NgokukaLuka 1:39-80

Ngalezo zinsuku uMariya wasuka waya ngokushesha kwelezintaba emzini wakwaJuda. Wangena endlini kaZakariya, wambingelela u-Elisabethe. Kwathi ukuba u-Elisabethe ezwe ukubingelela kukaMariya, umntwana waxhuma esiswini sakhe; u-Elisabethe wagcwala uMoya oNgcwele, wamemeza ngezwi elikhulu, wathi: “Ubusisiwe wena esifazaneni! Sibusisiwe nesithelo sesisu sakho! Ngehlelwe kanjani yilokhu ukuba unina weNkosi yami ahambele kimi na? Ngokuba bheka, kuthe izwi lokubingelela kwakho lifika ezindlebeni zami, umntwana waxhuma esiswini sami ngokujabula. Ubusisiwe owakholwayo, ngokuba kuzakuba khona ukufezeka kwalokho akutshelwa, kuvela eNkosini.” Wayesethi uMariya: “Umphefumulo wami uyayitusa Nkosi, nomoya wami uyathokoza kuNkulunkulu, uMsindisi wami, ngokuba ubhekile ubuphansi bencekukazi yakhe. Bheka, kusukela manje izizukulwane zonke ziyakuthi ngibusisiwe. Ngokuba uSomandla ungenzele izinto ezinkulu: igama lakhe lingcwele. Isihawu sakhe sikuzo izizukulwane ngezizukulwane kubo abamesabayo. Wenzile amandla ngengalo yakhe; uchithile abazidlayo ekuzidleni kwenhliziyo yabo. Uwisile amakhosi ezihlalweni, uphakamisile abantukazana. Abalambileyo ubasuthisile ngezinto ezinhle, abacebileyo ubamukise ze. Uyisizile inceku yakhe u-Israyeli, ukuze akhumbule isihawu, njengalokho akusho kokhokho bethu ku-Abrahama nenzalo yakhe kuze kube phakade.” UMariya wahlala naye kungathi izinyanga ezintathu, wabuyela ekhaya. Saphelela-ke isikhathi sika-Elisabethe sokuba abelethe; wazala indodana. Abakhelene naye nezihlobo zakhe bezwa ukuthi iNkosi yenze isihawu sayo saba sikhulu kuye, bathokoza naye. Kwathi ngosuku lwesishiyagalombili beza ukusoka umntwana, bamqamba ngegama likayise uZakariya. Unina wayesephendula ethi: “Qhabo, uzakuthiwa uJohane.” Bathi kuye: “Akakho noyedwa emndenini wakini obizwa ngalelo gama.” Bamqhweba uyise ukuthi ufuna ukumqamba ngaliphi. Wabiza isileti,* waloba ukuthi. “NguJohane igama lakhe.” Bamangala bonke. Kwase kuvuleka umlomo wakhe khona lapho nolimi lwakhe, wakhuluma embonga uNkulunkulu. Bonke abakhelene nabo behlelwa ngukwesaba, bakhuluma ngazo zonke lezo zindaba kulo lonke lezintaba laseJudiya, nabo bonke abazizwayo bazigcina ezinhliziyweni zabo, bethi: “Kodwa lo mntwana uyakuba yini na?” Isandla seNkosi sasinaye. UZakariya uyise wagcwala uMoya oNgcwele, waprofetha wathi: “Mayibongwe iNkosi, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ngokuba ibahambele abantu bayo, yabenzela inkululeko. Yasivusela uphondo lwensindiso endlini kaDavide inceku yayo, njengalokho yakhuluma ngomlomo wabaprofethi bayo abangcwele basendulo, insindiso ezitheni zethu nasesandleni sabo bonke abasizondayo, ukwenzela okhokho bethu isihawu nokukhumbula isivumelwano sayo esingcwele, isifungo eyasifunga kubaba u-Abrahama, ukusinika ukuba sithi sikhululiwe esandleni sezitha zethu, siyikhonze singenakwesaba ngobungcwele nangokulunga phambi kwayo zonke izinsuku zethu. Nawe-ke mntwana, uyakuthiwa umprofethi woPhezukonke, ngokuba uyakuhamba phambi kweNkosi ukulungisa izindlela zayo ukunika abantu bayo ukuyazi insindiso ngokuthethelelwa kwezono zabo, ngemisesane yesihawu sikaNkulunkulu wethu esizakuhanjelwa ngayo ngukusa kwaphezulu, ukubakhanyisela abahlezi ebumnyameni nasethunzini lokufa nokuqondisa izinyawo zethu endleleni yokuthula.” Wakhula-ke umntwana, waba namandla emoyeni; wahlala ehlane kwaze kwaba lusuku lokubonakaliswa kwakhe ku-Israyeli.