NgokukaLuka 1:5-25

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.”