¹Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,

¹Sezvo vazhinji vakaedza kuronga rondedzero yezvinhu zvakatendeka zvizere pakati pedu,

²Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;

²sezvavakapa kwatiri ivo avo kubva pakutanga vakazvionera, uye vari varanda veshoko,

³It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,

³zvakaonekwa zvakanaka kwandiriwo, ndanyatsoongorora zvinhu zvose kubva pakutanga, kuti ndikunyorerei nekutevedzanisa, imwi Teofiro makakurumbira,

⁴That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

⁴kuti muzive chokwadi chezvinhu zvamakadzidziswa.

⁵THERE was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

⁵Kwaivapo nemazuva aHerodhe mambo weJudhiya umwe mupristi wainzi Zakaria, weboka raAbhiya; nemukadzi wake waibva kuvanasikana vaAroni, nezita rake riri Erizabheti.

⁶And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

⁶Uye vari vaviri vakange vakarurama pamberi paMwari, vachifamba nemurairo wose nezviga zvaIshe, vasina chavangapomerwa.

⁷And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

⁷Uye vakange vasina mwana, nekuti Erizabheti wakange ari mhanje, uye vakange vaenda pamakore vari vaviri.

⁸And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,

⁸Zvino zvakaitika kuti wakati achiita ushumiri hweupristi pamberi paMwari, pachidanho cheboka rake,

⁹According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

⁹maererano netsika yeushumiri hweupristi, wakabatwa nemujenya kuti apise zvipfungaidzo zvinonhuwira apinda mutembere yaIshe.

¹⁰And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

¹⁰Zvino chaunga chose chavanhu chakange chichinyengetera kunze nenguva yezvipfungaidzo zvinonhuhwira.

¹¹And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

¹¹Zvino kwakaonekwa kwaari mutumwa waIshe, amire kurutivi rwerudyi rwearitari yezvifungaidzo zvinonhuhwira.

¹²And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

¹²Zvino Zakaria wakati achimuona akavhiringidzika, kutya kukamuwira.

¹³But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

¹³Asi mutumwa wakati kwaari: Usatya Zakaria; nekuti munyengetero wako wanzwikwa, nemukadzi wako Erizabheti uchakuberekera mwanakomana, ugotumidza zita rake Johwani.

¹⁴And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

¹⁴Uye uchava nemufaro nekupembera, nevazhinji vachafarira kuberekwa kwake.

¹⁵For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

¹⁵Nekuti uchava mukuru pamberi paIshe, haangatongomwi waini kana zvinodhaka; uye uchazadzwa neMweya Mutsvene kunyange kubva padumbu ramai vake.

¹⁶And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

¹⁶Nevazhinji vevana vaIsraeri uchatendeusira kuna Ishe Mwari wavo;

¹⁷And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

¹⁷uye iye uchafamba pamberi pake mumweya nesimba raEria, kutendeusira moyo yemadzibaba kuvana, nevasingateereri kuuchenjeri hwevakarurama, kugadzirira Ishe vanhu vakagadzirwa.

¹⁸And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

¹⁸Zakaria akati kumutumwa: Izvozvi ndichazviziva nei? Nekuti ini ndava mukweguru, nemukadzi wangu waenda pamazuva ake.

¹⁹And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.

¹⁹Mutumwa achipindura akati kwaari: Ini ndini Gabhirieri, unomira pamberi paMwari; ndatumwa kuti nditaure kwauri, ndikuparidzire mashoko awa akanaka.

²⁰And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

²⁰Zvino tarira, uchava chimumumu, usingagoni kutaura, kusvikira zuva rinoitika zvinhu izvi, nekuti hauna kutenda mashoko angu, achazadziswa nenguva yawo.

²¹And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.

²¹Vanhu vakange vakamirira Zakaria, vakashamisika nekunonoka kwake mutembere.

²²And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.

²²Zvino wakati abuda, akakonewa kutaura kwavari; vakaziva kuti wakange aona dzengerere mutembere; iye akavaninira nemaoko, akaramba ari chimumu.

²³And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.

²³Zvino zvakaitika kuti mazuva okushumira kwake akati achangopera, akaenda kumba kwake.

²⁴And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,

²⁴Zvino shure kwemazuva iwayo, mukadzi wake Erizabheti akatora mimba, akazvivanza mwedzi mishanu, achiti:

²⁵Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.

²⁵IShe wandiitira saizvozvi nemazuva aakanditarira, kuti abvise ruzvidzo rwangu pakati pevanhu.

²⁶And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

²⁶Zvino nemwedzi wechitanhatu mutumwa Gabrieri wakatumwa naMwari kuguta reGarirea rinonzi Nazareta,

²⁷To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

²⁷kumhandara, yakange yatsidza kuwanikwa nemurume ainzi Josefa, weimba yaDhavhidhi; zita remhandara riri Maria.

²⁸And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

²⁸Mutumwa akapinda kwaari akati: Hekanhi, iwe une nyasha! Ishe unewe, wakaropafadzwa iwe pakati pavakadzi.

²⁹And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

²⁹Iye wakati achimuona akavhiringidzwa neshoko rake, akafunganya kuti uku kukwazisa rudzii kwakadai.

³⁰And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

³⁰Zvino mutumwa akati kwaari: Usatya Maria; nekuti wawana nyasha kuna Mwari.

³¹And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

³¹Zvino tarira, uchava nemimba, ugozvara mwanakomana, uchatumidza zita rake kuti Jesu.

³²He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

³²Iye uchava mukuru, uchanzi Mwanakomana weWekumusoro-soro; Ishe Mwari uchapa kwaari chigaro cheushe chababa vake Dhavhidhi.

³³And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

³³Uchatonga pamusoro peimba yaJakobho kusvikira narinhi, neushe hwake hahwungavi nemugumo.

³⁴Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

³⁴Maria ndokuti kumutumwa: Izvi zvingava sei, nekuti handizivi murume?

³⁵And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

³⁵Mutumwa akapindura akati kwaari: Mweya Mutsvene uchauya pamusoro pako, nesimba reWokumusoro-soro richakudzikatira; naizvozvo icho chitsvene chichaberekwa newe chichanzi Mwanakomana waMwari.

³⁶And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

³⁶Uye tarira, Erizabheti hama yako, iyewo wava nemimba yemwanakomana pakuchembera kwake; nemwedzi uno wava wechitanhatu kuna iye wainzi mhanje.

³⁷For with God nothing shall be impossible.

³⁷Nekuti naMwari hakuna chinhu chisingazogoneki.

³⁸And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

³⁸Maria ndokuti: Tarirai, murandakadzi waIshe; ngazvive kwandiri seshoko renyu. Mutumwa ndokubva kwaari.

³⁹And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;

³⁹Zvino Maria akasimuka nemazuva iwayo akaenda kunyika yazvikomo nekukurumidza, kuguta raJudha;

⁴⁰And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.

⁴⁰akapinda mumba maZakaria, akakwazisa Erizabheti.

⁴¹And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:

⁴¹Zvino zvakaitika kuti Erizabheti wakati achinzwa kukwazisa kwaMaria, mwana akatamba mudumbu rake; naErizabheti akazadzwa neMweya Mutsvene,

⁴²And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

⁴²akadanidzira nenzwi guru, akati: Wakaropafadzwa iwe pakati pavakadzi, uye chakaropafadzwa chibereko chedumbu rako!

⁴³And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

⁴³Ko zvandibvira nepi, kuti mai vaIshe wangu vauye kandiri?

⁴⁴For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

⁴⁴Nekuti tarira, inzwi rekukwazisa kwako rangoti richisvika munzeve dzangu, mwana watamba mudumbu rangu nemufaro.

⁴⁵And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

⁴⁵Uye wakaropafadzwa unotenda, nekuti zvakataurwa naIshe kwaari zvichazadziswa.

⁴⁶And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,

⁴⁶Maria akati: Moyo wangu unokudza Ishe,

⁴⁷And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

⁴⁷nemweya wangu unofara muna Mwari Muponesi wangu;

⁴⁸For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

⁴⁸nekuti wakatarira kuninipiswa kwemurandakadzi wake; nekuti tarira, kubva zvino mazera ose achati ndakaropafadzwa.

⁴⁹For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.

⁴⁹Nekuti une masimba wakandiitira zvinhu zvikuru; nezita rake idzvene.

⁵⁰And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.

⁵⁰Netsitsi dzake dziri kuna avo vanomutya kubva kumazera nemazera.

⁵¹He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

⁵¹Wakaita zvinesimba noruoko rwake; wakaparadzira vanozvikudza mundangariro dzemoyo yavo.

⁵²He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.

⁵²Wakaburusa vane masimba pazvigaro zvoushe, akasimudza vakaderera.

⁵³He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.

⁵³Vanenzara wakavagutsa nezvinhu zvakanaka, asi vafumi wakavaendesa vasina chinhu.

⁵⁴He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;

⁵⁴Wakabatsira Israeri muranda wake kuti arangarire tsitsi,

⁵⁵As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

⁵⁵sezvaakataura kumadzibaba edu, kuna Abhurahamu nekumbeu yake kusvikira rinhi narinhi.

⁵⁶And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.

⁵⁶Maria akagara naye mwedzi inenge mitatu, akadzokera kumba kwake.

⁵⁷Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.

⁵⁷Zvino nguva yaErizabheti yekusununguka kwake yakazara; akabereka mwanakomana.

⁵⁸And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.

⁵⁸Zvino vavakidzani nehama dzake vakati vanzwa kuti Ishe wakange amuitira tsitsi dzake huru, vakafara naye.

⁵⁹And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.

⁵⁹Zvino zvakaitika kuti nezuva rerusere vakauya kuzodzingisa mucheche, vakamutumidza maererano nezita rababa vake Zakaria.

⁶⁰And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.

⁶⁰Asi mai vake vakapindura vakati: Kwete, asi uchanzi Johwani.

⁶¹And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.

⁶¹Vakati kwaari: Hakuna munhu kuhama dzenyu unodaidzwa nezita iro.

⁶²And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.

⁶²Vakataura nemaoko kuna baba vake, kuti vanoda kuti anzi ani.

⁶³And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.

⁶³Vakakumbira chinyorero, vakanyora vachiti: NdiJohwani zita rake; vakashamisika vose.

⁶⁴And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.

⁶⁴Muromo wake ukazarurwa pakarepo, nerurimi rwake rukasununguka, akataura, achirumbidza Mwari.

⁶⁵And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.

⁶⁵Kutya kukawira vose vaigara vakavakomba; nemashoko iwayo ose akanzwikwa kunyika yose yezvikomo yeJudhiya.

⁶⁶And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.

⁶⁶Zvino vose vakanzwa, vakazviisa mumoyo yavo, vachiti: Mucheche uyu uchazova ani? Uye ruoko rwaIshe rwakava naye.

⁶⁷And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,

⁶⁷Zvino Zakaria baba vake vakazadzwa neMweya Mutsvene, vakaporofita, vachiti:

⁶⁸Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,

⁶⁸Ngaarumbidzwe Ishe Mwari waIsraeri, nekuti wakashanyira kuvanhu vake nekuvadzikunura;

⁶⁹And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;

⁶⁹akatisimudzira runyanga rworuponeso mumba maDhavhidhi muranda wake;

⁷⁰As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:

⁷⁰sezvaakataura nemuromo wevaporofita vake vatsvene, vakange varipo kubva pasichigare;

⁷¹That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;

⁷¹ruponeso pamhandu dzedu, neparuoko rwavose vanotivenga;

⁷²To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;

⁷²kuitira madzibaba edu tsitsi, nekurangarira sungano yake tsvene,

⁷³The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,

⁷³mhiko yaakapika kuna Abhurahamu baba vedu;

⁷⁴That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,

⁷⁴kutipa, kuti tasunungurwa muruoko rwevavengi vedu, timushumire tisingatyi;

⁷⁵In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

⁷⁵muutsvene nekururama pamberi pake mazuva ose eupenyu hwedu.

⁷⁶And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;

⁷⁶Newe mucheche, uchanzi muporofita weWokumusoro-soro, nekuti uchatungamira pamberi pechiso chaIshe, kugadzirira nzira dzake;

⁷⁷To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,

⁷⁷kupa ruzivo rweruponeso kuvanhu vake nekangamwiro yezvivi zvavo;

⁷⁸Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

⁷⁸netsitsi dzaMwari wedu, mauri mambakwedza ekudenga anotishanyira;

⁷⁹To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

⁷⁹kuvhenekera vagere murima nemumvuri worufu, nekururamisa tsoka dzedu munzira yerugare.

⁸⁰And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

⁸⁰Mucheche akakura, akasimba mumweya, akava mumarenje, kusvikira zuva rekuratidzwa kwake kuna Israeri.