1 Many people have tried to tell the story of what God has done among us. 2 They wrote what we had been told by the ones who were there in the beginning and saw what happened. 3 So I made a careful study of everything and then decided to write and tell you exactly what took place. Honorable Theophilus, 4 I have done this to let you know the truth about what you have heard.
An Angel Tells about the Birth of John
5 When Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest by the name of Zechariah from the priestly group of Abijah. His wife Elizabeth was from the family of Aaron. 6 Both of them were good people and pleased the Lord God by obeying all that he had commanded. 7 But they did not have children. Elizabeth could not have any, and both Zechariah and Elizabeth were already old.
8 One day Zechariah's group of priests were on duty, and he was serving God as a priest. 9 According to the custom of the priests, he had been chosen to go into the Lord's temple that day and to burn incense, 10 while the people stood outside praying.
11 All at once an angel from the Lord appeared to Zechariah at the right side of the altar. 12 Zechariah was confused and afraid when he saw the angel. 13 But the angel told him:
Don't be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayers. Your wife Elizabeth will have a son, and you must name him John. 14 His birth will make you very happy, and many people will be glad. 15 Your son will be a great servant of the Lord. He must never drink wine or beer, and the power of the Holy Spirit will be with him from the time he is born.
16 John will lead many people in Israel to turn back to the Lord their God. 17 He will go ahead of the Lord with the same power and spirit that Elijah had. And because of John, parents will be more thoughtful of their children. And people who now disobey God will begin to think as they ought to. This is how John will get people ready for the Lord.
18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this is going to happen? My wife and I are both very old.”
19 The angel answered, “I am Gabriel, God's servant, and I was sent to tell you this good news. 20 You have not believed what I have said. So you will not be able to say a thing until all this happens. But everything will take place when it is supposed to.”
21 The crowd was waiting for Zechariah and kept wondering why he was staying in the temple so long. 22 When he did come out, he could not speak, and they knew he had seen a vision. He motioned to them with his hands, but did not say a thing.
23 When Zechariah's time of service in the temple was over, he went home. 24 Soon after this, his wife was expecting a baby, and for five months she did not leave the house. She said to herself, 25 “What the Lord has done for me will keep people from looking down on me.”
An Angel Tells about the Birth of Jesus
26 One month later God sent the angel Gabriel to the town of Nazareth in Galilee 27 with a message for a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to Joseph from the family of King David. 28 The angel greeted Mary and said, “You are truly blessed! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was confused by the angel's words and wondered what they meant. 30 Then the angel told Mary, “Don't be afraid! God is pleased with you, 31 and you will have a son. His name will be Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of God Most High. The Lord God will make him king, as his ancestor David was. 33 He will rule the people of Israel forever, and his kingdom will never end.”
34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this happen? I am not even married!”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come down to you, and God's power will come over you. So your child will be called the holy Son of God. 36 Your relative Elizabeth is also going to have a son, even though she is old. No one thought she could ever have a baby, but in three months she will have a son. 37 Nothing is impossible for God!”
38 Mary said, “I am the Lord's servant! Let it happen as you have said.” And the angel left her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 A short time later Mary hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea. 40 She went into Zechariah's home, where she greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, her baby moved within her.
The Holy Spirit came upon Elizabeth. 42 Then in a loud voice she said to Mary:
God has blessed you more than any other woman! He has also blessed the child you will have. 43 Why should the mother of my Lord come to me? 44 As soon as I heard your greeting, my baby became happy and moved within me. 45 The Lord has blessed you because you believed that he will keep his promise.
Mary's Song of Praise
46 Mary said:
With all my heart
I praise the Lord,
47 and I am glad
because of God my Savior.
48 God cares for me,
his humble servant.
From now on,
all people will say
God has blessed me.
49 God All-Powerful has done
great things for me,
and his name is holy.
50 He always shows mercy
to everyone
who worships him.
51 The Lord has used
his powerful arm
to scatter those
who are proud.
52 God drags strong rulers
from their thrones
and puts humble people
in places of power.
53 God gives the hungry
good things to eat,
and sends the rich away
with nothing.
54 God helps his servant Israel
and is always merciful
to his people.
55 The Lord made this promise
to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his family
forever!
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months. Then she went back home.
The Birth of John the Baptist
57 When Elizabeth's son was born, 58 her neighbors and relatives heard how kind the Lord had been to her, and they too were glad.
59 Eight days later they did for the child what the Law of Moses commands. They were going to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60 But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John.”
61 The people argued, “No one in your family has ever been named John.” 62 So they motioned to Zechariah to find out what he wanted to name his son.
63 Zechariah asked for a writing tablet. Then he wrote, “His name is John.” Everyone was amazed. 64 At once, Zechariah started speaking and praising God.
65 All the neighbors were frightened because of what had happened, and everywhere in the hill country people kept talking about these things. 66 Everyone who heard about this wondered what this child would grow up to be. They knew the Lord was with him.
Zechariah Praises the Lord
67 The Holy Spirit came upon Zechariah, and he began to speak:
68 Praise the Lord,
the God of Israel!
He has come
to save his people.
69 Our God has given us
a mighty Savior
from the family
of David his servant.
70 Long ago the Lord promised
by the words
of his holy prophets
71 to save us from our enemies
and from everyone
who hates us.
72 God said he would be kind
to our people and keep
his sacred promise.
73 He told our ancestor Abraham
74 that he would rescue us
from our enemies.
Then we could serve him
without fear,
75 by being holy and good
as long as we live.
76 You, my son, will be called
the prophet of God Most High.
You will go ahead of the Lord
to get everything ready
for him.
77 You will tell his people
that they can be saved
when their sins
are forgiven.
78 God's love and kindness
will shine upon us
like the sun that rises
in the sky.
79 On us who live
in the dark shadow
of death
this light will shine
to guide us
into a life of peace.
80 As John grew up, God's Spirit gave him great power. John lived in the desert until the time he was sent to the people of Israel.
تقديم
1 لأنّ كثيرًا مِنَ النّاسِ أخَذوا يُدَوّنونَ رِوايةَ الأحداثِ التي جَرَت بَينَنا، 2 كما نَقَلَها إلَينا الذينَ كانوا مِنَ البَدءِ شُهودَ عِيانٍ وخدّامًا للكَلِمَةِ، 3 رأيتُ أنا أيضًا، بَعدَما تتَبّعتُ كُلّ شيءٍ مِنْ أُصولِهِ بتَدقيقٍ، أنْ أكتُبَها إليكَ، يا صاحِبَ العِزّةِ ثاوفيلُسُ، حسَبَ تَرتيبِها الصّحيحِ، 4 حتى تَعرِفَ صِحّةَ التّعليمِ الذي تَلقّيتَهُ.
البشارة بميلاد يوحنا
5 كانَ في أيّامِ هيرودُسَ مَلِكِ اليهوديّةِ كاهنٌ مِنْ فِرقَةِ أبيّا اَسمُهُ زكَرِيّا، لَهُ زوجةٌ مِنْ سُلالَةِ هرونَ اَسمُها أليصابات. 6 وكانَ زكَرِيّا وأليصاباتُ صالحَيْنِ عِندَ اللهِ، يَتبَعانِ جميعَ أحكامِهِ ووصاياهُ، ولا لومَ علَيهِما. 7 وما كانَ لَهُما ولَدٌ، لأنّ أليصاباتَ كانَت عاقِرًا، وكانَت هيَ وزكَرِيّا كبيرَينِ في السّنّ.
8 وبَينَما زكَرِيّا يَتناوَبُ الخِدمَةَ معَ فِرقَتِهِ ككاهنٍ أمامَ اللهِ، 9 أُلقيَتِ القُرعَةُ، بحسَبِ التّقليدِ المُتّبَعِ عِندَ الكَهنَةِ، فأصابَتْهُ ليَدخُلَ هَيكَلَ الرّبّ ويَحرُقَ البَخورَ. 10 وكانَت جُموعُ الشّعبِ تُصلّي في الخارِجِ عِندَ إحراقِ البَخورِ.
11 فظهَرَ لَهُ مَلاكُ الرّبّ واقِفًا عَنْ يَمينِ مَذبَحِ البَخورِ. 12 فلمّا رآهُ زكَرِيّا اَضطَرَبَ وخافَ. 13 فقالَ لَهُ المَلاكُ: «لا تخَفْ يا زكَرِيّا، لأنّ اللهَ سَمِعَ دُعاءَكَ وسَتَلِدُ لكَ اَمرأتُكَ أليصاباتُ اَبنًا تُسمّيهِ يوحنّا. 14 وستَفرَحُ بِه وتَبتَهِجُ، ويفرَحُ بمولِدِهِ كثيرٌ مِنَ النّاسِ، 15 لأنّهُ سيكونُ عَظيمًا عِندَ الرّبّ، ولن يَشرَبَ خَمرًا ولا مُسكرًا، ويَمتلِئُ مِنَ الرّوحِ القُدُسِ وهوَ في بَطنِ أُمّهِ، 16 ويَهدي كثيرينَ مِنْ بَني إِسرائيلَ إلى الرّبّ إلهِهِم، 17 ويسيرُ أمامَ اللهِ بِرُوحِ إيليّا وقُوّتِهِ، ليُصالِحَ الآباءَ معَ الأبناءِ ويُرجِعَ العُصاةَ إلى حِكمةِ الأبرارِ، فَيُهيّئَ لِلرّبّ شَعبًا مُستعِدّا لهُ».
18 فقالَ زكَرِيّا لِلمَلاكِ: «كيفَ يكونُ هذا وأنا شَيخٌ كَبيرٌ واَمرأتي عَجوزٌ؟» 19 فأجابَهُ المَلاكُ: «أنا جِبرائيلُ القائِمُ في حضرَةِ اللهِ، وهوَ أرسَلَني لأُكلّمَكَ وأحمِلَ إليكَ هذِهِ البُشرى. 20 لكنّكَ ستُصابُ بالخَرَسِ، فلا تَقدِرُ على الكلامِ إلى اليومِ الذي يَحدُثُ فيهِ ذلِكَ، لأنّكَ ما آمنتَ بِكلامي، وكلامي سيَتِمّ في حينِهِ».
21 وكانَتِ الجُموعُ تَنتَظِرُ زكَرِيّا وتتَعَجّبُ منِْ إبطائِهِ في داخِلِ الهَيكَلِ. 22 فلمّا خرَجَ، كانَ لا يَقدِرُ أنْ يُكَلّمَهُم، ففَهِموا أنّهُ رأى رُؤيا في داخِلِ الهَيكَلِ. وكانَ يُخاطِبُهُم بالإشارَةِ، وبَقيَ أخرَسَ.
23 فلمّا اَنتهَتْ أيّامُ خِدمَتِهِ رَجِعَ إلى بَيتِهِ. 24 وبَعدَ مُدّةٍ حَبِلَتِ اَمرأتُهُ أليصاباتُ، فأَخفَت أمرَها خَمسةَ أشهُرٍ. وكانَت تَقولُ: 25 «هذا ما أعطاني الرّبّ يومَ نظَرَ إليّ ليُزيلَ عَنّي العارَ مِنْ بَينِ النّاسِ».
البشارة بميلاد يسوع
26 وحينَ كانَت أليصاباتُ في شَهرِها السّادسِ، أرسَلَ اللهُ المَلاكَ جِبرائيلَ إلى بَلدَةٍ في الجَليلِ اَسمُها النّاصِرَةُ، 27 إلى عذراءَ اَسمُها مَريَمُ، كانَت مَخطوبَةً لِرَجُلٍ مِنْ بَيتِ داودَ اَسمُهُ يوسُفُ.
28 فدخَلَ إليها المَلاكُ وقالَ لها: «السّلامُ علَيكِ، يا مَنْ أنعمَ اللهُ علَيها. الرّبّ مَعكِ». 29 فاضطرَبَت مَريَمُ لِكلامِ المَلاكِ وقالَت في نَفسِها: «ما مَعنى هذِهِ التّحيةِ؟» 30 فقالَ لها المَلاكُ: «لا تَخافي يا مَريَمُ، نِلتِ حُظْوةً عِندَ اللهِ: 31 فسَتَحبَلينَ وتَلِدينَ اَبنًا تُسَمّينَهُ يَسوعَ. 32 فيكونُ عظيمًا واَبنَ اللهِ العَليّ يُدعى، ويُعطيهِ الرّبّ الإلهُ عرشَ أبيهِ داودَ، 33 ويَملِكُ على بَيتِ يَعقوبَ إلى الأبدِ، ولا يكونُ لمُلْكِهِ نِهايةٌ!»
34 فقالَت مَريَمُ لِلملاكِ: «كيفَ يكونُ هذا وأنا عَذراءُ لا أعرِفُ رَجُلاً؟» 35 فأجابَها المَلاكُ: «الرّوحُ القُدُسُ يَحِلّ علَيكِ، وقُدرَةُ العليّ تُظَلّلُكِ، لذلِكَ فالقدّوسُ الذي يولَدُ مِنكِ يُدعى اَبنَ اللهِ. 36 ها قَريبَتُكِ أليصاباتُ حُبلى باَبنٍ في شَيْخوخَتِها، وهذا هوَ شَهرُها السّادِسُ، وهيَ التي دَعاها النّاسُ عاقِرًا. 37 فما مِنْ شيءٍ غَيرَ مُمكنٍ عِندَ اللهِ». 38 فقالَت مَريَمُ: «أنا خادِمَةُ الرّبّ: فَلْيكُنْ لي كَما تَقولُ». ومَضى مِنْ عِندِها المَلاكُ.
مريم عند أليصابات
39 وفي تِلكَ الأيّامِ، قامَت مَريَمُ وأسرَعَت إلى مَدينةِ يَهوذا في جِبالِ اليهوديّةِ. 40 ودخلَت بَيتَ زكَرِيّا وسَلّمَت على أليصاباتَ. 41 فلمّا سَمِعَت أليصاباتُ سلامَ مَريَمَ، تحرّكَ الجَنينُ في بَطنِها، واَمتلأت أليصاباتُ مِنَ الرّوحِ القُدُسِ، 42 فهَتفَت بِأَعلى صَوتِها: «مُباركَةٌ أنتِ في النّساءِ ومُبارَكٌ اَبنُكِ ثَمرةُ بَطنِكِ! 43 مَنْ أنا حتى تَجيءَ إليّ أُمّ رَبّي؟ 44 ما إنْ سَمِعتُ صوتَ سَلامِكِ حتى تَحرّكَ الجَنينُ مِنَ الفرَحِ في بَطني. 45 هَنيئًا لَكِ، يا مَنْ آمَنتْ بأنّ ما جاءَها مِنْ عِندِ الرّبّ سيَتِمّ».
نشيد مريم
46 فقالَت مَريَمُ:
«تُعَظّمُ نَفْسي الرّبّ
47 وتَبتَهِجُ رُوحي بِاللهِ مُخَلّصي
48 لأنّهُ نظَرَ إليّ،
أنا خادِمَتُهُ الوضيعةُ!
جميعُ الأجيالِ سَتُهَنّئُني
49 لأنّ القَديرَ صنَعَ لي عظائِمَ.
قُدّوسٌ اَسمُهُ
50 ورَحمتُهُ مِنْ جِيلٍ إلى جِيلٍ
لِلذينَ يَخافونَهُ.
51 أظهرَ شِدّةَ ساعدِهِ
فبَدّدَ المُتكبّرينَ في قُلوبِهِم.
52 أنزَلَ الجبابِرَةَ عَنْ عُروشِهِم
ورفَعَ المُتّضِعينَ.
53 أشبَعَ الجياعَ مِنْ خيراتِهِ
وصرَفَ الأغنياءَ فارِغينَ.
54 أعانَ عَبدَهُ إِسرائيلَ
فتَذكّرَ رَحمتَهُ،
55 كما وعَدَ آباءَنا،
لإبراهيمَ ونَسلِهِ إلى الأبدِ».
56 وأقامَت مَريَمُ عِندَ أليصاباتَ نحوَ ثلاثَةِ أشهُرٍ، ثُمّ رجَعَت إلى بَيتِها.
ميلاد يوحنا المعمدان
57 وجاءَ وقتُ أليصاباتَ لتَلِدَ، فولَدَتِ اَبنًا. 58 وسَمِعَ جيرانُها وأقاربُها أنّ اللهَ غَمَرها برحمتِهِ، ففَرِحوا معَها. 59 ولمّا بلَغَ الطّفلُ يومَهُ الثّامنَ، جاؤوا ليَختِنوهُ. وأرادوا أنْ يُسمّوهُ زكَرِيّا باَسمِ أبيهِ، 60 فقالَت أُمّهُ: «لا، بل نُسمّيهِ يوحنّا». 61 فقالوا: «لا أحَدَ مِنْ عَشيرَتِكِ تَسَمّى بِهذا الاسمِ». 62 وسألوا أباهُ بِالإشارَةِ ماذا يُريدُ أنْ يُسمّى الطّفلُ، 63 فطَلَبَ لوحًا وكتَبَ علَيهِ: «اَسمُهُ يوحنّا». فتَعجّبوا كُلّهُم. 64 وفي الحالِ اَنفتَحَ فمُهُ واَنطلَقَ لِسانُهُ فتكَلّمَ ومَجّدَ اللهَ. 65 فمَلأ الخوفُ جميعَ الجيرانِ.
وتحدّثَ النّاسُ بجميعِ هذِهِ الأُمورِ في جِبالِ اليهوديّةِ كُلّها. 66 وكانَ كُلّ مَنْ يسمَعُ بِها يحفَظُها في قلبِهِ قائِلاً: «ما عسى أن يكونَ هذا الطّفلُ؟» لأنّ يَدَ الرّبّ كانَت معَهُ.
نشيد زكريا
67 واَمتلأَ أبوهُ زكَرِيّا مِنَ الرّوحِ القُدُسِ، فتَنبّأَ قالَ:
68 «تبارَكَ الرّبّ، إلهُ إِسرائيلَ
لأنّهُ تَفَقّدَ شَعبَهُ واَفتَداهُ،
69 فأقامَ لنا مُخَلّصًا قَديرًا
في بَيتِ عَبدِهِ داودَ
70 كما وعَدَ مِنْ قَديمِ الزّمانِ
بِلسانِ أنبيائِهِ القدّيسينَ
71 خَلاصًا لنا مِنْ أعدائِنا،
ومِنْ أيدي جميعِ مُبغِضينا،
72 ورَحمةً مِنهُ لآبائِنا
وذِكرًا لِعَهدِه المُقدّسِ
73 وللقَسَمِ الذي أقسَمَهُ
لإبراهيمَ أبينا
74 بأنْ يُخَلّصَنا مِنْ أعدائِنا،
حتى نَعبُدَهُ غيرَ خائِفينَ،
75 في قداسةٍ وتَقوَى عِندَهُ
طُوالَ أيّامِ حياتِنا.
76 وأنتَ، أيّها الطّفلُ،
نَبيّ العليّ تُدعى،
لأنّكَ تتَقدّمُ الرّبّ
لتُهيّئَ الطّريقَ لَهُ
77 وتُعَلّمَ شَعبَهُ أنّ الخلاصَ
هوَ في غُفرانِ خطاياهُم.
78 لأنّ إلَهَنا رَحيمٌ رَؤوفٌ
يَتَفقّدُنا مُشرِقًا مِنَ العُلى
79 ليُضيءَ لِلقاعِدينَ في الظّلامِ
وفي ظِلالِ الموتِ
ويَهدي خُطانا في طريقِ
السّلامِ».
80 وكانَ الطّفلُ يَنمو ويتقَوّى في الرّوحِ. وأقامَ في البرّيّةِ إلى أنْ ظهَرَ لِبَني إِسرائيلَ.