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

¹Seeing that many did take in hand to set in order a narration of the matters that have been fully assured among us,

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

²as they did deliver to us, who from the beginning became eye-witnesses, and officers of the Word, —

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

³it seemed good also to me, having followed from the first after all things exactly, to write to thee in order, most noble Theophilus,

⁴kuti muzive chokwadi chezvinhu zvamakadzidziswa.

⁴that thou mayest know the certainty of the things wherein thou wast instructed.

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

⁵There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest, by name Zacharias, of the course of Abijah, and his wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elisabeth;

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

⁶and they were both righteous before God, going on in all the commands and righteousnesses of the Lord blameless,

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

⁷and they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and both were advanced in their days.

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

⁸And it came to pass, in his acting as priest, in the order of his course before God,

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

⁹according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot was to make perfume, having gone into the sanctuary of the Lord,

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

¹⁰and all the multitude of the people were praying without, at the hour of the perfume.

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

¹¹And there appeared to him a messenger of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of the perfume,

¹²Zvino Zakaria wakati achimuona akavhiringidzika, kutya kukamuwira.

¹²and Zacharias, having seen, was troubled, and fear fell on him;

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

¹³and the messenger said unto him, `Fear not, Zacharias, for thy supplication was heard, and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear a son to thee, and thou shalt call his name John,

¹⁴Uye uchava nemufaro nekupembera, nevazhinji vachafarira kuberekwa kwake.

¹⁴and there shall be joy to thee, and gladness, and many at his birth shall joy,

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

¹⁵for he shall be great before the Lord, and wine and strong drink he may not drink, and of the Holy Spirit he shall be full, even from his mother`s womb;

¹⁶Nevazhinji vevana vaIsraeri uchatendeusira kuna Ishe Mwari wavo;

¹⁶and many of the sons of Israel he shall turn to the Lord their God,

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

¹⁷and he shall go before Him, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn hearts of fathers unto children, and disobedient ones to the wisdom of righteous ones, to make ready for the Lord, a people prepared.`

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

¹⁸And Zacharias said unto the messenger, `Whereby shall I know this? for I am aged, and my wife is advanced in her days?`

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

¹⁹And the messenger answering said to him, `I am Gabriel, who have been standing near before God, and I was sent to speak unto thee, and to proclaim these good news to thee,

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

²⁰and lo, thou shalt be silent, and not able to speak, till the day that these things shall come to pass, because thou didst not believe my words, that shall be fulfilled in their season.`

²¹Vanhu vakange vakamirira Zakaria, vakashamisika nekunonoka kwake mutembere.

²¹And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and wondering at his tarrying in the sanctuary,

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

²²and having come out, he was not able to speak to them, and they perceived that a vision he had seen in the sanctuary, and he was beckoning to them, and did remain dumb.

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

²³And it came to pass, when the days of his service were fulfilled, he went away to his house,

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

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

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

²⁵`Thus hath the Lord done to me, in days in which He looked upon [me], to take away my reproach among men.`

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

²⁶And in the sixth month was the messenger Gabriel sent by God, to a city of Galilee, the name of which [is] Nazareth,

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

²⁷to a virgin, betrothed to a man, whose name [is] Joseph, of the house of David, and the name of the virgin [is] Mary.

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

²⁸And the messenger having come in unto her, said, `Hail, favoured one, the Lord [is] with thee; blessed [art] thou among women;`

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

²⁹and she, having seen, was troubled at his word, and was reasoning of what kind this salutation may be.

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

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

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

³¹and lo, thou shalt conceive in the womb, and shalt bring forth a son, and call his name Jesus;

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

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

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

³³and he shall reign over the house of Jacob to the ages; and of his reign there shall be no end.`

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

³⁴And Mary said unto the messenger, `How shall this be, seeing a husband I do not know?`

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

³⁵And the messenger answering said to her, `The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee, therefore also the holy-begotten thing shall be called Son of God;

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

³⁶and lo, Elisabeth, thy kinswoman, she also hath conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month to her who was called barren;

³⁷Nekuti naMwari hakuna chinhu chisingazogoneki.

³⁷because nothing shall be impossible with God.`

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

³⁸And Mary said, `Lo, the maid-servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to thy saying,` and the messenger went away from her.

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

³⁹And Mary having arisen in those days, went to the hill-country, with haste, to a city of Judea,

⁴⁰akapinda mumba maZakaria, akakwazisa Erizabheti.

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

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

⁴¹And it came to pass, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe did leap in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,

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

⁴²and spake out with a loud voice, and said, `Blessed [art] thou among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of thy womb;

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

⁴³and whence [is] this to me, that the mother of my Lord might come unto me?

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

⁴⁴for, lo, when the voice of thy salutation came to my ears, leap in gladness did the babe in my womb;

⁴⁵Uye wakaropafadzwa unotenda, nekuti zvakataurwa naIshe kwaari zvichazadziswa.

⁴⁵and happy [is] she who did believe, for there shall be a completion to the things spoken to her from the Lord.`

⁴⁶Maria akati: Moyo wangu unokudza Ishe,

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

⁴⁷nemweya wangu unofara muna Mwari Muponesi wangu;

⁴⁷And my spirit was glad on God my Saviour,

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

⁴⁸Because He looked on the lowliness of His maid-servant, For, lo, henceforth call me happy shall all the generations,

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

⁴⁹For He who is mighty did to me great things, And holy [is] His name,

⁵⁰Netsitsi dzake dziri kuna avo vanomutya kubva kumazera nemazera.

⁵⁰And His kindness [is] to generations of generations, To those fearing Him,

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

⁵¹He did powerfully with His arm, He scattered abroad the proud in the thought of their heart,

⁵²Wakaburusa vane masimba pazvigaro zvoushe, akasimudza vakaderera.

⁵²He brought down the mighty from thrones, And He exalted the lowly,

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

⁵³The hungry He did fill with good, And the rich He sent away empty,

⁵⁴Wakabatsira Israeri muranda wake kuti arangarire tsitsi,

⁵⁴He received again Israel His servant, To remember kindness,

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

⁵⁵As He spake unto our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed — to the age.`

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

⁵⁶And Mary remained with her about three months, and turned back to her house.

⁵⁷Zvino nguva yaErizabheti yekusununguka kwake yakazara; akabereka mwanakomana.

⁵⁷And to Elisabeth was the time fulfilled for her bringing forth, and she bare a son,

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

⁵⁸and the neighbours and her kindred heard that the Lord was making His kindness great with her, and they were rejoicing with her.

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

⁵⁹And it came to pass, on the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child, and they were calling him by the name of his father, Zacharias,

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

⁶⁰and his mother answering said, `No, but he shall be called John.`

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

⁶¹And they said unto her — `There is none among thy kindred who is called by this name,`

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

⁶²and they were making signs to his father, what he would wish him to be called,

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

⁶³and having asked for a tablet, he wrote, saying, `John is his name;` and they did all wonder;

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

⁶⁴and his mouth was opened presently, and his tongue, and he was speaking, praising God.

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

⁶⁵And fear came upon all those dwelling around them, and in all the hill-country of Judea were all these sayings spoken of,

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

⁶⁶and all who heard did lay them up in their hearts, saying, `What then shall this child be?` and the hand of the Lord was with him.

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

⁶⁷And Zacharias his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and did prophesy, saying,

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

⁶⁸`Blessed [is] the Lord, the God of Israel, Because He did look upon, And wrought redemption for His people,

⁶⁹akatisimudzira runyanga rworuponeso mumba maDhavhidhi muranda wake;

⁶⁹And did raise an horn of salvation to us, In the house of David His servant,

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

⁷⁰As He spake by the mouth of His holy prophets, Which have been from the age;

⁷¹ruponeso pamhandu dzedu, neparuoko rwavose vanotivenga;

⁷¹Salvation from our enemies, And out of the hand of all hating us,

⁷²kuitira madzibaba edu tsitsi, nekurangarira sungano yake tsvene,

⁷²To do kindness with our fathers, And to be mindful of His holy covenant,

⁷³mhiko yaakapika kuna Abhurahamu baba vedu;

⁷³An oath that He sware to Abraham our father,

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

⁷⁴To give to us, without fear, Out of the hand of our enemies having been delivered,

⁷⁵muutsvene nekururama pamberi pake mazuva ose eupenyu hwedu.

⁷⁵To serve Him, in holiness and righteousness Before Him, all the days of our life.

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

⁷⁶And thou, child, Prophet of the Highest Shalt thou be called; For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord, To prepare His ways.

⁷⁷kupa ruzivo rweruponeso kuvanhu vake nekangamwiro yezvivi zvavo;

⁷⁷To give knowledge of salvation to His people In remission of their sins,

⁷⁸netsitsi dzaMwari wedu, mauri mambakwedza ekudenga anotishanyira;

⁷⁸Through the tender mercies of our God, In which the rising from on high did look upon us,

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

⁷⁹To give light to those sitting in darkness and death-shade, To guide our feet to a way of peace.`

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

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