Introduction
1 Dear Theophilus:
Many people have done their best to write a report of the things that have taken place among us. 2 They wrote what we have been told by those who saw these things from the beginning and who proclaimed the message. 3 And so, Your Excellency, because I have carefully studied all these matters from their beginning, I thought it would be good to write an orderly account for you. 4 I do this so that you will know the full truth about everything which you have been taught.
The Birth of John the Baptist Is Announced
5 During the time when Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife's name was Elizabeth; she also belonged to a priestly family. 6 They both lived good lives in God's sight and obeyed fully all the Lord's laws and commands. 7 They had no children because Elizabeth could not have any, and she and Zechariah were both very old.
8 One day Zechariah was doing his work as a priest in the Temple, taking his turn in the daily service. 9 According to the custom followed by the priests, he was chosen by lot to burn incense on the altar. So he went into the Temple of the Lord, 10 while the crowd of people outside prayed during the hour when the incense was burned. 11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar where the incense was burned. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was alarmed and felt afraid. 13 But the angel said to him, “Don't be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son. You are to name him John. 14 How glad and happy you will be, and how happy many others will be when he is born! 15 John will be great in the Lord's sight. He must not drink any wine or strong drink. From his very birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, 16 and he will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 He will go ahead of the Lord, strong and mighty like the prophet Elijah. He will bring fathers and children together again; he will turn disobedient people back to the way of thinking of the righteous; he will get the Lord's people ready for him.”
18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know if this is so? I am an old man, and my wife is old also.”
19 “I am Gabriel,” the angel answered. “I stand in the presence of God, who sent me to speak to you and tell you this good news. 20 But you have not believed my message, which will come true at the right time. Because you have not believed, you will be unable to speak; you will remain silent until the day my promise to you comes true.”
21 In the meantime the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he was spending such a long time in the Temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them, and so they knew that he had seen a vision in the Temple. Unable to say a word, he made signs to them with his hands.
23 When his period of service in the Temple was over, Zechariah went back home. 24 Some time later his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and did not leave the house for five months. 25 “Now at last the Lord has helped me,” she said. “He has taken away my public disgrace!”
The Birth of Jesus Is Announced
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee named Nazareth. 27 He had a message for a young woman promised in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was a descendant of King David. Her name was Mary. 28 The angel came to her and said, “Peace be with you! The Lord is with you and has greatly blessed you!”
29 Mary was deeply troubled by the angel's message, and she wondered what his words meant. 30 The angel said to her, “Don't be afraid, Mary; God has been gracious to you. 31 You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God. The Lord God will make him a king, as his ancestor David was, 33 and he will be the king of the descendants of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end!”
34 Mary said to the angel, “I am a virgin. How, then, can this be?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and God's power will rest upon you. For this reason the holy child will be called the Son of God. 36 Remember your relative Elizabeth. It is said that she cannot have children, but she herself is now six months pregnant, even though she is very old. 37 For there is nothing that God cannot do.”
38 “I am the Lord's servant,” said Mary; “may it happen to me as you have said.” And the angel left her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 Soon afterward Mary got ready and hurried off to a town in the hill country of Judea. 40 She went into Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby moved within her. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and said in a loud voice, “You are the most blessed of all women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 Why should this great thing happen to me, that my Lord's mother comes to visit me? 44 For as soon as I heard your greeting, the baby within me jumped with gladness. 45 How happy you are to believe that the Lord's message to you will come true!”
Mary's Song of Praise
46 Mary said,
“My heart praises the Lord;
47 my soul is glad because of God my Savior,
48 for he has remembered me, his lowly servant!
From now on all people will call me happy,
49 because of the great things the Mighty God has done for me.
His name is holy;
50 from one generation to another
he shows mercy to those who honor him.
51 He has stretched out his mighty arm
and scattered the proud with all their plans.
52 He has brought down mighty kings from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away with empty hands.
54 He has kept the promise he made to our ancestors,
and has come to the help of his servant Israel.
55 He has remembered to show mercy to Abraham
and to all his descendants forever!”
56 Mary stayed about three months with Elizabeth and then went back home.
The Birth of John the Baptist
57 The time came for Elizabeth to have her baby, and she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard how wonderfully good the Lord had been to her, and they all rejoiced with her.
59 When the baby was a week old, they came to circumcise him, and they were going to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60 But his mother said, “No! His name is to be John.”
61 They said to her, “But you don't have any relative with that name!” 62 Then they made signs to his father, asking him what name he would like the boy to have.
63 Zechariah asked for a writing pad and wrote, “His name is John.” How surprised they all were! 64 At that moment Zechariah was able to speak again, and he started praising God. 65 The neighbors were all filled with fear, and the news about these things spread through all the hill country of Judea. 66 Everyone who heard of it thought about it and asked, “What is this child going to be?” For it was plain that the Lord's power was upon him.
Zechariah's Prophecy
67 John's father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he spoke God's message:
68 “Let us praise the Lord, the God of Israel!
He has come to the help of his people and has set them free.
69 He has provided for us a mighty Savior,
a descendant of his servant David.
70 He promised through his holy prophets long ago
71 that he would save us from our enemies,
from the power of all those who hate us.
72 He said he would show mercy to our ancestors
and remember his sacred covenant.
73-74 With a solemn oath to our ancestor Abraham
he promised to rescue us from our enemies
and allow us to serve him without fear,
75 so that we might be holy and righteous before him
all the days of our life.
76 “You, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High God.
You will go ahead of the Lord
to prepare his road for him,
77 to tell his people that they will be saved
by having their sins forgiven.
78 Our God is merciful and tender.
He will cause the bright dawn of salvation to rise on us
79 and to shine from heaven on all those who live in the dark shadow of death,
to guide our steps into the path of peace.”
80 The child grew and developed in body and spirit. He lived in the desert until the day when he appeared publicly 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.
