1 Omusimanekwa Teofilus!
Aanyoli oyendji oya si oshimpwiyu shokutunga ehokololo lyiiningwanima mbyoka ya tsakanithwa mokati ketu. 2 Oyo oya nyola shoka twa li twe shi hokololelwa kumboka ya li ya mono nomeho gawo okuza petameko noya ningi aayuvithi yoohapu. 3 Onkee ano ngame wo sho nda konakona iinima ayihe okuza petameko, onde shi tala sho opala, ndi ku nyolele ehokololo lya yela, omusimanekwa Teofilus, 4 opo u tseye nawa kutya omahokololo ngoka we ga longwa, ogoshili.
Okuvalwa kwaJohannes Omushashi taku tseyithwa
5 Pethimbo ndyoka, uuna Herodes a li omukwaniilwa gwaJudea, okwa li ku na omuyambi, edhina lye Sakaria, gwometanga lyaAbia. Edhina lyomukiintu gwe oElisabet, gwomezimo lyaAron. 6 Ayehe yaali oya li aayuuki koshipala shaKalunga, yaa na oshipwe noya vulika kiipango ayihe nokomautho agehe gOmuwa. 7 Ihe oya li kaaye na oluvalo, oshoka Elisabet okwa li ihaa vala, yo ayehe yaali oya adhika ye li methimbo lyuukulupe.
8 Esiku limwe Sakaria okwa li miilonga yokuyamba koshipala shaKalunga opalufo lwetanga lye. …Sakaria okwa li miilonga yokuyamba koshipala shaKalunga opalufo lwetanga lye. 9 Pamukalo ngoka gwa li gwa landulwa kaayambi, Sakaria okwa hogololwa nokuumba oshihogololitho, a ka tsinine motempeli yOmuwa. 10 Pethimbo lyokutsinina aantu ayehe oya kala pondje taa galikana.
11 Omuyengeli gwOmuwa, ngoka a thikama kombinga yokolulyo lwoshiyambelo hoka haku fikilwa omatsinino, okwi ihololele Sakaria. 12 Sakaria sho e mu mono, okwa haluka a tila. 13 Omuyengeli okwa ti kuye: “Sakaria, ino tila, egalikano lyoye olyu uvika. Omukiintu gwoye Elisabet ote ke ku valela okanona okamati, e to ka luku Johannes. 14 Ngoye oto kala u udha enyanyu neligolo, noyendji yalwe otaa ka nyanyukilwa evalo lyako. 15 Oshoka omunona nguka ota ka kala omunene koshipala shOmuwa. Oye ita nu omaviinu nenge oshinuwa kehe hashi kolitha. Oye te ku udha Ombepo Ondjapuki nomanga e li mela lyayina. 16 Oyendji yomAaisraeli ote ya galulile kOmuwa, Kalunga kawo. 17 Oye omutumwa gwOmuwa te ya e na ombepo noonkondo dhaElia. Oye ota hanganitha oohe noyana, ota galulile oonakwaavulika mondjila yu uka nota longekidha aantu, ya wape okutaamba Omuwa gwawo.”
18 Sakaria okwa ti komuyengeli: “Shika otandi shi tseya ngiini? Oshoka ngame onda kulupa nomukiintu gwandje wo oku li methimbo lyuukulupe.”
19 Omuyengeli okwe mu yamukula a ti: “Ongame Gabriel nda thikama koshipala shaKalunga, ngoka a tumu ndje, ndi ku lombwele nondi ku uvithile elaka ndika etoye. 20 Ano ngashingeyi pulakena: Sho ino itaala oohapu dhandje, oto ka kala itoo popi sigo esiku ndyoka ayihe nde yi ku lombwele tayi ka gwanithwa.”
21 Aantu oya li ya tegelele Sakaria noya kumwa, sho a kala ethimbo ele unene motempeli. 22 Ano sho a zi mo, okwa li itaa vulu okupopya nayo. Aantu noya dhimbulula kutya okwa mono emoniko motempeli. Molwaashoka Sakaria okwa li itaa vulu okupopya nayo, okwe ya lombwele nokuninga omandhindhiliko niikaha.
23 Omasiku giilonga yomotempeli sho ga pu ko, Sakaria okwa shuna kegumbo. 24 Konima yomasiku omukulukadhi gwe Elisabet okwa ningi omusimba nokwa kala megumbo uule woomwedhi ntano inaa za mo nokwa ti: 25 “Shika onde shi ningilwa kOmuwa. Ngashingeyi Omuwa okwa sile ndje ohenda, sho a kutha ndje okudhinwa kaantu.”
Okuvalwa kwaJesus taku tseyithwa
26 Elisabet sho a ningi omusimba gwoomwedhi hamano, Kalunga okwa tumu omuyengeli Gabriel koshilando shomuGalilea, edhina lyasho Nasaret, 27 a ye komukadhona a yalekwa komulumentu, edhina lye Josef, gwomezimo lyaDavid. Edhina lyomukadhona oMaria. 28 Omuyengeli okwe ya kuye e ta ti: “Ombili nayi kale nangoye! Omuwa na kale pamwe nangoye ye ne ku yambeke!”
29 Maria okwa haluthwa kepopitho nokwe li dhiladhila kutya otali ti ngiini. 30 Omuyengeli okwa ti kuye ishewe: “Maria, ino tila, owa silwa ohenda kuKalunga. 31 Oto ka ninga omusimba e to vala okanona okamati nou na oku ka luka Jesus. 32 Oye ta ningi omunene e ti ithanwa Omuna gwaKalunga gwokombandambanda. Omuwa Kalunga ote mu ningi omukwaniilwa ongaashi he David. 33 Oye ta ningi omukwaniilwa gwoluvalo lwaJakob sigo aluhe; nuukwaniilwa we kau na mpoka tau ka hula po.”
34 Maria okwa ti komuyengeli: “Otashi ka vulika ngiini, oshoka ngame omukadhona natango?”
35 Omuyengeli okwe mu yamukula a ti: “Ombepo Ondjapuki otayi ku lambele, noonkondo dhaKalunga gwokombandambanda otadhi ku siikile. Onkee ano omunona nguka ota ka lukwa Omuna gwaKalunga. 36 Tala, naElisabet omunezimo lyoye ngoka a popiwa kutya iha vala, okwa ningi ngashingeyi omusimba gwoomwedhi hamano, nonando okwa kulupa. 37 Oshoka kaku na shoka tashi nyenge Kalunga.”
38 Maria okwa ti: “Ongame omuntu gwOmuwa. Nandi ningwe ngaashi wa ti.” Omuyengeli nokwa zi po puye.
Maria ta talele po Elisabet
39 Pethimbo olyo tuu ndyoka Maria okwa thikama e ta yi nokweendelela koshilando shomuJudea, shi li momukunda gu na oondundu. 40 Maria sho e ya maandjaSakaria, okwa popitha Elisabet. 41 Elisabet sho u uvu epopitho lyaMaria, okanona oka nyulukuta mela lye. Opo Elisabet oku udha Ombepo Ondjapuki 42 nokwa popi mokule a ti: “Kala wa yambekwa mokati kaakiintu aakweni, nosho wo okanona hoka to ka vala, naka yambekwe. 43 Osha zile ndje peni, yina yOmuwa gwandje sho te ya kungame? 44 Oshoka manga tuu ewi lyepopitho lyoye tali thiki momakutsi gandje, okanona oka nyulukuta kenyanyu mela lyandje. 45 Omunelago oongoka wi itaala kutya shoka to shi lombwelwa kOmuwa, otashi ka gwanithwa.”
Eimbilo lyehambelelo lyaMaria
46 Maria okwa ti:
“Omwenyo gwandje otagu hambelele Omuwa,
47 ombepo yandje otayi nyanyukilwa Kalunga, omuhupithi gwandje,
48 oshoka okwa dhimbulukwa omuntu gwe mokwiishonopeka kwe.
Okuza ngashingeyi aantu ayehe otaa ki ithana ndje omunelago,
49 oshoka Omuwa omunankondo okwa ningile ndje iinima iinene.
Edhina lye olyo eyapuki.
50 Oye ta sile ohenda ayehe mboka haye mu tila yomomapipi agehe.
51 Oye okwa longo iilongankondo.
Oonakuholuuntsa okwe ya halakanitha po pamwe nomadhiladhilo gawo.
52 Aakwaniilwa aanankondo okwe ya kutha ko kiipangelapundi yawo,
nokwa nenepeke aaishonopeki.
53 Mboka ya sa ondjala, okwe ya kutitha nuuwanawa,
aayamba okwe ya tidha po ye li iikaha yowala.
54 Oye okwa dhiginine euvaneko ndyoka e li lombwele ootate.
Oye e ya okukwatha omuntu gwe Israel,
55 nokwa dhimbulukwa okusila Abraham ohenda noluvalo lwe sigo aluhe.”
56 Maria okwa menekele puElisabet oomwedhi ndatu, opo ihe okwa shuna kaandjawo.
Okuvalwa kwaJohannes
57 Ethimbo lyaElisabet lyokuvala sho lya thiki, okwa vala okanona okamati. 58 Aashiinda ye naanezimo sho yu uvu, nkene Omuwa e mu hololele esilohenda enene li thike mpoka, oya nyanyukwa pamwe naye.
59 Esiku etihetatu oye ya, ya fukaleke okanona, noya li ya hala ye ka lukile he Sakaria. 60 Ihe yina okwa ti: “Itashi vulika. Edhina lyako otali lukwa Johannes.”
61 Oyo noya ti kuye: “Mezimo lyoye kamu na nando omuntu e na edhina ndyoka.” 62 Oyo noya lombwele he nokuninga omandhindhiliko niikaha, opo ye mu pule kutya okanona okwa hala ka lukwe edhina lini.
63 Oye okwi indile, a pewe okapelende kokunyolela nokwa nyolele mo kutya: “Edhina lyako oJohannes.” Aantu ayehe noya kumwa. 64 Opo tuu mpoka ewi lye olya thituluka nelaka lye olya manguluka, nokwa tameke okupopya e ta hambelele Kalunga.
65 Aantu ayehe yopuushiinda oya kwatwa kehaluko, nakehe gumwe gwomoshitopolwa shoka shoondundu muJudea oku uvu ayihe mbika ya ningwa. 66 Ayehe mboka ye shi uvu, oya pungula oohapu ndhika moomwenyo dhawo noya ti: “Okanona haka otaka ka kala ka tya ngiini?” Oyo oya dhimbulula kutya, oko oke li miikaha yOmuwa.
Ehunganeko lyaSakaria
67 He Sakaria oku udha Ombepo Ondjapuki nokwa hunganeke a ti:
68 “Omuwa, Kalunga kaIsrael, na hambelelwe!
Oshoka okwe ya okuhupitha nokumangulula aantu ye.
69 Oye okwe tu pe Omukulili ofule a zi mezimo lyomuntu gwe David.
70 Ngaashi aahunganeki ye aayapuki ye shi uvaneke nale kutya:
71 Oye ote ke tu hupitha maatondi yetu nomiikaha yaayehe mboka ye tu tonde.
72 Shika ote shi ningi molwesilohenda lye ndyoka e li hololele ootate,
sho ha dhimbulukwa ehangano lye eyapuki.
73 Oye okwa ganene tate yetu Abraham kutya,
74 ote ke tu hupitha miikaha yaatondi yetu, opo tu mu longele twaa na uumbanda,
75 tse tu ninge aayapuki naayuuki koshipala she omasiku getu agehe.
76 Ngoye okanona oto ki ithanwa omuhunganeki gwaKalunga gwokombandambanda,
oshoka oto ka tetekela Omuwa, u mu opalekele ondjila.
77 Ongoye to ka tseyithila aantu ye ehupitho, uuna oondjo dhawo dha dhimwa po.
78 Oshoka Kalunga ketu oku na olukeno nesilohenda,
onkee eluwa lyehupitho otali tu tendele, li tu minikile.
79 Tse mboka twa kuutumba momilema nomomuzizimba gweso, li ukithe oompadhi dhetu mondjila yombili.”
80 Omunona okwa koko nokwa kolo pambepo. Oye okwa kala mombuga sigo esiku ndyoka i ihololele Aaisraeli.
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.
