakhulu yilizwi layo, wanakana ukuthi yikubingelela okunjani lokhu.
But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be.
30 Ingilosi yasisithi kuye: Ungesabi, Mariya; ngoba uthole uthando kuNkulunkulu.
The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God.
31 Njalo khangela, uzathatha isisu, uzale indodana, uzakuthi ibizo layo nguJesu.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and 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. 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)
and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.” (aiōn g165)
34 UMariya wasesithi kuyo ingilosi: Lokhu kungenzeka njani, njengoba ngingazi indoda?
Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing 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 on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God.
36 Njalo khangela, isinini sakho uElizabethi, laye ukhulelwe yindodana ebudaleni bakhe; lale yinyanga yesithupha kuye obekuthiwa uyinyumba.
Behold, Elizabeth your relative also has 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 nothing spoken by God is impossible.”
38 UMariya wasesithi: Khangela, incekukazi yeNkosi; kakube kimi njengelizwi lakho. Ingilosi yasisuka kuye.
Mary said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
39 Ngalezonsuku uMariya wasesukuma waya ezintabeni ngokuphangisa, emzini weJuda,
Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah,
40 wangena endlini kaZakariya, wabingelela uElizabethi.
and entered into the house of Zacharias 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 leapt 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!
She called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43 Kanti kuvela ngaphi lokhu kimi, ukuthi unina weNkosi yami eze kimi?
Why am I so favoured, 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 voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leapt in my womb for joy!
45 Futhi ubusisiwe okholiweyo, ngoba kuzagcwaliseka lezozinto ezakhulunywa kuye yiNkosi.
Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfilment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!”
46 UMariya wasesithi: Umphefumulo wami uyayikhulisa iNkosi,
Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord.
47 lomoya wami uyathokoza kuNkulunkulu uMsindisi wami,
My spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour,
48 ngoba ukhangele ubuphansi bencekukazi yakhe. Ngoba khangela, kusukela khathesi zonke izizukulwana zizakuthi ngibusisiwe.
for he has looked at 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,
For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name.
50 lesihawu sakhe sikusizukulwana ngesizukulwana kulabo abamesabayo.
His mercy is for generations and generations on those who fear him.
51 Wenzile amandla ngengalo yakhe; uhlakazile abazigqajayo ekunakaneni kwenhliziyo zabo.
He has shown 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 princes from their thrones, and has exalted the lowly.
53 Abalambileyo ubasuthise ngezinto ezinhle, kodwa abanothileyo wabamukisa beze.
He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty.
54 Umsizile uIsrayeli inceku yakhe, ngokukhumbula isihawu,
He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his offspring forever.” (aiōn g165)
56 UMariya wasehlala laye okungaba zinyanga ezintathu, wasebuyela endlini yakhe.
Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.
57 Isikhathi sikaElizabethi sokuthi abelethe sesiphelele, wasebeletha indodana.
Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she gave birth to a son.
58 Abakhelene laye lezinini zakhe basebesizwa ukuthi iNkosi yenze isihawu sayo saba sikhulu kuye, basebethokoza laye.
Her neighbours and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards 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 would have called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
60 Kodwa unina waphendula wathi: Hatshi bo, kodwa luzathiwa nguJohane.
His mother answered, “Not so; but he will be called John.”
61 Basebesithi kuye: Kakho ezihlotsheni zakho obizwa ngalelibizo.
They said to her, “There is no one amongst your relatives who is called by this name.”
62 Basebeqhweba uyise, ukuthi angathanda ukuthi lubizwe ngokuthini.
They made signs to his father, what he would have him called.
63 Wasecela into yokubhalela, wabhala, esithi: NguJohane ibizo lalo; basebemangala bonke.
He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, “His name is John.” They all marvelled.
64 Njalo wahle wavulwa umlomo wakhe lolimi lwakhe lwatshwaphululwa, wasekhuluma edumisa uNkulunkulu.
His mouth was opened immediately and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God.
65 Lokwesaba kwehlela phezu kwabo bonke abakhelene labo; njalo kwakhulunywa ngazo zonke lezizinto kulo lonke elezintabeni zeJudiya,
Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea.
66 labo bonke abazizwayo bazilondoloza ezinhliziyweni zabo, besithi: Kambe lolusane luzakuba njani? Njalo isandla seNkosi sasilalo.
All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” The hand of the Lord was with him.
67 LoZakariya uyise wagcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele, waprofetha, esithi:
His father Zacharias 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 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 who have been from of old), (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 show mercy towards our fathers, to remember his holy covenant,
73 isifungo eyasifunga kubaba wethu uAbrahama,
the oath which he swore to Abraham our father,
74 ukusinika, ukuthi sesikhululiwe esandleni sezitha zethu, siyikhonze singelakwesaba,
to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should 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, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will 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 to his people by the remission of their sins,
78 ngesihelo sikaNkulunkulu wethu, okuthi ngaso ukusa kwaphezulu kusethekelele,
because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the dawn from on high will visit us,
79 ukubakhanyisela abahlezi emnyameni lethunzini lokufa, ukuqondisa inyawo zethu endleleni yokuthula.
to shine on those who sit in darkness and 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.
The child was growing and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
