IVangeli Elabhalwa NguLukha
1 Banengi asebezame ukuqoqa lokubhala izindaba ezimayelana lazo zonke izinto esizikholwayo,+ 2 njalo labanye abazibonela ngawabo+ izinto lezi futhi abatshumayela ilizwi+ leli basilandisela ngazo. 3 Ngakho lami ngithe ngikubhalele izindaba lezo mhlonitshwa Thiyofilu,+ ngizibeke ngokulandelana kwazo njengoba ngizihlolisise kusukela ekuqaliseni ngathola okuqondileyo 4 ukuze ukwazi mhlophe ukuthi izinto owazifundiswayo* ziliqiniso sibili.+
5 Ngensuku zikaHerodi*+ inkosi yeJudiya, kwakulomphristi okwakuthiwa nguZakhariya. Wayengoweqembu lika-Abhija+ futhi inkosikazi yakhe yayingeyosendo luka-Aroni, ibizo layo kungu-Elizabethi. 6 Bobabili babelungile kuNkulunkulu, beyilandela yonke imilayo kaJehova* lemithetho yakhe njalo bephila impilo engelasici. 7 Kodwa babengelamntwana ngoba u-Elizabethi wayeyinyumba futhi basebebadala.
8 Ngelinye ilanga uZakhariya wayesenza umsebenzi wobuphristi phambi kukaNkulunkulu njengoba kwasekulithuba leqembu ayekulo.+ 9 Ngokomkhuba wabaphristi, kwasekulithuba lakhe lokungena endaweni engcwele kaJehova*+ atshise impepha.+ 10 Phandle kwakulabantu abanengi ababekhuleka njengoba kwakulihora lokutshisa impepha. 11 UZakhariya wabona ingilosi kaJehova* imi ngakwesokudla kwe-alithare lokutshisela impepha. 12 Kwamkhathaza lokho ayekubona, wesaba kakhulu. 13 Kodwa ingilosi yathi kuye: “Ungesabi Zakhariya ngoba umthandazo wakho wokuncenga uzwakele futhi umkakho u-Elizabethi uzakuzalela indodana. Kumele uyinike ibizo elithi Johane.+ 14 Wena uzathokoza kakhulu, inhliziyo yakho ichelese. Ukuzalwa kwayo kuzajabulisa abanengi+ 15 ngoba izakuba ngumuntu oqakathekileyo phambi kukaJehova.*+ Kodwa akufanelanga inathe iwayini kumbe utshwala loba sekutheni.+ UNkulunkulu uzayinika umoya ongcwele kusukela isesesiswini sikanina+ 16 futhi izakwenza ukuthi amadodana ako-Israyeli amanengi aphenduke kuJehova* uNkulunkulu wawo.+ 17 Izahamba phambi kukaNkulunkulu ilomoya kanye lamandla ka-Elija,+ yenze ukuthi izinhliziyo zabobaba ziphenduke zibe njengezabantwana+ lokuthi abangalaleliyo baphenduke futhi bahlakaniphe njengabantu abalungileyo. Lokhu iyabe ikwenzela ukuthi abantu balungele ukukhonza uJehova.”*+
18 UZakhariya wathi engilosini: “Kambe kungenzakala khonokho? Phela sengiluphele, lomkami usegugile.” 19 Ingilosi yamphendula yathi: “NginguGabriyeli,+ ngima phambi kukaNkulunkulu.+ Ngithunywe ukuthi ngizokhuluma lawe ngikutshele izindaba lezi ezinhle. 20 Lalela. Uzahlala uthule usehluleka ukukhuluma kuze kube lilanga izinto lezi ezizakwenzakala ngalo ngoba awuwakholwanga amazwi ami azagcwaliseka ngesikhathi esibekiweyo.” 21 Phandle abantu babelokhu belindele uZakhariya sebemangele ukuthi kungani wayesethe nya endaweni engcwele. 22 Uthe ephuma wayengasenelisi ukukhuluma, basebenanzelela ukuthi wayebone isimanga* endaweni engcwele. Wayelokhu ekhuluma labo ngezandla ngoba wayeseyisimungulu. 23 Amalanga akhe okwenza umsebenzi ongcwele athi esephelile, wabuyela emzini wakhe.
24 Ngemva kwesikhathi inkosikazi yakhe u-Elizabethi yazithwala. Kayizange iphume endlini okwenyanga ezinhlanu ngoba yayisithi: 25 “Lokhu yikho uJehova* asengenzele khona. Ungikhumbulile wasusa ihlazo ebengilalo ebantwini.”+
26 Ngenyanga yesithupha u-Elizabethi ezithwele, uNkulunkulu wathuma ingilosi uGabriyeli+ edolobheni leGalile okuthiwa yiNazaretha. 27 Wathi iye entombini egcweleyo+ eyayisithembise ukutshada lendoda okuthiwa nguJosefa eyosendo lukaDavida. Intombi leyo kwakuthiwa nguMariya.+ 28 Ingilosi yathi ingena yathi kuye: “Sabona wena obusiswe kakhulu, uJehova* ulawe.” 29 Kodwa amazwi ayo amhlupha kakhulu, wazama ukuzwisisa ukuthi ukubingelela lokho kwakungabe kusitshoni. 30 Ingilosi yathi kuye: “Ungesabi Mariya ngoba uNkulunkulu uyathokoza ngawe. 31 Uzazithwala ubelethe indodana.+ Kumele uyinike ibizo elithi Jesu.+ 32 Izakuba ngumuntu oqakathekileyo+ futhi izabizwa ngokuthi yiNdodana yoPhezukonke.+ UJehova* uNkulunkulu uzayipha isihlalo sobukhosi sikayise uDavida.+ 33 Izakuba yiNkosi endlini kaJakhobe kuze kube nini lanini njalo uMbuso wayo awusoze uphele.”+
34 Kodwa uMariya wathi engilosini: “Kuzakwenzakala njani lokho njengoba ngingakaze ngilale lendoda?” + 35 Ingilosi yamphendula yathi: “Umoya ongcwele uzakwehlela phezu kwakho,+ amandla oPhezukonke akugubuzele. Yikho umntwana ozazalwa uzabizwa ngokuthi ungcwele+ lokuthi uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.+ 36 U-Elizabethi isihlobo sakho laye uzithwele umntwana ongumfana lanxa esegugile. Le sekuyinyanga yakhe yesithupha, loba nje bekuthiwa uyinyumba. 37 Phela akulanto uNkulunkulu ayitshoyo engamehlula ukuyenza.”+ 38 UMariya wathi: “Ngiyincekukazi kaJehova!* Akwenzakale kimi njengoba nje utshilo.” Ingilosi yasisuka yahamba.
39 Ngemva kwalokho uMariya wasuka waya edolobheni lakoJuda elalisezintabeni. 40 Wafika wangena emzini kaZakhariya wabingelela u-Elizabethi. 41 U-Elizabethi uthe esizwa uMariya embingelela, usane olwalusesiswini sakhe lwakhabakhaba. U-Elizabethi wagcwala umoya ongcwele 42 wamemeza kakhulu wathi: “Ubusisiwe wena phakathi kwabesifazana futhi ubusisiwe umntwana ozamzala!* 43 Kwenzakale njani ukuthi ngithole isibusiso sokuvakatshelwa ngunina weNkosi yami? 44 Ngithe ngisizwa ungibingelela, usane olusesiswini sami lwathaba lwakhabakhaba. 45 Uyajabula lowo okholiweyo ngoba zizagcwaliseka zonke izinto uJehova* amthembise zona.”
46 UMariya wathi: “Umphefumulo* wami umemezela ubukhulu bukaJehova,*+ 47 lomoya wami uyathokoza kakhulu ngoNkulunkulu uMsindisi wami+ 48 ngenxa yokuthi uyikhumbulile incekukazi yakhe engasimuntu walutho.+ Kusukela khathesi zonke izizukulwane zizakuthi ngiyathokoza+ 49 ngoba uNkulunkulu olamandla ungenzele izinto ezinkulu. Ibizo lakhe lingcwele+ 50 futhi isihawu sakhe siphezu kwalabo abamesabayo+ kusukela kwesinye isizukulwane kusiya kwesinye. 51 Konke ukwenze ngengalo yakhe elamandla, wenza abalenhliziyo ezizigqajayo basabalala.+ 52 Wehlise amadoda alamandla ezihlalweni zobukhosi,+ waphakamisa abantukazana.+ 53 Usuthise abalambileyo* ngokubapha izinto ezinhle+ kodwa abanothileyo ubenze bahamba bephethe umoya. 54 Uyincedile inceku yakhe u-Israyeli, ekhumbula ukuthi wayethembise ukuthi uzakuba lesihawu+ 55 ku-Abrahama lezizukulwane zakhe+ kuze kube nini lanini, njengoba nje wayetshilo kubokhokho bethu.” 56 UMariya wahlala lo-Elizabethi okwenyanga ezingaba zintathu wasebuyela ngakibo.
57 Isikhathi sika-Elizabethi sokubeletha sathi sesifikile wabeletha umntwana ongumfana. 58 Izihlobo zakhe labomakhelwane bezwa ukuthi uJehova* wayemenzele isihawu esikhulu, bathokoza laye.+ 59 Ngelanga lesi-8 babuya bezosoka umntwana+ futhi babefuna ukumnika ibizo likayise elithi Zakhariya. 60 Kodwa unina wathi: “Hatshi! Uzabizwa ngokuthi nguJohane.” 61 Bekuzwa lokhu bathi kuye: “Kakho loyedwa ezihlotsheni zakho obizwa ngebizo lelo.” 62 Basebekhuluma ngezandla bebuza uyise womntwana ukuthi ufuna athiwe ngubani. 63 Uyise wacela ipulanka lokubhalela wasebhala ukuthi: “Ibizo lakhe nguJohane.”+ Bonke bamangala. 64 Khonokho nje umlomo wakhe wavuleka lolimi lwakhe lwatshwaphuluka, waseqalisa ukukhuluma+ edumisa uNkulunkulu. 65 Abantu bonke ababehlala kuleyondawo bamangala basala bengelankani. Indaba le kwakhulunywa ngayo kuso sonke isabelo seJudiya. 66 Bonke abakuzwayo lokho bakugcina ezinhliziyweni zabo besithi: “Umntwana lo uzakuba yini?” Phela uJehova* wayelaye.
67 Kusenjalo uyise uZakhariya wagcwala umoya ongcwele waphrofetha wathi: 68 “Kadunyiswe uJehova* uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli+ ngoba ubakhumbulile abantu bakhe wabakhulula.+ 69 Usesivusele uphondo lwensindiso*+ endlini kaDavida inceku yakhe,+ 70 njengoba wakhuluma kusukela kudala esebenzisa abaphrofethi bakhe abangcwele.+ 71 Wathi uzasisindisa ezandleni zezitha zethu lakubo bonke abasizondayo,+ 72 asenzele isihawu ayesithembise okhokho bethu futhi akhumbule isivumelwano sakhe esingcwele,+ 73 isifungo asenza kukhokho wethu u-Abrahama.+ 74 Wathembisa ukuthi ngemva kokusikhulula ezandleni zezitha zethu uzasibusisa ngokusivumela ukuthi simenzele inkonzo engcwele singesabi, 75 ukuze sibe qotho njalo sibe ngabalungileyo phambi kwakhe okwempilo yonke. 76 Kodwa wena mntanami uzabizwa ngokuthi ungumphrofethi woPhezukonke ngoba uzahamba phambi kukaJehova* ulungise izindlela zakhe,+ 77 wenze labantu bakhe bazi ukuthi yena uzabasindisa ngokubathethelela izono zabo+ 78 ngenxa yokuthi yena unguNkulunkulu olozwelo olukhulu. Uzwelo lolu oluvela ezulwini luzakhazimula phezu kwethu njengelanga liphuma 79 ukuze kukhanyiselwe abahlezi emnyameni lasethunzini lokufa,+ lenyawo zethu zikhokhelwe endleleni yokuthula.”
80 Umntwana wakhula, umoya kaNkulunkulu wamenza waqina.* Waqhubeka esenkangala kwaze kwaba lilanga aphuma ngalo wabonakala ebantwini bako-Israyeli.