ULukha 1:1-80
1 Banengi asebezame ukuqoqa lokubhala indaba emayelana lazo zonke izinto esizikholwayo lathi.
2 Labanye abazibonela ngawabo izinto lezi futhi abayizinceku ezifakaza lelilizwi babesilandisela ngazo.
3 Ngakho lami ngithe ngikubhalele ngazo Thiyofilu mhlonitshwa, ngizibeke ngokulandelana kwazo njengoba ngizihlolisise kusukela ekuqaliseni ngathola okuqondileyo,
4 ukuze ukwazi mhlophe ukuthi ziliqiniso sibili izinto owazifundiswa ngomlomo.
5 Ngensuku zikaHerodi* inkosi yaseJudiya, kwakulomphristi okwakuthiwa nguZekhariya. Wayengoweqembu lako-Abhija futhi inkosikazi yakhe yayingeyosendo luka-Aroni, ibizo layo kunguElizabethi.
6 Bobabili babelungile kuNkulunkulu, beyilandela yonke imilayo kaJehova lemithetho yakhe njalo bephila impilo engelasici.
7 Kodwa babengelamntwana ngoba u-Elizabethi wayeyinyumba futhi basebekhulile kakhulu.
8 Ngelinye ilanga uZekhariya wayesenza umsebenzi wobuphristi phambi kukaNkulunkulu, njengoba kwasekulizopho leqembu ayekulo.
9 Ngokwesiko labaphristi, kwasekulithuba lakhe lokungena endaweni engcwele kaJehova atshise impepha.
10 Phandle kwakungasimuntu, bonke abantu bekhuleka ngehola lokutshisa impepha.
11 Wathi esithi mehlo suka wabona ingilosi kaJehova imi kwesokudla se-alithare lempepha.
12 UZekhariya kwamkhathaza lokho ayekubona, wesaba kakhulu.
13 Kodwa ingilosi yathi kuye: “Ungesabi Zekhariya ngoba umthandazo wakho wokuncenga uzwakele futhi umkakho u-Elizabethi uzakuzalela indodana. Uyinike ibizo elithi Johane.
14 Wena uzathokoza kakhulu, inhliziyo yakho ichelese njalo ukuzalwa kwayo kuzajabulisa abanengi
15 ngoba izakuba ngumuntu oqakathekileyo phambi kukaJehova. Kodwa akufanelanga inathe iwayini kumbe utshwala loba sekutheni. Izagcwaliswa ngomoya ongcwele kusukela esibelethweni sikanina,*
16 futhi izakwenza ukuthi amadodana ako-Israyeli amanengi aphenduke kuJehova uNkulunkulu wawo.
17 Kanti njalo izahamba phambi kwakhe ilomoya kanye lamandla ka-Elija, yenze ukuthi izinhliziyo zabobaba ziphenduke zibe ngezabantwana lokuthi abangalaleliyo baphenduke babe lokuhlakanipha kwabalungileyo okuncedayo. Lokhu iyabe ikwenzela ukuthi abantu balungiselele ukukhonza uJehova.”
18 UZekhariya wathi engilosini: “Kambe kungenzakala khonokho? Phela sengiluphele, lomkami usegugile.”
19 Ingilosi yamphendula yathi: “NginguGabriyeli, lowo oma phambi kukaNkulunkulu. Ngithunywe ukuthi ngizokhuluma lawe ngikutshele izindaba lezi ezinhle.
20 Kodwa lalela, wena uzahlala uthule, wehluleke ukukhuluma kuze kube lilanga lapho izinto lezi zisenzakala ngoba kawuwakholwanga amazwi ami azagcwaliseka ngesikhathi esibekiweyo.”
21 Ngapha abantu babelokhu belindele uZekhariya, sebemangele ukuthi wayesethe nya endaweni engcwele.
22 Uthe ephuma wayengasenelisi ukukhuluma labo, basebenanzelela ukuthi wayesanda kubona isimanga sezimanga* endaweni engcwele. Wayelokhu ekhuluma labo ngezandla ngoba wayeseyisimungulu.
23 Kwathi amalanga omsebenzi wakhe ongcwele esephelile, wabuyela emzini wakhe.
24 Ngemva kwesikhathi, inkosikazi yakhe u-Elizabethi yazithwala njalo kayizange iphume endlini okwenyanga ezinhlanu, isithi:
25 “Lokhu yikho uJehova angenzele khona khathesi. Ungikhumbulile wasusa ihlazo ebengilalo ebantwini.”
26 Ngenyanga yesithupha uElizabethi ezithwele, uNkulunkulu wathuma ingilosi uGabriyeli ukuthi iye edolobheni laseGalile elithiwa yiNazaretha.
27 Wathi kayiye entombini egcweleyo eyayisithembise ukutshada lendoda okuthiwa nguJosefa yosendo lukaDavida. Ibizo lentombi leyo kwakuthiwa nguMariya.
28 Ingilosi ithe ingena nje yathi kuye: “Sakubona wena obusiswe kakhulu, uJehova ulawe.”
29 Kodwa amazwi ayo amhlupha kakhulu, wazama ukuzwisisa ukuthi ukubingelela lokho kwakungabe kusitshoni.
30 Ngakho ingilosi yathi kuye: “Ungesabi Mariya ngoba uNkulunkulu usekwenzele umusa.
31 Uzazithwala* ubelethe indodana. 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 kawusoze 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 lowo ozazalwa uzabizwa ngokuthi ungcwele futhi 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 yena wasesithi: “Ngiyincekukazi kaJehova! Akwenzakale kimi njengoba nje utshilo.” Ingilosi yasimtshiya yahamba.
39 Ngemva kwalokho uMariya wasuka masinyane waya edolobheni lakoJuda elalisendaweni elezintaba.
40 Wafika wangena emzini kaZekhariya, wabingelela u-Elizabethi.
41 U-Elizabethi uthe esizwa uMariya embingelela, usane olwalusesiswini sakhe lwakhabakhaba. U-Elizabethi wagcwala umoya ongcwele,
42 wasememeza kakhulu wathi: “Ubusisiwe wena phakathi kwabesifazana, futhi sibusisiwe isithelo sesisu sakho!
43 Pho kwenzakale njani ukuthi ngithole isibusiso sokuvakatshelwa ngunina weNkosi yami?
44 Ngithe ngisizwa nje ungibingelela, usane olusesiswini sami luthabile lwakhabakhaba.
45 Uyajabula 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. Manje kusukela khathesi zonke izizukulwane zizakuthi ngiyathokoza
49 ngoba uNkulunkulu olamandla ungenzele izinto ezinkulu. Lingcwele ibizo lakhe
50 futhi isihawu sakhe siphezu kwalabo abamesabayo kusukela kwesinye isizukulwane kusiya kwesinye.
51 Konke ukwenze ngengalo yakhe elamandla, wachithiza abalezinhliziyo ezizigqajayo.
52 Wehlise amadoda alamandla ezihlalweni zobukhosi, waphakamisa abantukazana.
53 Abalambileyo* ubaphe izinto ezinhle basutha nti, wenza ukuthi abanothileyo bahambe bephethe umoya.
54 Uyisizile inceku yakhe u-Israyeli, ekhumbula ukuthi wayethembise ukuthi uzakuba lesihawu
55 ku-Abrahama lenzalo* yakhe kuze kube nini lanini, njengoba nje wayetshilo kubokhokho bethu.”
56 UMariya wahlala lo-Elizabethi okwenyanga ezingaba zintathu wasebuyela ngakibo.
57 Safika isikhathi sokuthi uElizabethi abelethe, wasebeletha umntwana ongumfana.
58 Izihlobo zakhe labomakhelwane bezwa ukuthi uJehova wayemenzele isihawu esikhulu, bathokoza kanye laye.
59 Ngelanga lesitshiyagalombili, beza bezosoka umntwana futhi babefuna ukumnika ibizo likayise elithi Zekhariya.
60 Kodwa unina wathi: “Hayi bo! 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 Yikho-ke wacela ipulanka eliyisicecedu wabhala ukuthi: “Ibizo lakhe nguJohane.” Lokhu kwabamangalisa bonke.
64 Khonokho nje umlomo wakhe wavuleka lolimi lwakhe lwatshwaphuluka, waseqalisa ukukhuluma edumisa uNkulunkulu.
65 Abantu bonke ababehlala kuleyondawo bamangala basala bengelankani, futhi izinto zonke lezi zaba yindaba esegudwini kulesosabelo saseJudiya esilezintaba.
66 Bonke abakuzwayo lokho bakufaka ezinhliziyweni zabo besithi: “Umntwanyana lo uzakuba yini?” Phela isandla sikaJehova sasilaye sibili.
67 Kusenjalo uyise uZekhariya 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 wayekukhulume kusukela kudala ngemilomo yabaphrofethi bakhe abangcwele
71 ukuthi uzasisindisa ezandleni zezitha zethu lakubo bonke abasizondayo,
72 asenzele isihawu ayesithembise okhokho bethu, aphinde akhumbule isivumelwano sakhe esingcwele.
73 Lesi yisifungo asifunga kukhokho wethu u-Abrahama,
74 ukuthi ngemva kokukhululwa ezandleni zezitha zethu uzasipha isibusiso sokumenzela inkonzo engcwele singesabi,
75 ukuze sibe qotho njalo sibe ngabalungileyo phambi kwakhe zonke insuku zethu.
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 uNkulunkulu ulozwelo kakhulu. Uzwelo lolu oluvela ezulwini luzakhazimula phezu kwethu njengelanga liphuma,
79 ukuze kukhanyiselwe abahlezi ebumnyameni lasethunzini lokufa, njalo inyawo zethu zikhokhelwe endleleni yokuthula.”
80 Umntwana wakhula waqina emoyeni, futhi waqhubeka esenkangala kwaze kwaba lilanga aphuma ngalo wabonakala ebantwini bako-Israyeli.
Amabala angaphansi
^ Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala.
^ Kumbe, “ingakazalwa lokuzalwa.”
^ Kumbe, “umbono.”
^ Kumbe, “Uzathatha isisu.”
^ Kumbe, “Ikonke yonke yami.” Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala.
^ Kumbe, “Abaswelayo.”
^ NgesiGrikhi, “lenhlanyelo.”
^ Kumbe, “umsindisi olamandla.” Khangela ibala elithi, “Uphondo” kuNgcazelo Yamabala.
