Matama e kutanga
1 Banji bakazwipa kukwala mbiko ye zwithu zwakashingikala pakati kwedu, 2 koga sekwa takazwibudziwa ndi ibabo bakabe balipo kutanga, bali batendeki kakale bali bashingili be dama le Ndzimu. 3 Ndizo se imi ndakashakisisa nge njele tjimwe ne tjimwe kudwa mukutangisa, ndawana kwakandilulwamila kuti ndimukukwalile ndebo yakatambunuka, imwi tate Teofilo, 4 kuti ndizo muzibe malebeswa ngekwe zwithu zwamakadiyiwa.
Kulebegwa mbeli kwe kuzwagwa kwa Johani we N'dubiki
5 Mu misi ya Herode mambo we Judiya, kwakabe kuna mpirisiti edang'wa kuyi Zakhariya, ali mmwe we goko la Abhiya, ngono wakabe ana nkadzi zina lile lili Elizabeta ali mmwe we zwizekugwana zwa Aroni. 6 Bubili gwabo, bakabe bali balulwami mu mesho e Ndzimu, basina nlandu belondolodza milayo ya She yose, ne ndaulo dzidze. 7 Koga bakabe basina bana ngobe Elizabeta wakabe asingathame bana, kakale bakabe bakwegula bose bubili.
8 Ndizo kukati kuli zolo le goko la Zakhariya kubhata nshingo we bupirisiti se kwaakabe ali mpirisiti we Ndzimu, 9 kashalugwa nge hakata kuyendidzana ne tjilenje tje bupirisiti kungina mu Ng'umba ye Ndzimu She ne kupisa motsha. 10 Mu tjibaka itjetjo tje kupisa motsha, gubungano le bathu lakabe litembezela kuzhe.
11 Ipapo ntumwa wa She kazwilakidza kunli, ali mile ku luji gwe tjibeso tje motsha. 12 Kukati Zakhariya embona, kadziyidzika kakale katja kwazo. 13 Koga ntumwa we kudzimu kati kunli, “Usitje Zakhariya, ntembezelo uwo wahwika. Nkadzi uwo Elizabeta unowokuwanila mwana we tjilisana, ngono unowon'dana uti Johani. 14 Unowobe ne kushatha ukapululudza, ne banji banowoshatha mu kuzwagwa kukwe, 15 ngobe Johani unowobe nkulu mu mesho a She. Aatowong'wa nkumbi we zhambi, kene tjimwe tjing'o tjakabila. Ngobe unowozhadziwa nge Meya yakayengemala kudwila tjose atji mu tjibumbilo tja mmeyabe. 16 Unowoshandusila bana banji be Iziraela kuna She, Ndzimu wabo. 17 Kakale unowoyenda mbeli kwa She mu meya ne mu masimba a Elija, eshandusila mimoyo ya botate ku bana babo, ne basingahwe kathama kuti bahwilile Ndzimu bayende mu butjejendu gwe balulwami, elulwamisila bathu kuzha kwa She.”
18 Ngono Zakhariya kabhuzwa ntumwa kati, “Ndingabe ne malebeswa tjini ngekwa ikoku? Ndi nthuntana ne nkadzi wangu wakwegula.”
19 Ntumwa we kudzimu kan'dabila kati, “Ndimi Gabhariyele, imi ndinoma mbeli kwe Ndzimu misi yose. Ndatumwa kulebeleka nawe ne kukubudza ndebo mbuya iyeyi. 20 Bona! Unowobe mbebebe ukasilebeleke kuswikila zhuba linowoshingikala zwithu izwezwi, ngobe auzogalamoyo matama angu anowozhadzisika nge tjibaka tjawo.”
21 Ipapo bathu bakabe bakalindila Zakhariya, ngono bakatjenamisiwa nge kunonoka kukwe mu Ng'umba ye Ndzimu. 22 Ngono kukati ebhuda, kasitubule kulebeleka nabo. Bakaziba ha abona mbono mu Ng'umba ye Ndzimu. Wakalebeleka nabo nge maboko koga asingatubule kulebeleka nge nlomo.
23 Kukati zolo lile lawila le kushinga lapela kabgwilila kanyi. 24 Shule kwe mazhuba iyawo nkadzi uwe Elizabeta kazwisenga ngono kazwisumbika mwedzi ili mishanu, 25 eti “She wandishingila ikoku mu mazhuba iyawa, wandilinga nge ngoni dzidze kandidusa shoni pakati kwe bathu.”
Kulebegwa mbeli kwe kuzwagwa kwa Jesu
26 Shule kwe mimwedzi ili mitathatu Elizabeta akazwisenga, Ndzimu wakatuma ntumwa wawo Gabhariyele ku Nazareta nzi u mu ntuthu we Galili 27 ku mwanadi wakabe akabiganyidzigwa ndobolo ne nlume wakabe eyi Josefa, we nsha wa Dafite. Zina le mwanadi iwoyo lakabe lili Mariya. 28 Ntumwa we kudzimu kayenda kunli kati, “Dumila iwe unodika kwazo, She banawe!”
29 Mariya kadziyidzika kwazo nge matama awe, ngono katjenama kuti hwudumilisa kwakatini ikoku. 30 Koga ntumwa we kudzimu kati kunli, “Usitje, Mariya, Ndzimu wakuda. 31 Unowozwisenga, ngono ukawana mwana we tjilisana, unowontumila zina uti Jesu. 32 Unowobe nkulu, kakale unowodang'wa Nkololo we Ndzimu Upezhugwi zhugwi. She Ndzimu banowompa tjigalo tje bushe gwa batategulu babe Dafite, 33 ngono unowobusa nge kusingapele mu ng'umba ya Jakubo, bushe gugwe agutowopela.”
34 Mariya kabhuzwa ntumwa we kudzimu eti, “Ikoku kowoshingikala tjini, se ndili mwanadi ndisathu aziba nlume kene?”
35 Ntumwa we kudzimu kashandula eti, “Meya yakayengemala inowozha mukuli ne masimba e Ndzimu Upezhugwi zhugwi anowobe mukuli. Ndizo mwana iwoyo waunowozwala, unowobe N'yengemali, kadang'wa kuyi Nkololo we Ndzimu. 36 Na Elizabeta gamu lilo, unowobe ne mwana nenguba akakwegula, iye wakabe ali balumbila umu mwedzi uwe we butathatu. 37 Akuna tjisingatubuke ku Ndzimu.”
38 Mariya kashandula eti, “Imi ndi nlanda wa She, ngakushingikale kundili sekwa waleba.” Ipapo ntumwa we kudzimu kansiya.
Mariya ekumba Elizabeta
39 Kukati mu mazhuba iyawo Mariya kazwilulwamisa, kalibilidza kayenda ku nzi umu ntuthu we matombo, e Judiya, 40 ngono kaswika kangina mu nzi wa Zakhariya, kadumilisa Elizabeta. 41 Ndizo kukati Elizabeta ehwa dumiliso ya Mariya, mwana katjuluka mu ntumbu uwe, Elizabeta kazhala Meya yakayengemala. 42 Kalebelekela pezhugwi kati, “Wakakombolegwa mu bakadzi bose, ndizo wakakombolegwa mwana waunowowana! 43 Koga ini kwashingikala kuti mme ba She wangu, bazhe kundili? 44 Ndati koga ndihwa udumilisa, mwana umu ntumbu wangu katjuluka nge kushatha. 45 Wakakombolegwa ngobe wakagalamoyo kuti matama awakabudziwa ndi She anoshingakala!”
Mariya kamba lumbo gwe kukudza
46 Mariya kati,
“Meya yangu inokudza She.
47 Meya yangu inoshatha ngekwe Ndzimu Ntjidzi wangu,
48 ngobe wayitila hanya butukununu gwe nlandakadzi uwe.
Kudwa nasi zwizekugwana zose zondidana wakakombolegwa,
49 ngobe Ndzimu Masimbawose wandishingila zwikulu.
Zina lawo lakayengemala.
50 Unohwila zogwadza ibabo banoutja, banouteta
kudwa mu tjizekugwana kunoti mu tjizekugwana.
51 Wakathama zwikulu nge luboko gwawo;
Ukapaladza ibabo banozwikudza, mumimoyo yabo.
52 Wakadelusa boshe mu zwigalo zwabo zwe bushe.
Koga ukamilidzila pezhugwi ibabo batukununu.
53 Wakagutsha bana zhala nge zwithu zwakanaka,
koga bafumi kabashandusa bakalembedza maboko.
54 Wakabhatsha nlanda uwe Iziraela,
ukumbulukigwa mahwilo zogwadza,
55 sekwa wakalebeleka na botate bedu, bo Abhurahama
ne zwizekugwana zwabo nge kusingapele kose.”
56 Mariya kagala na Elizabeta kungabe mimwedzi mitatu, kudwapo kabgwilila kanyi.
Kuzwagwa kwa Johani we N'dubiki
57 Kwakati tjibaka tjatjizha tje kuti Elizabeta awane mwana, katshibama mwana we tjilisana. 58 Ngono babakidzani naye ne makamu awe bakahwa kuti She wakanhwila ngoni kukulu, bakashatha naye.
59 Ndizo mu zhuba le buzhanakadzi (8) bakazha kuwothumbila mwana, bakabe bewontumila beti Zakhariya, zina la tate babe. 60 Koga mmeyabe bakalebeleka beti, “Akutowojalo, unowodang'wa kuyi Johani.”
61 Bakati kunli, “Akuna mmwe pakati kwe makamu awo una zina ilelo.” 62 Ndizo bakalebeleka nge maboko na tate babe, beshako ziba kuti ibo tate be mwana banoda kuntumila beti ani.
63 Zakhariya kakumbila bgwe linokwaligwa, ngono kakaabadza mmwe ne mmwe ngokwala eti, “Zina lile ndi Johani.” 64 Tjinyolotjo kazhula nlomo ne lulimi gugwe gukasununguka, katangisa kulebeleka, elumbidza Ndzimu. 65 Babakidzani naye bakatjenama kwazo ne mu ntuthu wose we matombo we Judiya, bathu bakabe belebeleka ngekwe zwithu izwezwi zose. 66 Mmwe ne mmwe wakahwa ikoku ezwibhuzwisisa eti, “Mwana iwoyu ini tjaanowobe itjo ngono?” Ngobe simba la She lakabe lilimunli.
Lumbo gwa Zakhariya
67 Tate ba Johani, Zakhariya bakazhala Meya yakayengemala, ngono bakalebelambeli beti,
68 “Gudzo ngalibe muna She, Ndzimu we Iziraela,
ngobe wazha ku bathu bawo ukabadzutunula.
69 Watizhisila Ntjidzi una masimba
unodwa mu ng'umba ye nlanda uwe Dafite.
70 Sekwa wakaleba nge balebesambeli bawo
bakayengemala kudwa ntolo,
71 kuti takafanila tjidziwa mu zwita zwedu,
ne mu maboko abose bakatibenga.
72 Wakathama ikoku kulakidza mahwilo zogwadza
akagadziwabgwe bobatategulu bedu,
ne kukumbula tjidumano tjawo tjakayengemala,
73 ne kutuna kwawakatuna kuna tate bedu Abhurahama,
74 kutisunungula mu maboko e zwita zwedu,
kuti titubule kushingila She tisingatje tjimwe
75 mu kuyengemala ne kululwama mbeli kukwe,
mu butjilo gwedu gose.
76 Nawe mwanangu, unowodang'wa
nlebesambeli we Ndzimu Upezhugwi zhugwi,
ngobe unowoyenda mbeli kwa She kunlulwamisila zila
77 kupa bathu ba She zibo ye kuti jidzo lozha
nge kuzwiibhatigwa kwe zwibi zwabo,
78 nge mahwilo zogwadza e Ndzimu
kowopenya tjedza mutili tjidwa zhuzhugwi.
79 Kupa tjedza ibabo
bagele mu zhalima ne bamu ntutshi we lufu,
kutitungamilila mu zila ye kunyalala.”
80 Ngono mwana kakula kasima mu meya, ndizo kagala mu tjilambanyika kudzina eboneka patjena ku Iziraela.
1 Many people have tried to tell the story of what God has done among us. 2 They wrote what we had been told by the ones who were there in the beginning and saw what happened. 3 So I made a careful study of everything and then decided to write and tell you exactly what took place. Honorable Theophilus, 4 I have done this to let you know the truth about what you have heard.
An Angel Tells about the Birth of John
5 When Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest by the name of Zechariah from the priestly group of Abijah. His wife Elizabeth was from the family of Aaron. 6 Both of them were good people and pleased the Lord God by obeying all that he had commanded. 7 But they did not have children. Elizabeth could not have any, and both Zechariah and Elizabeth were already old.
8 One day Zechariah's group of priests were on duty, and he was serving God as a priest. 9 According to the custom of the priests, he had been chosen to go into the Lord's temple that day and to burn incense, 10 while the people stood outside praying.
11 All at once an angel from the Lord appeared to Zechariah at the right side of the altar. 12 Zechariah was confused and afraid when he saw the angel. 13 But the angel told him:
Don't be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayers. Your wife Elizabeth will have a son, and you must name him John. 14 His birth will make you very happy, and many people will be glad. 15 Your son will be a great servant of the Lord. He must never drink wine or beer, and the power of the Holy Spirit will be with him from the time he is born.
16 John will lead many people in Israel to turn back to the Lord their God. 17 He will go ahead of the Lord with the same power and spirit that Elijah had. And because of John, parents will be more thoughtful of their children. And people who now disobey God will begin to think as they ought to. This is how John will get people ready for the Lord.
18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this is going to happen? My wife and I are both very old.”
19 The angel answered, “I am Gabriel, God's servant, and I was sent to tell you this good news. 20 You have not believed what I have said. So you will not be able to say a thing until all this happens. But everything will take place when it is supposed to.”
21 The crowd was waiting for Zechariah and kept wondering why he was staying in the temple so long. 22 When he did come out, he could not speak, and they knew he had seen a vision. He motioned to them with his hands, but did not say a thing.
23 When Zechariah's time of service in the temple was over, he went home. 24 Soon after this, his wife was expecting a baby, and for five months she did not leave the house. She said to herself, 25 “What the Lord has done for me will keep people from looking down on me.”
An Angel Tells about the Birth of Jesus
26 One month later God sent the angel Gabriel to the town of Nazareth in Galilee 27 with a message for a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to Joseph from the family of King David. 28 The angel greeted Mary and said, “You are truly blessed! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was confused by the angel's words and wondered what they meant. 30 Then the angel told Mary, “Don't be afraid! God is pleased with you, 31 and you will have a son. His name will be Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of God Most High. The Lord God will make him king, as his ancestor David was. 33 He will rule the people of Israel forever, and his kingdom will never end.”
34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this happen? I am not even married!”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come down to you, and God's power will come over you. So your child will be called the holy Son of God. 36 Your relative Elizabeth is also going to have a son, even though she is old. No one thought she could ever have a baby, but in three months she will have a son. 37 Nothing is impossible for God!”
38 Mary said, “I am the Lord's servant! Let it happen as you have said.” And the angel left her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 A short time later Mary hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea. 40 She went into Zechariah's home, where she greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, her baby moved within her.
The Holy Spirit came upon Elizabeth. 42 Then in a loud voice she said to Mary:
God has blessed you more than any other woman! He has also blessed the child you will have. 43 Why should the mother of my Lord come to me? 44 As soon as I heard your greeting, my baby became happy and moved within me. 45 The Lord has blessed you because you believed that he will keep his promise.
Mary's Song of Praise
46 Mary said:
With all my heart
I praise the Lord,
47 and I am glad
because of God my Savior.
48 God cares for me,
his humble servant.
From now on,
all people will say
God has blessed me.
49 God All-Powerful has done
great things for me,
and his name is holy.
50 He always shows mercy
to everyone
who worships him.
51 The Lord has used
his powerful arm
to scatter those
who are proud.
52 God drags strong rulers
from their thrones
and puts humble people
in places of power.
53 God gives the hungry
good things to eat,
and sends the rich away
with nothing.
54 God helps his servant Israel
and is always merciful
to his people.
55 The Lord made this promise
to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his family
forever!
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months. Then she went back home.
The Birth of John the Baptist
57 When Elizabeth's son was born, 58 her neighbors and relatives heard how kind the Lord had been to her, and they too were glad.
59 Eight days later they did for the child what the Law of Moses commands. They were going to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60 But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John.”
61 The people argued, “No one in your family has ever been named John.” 62 So they motioned to Zechariah to find out what he wanted to name his son.
63 Zechariah asked for a writing tablet. Then he wrote, “His name is John.” Everyone was amazed. 64 At once, Zechariah started speaking and praising God.
65 All the neighbors were frightened because of what had happened, and everywhere in the hill country people kept talking about these things. 66 Everyone who heard about this wondered what this child would grow up to be. They knew the Lord was with him.
Zechariah Praises the Lord
67 The Holy Spirit came upon Zechariah, and he began to speak:
68 Praise the Lord,
the God of Israel!
He has come
to save his people.
69 Our God has given us
a mighty Savior
from the family
of David his servant.
70 Long ago the Lord promised
by the words
of his holy prophets
71 to save us from our enemies
and from everyone
who hates us.
72 God said he would be kind
to our people and keep
his sacred promise.
73 He told our ancestor Abraham
74 that he would rescue us
from our enemies.
Then we could serve him
without fear,
75 by being holy and good
as long as we live.
76 You, my son, will be called
the prophet of God Most High.
You will go ahead of the Lord
to get everything ready
for him.
77 You will tell his people
that they can be saved
when their sins
are forgiven.
78 God's love and kindness
will shine upon us
like the sun that rises
in the sky.
79 On us who live
in the dark shadow
of death
this light will shine
to guide us
into a life of peace.
80 As John grew up, God's Spirit gave him great power. John lived in the desert until the time he was sent to the people of Israel.