NgokukaLuka 1:1-38

Njengokuba abaningi sebezamile ukulanda ngokuhlelekile ngalezo zindaba ezigcwaliseke phakathi kwethu, njengalokho basinika zona labo ababekhona kwasekuqaleni, bezibonela ngamehlo, beyizikhonzi zezwi, kwasengathi kuhle nakimina, lokhu ngizihlolisisile zonke izinto, kusukela ekuqaleni, ngikulobele ngokulandelana, Theyofilu odumileyo, ukuze wazi ukuqiniseka kwalezo zindaba ozifundisiweyo. Emihleni kaHerode inkosi yaseJudiya kwakukhona umpristi othile ogama lakhe nguZakariya, esigabeni sika-Abiya, nomkakhe engowamadodakazi ka-Aroni, igama lakhe ngu-Elisabethe. Babelungile bobabili phambi kukaNkulunkulu behamba ngayo yonke imiyalo nezimiso zeNkosi, bengasoleki. Kepha babengenamntwana, ngokuba u-Elisabethe wayeyinyumba; bobabili base bekhulile. Kwathi-ke esayenza inkonzo yobupristi phambi kukaNkulunkulu njengokuhlelwa kwesikhathi sesigaba sakubo, ngokomthetho wobupristi kwaba nguye owabelwa ukungena ethempelini leNkosi, azoshisa impepho. Isixuku sonke sabantu sasikhuleka ngaphandle ngesikhathi sempepho. Kwabonakala kuye ingelosi yeNkosi imi ngakwesokunene se-altare lempepho. UZakariya eyibona wethuka, wehlelwa luvalo. Kepha ingelosi yathi kuye: “Ungesabi, Zakariya, ngokuba isicelo sakho sizwakele; umkakho u-Elisabethe uzakukuzalela indodana, uyiqambe igama lokuthi uJohane. Uzakuba nokujabula nokuthokoza wena; nabaningi bazakujabula ngokuzalwa kwakhe. Ngokuba uzakuba mkhulu emehlweni eNkosi; kasoze waphuza iwayini nophuzo oludakisayo; uzakugcwaliswa nguMoya oNgcwele esesesiswini sikanina. Abaningi kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli uyakubaphendulela eNkosini uNkulunkulu wabo. Uyakuhamba ngaphambi kwayo emoyeni nasemandleni ka-Eliya ukuphendulela izinhliziyo zawoyise kubantwana nabangalaleliyo ekuqondeni kwabalungileyo, ukulungisela iNkosi isizwe esilungiselweyo.” UZakariya wathi engelosini: “Ngiyakukwazi ngani lokhu na? Ingani sengiyindoda endala mina, nomkami uqhubekile ezinsukwini zakhe.” Ingelosi yaphendula, yathi kuye: “NginguGabriyeli mina, omiyo phambi kukaNkulunkulu; ngithunyiwe ukuba ngikhulume kuwe, ngikubikele lezi zindaba ezinhle. Bheka-ke, uzakuba yisimungulu, ungakwazi ukukhuluma kuze kube lusuku okwenzeka ngalo lokhu, ngokuba ungakholwanga ngamazwi ami azakugcwaliseka ngesikhathi sawo.” Abantu bemlindele uZakariya bamangala ngokulibala kwakhe ethempelini. Kuthe esephuma, wahluleka ukukhuluma kubo; bazi ukuthi ubone umbono ethempelini; wayelokhu ebaqhweba, wahlala eyisimungulu. Kwathi seziphelile izinsuku zokukhonza kwakhe, wamuka waya ekhaya. Kepha emva kwalezo zinsuku u-Elisabethe umkakhe wakhulelwa, wazifihla izinyanga eziyisihlanu, wathi: “Yenze njalo iNkosi kimi emihleni eyangibheka ngayo ukususa ihlazo lami phakathi kwabantu.” Ngenyanga yesithupha ingelosi uGabriyeli yathunywa nguNkulunkulu emzini waseGalile ogama lawo yiNazaretha, entombini eyayimiselwe indoda ebizo layo nguJosefa wendlu kaDavide; ibizo lentombi nguMariya. Yangena ingelosi kuye, yathi: “E wena ophiwe umusa! INkosi inawe; ubusisiwe esifazaneni.” Kepha yena wethuka ngezwi layo ezindla ngokuthi kungaba ngukubingelela kuni lokhu. Ingelosi yathi kuye: “Ungesabi, Mariya, ngokuba ufumene umusa kuNkulunkulu. Bheka, uzakukhulelwa, uzale indodana, uyiqambe igama lokuthi uJesu. Yena uyakuba mkhulu, athiwe iNdodana yoPhezukonke; iNkosi uNkulunkulu iyakumnika isihlalo sobukhosi sikayise uDavide; uyakuba yinkosi yendlu kaJakobe kuze kube phakade, nombuso wakhe awuyikuba nakuphela.” UMariya wathi engelosini: “Lokhu kuyakwenzeka kanjani, njengokuba ngingayazi indoda na?” Ingelosi yaphendula, yathi kuye: “UMoya oNgcwele uzakuza phezu kwakho, amandla oPhezukonke akusibekele; ngakho-ke okungcwele okuzozalwa kuzakuthiwa iNdodana kaNkulunkulu. Bheka, u-Elisabethe isihlobo sakho naye ukhulelwe indodana esemdala; lena ngeyesithupha yakhe obethiwa inyumba. Ngokuba akukho lutho olungenzeke kuNkulunkulu.” UMariya wathi: “Bheka, ngiyincekukazi yeNkosi; akube kimi njengezwi lakho.” Ingelosi yamuka kuye.