Luka 1:5-25

Emihleni kaHerode inkosi yaseJudiya kwakukhona umpristi othile ogama lakhe linguZakariya, owesigaba sika-Abiya, nomkakhe engowamadodakazi ka-Aroni, igama lakhe kungu-Elisabethe. Babelungile bobabili phambi kukaNkulunkulu, behamba ngayo yonke imiyalo nezimiso zeNkosi bengasoleki. Babengenamntwana, ngokuba u-Elisabethe wayeyinyumba, futhi base bekhulile bobabili. Kwasekusithi esenza inkonzo yobupristi phambi kukaNkulunkulu ngehlelo lesigaba sakhe. Njengomkhuba wobupristi, kwaba yinkatho yakhe ukushisa impepho, lapho engena ethempelini leNkosi. Isixuku sonke sabantu sasikhuleka ngaphandle ngesikhathi sempepho. Kwabonakala kuye ingelosi yeNkosi imi ngakwesokunene se-altare lempepho. UZakariya eyibona wethuka, novalo lwamehlela. Kepha ingelosi yathi kuye: “Ungesabi, Zakariya, ngokuba ukukhuleka kwakho kuzwakele; umkakho u-Elisabethe uzakukuzalela indodana, uyiqambe igama lokuthi uJohane. Wena uyakuba nokujabula nokuthokoza; nabaningi bayakujabula ngokuzalwa kwakhe. Ngokuba uyakuba mkhulu phambi kweNkosi, angaphuzi wayini naphuzo oludakayo; futhi uyogcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele kusukela esizalweni sikanina. Abaningi kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli uyakubaphendulela eNkosini uNkulunkulu wabo. Iyakuhamba phambi kwayo emoyeni nangamandla ka-Eliya ukuphendulela izinhliziyo zawoyise kubantwana, nabangalaleliyo ekuhlakanipheni kwabalungileyo; ukulungisa isizwe esilungiselwe iNkosi. UZakariya wathi engelosini: “Ngiyakwazi ngani lokhu na? ngokuba mina sengimdala, nomkami usekhulile. Ingelosi yaphendula, yathi kuye: “Mina nginguGabriyeli, omayo phambi kukaNkulunkulu; ngithunyiwe ukuba ngikhulume kuwe, ngikubikele lezi zindaba ezinhle. Bheka, uyakuba yisimungulu, ungakwazi ukukhuluma, kuze kufike usuku okuyakwenzeka ngalo lokho, ngokuba ungakholwanga ngamazwi ami ayakugcwaliseka ngesikhathi sawo. Abantu babemlindile uZakariya, bamangala ngokulibala kwakhe ethempelini. Esephumile wahluleka ukukhuluma labo, basebeqonda ukuthi ubone umbono ethempelini, wasebaqhweba, wahlala eyisimungulu. Kwathi seziphelile izinsuku zokukhonza kwakhe, wamuka waya endlini yakhe. Emva kwalezo zinsuku u-Elisabethe umkakhe wakhulelwa, wazifihla izinyanga eziyisihlanu, wathi: Yenze njalo kimi uJehova ezinsukwini eyangibheka ngazo ukususa ihlazo lami phakathi kwabantu.