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

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

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

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

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

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;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

¹²Zakariya alipomwona alifadhaika, hofu ikamwingia.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

¹⁶He will turn many of the children of Israel 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."

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.”

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

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.”

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

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.

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

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.”

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

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

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

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.

²³Zamu yake ya kuhudumu ilipokwisha, alirudi nyumbani.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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,

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

³⁷Kwa maana hakuna jambo lisilowezekana kwa Mungu."

³⁷For everything spoken by God is possible.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

⁴⁶Naye Maria akasema,

⁴⁶Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord.

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

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

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

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

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

⁵⁰Huruma yake kwa watu wanaomcha hudumu kizazi hata kizazi.

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

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

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

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

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

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

⁵⁴Amemsaidia Israeli mtumishi wake, akikumbuka huruma yake.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

⁶⁹Ametupatia Mwokozi shujaa, mzawa wa Daudi mtumishi wake.

⁷⁰Aliahidi hapo kale kwa njia ya manabii wake watakatifu,

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

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

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

⁷³Kiapo alichomwapia Abrahamu baba yetu, ni kwamba atatujalia sisi

⁷⁴tukombolewe kutoka adui zetu, tupate kumtumikia bila hofu,

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

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

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

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,

⁷⁷kuwatangazia watu kwamba wataokolewa kwa kuondolewa dhambi zao.

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

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

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

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

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

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