NgokukaLuka 1:39-80

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, wamemeza ngezwi elikhulu, wathi: “Ubusisiwe wena esifazaneni! Sibusisiwe nesithelo sesisu sakho! Kwenzeka kanjani lokhu kimi ukuba ngihanjelwe ngunina weNkosi yami na? Ngokuba kuthe lapho izwi lokubingelela kwakho lifika ezindlebeni zami, umntwana wagxuma ngokujabula esiswini sami. Ubusisiwe lowo owakholwa ukuthi kuzakufezeka lokho okwakhulunywa yiNkosi kuye.” Wayesethi uMariya: “Umphefumulo wami uyayitusa iNkosi, nomoya wami uyathokoza kuNkulunkulu, uMsindisi wami, ngokuba ubhekile ubuphansi bencekukazi yakhe. Kusukela manje izizukulwane zonke ziyakuthi, ngibusisiwe. Ngokuba uSomandla ungenzele izinto ezinkulu: igama lakhe lingcwele. Isihawu sakhe sisezizukulwaneni ngezizukulwane kubo abamesabayo. Wenzile amandla ngengalo yakhe; uchithile abazidlayo ekuzidleni kwenhliziyo yabo. Uwisile amakhosi ezihlalweni, uphakamisile abantukazana. Usuthisile abalambileyo ngezinto ezinhle, abacebileyo wabahambisa bevathazela. Uyisizile inceku yakhe u-Israyeli, ukuze akhumbule isihawu, njengalokhu akhuluma kokhokho bethu ku-Abhrahama nolibo lwakhe kuze kube phakade.” UMariya wahlala naye cishe izinyanga ezintathu, wayesebuyela ekhaya. Safika-ke isikhathi sika-Elizabethe sokuba abelethe; wazala indodana. Abakhelene naye nezihlobo zakhe bezwa ukuthi iNkosi imenzele isihawu esikhulu, bathokoza naye. Kwathi ngosuku lwesishiyagalombili beza ukuzosoka umntwana, bamqamba ngegama likayise uZakhariya. Unina wayesephendula ethi: “Qha, uzakuthiwa nguJohane.” Bathi kuye: “Akukho noyedwa emndenini wakini obizwa ngalelo gama.” Bakhuluma ngezandla noyise ukuthi ufuna ukumqamba ngaliphi. Wacela isileti, waloba wathi. “NguJohane igama lakhe.” Bamangala bonke. Khona manjalo wavuleka umlomo wakhe nolimi lwakhe lwathombuluka, wayesekhuluma edumisa uNkulunkulu. Bonke abakhelene nabo behlelwa ngukwesaba, bakhuluma ngazo zonke lezo zindaba kulo lonke elezintaba eJudiya, nabo bonke abazizwayo bazigcina ezinhliziyweni zabo, bethi: “Ingabe uyakuba yini lo mntwana na?” Ngokuba impela isandla seNkosi sinaye. UZakhariya, uyise, wagcwala uMoya oNgcwele, waphrofetha wathi: “Mayibongwe iNkosi, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ngokuba ibahambele abantu bayo, yabahlenga. Yasiphakamisela uphondo lwensindiso endlini kaDavide, inceku yayo, njengalokhu yakhuluma ngomlomo wabaphrofethi bayo abangcwele selokhu kwadabuka umhlaba, ukusisindisa ezitheni zethu, nasesandleni sabo bonke abasizondayo; ukwenzela okhokho bethu isihawu, nokukhumbula isivumelwano sayo esingcwele; isifungo eyasifunga kubaba u-Abhrahama, ukusinika ukuba sikhululwe esandleni sezitha zethu; siyikhonze singenakwesaba ngobungcwele nangokulunga phambi kwayo, zonke izinsuku zethu. Nawe-ke, mntwana, uyakuthiwa ungumphrofethi woPhezukonke, ngokuba uyakuyandulela iNkosi; ulungisa izindlela zayo ukukhanyisela abantu bayo ukuyazi insindiso ngokuthethelelwa kwezono zabo, ngemisesane yesihawu sikaNkulunkulu wethu esihanjelwe ngakho ukukhanya okuvela phezulu, ukubakhanyisela abahlezi ebumnyameni nasethunzini lokufa, nokuqondisa izinyawo zethu endleleni yokuthula.” Umntwana wakhula, waba namandla emoyeni; wahlala ehlane kwaze kwaba lusuku lokubonakaliswa kwakhe ku-Israyeli.