NgokukaLuka 1:1-41

Njengokuba abaningi bezamile ukulanda ngokuhlelekileyo ngalezo zindaba ezigcwaliseke phakathi kwethu, njengalokhu basinika zona labo ababekhona kwasekuqaleni, bezibonela ngamehlo, futhi beyizikhonzi zezwi, nami ngizwa kufanale, njengalokhu ngizihlolisisile ngokucophelela zonke izinto, kusukela ekuqaleni, ukuba ngikulobele ngokuhlelekile, Theyofilu odumileyo, ukuze wazi ukuqiniseka kwalezo zindaba ozifundisiweyo. Kwakukhona emihleni kaHerode inkosi yaseJudiya, umphristi othile, ogama lakhe nguZakhariya, esigabeni sika-Abhiya, nomkakhe engowamadodakazi ka-Aroni, igama lakhe ngu-Elizabethe. Babelungile bobabili phambi kukaNkulunkulu, behamba ngayo yonke imiyalo nezimiso zeNkosi, bengasoleki. Kepha babengenamntwana, ngokuba u-Elizabethe wayeyinyumba, futhi bobabili base bekhulile. Kwathi-ke uZakhariya enza umsebenzi wakhe wobuphristi phambi kukaNkulunkulu, njengokuhlelwa kwesikhathi sesigaba ayekuso, ngokomthetho wobuphristi, kwaba nguye owadliwa wunkatho ukuba angene ethempelini leNkosi, azoshisa impepho. Isixuku sonke sasikhuleka ngaphandle ngesikhathi sokunikelwa kwempepho. Kwabonakala kuye ingelosi yeNkosi imi ngakwesokunene se-althare lempepho. Kuthe uZakhariya eyibona wethuka, wehlelwa luvalo. Kepha ingelosi yathi kuye: “Ungesabi, Zakhariya, ngokuba isicelo sakho sizwakele; umkakho u-Elizabethe uzakukuzalela indodana, uyiqambe igama uthi nguJohane. Uzakujabula uthokoze ngaye; nabaningi bazakujabula ngokuzalwa kwakhe. Ngokuba uzakuba mkhulu emehlweni eNkosi; akayukuliphuza iwayini nophuzo olunamandla; uzakugcwaliswa nguMoya oNgcwele esesesiswini sikanina. Uyakuphendulela abaningi kubantu bakwa-Israyeli, eNkosini uNkulunkulu wabo. Uyakuhamba phambi kwayo enomoya namandla ka-Eliya ukuphendula izinhliziyo zawoyise, babuyisane nabantwana, abangalaleliyo babe nokuqonda kwabalungileyo, ukulungisela iNkosi isizwe esikulungiselweyo ukufika kwayo.” UZakhariya wathi engelosini: “Ngiyakukwazi ngani lokhu na? Sengiyindoda endala, nomkami usekhule kakhulu.” Ingelosi yaphendula, yathi kuye: “NginguGabhriyeli mina, omi phambi kukaNkulunkulu; ngithunyiwe ukuba ngikhulume nawe, nokuba ngikubikele lezi zindaba ezinhle. Wena-ke uzakuba yisimungulu, ungakwazi ukukhuluma kuze kube wusuku okwenzeka ngalo lokhu, ngokuba awuwakholwanga amazwi ami azakugcwaliseka ngesikhathi sawo.” Abantu babemlindele uZakhariya nokho bamangala ngokulibala kwakhe ethempelini. Esephumile, kakwazanga ukukhuluma kubo; bakhanyelwa ukuthi ubone umbono ethempelini; wayelokhu ekhuluma ngezandla, wahlala-ke eyisimungulu. Kwathi seziphelile izinsuku zokukhonza kwakhe, wahamba waya ekhaya. Emva kwalezo zinsuku u-Elizabethe, umkakhe, wakhulelwa, wazifihla izinyanga eziyisihlanu, ethi: “INkosi yenze kanje kimina emihleni engibheke ngayo ngomusa ukuba ilisuse ihlazo lami phakathi kwabantu.” Ngenyanga yesithupha, ingelosi uGabhriyeli yathunywa nguNkulunkulu emzini eGalile, okuthiwa yiNazaretha, entombini eyayithenjiswe umendo yindoda enguJosefa, wendlu kaDavide; igama lentombi kwakunguMariya. Seyifikile, yasondela ingelosi lapho ayekhona, yathi kuye: “E! Wena ophiwe umusa! INkosi inawe; ubusisiwe esifazaneni.” Kepha yena wethuka lapho ezwa izwi layo, wazindla ngokuthi kungaba kubingelela kuni lokhu. Ingelosi yathi kuye: “Ungesabi, Mariya, ngokuba ufumene umusa kuNkulunkulu. Uzakukhulelwa, uzale indodana, uyiqambe igama uthi nguJesu. Yena uyakuba mkhulu, abizwe ngokuthi yiNdodana yoPhezukonke. INkosi uNkulunkulu iyakumnika isihlalo sobukhosi, sikayise uDavide; uyakubusa phezu kwendlu kaJakobe kuze kube phakade, nombuso wakhe awuyukuphela.” UMariya wathi engelosini: “Kuyokwenzeka kanjani lokhu, njengokuba ngingayazi indoda na?” Ingelosi yaphendula, yathi kuye: “UMoya oNgcwele uzakuza phezu kwakho, amandla oPhezukonke akusibekele; ngakho-ke lo ongcwele, ozakuzalwa, uzakubizwa ngokuthi yiNdodana kaNkulunkulu. Phela u-Elizabethe, isihlobo sakho, obekuthiwa inyumba naye ukhulelwe indodana esemdala; le yinyanga yakhe yesithupha. Ngokuba akukho lutho olungenzeke kuNkulunkulu.” UMariya wathi: “Ngiyincekukazi yeNkosi; makwenzeke kimi njengezwi lakho.” Ingelosi yemuka kuye. Ngalezo zinsuku uMariya wasuka waya ngokushesha kwelezintaba emzini wakwaJuda. Wangena endlini kaZakhariya, wambingelela u-Elizabethe. Kwathi ukuba u-Elizabethe ezwe uMariya ebingelela, umntwana wagxuma esiswini sakhe; u-Elizabethe wagcwala uMoya oNgcwele