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.
Embo ku Teofilus
1 Musuverwa Teofilus: Ovandu ovengi va kondja tjinene okutjanga omaserekarerero woviṋa mbya tjitwa mokati ketu. 2 Owo va tjanga imbi eṱe mbi twa serekarererwa i imba mba muna oviṋa mbi okuza komautiro wavyo, nu mba zuvarisa ombuze ndji. 3 Muingona Teofilus, ami tjinga amba konḓonona oviṋa avihe mbi nawa okuza komautiro wavyo, otjinga ambe ripura kutja okokuwa okukutjangera omahungi nga nawa. 4 Ami me tjiti nai kokutja u tjiwe imbwi ouatjiri auhe womambo aehe ngu wa hongwa.
Ongwatero ya Johanes Omupapitise mai zuvarisiwa
5 Oruveze Herodes tja ri ombara ya Judea, mwa ri omupristeri wena Sakaria, nu ngwa ri oworupa rwa Abija roupristeri. Ena romukazendu we ra ri Elisabet; eye wina wa zire meṱunḓu ra Aron roupristeri. 6 Owo aveyevari va ri ovasemba komurungu wa Ndjambi, nu aave ṱakamisa nawa inga omatwako nomaraerero aehe wa Muhona. 7 Nu kava ri novanatje, Elisabet tjinga a ri ongandji; nu aveyevari wina va kurupire tjinene.
8 Eyuva rimwe Sakaria ngunda ama ungura oviungura vyoupristeri komurungu wa Ndjambi, moruveze rwotjimbumba tjawo okuungura, 9 otja kongaro youpristeri, eye otja toororwa nozohanga kutja a hite mondjuwo ya Muhona, nu a katwimise ovyomoro omuwa. 10 Imbi ovyomoro omuwa ngunda amavi twimisiwa, tjandje nao ihi otjimbumba atjihe tjovandu tji ri pendje matji kumbu.
11 Omuengeri wa Muhona we riraisa ku ye, a kurama kokunene kwotjipunguhiro tjomatwimisiro wovyomoro omuwa. 12 Nu Sakaria tje mu muna, wa uruma nu a tira tjinene. 13 Nungwari ingwi omuengeri wa tjere ku ye: “O tira, Sakaria, Ndjambi wa zuvire ongumbiro yoye, nu omukazendu woye Elisabet me ku pandukire omuatje omuzandu, nena re mo mu ruku Johanes. 14 Eye ma rire enyando nondjorokero kove, nu ovengi mave nyandere ongwatero ye; 15 orondu eye ma rire omunene komurungu wa Muhona, nu kamaa nu ko omavinu nomanuwa omazeu; nu me urisiwa nOmbepo Ondjapuke ngunda e ri mezumo raina. 16 Eye ma kotora Ovaisrael ovengi ku Muhona Ndjambi wawo; 17 nu ma tengere po Muhona mombepo na momasa otja omuprofete Elia, kokutja a hanganise ooihe novanatje, nokutanaurira ovehinanḓuviro kounongo wovasemba, nokuṱuna otjiwaṋa kutja tji rirongerere omeero wa Muhona.”
18 Sakaria wa tjere komuengeri: “Ihi ami me tji tjiwa vi? Ami mba kurupa, nomukazendu wandje wina wa kurupa.”
19 Omuengeri wa zira a tja: “Owami Gabriel! Ami mbi kurama komurungu wa Ndjambi, neye ongwe ndji hindi okuyekuhungira kuna ove, nokukuraera ombuze ombwa ndji. 20 Tara, ove mo pata eraka, nu komoo sora okuhungira nga keyuva ndi oviṋa mbi tji mavi tjitwa, mena rokutja ove kokamburire momambo wandje ngu maye rire ouatjiri moruveze nduriro.”
21 Ihi otjiwaṋa tjandje nao matji undju Sakaria, nu otja rira otjihimise ku tjo kutja eye wa wombere tjike nai mondjuwo ya Muhona. 22 Neye tja pita ka sorere okuhungira kuna wo, nowo otji va muna kutja eye wa munu otjirimunikise mondjuwo ya Muhona, orondu eye wa uta okutjita ovisanekero nomake uriri nu a rire otjikume.
23 Nomayuva we wokukarera Muhona mondjuwo ye tji ya manuka, Sakaria arire tja yaruka koye. 24 Kombunda yomayuva ngo, omukazendu we Elisabet wa rira otjingundi, nu we rihorekere oure womieze vitano. Ama tja: 25 “Nambano Muhona we ndji vatere, notja isa mo ohoṋi yandje mokati kovandu!”
Ongwatero ya Jesus mai zuvarisiwa
26 Momueze outjahamboumwe, Elisabet tja ri otjingundi, Ndjambi wa hindire omuengeri Gabriel kotjihuro tji tja ri mehi ra Galilea, tjena Nasaret. 27 Eye wa etere ombuze komusuko ngwa varekerwe i omurumendu wena Josef, ondekurona yombara David. Nu indi ena romusuko ra ri Maria. 28 Omuengeri weya ku ye na tja: “Minikwa, ove ngu wa ingonekwa notjari. Muhona u ri puna ove!”
29 Maria wa urumisiwa tjinene i ombuze yomuengeri ndji na himwa kutja omambo nga maye hee tjike. 30 Omuengeri wa tjere ku ye: “O tira, Maria, ove wa munu ondjingonekero komurungu wa Ndjambi. 31 Tara, mo rire otjingundi, nu mo panduka omuatje omuzandu, nu ena re mo mu ruku Jesus. 32 Eye ma rire omunene, nu ma isanewa Omuna wa Ndjambi wOkombandambanda. Muhona Ndjambi me mu pe otjihavero tjouhona tjaihe mukururume David. 33 Nu eye ma honaparere ozondekurona za Jakob otja ombara nga aruhe; nouhona we kamaau yanda ko!”
34 Maria wa tja komuengeri: “Otjiṋa hi matji tjitwa vi ami ambi hiya rora okuhakaena nomurumendu?”
35 Omuengeri wa zira a tja: “Ombepo Ondjapuke mai ya kombanda yoye, nomasa wa Ndjambi wOkombandambanda maye ungura move. Nu ingwi omuatje omuyapuke ngu ma zu move opu ma zu okuisanewa Omuna wa Ndjambi. 36 Tara, omuhoko woye Elisabet wina nai otjingundi tjomuatje omuzandu mongurupiro ye, neye ngu ku za ongandji nambano u nezumo romieze hamboumwe. 37 Orondu Ndjambi ke notjiṋa tji tje mu ura.”
38 Maria wa tja nai: “Owami omukarere wa Muhona; ngape tjitwe ku ami otja punga awa hee.” Nomuengeri arire tja zu po pu ye.
Maria ma kavarura Elisabet
39 Kombunda yanao Maria wa hakahana okuyenda kotjirongo tji tja ri mehi rovivanda ra Judea. 40 Eye wa kahita mondjuwo ya Sakaria na minike Elisabet. 41 Nu Elisabet tja zuva ombinika ya Maria, okanatje arire tji ka nyinganyinga mezumo re; nu ingwi Elisabet omuini we urisiwa nOmbepo Ondjapuke, 42 nu a ravaere neraka enene a tja: “Oove omuṋingandu mokati kovakazendu, nu nga serwe ondaya ingwi omukwatwa wezumo roye! 43 Otjiṋa otjinene hi matji tjitirwa tjike ku ami kutja ina yo Muhona wandje me yokundjivarura? 44 Orondu tara, tjimanga tji mba zu nokuzuva ombinika yoye okanatje otji ka nyinganyinga nenyando mezumo randje. 45 Tjiri, oove omuṋingandu ngu wa kambura kutja avihe mbya hungirwa i Muhona kove mavi yenenisiwa!”
Eimburiro ra Maria rondjoroka
46 Maria wa tja:
“Omuinyo wandje mau hivirike Muhona,
47 nombepo yandje mai yoroka mu Ndjambi,
Omuyame wandje,
48 Eye tjinga a tara komukarere
we omuhinanḓengu.
Tara, okuzamba omihoko avihe
mavi ndji isana omuṋingandu,
49 tjinga amba tjitirwa oviṋa ovinene
i Ndjambi Omunamasa,
Ena re oro eyapuke;
50 otjari tje tji karerera okuza
kozondekurona nga kozondekurona
ku imba mbe nondira ku ye.
51 Eye wa ungura oviṋa ovinene nokuoko kwe,
nu wa piza imba mbe ritongamisa
momeripuriro womitima vyawo.
52 Wa herura ozombara ozonauvara
kovihavero vyazo vyouhona,
nu wa tongamisa imba ovehinanḓengu.
53 Eye we kutisa ovanandjara noviṋa oviwa,
novatumbe wa yarura make nge ri tjo.
54 Wa yenenisa omakwizikiro nga
tjitire kootate mukururume,
nu wa vatere Israel, omukarere we.
55 Eye wa zemburuka okuṱotjari na Abraham
nozondekurona ze nga aruhe!”
56 Maria wa kara oure womieze mangara vitatu puna Elisabet, tjazumba arire tja yaruka koye.
Ongwatero ya Johanes Omupapitise
57 Nambano oruveze rwa Elisabet rwokupanduka arire tji rwa yenene, neye wa panduka omuatje omuzandu. 58 Ovararanganda novazamumwe ve tji va muna kutja Muhona we mu raisire otjari tje otjinene, arire tji va yoroka pamwe na ye. 59 Nu meyuva oritjahambondatu owo ve ya okusukareka okanatje nu ave vanga okukeruka ena ra ihe Sakaria. 60 Nungwari ingwi ina wa tja: “Kako! Eye ma rukwa ena Johanes!”
61 Owo va tja nai ku ye: “Kape na umwe momuhoko woye ngu nena ndo!” 62 Tjazumba va ṋanga ihe nave mu pura kutja omuatje eye ma vanga okumuruka tjikwaye.
63 Sakaria wa ningira otjitjangero nu a tjanga nai: “Ena re oJohanes!” Nowo avehe arire tji va himwa! 64 Tjimanga otjinyo tja Sakarias tja paturuka, neye wa hungira a tanga Ndjambi. 65 Ovararanganda na ye avehe arire tji va hara omburuma, nombuze aihe ndji ya zuvaka mehi arihe rovivanda vya Judea. 66 Auhe ngwa zuva oviṋa mbi, we ripura na vyo na pura a tja: “Omuatje ngwi ma rire omukwatjike?” Orondu okuuoko kwa Muhona okunamasa tjiri kwa ri kombanda ye.
Eimburiro rondangero ra Sakaria
67 Sakaria, ihe ya Johanes, we urisiwa nOmbepo Ondjapuke, neye wa hungira ombuze ya Ndjambi a tja:
68 “Nga tangwe, Muhona, Ndjambi wa Israel,
eye tjinga eya okuvatera otjiwaṋa tje nokutjikutura.
69 Eye we tu yetere Omukuture omunamasa,
ondekurona yomukarere we David.
70 Otja tja kwizikire rukuru novinyo
vyovaprofete ve ovayapuke
71 kutja eye me tu yama kovanavita na eṱe,
na kouvara wa imba avehe mbe tu tonda.
72 Eye wa tjere ma raisa otjari kootate mukururume,
nu ma zemburuka omerikutiropamwe we omayapuke.
73 Wa zikamisa noruyano oruṱakame ku
tate Abraham kutja me tu pe
74 okutukutura momake wovanavita na eṱe,
tu mu karere nokuhina okutira
75 kutja tu rire ovayapuke novasemba komurungu we
omayuva aehe ngunda atu nomuinyo.
76 “Nove, muatje wandje, mo isanewa omuprofete
wa Ndjambi wOkombandambanda.
Ove mo tengere po Muhona
okumuṱunina ondjira ye,
77 nokuraera otjiwaṋa tje kutja otjo matji yamwa
mokuisirwa ourunde watjo.
78 Mena rotjari tja Ndjambi wetu,
ondjerera yeyuva pokupita mai yere
kombanda yetu okuza meyuru.
79 Okuyandja ondjerera ku imba avehe mbe ri
monḓorera na momuzire wonḓiro,
nokuyatisa ozombaze zetu mondjira yohange.”
80 Nu ingwi omuatje we kura na hara omasa morutu na mombepo. Eye wa kara mokuti onguza nga keyuva ndi eye nda raisiwa kotjiwaṋa tja Israel.
