Ngemva kobana sekudlule iminyaka ema-400 kwakhiwa kabutjha amaboda weJerusalema, bekunomphristi ibizo lakhe kunguZakariya, umkakhe kungu-Elisabethi. Bebahlala edorobheni elihlanu kweJerusalema. Besele kuminyaka batjhada kodwana nakubantwana bona bebanganabo. Kwathi ngelinye ilanga uZakariya atjhisa ipepho ethempeleni wabona ingilozi uGabhariyeli. Kwamfaka amanzi emadolweni lokho kodwana uGabhariyeli wathi kuye: ‘Ungathuki. Ngikulethele iindaba ezimnandi ezibuya kuJehova. Umkakho uzokuba nomntwana womsana ibizo lakhe kuzokuba nguJwanisi. UJehova ukhethele uJwanisi umsebenzi oqakathekileko.’ UZakariya wabuza wathi: ‘Yini ezongenza ngikukholwe okutjhoko? Sinomkami sesibadala bona singaba nomntwana.’ UGabhariyeli wathi: ‘NguZimu ongithume bona ngikutjele iindabezi. Kodwana ngebanga lokuthi awungikholwa, angekhe ukghone ukukhuluma bekubelethwe umntwana lo.’

UZakariya wahlala ethempeleni isikhathi eside ukudlula indlela evamileko. Uthe nakaphumako abantu bebafuna ukwazi bona kwenzekeni. Kodwana uZakariya bekangakghoni ukukhuluma. Bekakghona ukukhuluma ngezandla kwaphela. Abantu balemuka bona uZakariya uwufumene umlayezo ovela kuZimu.

U-Elisabethi wazithwala, wabeletha umntwana womsana njengombana ingilozi beyitjhwile. Iinhlobo nabangani bakhe beza bazokubona umntwana. Bebathabe kwamanikelela. U-Elisabethi wathi: ‘Ibizo lakhe nguJwanisi.’ Bona bathi: ‘Akakho emndeninakho umuntu onebizwelo. Mthiyelele ngebizo lakayise uthi nguZakariya.’ Kodwana uZakariya wabatlolela wathi: ‘Ibizo lakhe nguJwanisi.’ Ngesikhatheso uZakariya wathoma wakghona ukukhuluma godu. Iindaba ngomntwanyana zakhamba zazala loke iJudiya, abantu bazibuza ukuthi: ‘Umntwana lo uzokukhula abe njani?’

UZakariya waba nommoya ocwengileko. Waphorofida wathi: ‘Akadunyiswe uJehova. Wathembisa u-Abrahamu  ukuthi uzokuthumela umsindisi, uMesiya bona asisindise. UJwanisi uzokuba mphorofidi, begodu uzokuhlahlela uMesiya indlela.’

Esinye isenzakalo esisimangaliso senzeka esihlobeni saka-Elisabethi uMariya. Sizokufunda okungeziweko ngaso esahlukweni esilandelako.