¹Forasmuch as many have undertaken to draw up a relation concerning the matters fully believed among us,

¹Mheshimiwa Theofilo: Watu wengi wamejitahidi kuandika juu ya mambo yale yaliyotendeka kati yetu.

²as those who from the beginning were eye-witnesses of and attendants on the Word have delivered them to us,

²Waliandika kama tulivyoelezwa na wale walioyaona kwa macho yao tangu mwanzo, na waliotangaza ujumbe huo.

³it has seemed good to *me* also, accurately acquainted from the origin with all things, to write to thee with method, most excellent Theophilus,

³Inafaa nami pia, Mheshimiwa, baada ya kuchunguza kwa makini mambo yote tangu mwanzo, nikuandikie kwa mpango,

⁴that thou mightest know the certainty of those things in which thou hast been instructed.

⁴ili nawe uweze kujionea mwenyewe ukweli wa mambo yale uliyofundishwa.

⁵There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest, by name Zacharias, of the course of Abia, and his wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elizabeth.

⁵Wakati Herode alipokuwa mfalme wa Yudea, kulikuwa na kuhani mmoja jina lake Zakaria, wa kikundi cha Abia. Mke wake alikuwa anaitwa Elisabeti, naye alikuwa wa ukoo wa kuhani Aroni.

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

⁶Wote wawili walikuwa wanyofu mbele ya Mungu, wakiishi kwa kufuata amri na maagizo yote ya Bwana bila lawama.

⁷And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years.

⁷Lakini hawakuwa wamejaliwa watoto kwa vile Elisabeti alikuwa tasa, nao wote wawili walikuwa wazee sana.

⁸And it came to pass, as he fulfilled his priestly service before God in the order of his course,

⁸Siku moja, ilipokuwa zamu yake ya kutoa huduma ya ukuhani mbele ya Mungu,

⁹it fell to him by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter into the temple of the Lord to burn incense.

⁹Zakariya alichaguliwa kwa kura, kama ilivyokuwa desturi, kuingia hekaluni ili afukize ubani.

¹⁰And all the multitude of the people were praying without at the hour of incense.

¹⁰Watu, umati mkubwa, walikuwa wamekusanyika nje wanasali wakati huo wa kufukiza ubani.

¹¹And an angel of [the] Lord appeared to him, standing on the right of the altar of incense.

¹¹Malaika wa Bwana akamtokea humo ndani, akasimama upande wa kulia wa madhabahu ya kufukizia ubani.

¹²And Zacharias was troubled, seeing [him], and fear fell upon him.

¹²Zakariya alipomwona alifadhaika, hofu ikamwingia.

¹³But the angel said to him, Fear not, Zacharias, because thy supplication has been heard, and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

¹³Lakini malaika akamwambia, "Zakariya, usiogope, kwa maana sala yako imesikilizwa, na Elisabeti mkeo atakuzalia mtoto wa kiume, nawe utampa jina Yohane.

¹⁴And he shall be to thee joy and rejoicing, and many shall rejoice at his birth.

¹⁴Utakuwa na furaha kubwa na watu wengi watashangilia kwa sababu ya kuzaliwa kwake.

¹⁵For he shall be great before [the] Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with [the] Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.

¹⁵Atakuwa mkuu mbele ya Bwana. Hatakunywa divai wala kileo, atajazwa Roho Mtakatifu tangu tumboni mwa mama yake.

¹⁶And many of the sons of Israel shall he turn to [the] Lord their God.

¹⁶Atawaelekeza wengi wa watu wa Israeli kwa Bwana Mungu wao.

¹⁷And *he* shall go before him in [the] spirit and power of Elias, to turn hearts of fathers to children, and disobedient ones to [the] thoughts of just [men], to make ready for [the] Lord a prepared people.

¹⁷Atamtangulia Bwana akiongozwa na nguvu na roho kama Eliya. Atawapatanisha kina baba na watoto wao; atawafanya wasiotii wawe na fikira za uadilifu, na hivyo amtayarishie Bwana watu wake."

¹⁸And Zacharias said to the angel, How shall I know this, for *I* am an old man, and my wife advanced in years?

¹⁸Zakariya akamwambia huyo malaika, "Ni kitu gani kitakachonihakikishia jambo hilo? Mimi ni mzee, hali kadhalika na mke wangu."

¹⁹And the angel answering, said to him, *I* am Gabriel, who stand before God, and I have been sent to speak to thee, and to bring these glad tidings to thee;

¹⁹Malaika akamjibu, "Mimi ni Gabrieli, nisimamaye mbele ya Mungu, na nimetumwa niseme nawe, nikuletee hii habari njema.

²⁰and behold, thou shalt be silent and not able to speak, till the day in which these things shall take place, because thou hast not believed my words, the which shall be fulfilled in their time.

²⁰Sikiliza, utakuwa bubu kwa sababu huyasadiki haya maneno yatakayotimia kwa wakati wake. Hutaweza kusema mpaka hayo niliyokuambia yatakapotimia."

²¹And the people were awaiting Zacharias, and they wondered at his delaying in the temple.

²¹Wakati huo, wale watu walikuwa wanamngoja Zakariya huku wakishangaa juu ya kukawia kwake Hekaluni.

²²But when he came out he could not speak to them, and they recognised that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he was making signs to them, and continued dumb.

²²Alipotoka nje, hakuweza kusema nao. Ikawa dhahiri kwao kwamba alikuwa ameona maono Hekaluni. Lakini akawa anawapa ishara kwa mikono, akabaki bubu.

²³And it came to pass, when the days of his service were completed, he departed to his house.

²³Zamu yake ya kuhudumu ilipokwisha, alirudi nyumbani.

²⁴Now after these days, Elizabeth his wife conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,

²⁴Baadaye Elisabeti mkewe akapata mimba. Akajificha nyumbani kwa muda wa miezi mitano, akisema:

²⁵Thus has [the] Lord done to me in [these] days in which he looked upon [me] to take away my reproach among men.

²⁵"Hivi ndivyo alivyonitendea Bwana; ameniangalia na kuniondolea aibu niliyokuwa nayo mbele ya watu."

²⁶But in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent of God to a city of Galilee, of which [the] name [was] Nazareth,

²⁶Mnamo mwezi wa sita, malaika Gabrieli alitumwa na Mungu aende kwenye mji uitwao Nazareti huko Galilaya,

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

²⁷kwa msichana mmoja aitwaye Maria, mchumba wa mtu mmoja jina lake Yosefu, wa ukoo wa Daudi.

²⁸And the angel came in to her, and said, Hail, [thou] favoured one! the Lord [is] with thee: [blessed art *thou* amongst women].

²⁸Malaika akamwendea, akamwambia, "Salamu Maria! Umejaliwa neema nyingi! Bwana yu pamoja nawe."

²⁹But she, [seeing] [the angel], was troubled at his word, and reasoned in her mind what this salutation might be.

²⁹Maria aliposikia maneno hayo alifadhaika sana, akawaza: maneno haya yanamaanisha nini?

³⁰And the angel said to her, Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God;

³⁰Malaika akamwambia, "Usiogope Maria, kwa maana Mungu amekujalia neema.

³¹and behold, thou shalt conceive in the womb and bear a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus.

³¹Utachukua mimba, utamzaa mtoto wa kiume na utampa jina Yesu.

³²*He* shall be great, and shall be called Son of [the] Highest; and [the] Lord God shall give him the throne of David his father;

³²Yeye atakuwa mkuu na ataitwa Mwana wa Mungu Mkuu. Bwana Mungu atampa kiti cha mfalme Daudi, babu yake.

³³and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for the ages, and of his kingdom there shall not be an end.

³³Kwa hivyo atautawala ukoo wa Yakobo milele, na ufalme wake hautakuwa na mwisho."

³⁴But Mary said to the angel, How shall this be, since I know not a man?

³⁴Maria akamjibu, "Yatawezekanaje hayo, hali mimi ni bikira?"

³⁵And the angel answering said to her, [The] Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and power of [the] Highest overshadow thee, wherefore the holy thing also which shall be born shall be called Son of God.

³⁵Malaika akamjibu, "Roho Mtakatifu atakushukia, na uwezo wake Mungu Mkuu utakujia kama kivuli; kwa sababu hiyo, mtoto atakayezaliwa ataitwa Mtakatifu, Mwana wa Mungu.

³⁶And behold, Elizabeth, thy kinswoman, she also has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month to her that was called barren:

³⁶Ujue pia kwamba hata Elisabeti, jamaa yako, naye amepata mimba ingawa ni mzee, na sasa ni mwezi wa sita kwake yeye ambaye watu walimfahamu kuwa tasa.

³⁷for nothing shall be impossible with God.

³⁷Kwa maana hakuna jambo lisilowezekana kwa Mungu."

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

³⁸Maria akasema, "Mimi ni mtumishi wa Bwana, nitendewe kama ulivyosema." Kisha yule malaika akaenda zake.

³⁹And Mary, rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah,

³⁹Siku kadhaa baadaye, Maria alifunga safari akaenda kwa haraka hadi mji mmoja ulioko katika milima ya Yuda.

⁴⁰and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elizabeth.

⁴⁰Huko, aliingia katika nyumba ya Zakariya, akamsalimu Elisabeti.

⁴¹And it came to pass, as Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with [the] Holy Spirit,

⁴¹Mara tu Elisabeti aliposikia sauti ya Maria, mtoto mchanga tumboni mwake Elisabeti akaruka. Naye Elisabeti akajazwa Roho Mtakatifiu,

⁴²and cried out with a loud voice and said, Blessed [art] *thou* amongst women, and blessed the fruit of thy womb.

⁴²akasema kwa sauti kubwa, "Umebarikiwa kuliko wanawake wote, naye utakayemzaa amebarikiwa.

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

⁴³Mimi ni nani hata mama wa Bwana wangu afike kwangu?

⁴⁴For behold, as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the babe leaped with joy in my womb.

⁴⁴Nakwambia, mara tu niliposikia sauti yako, mtoto mchanga tumboni mwangu aliruka kwa furaha.

⁴⁵And blessed [is] she that has believed, for there shall be a fulfilment of the things spoken to her from [the] Lord.

⁴⁵Heri yako wewe uliyesadiki kwamba yatatimia yale Bwana aliyokwambia."

⁴⁶And Mary said, My soul magnifies the Lord,

⁴⁶Naye Maria akasema,

⁴⁷and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour.

⁴⁷"Moyo wangu wamtukuza Bwana, roho yangu inafurahi kwa sababu ya Mungu Mwokozi wangu.

⁴⁸For he has looked upon the low estate of his bondmaid; for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

⁴⁸Kwa kuwa amemwangalia kwa huruma mtumishi wake mnyenyekevu. Hivyo tangu sasa watu wote wataniita mwenye heri.

⁴⁹For the Mighty One has done to me great things, and holy [is] his name;

⁴⁹Kwa kuwa Mwenyezi Mungu amenitendea makuu, jina lake ni takatifu.

⁵⁰and his mercy [is] to generations and generations to them that fear him.

⁵⁰Huruma yake kwa watu wanaomcha hudumu kizazi hata kizazi.

⁵¹He has wrought strength with his arm; he has scattered haughty [ones] in the thought of their heart.

⁵¹Amefanya mambo makuu kwa mkono wake: amewatawanya wenye kiburi katika mawazo ya mioyo yao;

⁵²He has put down rulers from thrones, and exalted the lowly.

⁵²amewashusha wenye nguvu kutoka vitu vyao vya enzi, akawakweza wanyenyekevu.

⁵³He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent away the rich empty.

⁵³Wenye njaa amewashibisha mema, matajiri amewaacha waende mikono mitupu.

⁵⁴He has helped Israel his servant, in order to remember mercy,

⁵⁴Amemsaidia Israeli mtumishi wake, akikumbuka huruma yake.

⁵⁵(as he spoke to our fathers,) to Abraham and to his seed for ever.

⁵⁵Kama alivyowaahidia wazee wetu Abrahamu na wazawa wake hata milele."

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

⁵⁶Maria alikaa na Elisabeti kwa muda upatao miezi mitatu, halafu akarudi nyumbani kwake.

⁵⁷But the time was fulfilled for Elizabeth that she should bring forth, and she gave birth to a son.

⁵⁷Wakati wa kujifungua kwake Elisabeti ulifika, akajifungua mtoto wa kiume.

⁵⁸And her neighbours and kinsfolk heard that [the] Lord had magnified his mercy with her, and they rejoiced with her.

⁵⁸Jirani na watu wa jamaa yake walipopata habari kwamba Bwana amemwonea huruma kubwa, walifurahi pamoja naye.

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

⁵⁹Halafu siku ya nane walifika kumtahiri mtoto, wakataka kumpa jina la baba yake, Zakariya.

⁶⁰And his mother answering said, No; but he shall be called John.

⁶⁰Lakini mama yake akasema, "La, sivyo, bali ataitwa Yohane."

⁶¹And they said to her, There is no one among thy kinsfolk who is called by this name.

⁶¹Wakamwambia, "Mbona hakuna yeyote katika ukoo wake mwenye jina hilo?"

⁶²And they made signs to his father as to what he might wish it to be called.

⁶²Basi, wakamwashiria baba yake wapate kujua alitaka mtoto wake apewe jina gani.

⁶³And having asked for a writing-table, he wrote saying, John is his name. And they all wondered.

⁶³Naye akaomba kibao cha kuandikia, akaandika hivi: "Yohane ndilo jina lake." Wote wakastaajabu.

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

⁶⁴Papo hapo midomo na ulimi wake Zakariya vikafunguliwa, akawa anaongea akimsifu Mungu.

⁶⁵And fear came upon all who dwelt round about them; and in the whole hill-country of Judaea all these things were the subject of conversation.

⁶⁵Hofu ikawaingia jirani wote, na habari hizo zikaenea kila mahali katika milima ya Yudea.

⁶⁶And all who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, What then will this child be? And [the] Lord's hand was with him.

⁶⁶Wote waliosikia mambo hayo waliyatafakari mioyoni mwao wakisema: "Mtoto huyu atakuwa mtu wa namna gani?" Maana, hakika nguvu ya Bwana ilikuwa pamoja naye.

⁶⁷And Zacharias his father was filled with [the] Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,

⁶⁷Zakariya, baba yake mtoto, akajazwa Roho Mtakatifu, akatamka ujumbe wa Mungu:

⁶⁸Blessed be [the] Lord the God of Israel, because he has visited and wrought redemption for his people,

⁶⁸"Asifiwe Bwana Mungu wa Israeli, kwani amekuja kuwasaidia na kuwakomboa watu wake.

⁶⁹and raised up a horn of deliverance for us in the house of David his servant;

⁶⁹Ametupatia Mwokozi shujaa, mzawa wa Daudi mtumishi wake.

⁷⁰as he spoke by [the] mouth of his holy prophets, who have been since the world began;

⁷⁰Aliahidi hapo kale kwa njia ya manabii wake watakatifu,

⁷¹deliverance from our enemies and out of the hand of all who hate us;

⁷¹kwamba atatuokoa mikononi mwa adui zetu na kutoka mikononi mwa wote wanaotuchukia.

⁷²to fulfil mercy with our fathers and remember his holy covenant,

⁷²Alisema atawahurumia wazee wetu, na kukumbuka agano lake takatifu.

⁷³[the] oath which he swore to Abraham our father,

⁷³Kiapo alichomwapia Abrahamu baba yetu, ni kwamba atatujalia sisi

⁷⁴to give us, that, saved out of the hand of our enemies, we should serve him without fear

⁷⁴tukombolewe kutoka adui zetu, tupate kumtumikia bila hofu,

⁷⁵in piety and righteousness before him all our days.

⁷⁵kwa unyofu na uadilifu mbele yake, siku zote za maisha yetu.

⁷⁶And *thou*, child, shalt be called [the] prophet of [the] Highest; for thou shalt go before the face of [the] Lord to make ready his ways;

⁷⁶Nawe mwanangu, utaitwa, nabii wa Mungu Mkuu, utamtangulia Bwana kumtayarishia njia yake;

⁷⁷to give knowledge of deliverance to his people by [the] remission of their sins

⁷⁷kuwatangazia watu kwamba wataokolewa kwa kuondolewa dhambi zao.

⁷⁸on account of [the] bowels of mercy of our God; wherein [the] dayspring from on high has visited us,

⁷⁸Mungu wetu ni mpole na mwenye huruma. Atasababisha pambazuko angavu la ukombozi litujie kutoka juu,

⁷⁹to shine upon them who were sitting in darkness and in [the] shadow of death, to guide our feet into [the] way of peace.

⁷⁹na kuwaangazia wote wanaokaa katika giza kuu la kifo, aongoze hatua zetu katika njia ya amani."

⁸⁰-- And the child grew and was strengthened in spirit; and he was in the deserts until the day of his shewing to Israel.

⁸⁰Mtoto akakua, akapata nguvu rohoni. Alikaa jangwani mpaka alipojionyesha rasmi kwa watu wa Israeli.