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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

¹²Zakariya alipomwona alifadhaika, hofu ikamwingia.

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

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

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,

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

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

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

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;

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

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

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."

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.`

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

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

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

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,

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

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.`

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

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

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

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.

²³Zamu yake ya kuhudumu ilipokwisha, alirudi nyumbani.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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,

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

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

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

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

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

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;

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.

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;

³⁷Kwa maana hakuna jambo lisilowezekana kwa Mungu."

³⁷because nothing shall be impossible with God.`

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

⁴⁶Naye Maria akasema,

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

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

⁴⁷And my spirit was glad on God my Saviour,

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

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

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

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

⁵⁰Huruma yake kwa watu wanaomcha hudumu kizazi hata kizazi.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

⁵⁴Amemsaidia Israeli mtumishi wake, akikumbuka huruma yake.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

⁶⁹Ametupatia Mwokozi shujaa, mzawa wa Daudi mtumishi wake.

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

⁷⁰Aliahidi hapo kale kwa njia ya manabii wake watakatifu,

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

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

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

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

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

⁷³Kiapo alichomwapia Abrahamu baba yetu, ni kwamba atatujalia sisi

⁷³An oath that He sware to Abraham our father,

⁷⁴tukombolewe kutoka adui zetu, tupate kumtumikia bila hofu,

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

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

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

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

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.

⁷⁷kuwatangazia watu kwamba wataokolewa kwa kuondolewa dhambi zao.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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