Luka 1:39-80

Ngalezo zinsuku uMariya wasuka waya ngokushesha ezintabeni, emzini wakwaJuda; Wangena endlini kaZakariya, wabingelela u-Elisabethe. Kwathi u-Elisabethe ezwa ukubingelela kukaMariya, umntwana waxhuma esizalweni sakhe; u-Elisabethe wagcwala uMoya oNgcwele; Wamemeza ngezwi elikhulu, wathi: “Ubusisiwe wena phakathi kwabesifazane, futhi sibusisiwe isithelo sesisu sakho. Kuzuzeni lokhu ukuba unina weNkosi yami eze kimi na? Ngokuba bheka, kuthe izwi lokubingelela kwakho lizwakala ezindlebeni zami, umntwana waxhuma esizalweni sami ngokujabula. Ubusisiwe owakholwayo, ngokuba kuyakuba khona ukugcwaliseka kwalokho akutshelwa yiNkosi. UMariya wasesithi: Umphefumulo wami uyayitusa iNkosi. Nomoya wami uyathokoza kuNkulunkulu uMsindisi wami. Ngokuba ubhekile ubuphansi bencekukazi yakhe, ngokuba bheka, kusukela manje izizukulwane zonke ziyakuthi ngibusisiwe. Ngoba uSomandla ungenzele izinto ezinkulu; lingcwele igama lakhe. Futhi umusa wakhe uzizukulwane ngezizukulwane kulabo abamesabayo. Wenzile amandla ngengalo yakhe; ubachithile abazidlayo ekucabangeni kwezinhliziyo zabo. Wehlise abanamandla ezihlalweni zabo zobukhosi, wabaphakamisa abaphansi. Ubasuthisile abalambileyo ngezinto ezinhle; nabacebile wabamukisa bengenalutho. Uyisizile inceku yakhe u-Israyeli, ekhumbula umusa wakhe; njengalokho yakhuluma kokhokho bethu ku-Abrahama nenzalo yakhe kuze kube phakade. UMariya wahlala naye kungathi izinyanga ezintathu, wabuyela endlini yakhe. Saphelela-ke isikhathi sika-Elisabethe sokuba abelethe; wazala indodana. Omakhelwane bakhe nabazala bakhe bezwa ukuthi iNkosi yenze isihawu esikhulu kuye; basebethokoza kanye laye. Kwathi ngosuku lwesishiyagalombili beza ukuzosoka umntwana. Bambiza ngegama likayise uZakariya. Unina waphendula wathi: “Qha; kodwa uzakuthiwa uJohane. Bathi kuye: “Akakho ezihlotsheni zakho obizwa ngaleli gama. Basebeqhweba uyise ukuthi ufuna iqanjwe njani. Wacela isibhebhe, waloba ukuthi: NguJohane igama lakhe. Bamangala bonke. Kwase kuvuleka umlomo wakhe khona lapho nolimi lwakhe, wakhuluma, wambonga uNkulunkulu. Bonke abakhelene nabo behlelwa ngukwesaba, futhi zonke lezi zindaba zezwakala ezweni lonke lezintaba laseJudiya. Bonke abazizwayo bakubeka ezinhliziyweni zabo, bethi: “Lo mntwana uyakuba yini na? Futhi isandla sikaJehova sasinaye. Uyise uZakariya wagcwala uMoya oNgcwele, waprofetha, wathi: Makabongwe uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli; ngokuba ubahambele, wabahlenga abantu bakhe; Usivusele uphondo lwensindiso endlini kaDavide inceku yakhe; Njengoba akhuluma ngomlomo wabaprofethi bakhe abangcwele, ababekhona kusukela endulo. Ukuze sisindiswe ezitheni zethu nasesandleni sabo bonke abasizondayo; Ukwenzela obaba umusa nokukhumbula isivumelwano sakhe esingcwele; Isifungo asenza kubaba u-Abhrahama. Ukuze asinike, ukuthi sikhululwe esandleni sezitha zethu, siyikhonze singesabi; ngobungcwele nokulunga phambi kwakhe zonke izinsuku zokuhamba kwethu. Nawe, mntwana, uyakuthiwa umprofethi woPhezukonke, ngokuba wena uyakuhamba phambi kobuso beNkosi ukulungisa izindlela zayo; ukuze anike abantu bakhe ulwazi lwensindiso ngokuthethelelwa kwezono zabo, Ngomusa kaNkulunkulu wethu; okwasihambela ngalo ukuntwela kokusa okuvela phezulu. Ukubakhanyisela abahlezi ebumnyameni nasethunzini lokufa, ukuqondisa izinyawo zethu endleleni yokuthula. Umntwana wakhula, waba namandla emoyeni; wayesezinkangala kwaze kwaba lusuku lokubonakaliswa kwakhe kuIsrayeli.