Introduction
1Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled1:1 Or been surely believed among us, 2just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold
5In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 7But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.
8Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
18Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
19The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”
21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
23When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 25“The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
The Birth of Jesus Foretold
26In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called1:35 Or So the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37For no word from God will ever fail.”
38“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
Mary’s Song
46And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
50His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
51He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
53He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
54He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
55to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”
56Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
The Birth of John the Baptist
57When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
59On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”
61They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”
62Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” 64Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. 65All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. 66Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.
Zechariah’s Song
67His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
68“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
69He has raised up a horn1:69 Horn here symbolizes a strong king. of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David
70(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
71salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us—
72to show mercy to our ancestors
and to remember his holy covenant,
73the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
74to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
and to enable us to serve him without fear
75in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
77to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
78because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
79to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
80And the child grew and became strong in spirit1:80 Or in the Spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.
Ũhoro wa Gũtongoria
1Andũ aingĩ nĩmarĩkĩtie kwandĩka ũhoro wa maũndũ marĩa mahingĩtio gatagatĩ-inĩ gaitũ, 21:2 Joh 15:27; Ahib 2:3o ta ũrĩa twaheirwo ũhoro wamo nĩ arĩa meyoneire maũndũ macio kuuma o kĩambĩrĩria marĩ aira na ndungata cia ũhoro ũcio. 31:3 Atũm 11:4; Atũm 1:1Nĩ ũndũ ũcio, tondũ niĩ mwene nĩnduĩrĩtie maũndũ macio mothe wega kuuma kĩambĩrĩria-rĩ, ngakĩona arĩ wega o na niĩ ngwandĩkĩre mũtaratara mwega wa maũndũ macio, wee mũnene mũgaathe Theofilo, 4nĩgeetha ũmenye na ma maũndũ marĩa warutirwo.
Gũciarwo kwa Johana Mũbatithania Kũmenyithanio
51:5 Math 2:1; 1Maũ 24:10Na rĩrĩ, hĩndĩ ĩrĩa Herode aarĩ mũthamaki wa Judea, nĩ kwarĩ mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai wetagwo Zakaria, warĩ wa gĩkundi kĩa athĩnjĩri-Ngai kĩa Abija; mũtumia wake eetagwo Elizabethi na aarĩ wa rũciaro rwa Harũni. 61:6 Kĩam 6:9; Gũcook 5:33O eerĩ maarĩ arũngĩrĩru maitho-inĩ ma Ngai, na nĩmathĩkagĩra maathani ma Mwathani na mawatho mothe matarĩ na ũcuuke. 7Nao matiarĩ na twana tondũ Elizabethi aarĩ thaata; na eerĩ maarĩ akũrũ mũno.
81:8 1Maũ 24:19Na rĩrĩ, mũthenya ũmwe Zakaria nĩarutaga wĩra wa mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai arĩ mbere ya Ngai, tondũ rĩarĩ ihinda rĩa gĩkundi gĩake gũtungata-rĩ, 91:9 Atũm 1:26; Thaam 30:7, 8nĩathuurirwo na njĩra ya gũcuukĩrwo mĩtĩ, kũringana na mũtugo wa ũthĩnjĩri-Ngai, athiĩ thĩinĩ wa hekarũ ya Mwathani agacine ũbumba. 101:10 Alaw 16:17Na rĩrĩa ihinda rĩa gũcina ũbumba rĩakinyire, kĩrĩndĩ gĩothe kĩrĩa kĩonganĩte nĩ ũndũ wa kũhooya, nĩ kĩahooyagĩra na kũu nja.
11Hĩndĩ ĩyo mũraika wa Mwathani akiumĩrĩra Zakaria, na akĩrũgama mwena wa ũrĩo wa kĩgongona kĩrĩa gĩa gũcinĩra ũbumba. 12Rĩrĩa Zakaria aamuonire, akĩhahũka na akĩiyũrwo nĩ guoya. 131:13 Math 14:27; Luk 1:60, 63No mũraika ũcio akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ: “Zakaria, tiga gwĩtigĩra; mahooya maku nĩmaiguĩtwo. Mũtumia waku Elizabethi nĩagagũciarĩra mwana wa kahĩĩ, nawe nĩũkamũtua Johana. 14Nĩũgakena na ũcanjamũke, nĩ ũndũ wake na andũ aingĩ nĩmagakenio nĩgũciarwo gwake, 151:15 Ndar 6:3; Jer 1:5nĩgũkorwo nĩagatuĩka mũndũ mũnene maitho-inĩ ma Mwathani. Ndarĩ hĩndĩ akaanyua ndibei o na kana kĩndũ o kĩngĩ kĩgagatu kĩngĩtũma mũndũ arĩĩo, na nĩakaiyũrwo nĩ Roho Mũtheru kuuma o gũciarwo gwake. 16Nake nĩakagarũra andũ aingĩ a Isiraeli macookerere Mwathani Ngai wao. 171:17 Mal 4:5; Math 11:14Na nĩagathiĩ mbere ya Mwathani arĩ na roho na hinya wa Elija, nĩguo agarũre ngoro cia maithe mendane na ciana ciao, nao arĩa aremi amagarũre magĩe na ũũgĩ wa andũ arĩa athingu, nĩgeetha ahaarĩrie andũ mahote gweterera Mwathani.”
18Zakaria akĩũria mũraika ũcio atĩrĩ, “Ingĩmenya ma ya ũhoro ũcio atĩa? Niĩ ndĩ mũthuuri mũkũrũ o na mũtumia wakwa arĩ na mĩaka mĩingĩ.”
191:19 Dan 8:16; Dan 9:21Mũraika ũcio akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Niĩ nĩ niĩ Gaburieli, ũrĩa ũrũgamaga mbere ya Ngai, na nĩ gũtũmwo ndũmĩtwo ngwarĩrie na ngwĩre ũhoro ũyũ mwega. 20Na rĩu nĩũgũkira ũremwo nĩ kwaria nginya mũthenya ũrĩa ũndũ ũcio ũkaahinga, tondũ ndũnetĩkia ciugo ciakwa, o icio ikaahinga ihinda rĩrĩa rĩagĩrĩire rĩakinya.”
21Hĩndĩ ĩyo yothe, andũ nĩmetereire Zakaria na makarigagwo nĩ kĩrĩa gĩatũmĩte aikare mũno ũguo thĩinĩ wa hekarũ.1:21 Andũ meetereire Zakaria oime Handũ-harĩa-Hatheru oke amarathime na kĩrathimo kĩa Harũni kĩrĩa kĩrĩ Ndar 6:24-26. 221:22 Luk 1:62Rĩrĩa oimire, ndaigana kũhota kũmaarĩria; magĩkĩmenya atĩ nĩonete kĩoneki arĩ thĩinĩ wa hekarũ, nĩgũkorwo no kũmaheneria aamahenagĩria na guoko, agĩikara o ũguo atekũhota kwaria.
23Rĩrĩa ihinda rĩake rĩa gũtungata1:23 Mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai aatungataga hekarũ-inĩ kiumia kĩmwe harĩ mĩeri ĩtandatũ, nĩ kuuga maita meerĩ harĩ mwaka ũmwe. rĩathirire-rĩ, akĩinũka gwake mũciĩ. 24Thuutha ũcio Elizabethi mũtumia wake akĩgĩa nda, na handũ ha mĩeri ĩtano agĩikara ehithĩte. 251:25 Kĩam 30:23; Isa 4:1Akiuga atĩrĩ, “Nĩ Mwathani ũnjĩkĩire ũũ. Matukũ-inĩ maya nĩanjĩkĩte wega na akanjehereria thoni cia kũmenwo nĩ andũ.”
Gũciarwo kwa Jesũ Kũmenyithanio
26Naguo mweri wa ĩtandatũ wa Elizabethi gũkorwo arĩ na nda-rĩ, Ngai nĩatũmire mũraika Gaburieli athiĩ Nazarethi itũũra rĩarĩ kũu Galili, 271:27 Math 1:16, 18, 20akĩmũtũma kũrĩ mũirĩtu gathirange worĩtio nĩ mũndũ wetagwo Jusufu, wa rũciaro rwa Daudi. Mũirĩtu ũcio gathirange eetagwo Mariamu. 28Mũraika ũcio akĩmuumĩrĩra, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Nĩndakũgeithia, wee ũrathimĩtwo mũno! Mwathani arĩ hamwe nawe.”
29Nake Mariamu agĩthĩĩnĩka mũno nĩ ũndũ ũcio, na akĩgega akĩrigwo nĩ ũhoro wa ngeithi icio. 30Nowe mũraika ũcio akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Mariamu tiga gwĩtigĩra, nĩgũkorwo nĩũkinyĩirwo nĩ wega wa Ngai. 311:31 Isa 7:14; Math 1:21, 25Nawe nĩũkũgĩa nda na nĩũgaaciara mwana wa kahĩĩ, nawe nĩũkamũtua Jesũ. 321:32 Math 1:1; Mar 5:7Nake nĩagatuĩka mũnene na ageetagwo Mũrũ-wa-Ũrĩa-ũrĩ-Igũrũ-Mũno. Mwathani Ngai nĩakamũhe gĩtĩ kĩa ũnene kĩrĩa gĩa ithe Daudi, 331:33 2Sam 7:6; Dan 2:44nake nĩagathamakĩra nyũmba ya Jakubu nginya tene; ũthamaki wake ndũgaathira o na rĩ.”
34Mariamu akĩũria mũraika ũcio atĩrĩ, “Ũndũ ũyũ ũngĩhoteka atĩa, kuona atĩ ndĩ o mũirĩtu gathirange?”
351:35 Luk 1:32, 76; Math 4:3Nake mũraika ũcio akĩmũcookeria, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Roho Mũtheru nĩagooka igũrũ rĩaku naguo hinya wa Ũrĩa-ũrĩ-Igũrũ-Mũno nĩũgakũhumbĩra, nĩ ũndũ ũcio mwana ũrĩa ũgaaciarwo nĩ mũtheru na ageetagwo Mũrũ wa Ngai. 36O na Elizabethi, ũrĩa wa mbarĩ cianyu, o nake nĩekũgĩa kaana arĩ mũkũrũ, o ũcio weragwo atĩ nĩ thaata, nĩgũkorwo rĩu arĩ na nda ya mĩeri ĩtandatũ. 371:37 Math 19:26Nĩgũkorwo gũtirĩ ũndũ ũngĩrema Ngai.”
38Nake Mariamu akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Niĩ ndĩ ndungata ya Mwathani. Ndĩrogĩĩkwo o ta ũguo woiga.” Hĩndĩ ĩyo mũraika akĩmũtiga agĩthiĩ.
Mariamu Gũceerera Elizabethi
391:39 Luk 1:65Matukũ-inĩ o ro macio, Mariamu akĩĩhaarĩria, agĩthiĩ ahiũhĩte nginya itũũra rĩarĩ bũrũri ũrĩa ũrĩ irĩma wa Judea, 40agĩtoonya mũciĩ gwa Zakaria, na akĩgeithia Elizabethi. 41Rĩrĩa Elizabethi aiguire ngeithi cia Mariamu-rĩ, kaana gake gakĩambarara karĩ nda yake, nake Elizabethi akĩiyũrwo nĩ Roho Mũtheru. 421:42 Atiir 5:14Akĩanĩrĩra na mũgambo mũnene, akiuga atĩrĩ, “Wee wĩ mũrathime gatagatĩ ka atumia othe, nako kaana karĩa ũgaaciara nĩkarathime! 43No nĩ kĩĩ gĩtũmĩte njĩkwo wega ũũ, atĩ nyina wa Mwathani wakwa no ooke kũnjeerera? 44Ndaigua mũgambo wa ngeithi ciaku wakinya matũ-inĩ makwa, nako kaana karĩa karĩ nda yakwa kambarara nĩ ũndũ wa gũkena. 45Kũrathimwo-rĩ, nĩ mũndũ ũcio wĩtĩkĩtie atĩ maũndũ marĩa Mwathani amwĩrĩte nĩmakahingio!”
Rwĩmbo rwa Mariamu
461:46 Thab 34:2, 3Nake Mariamu akiuga atĩrĩ:
“Ngoro yakwa nĩĩragooca Mwathani,
471:47 Thab 18:46; Hab 3:8naguo roho wakwa nĩũrakenera Ngai Mũhonokia wakwa,
48nĩgũkorwo nĩaririkanĩte
kwĩnyiihia kwa ndungata yake.
Kuuma rĩu njiarwa ciothe irĩĩnjĩtaga mũrathime,
491:49 Thab 71:19nĩgũkorwo Ũcio ũrĩ Hinya nĩanjĩkĩire maũndũ manene,
narĩo rĩĩtwa rĩake nĩ rĩtheru.
501:50 Thaam 20:6; Thab 103:17Tha ciake nĩikinyagĩra arĩa mamwĩtigagĩra,
kuuma njiarwa nginya njiarwa.
511:51 Thab 98:1; Isa 40:10Nĩekĩte maũndũ ma hinya na guoko gwake;
na arĩa etĩĩi aharaganagia meciiria ma ngoro ciao.
52Nĩaharũrũkĩtie aathani kuuma itĩ-inĩ ciao cia ũnene,
no agatũũgĩria arĩa menyiihagia.
53Nĩahũũnĩtie arĩa ahũtu na maũndũ mega,
no arĩa itonga akamaingata matarĩ na kĩndũ.
541:54 Thab 98:3Nĩateithĩtie Isiraeli ndungata yake,
akaririkana ũhoro wake wa kũiguanĩra tha,
551:55 Agal 3:16o ta ũrĩa eerire maithe maitũ,
atĩ nĩakaiguĩra Iburahĩmu hamwe na njiaro ciake tha, nginya tene.”
56Nake Mariamu agĩikara na Elizabethi ta mĩeri ĩtatũ, agĩcooka akĩinũka kwao.
Gũciarwo kwa Johana Mũbatithania
57Na rĩrĩ, ihinda rĩa Elizabethi rĩakinya rĩa gũciara, agĩciara kahĩĩ. 58Andũ a itũũra rĩake na a mbarĩ ciao makĩigua atĩ Mwathani nĩakĩrĩrĩirie kũmũiguĩra tha, nao magĩkena hamwe nake.
591:59 Kĩam 17:12; Alaw 12:3Mũthenya wa ĩnana wakinya, magĩũka nĩguo maruithie kaana kau, nao meendaga gũgatua Zakaria o ta ũrĩa ithe eetagwo, 60no nyina akĩaria, akiuga atĩrĩ, “Aca! Gegwĩtwo Johana.”
61Nao andũ makĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Gũtirĩ mũndũ wa mbarĩ cianyu wĩtagwo rĩĩtwa rĩu!”
621:62 Luk 1:22Nao makĩũria ithe ũrĩa angĩenda gatuuo na ũndũ wa kũmũheneria na moko. 63Akĩmeetia kahengere ga kwandĩkwo, nake akĩandĩka atĩrĩ, “Rĩĩtwa rĩako nĩ Johana.” Naguo ũndũ ũcio ũkĩgegia andũ othe. 64O hĩndĩ ĩyo akĩhingũka kanua, naruo rũrĩmĩ rwake rũkĩregera, akĩambĩrĩria kwaria, akĩgooca Ngai. 65Nao andũ othe a itũũra makĩiyũrwo nĩ guoya, makaaragia ũhoro wa maũndũ macio mothe, namo makĩhunja bũrũri-inĩ ũcio wothe wa irĩma wa Judea. 661:66 Kĩam 39:2; Atũm 11:21Nao arĩa othe maiguire ũhoro ũcio makĩgegio nĩguo makĩũria atĩrĩ, “Kaĩ kaana gaka gagaatuĩka ũ? Nĩgũkorwo guoko kwa Mwathani kwarĩ hamwe nako.”
Rwĩmbo rwa Zakaria
671:67 Joel 2:28Nake ithe Zakaria akĩiyũrwo nĩ Roho Mũtheru, akĩratha ũhoro, akiuga atĩrĩ,
681:68 Thab 111:9; Luk 7:16“Mwathani Ngai wa Isiraeli arogoocwo,
tondũ nĩokĩte na agakũũra andũ ake.
691:69 Thab 18:2; 132:17Nĩatwambararĩirie rũhĩa rwa ũhonokio
thĩinĩ wa nyũmba ya Daudi, ndungata yake
701:70 Arom 1:2; Jer 23:5(o ta ũrĩa aarĩtie matukũ ma tene na tũnua twa anabii ake atheru),
71rwa gũtũhonokia kuuma kũrĩ thũ ciitũ,
na kuuma kũrĩ guoko kwa arĩa othe matũmenaga,
72nĩguo aiguĩre maithe maitũ tha,
na aririkane kĩrĩkanĩro gĩake gĩtheru,
73o mwĩhĩtwa ũrĩa eehĩtĩire ithe witũ Iburahĩmu:
741:74 1Joh 4:18; Ahib 9:14atĩ nĩagatũhonokia kuuma guoko-inĩ gwa thũ ciitũ,
na atũhotithie kũmũtungatagĩra tũtarĩ na guoya,
751:75 Aef 4:24tũrĩ atheru na athingu mbere yake matukũ-inĩ maitũ mothe.
761:76 Math 11:9“O nawe, kaana gakwa, nĩũgetagwo mũnabii wa Ũrĩa-ũrĩ-Igũrũ-Mũno;
nĩgũkorwo nĩũgaathiiaga mbere ya Mwathani nĩguo ũmũthondekagĩre njĩra ciake,
771:77 Mar 1:4na ũmenyithie andũ ake ũhoro wa ũhonokio
nĩ ũndũ wa kũrekerwo mehia mao,
78na tondũ wa tha nyingĩ cia Ngai witũ,
tha icio nĩigatũma riũa rĩtũrathĩre kuuma igũrũ,
791:79 Isa 9:2; Math 4:16nĩgeetha rĩarĩre arĩa matũũraga nduma-inĩ,
o na arĩa matũũraga kĩĩruru-inĩ gĩa gĩkuũ,
nĩguo rĩtongorie magũrũ maitũ njĩra-inĩ ya thayũ.”
801:80 Luk 2:40, 52Nako kaana kau gagĩkũra, na gakĩgĩa hinya roho-inĩ wako; nake agĩtũũra werũ-inĩ nginya hĩndĩ ĩrĩa eyumĩririe kũrĩ andũ a Isiraeli.
