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

¹Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us,

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

²even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us,

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

³it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus;

⁴kuti muzive chokwadi chezvinhu zvamakadzidziswa.

⁴that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were 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 named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

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

⁶They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.

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

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

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

⁸Now it happened, while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his division,

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

⁹according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

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

¹⁰The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.

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

¹¹An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

¹²Zvino Zakaria wakati achimuona akavhiringidzika, kutya kukamuwira.

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

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

¹³But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.

¹⁴Uye uchava nemufaro nekupembera, nevazhinji vachafarira kuberekwa kwake.

¹⁴You will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at his birth.

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

¹⁵For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.

¹⁶Nevazhinji vevana vaIsraeri uchatendeusira kuna Ishe Mwari wavo;

¹⁶He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord, their God.

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

¹⁷He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for the Lord.”

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

¹⁸Zacharias said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”

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

¹⁹The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news.

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

²⁰Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things will happen, because you didn’t believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”

²¹Vanhu vakange vakamirira Zakaria, vakashamisika nekunonoka kwake mutembere.

²¹The people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marveled that he delayed in the temple.

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

²²When he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute.

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

²³It happened, when the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house.

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

²⁴After these days Elizabeth, his wife, conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying,

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

²⁵“Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach among men.”

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

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

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

²⁷to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

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

²⁸Having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!”

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

²⁹But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be.

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

³⁰The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

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

³¹Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and will call his name ‘Jesus.’

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

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,

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

³³and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.”

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

³⁴Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?”

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

³⁵The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God.

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

³⁶Behold, Elizabeth, your relative, also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.

³⁷Nekuti naMwari hakuna chinhu chisingazogoneki.

³⁷For everything spoken by God is possible.”

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

³⁸Mary said, “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to your word.” The angel departed from her.

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

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

⁴⁰akapinda mumba maZakaria, akakwazisa Erizabheti.

⁴⁰and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.

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

⁴¹It happened, when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, that the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

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

⁴²She called out with a loud voice, and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

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

⁴³Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

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

⁴⁴For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy!

⁴⁵Uye wakaropafadzwa unotenda, nekuti zvakataurwa naIshe kwaari zvichazadziswa.

⁴⁵Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!”

⁴⁶Maria akati: Moyo wangu unokudza Ishe,

⁴⁶Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord.

⁴⁷nemweya wangu unofara muna Mwari Muponesi wangu;

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

⁴⁸for he has looked at the humble state of his handmaid. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.

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

⁴⁹For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name.

⁵⁰Netsitsi dzake dziri kuna avo vanomutya kubva kumazera nemazera.

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

⁵¹He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

⁵²Wakaburusa vane masimba pazvigaro zvoushe, akasimudza vakaderera.

⁵²He has put down princes from their thrones. And has exalted the lowly.

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

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

⁵⁴Wakabatsira Israeri muranda wake kuti arangarire tsitsi,

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

⁵⁵As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his seed forever.”

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

⁵⁶Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.

⁵⁷Zvino nguva yaErizabheti yekusununguka kwake yakazara; akabereka mwanakomana.

⁵⁷Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she brought forth a son.

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

⁵⁸Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her, and they rejoiced with her.

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

⁵⁹It happened on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of the father.

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

⁶⁰His mother answered, “Not so; but he will be called John.”

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

⁶¹They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.”

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

⁶²They made signs to his father, what he would have him called.

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

⁶³He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, “His name is John.” They all marveled.

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

⁶⁴His mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God.

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

⁶⁵Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea.

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

⁶⁶All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” The hand of the Lord was with him.

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

⁶⁷His father, Zacharias, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,

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

⁶⁸“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and worked redemption for his people;

⁶⁹akatisimudzira runyanga rworuponeso mumba maDhavhidhi muranda wake;

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

⁷¹ruponeso pamhandu dzedu, neparuoko rwavose vanotivenga;

⁷²kuitira madzibaba edu tsitsi, nekurangarira sungano yake tsvene,

⁷²to show mercy towards our fathers, to remember his holy covenant,

⁷³mhiko yaakapika kuna Abhurahamu baba vedu;

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

⁷⁴to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should serve him without fear,

⁷⁵muutsvene nekururama pamberi pake mazuva ose eupenyu hwedu.

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

⁷⁶And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways,

⁷⁷kupa ruzivo rweruponeso kuvanhu vake nekangamwiro yezvivi zvavo;

⁷⁸netsitsi dzaMwari wedu, mauri mambakwedza ekudenga anotishanyira;

⁷⁸because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn from on high will visit us,

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

⁷⁹to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

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

⁸⁰The child was growing, and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.