Introduction
1 Dear Theophilus:
Many people have done their best to write a report of the things that have taken place among us. 2 They wrote what we have been told by those who saw these things from the beginning and who proclaimed the message. 3 And so, Your Excellency, because I have carefully studied all these matters from their beginning, I thought it would be good to write an orderly account for you. 4 I do this so that you will know the full truth about everything which you have been taught.
The Birth of John the Baptist Is Announced
5 During the time when Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife's name was Elizabeth; she also belonged to a priestly family. 6 They both lived good lives in God's sight and obeyed fully all the Lord's laws and commands. 7 They had no children because Elizabeth could not have any, and she and Zechariah were both very old.
8 One day Zechariah was doing his work as a priest in the Temple, taking his turn in the daily service. 9 According to the custom followed by the priests, he was chosen by lot to burn incense on the altar. So he went into the Temple of the Lord, 10 while the crowd of people outside prayed during the hour when the incense was burned. 11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar where the incense was burned. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was alarmed and felt afraid. 13 But the angel said to him, “Don't be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son. You are to name him John. 14 How glad and happy you will be, and how happy many others will be when he is born! 15 John will be great in the Lord's sight. He must not drink any wine or strong drink. From his very birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, 16 and he will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 He will go ahead of the Lord, strong and mighty like the prophet Elijah. He will bring fathers and children together again; he will turn disobedient people back to the way of thinking of the righteous; he will get the Lord's people ready for him.”
18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know if this is so? I am an old man, and my wife is old also.”
19 “I am Gabriel,” the angel answered. “I stand in the presence of God, who sent me to speak to you and tell you this good news. 20 But you have not believed my message, which will come true at the right time. Because you have not believed, you will be unable to speak; you will remain silent until the day my promise to you comes true.”
21 In the meantime the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he was spending such a long time in the Temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them, and so they knew that he had seen a vision in the Temple. Unable to say a word, he made signs to them with his hands.
23 When his period of service in the Temple was over, Zechariah went back home. 24 Some time later his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and did not leave the house for five months. 25 “Now at last the Lord has helped me,” she said. “He has taken away my public disgrace!”
The Birth of Jesus Is Announced
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee named Nazareth. 27 He had a message for a young woman promised in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was a descendant of King David. Her name was Mary. 28 The angel came to her and said, “Peace be with you! The Lord is with you and has greatly blessed you!”
29 Mary was deeply troubled by the angel's message, and she wondered what his words meant. 30 The angel said to her, “Don't be afraid, Mary; God has been gracious to you. 31 You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God. The Lord God will make him a king, as his ancestor David was, 33 and he will be the king of the descendants of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end!”
34 Mary said to the angel, “I am a virgin. How, then, can this be?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and God's power will rest upon you. For this reason the holy child will be called the Son of God. 36 Remember your relative Elizabeth. It is said that she cannot have children, but she herself is now six months pregnant, even though she is very old. 37 For there is nothing that God cannot do.”
38 “I am the Lord's servant,” said Mary; “may it happen to me as you have said.” And the angel left her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 Soon afterward Mary got ready and hurried off to a town in the hill country of Judea. 40 She went into Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby moved within her. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and said in a loud voice, “You are the most blessed of all women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 Why should this great thing happen to me, that my Lord's mother comes to visit me? 44 For as soon as I heard your greeting, the baby within me jumped with gladness. 45 How happy you are to believe that the Lord's message to you will come true!”
Mary's Song of Praise
46 Mary said,
“My heart praises the Lord;
47 my soul is glad because of God my Savior,
48 for he has remembered me, his lowly servant!
From now on all people will call me happy,
49 because of the great things the Mighty God has done for me.
His name is holy;
50 from one generation to another
he shows mercy to those who honor him.
51 He has stretched out his mighty arm
and scattered the proud with all their plans.
52 He has brought down mighty kings from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away with empty hands.
54 He has kept the promise he made to our ancestors,
and has come to the help of his servant Israel.
55 He has remembered to show mercy to Abraham
and to all his descendants forever!”
56 Mary stayed about three months with Elizabeth and then went back home.
The Birth of John the Baptist
57 The time came for Elizabeth to have her baby, and she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard how wonderfully good the Lord had been to her, and they all rejoiced with her.
59 When the baby was a week old, they came to circumcise him, and they were going to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60 But his mother said, “No! His name is to be John.”
61 They said to her, “But you don't have any relative with that name!” 62 Then they made signs to his father, asking him what name he would like the boy to have.
63 Zechariah asked for a writing pad and wrote, “His name is John.” How surprised they all were! 64 At that moment Zechariah was able to speak again, and he started praising God. 65 The neighbors were all filled with fear, and the news about these things spread through all the hill country of Judea. 66 Everyone who heard of it thought about it and asked, “What is this child going to be?” For it was plain that the Lord's power was upon him.
Zechariah's Prophecy
67 John's father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he spoke God's message:
68 “Let us praise the Lord, the God of Israel!
He has come to the help of his people and has set them free.
69 He has provided for us a mighty Savior,
a descendant of his servant David.
70 He promised through his holy prophets long ago
71 that he would save us from our enemies,
from the power of all those who hate us.
72 He said he would show mercy to our ancestors
and remember his sacred covenant.
73-74 With a solemn oath to our ancestor Abraham
he promised to rescue us from our enemies
and allow us to serve him without fear,
75 so that we might be holy and righteous before him
all the days of our life.
76 “You, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High God.
You will go ahead of the Lord
to prepare his road for him,
77 to tell his people that they will be saved
by having their sins forgiven.
78 Our God is merciful and tender.
He will cause the bright dawn of salvation to rise on us
79 and to shine from heaven on all those who live in the dark shadow of death,
to guide our steps into the path of peace.”
80 The child grew and developed in body and spirit. He lived in the desert until the day when he appeared publicly to the people of Israel.
Ŋen ŋəɽənda egad̶am
1 Ya Đawufilus, led̶a lwaiña lid̶u ŋen ŋəŋəra ldəwërd̶i ŋen iŋi ŋəfo ŋid̶ənu inëndr, 2 garno led̶a ildi ləseicu ŋen ananoŋ na lad̶uɽəd̶ənṯu ŋen ŋə-Rəmwa nələndənaicr. 3 Ŋen ŋafəṯia ya eləŋ Đawufilus, ŋen ŋanṯa egaləŋeṯo ŋen pred̶ ŋopia ananoŋ egaṯa ṯa ŋen ŋaŋəra ndə igënəñi com igəwërd̶ia ŋen iŋi igəṯərria ŋopia ŋen ŋanṯa ŋa, 4 ṯa ŋaləŋeṯe ŋen iŋi agəno ŋopia ŋaɽo d̶eṯəm agërrəŋeinu.
Ŋen ŋəlwaɽənu id̶ələŋənia d̶e-Yuanna igi gənanaid̶ia mamuḏiya
5 Iliga ildei Iruḏus gaɽo eləŋ galo Yuḏiya, maje gafo gənəŋ gəbërnia Sakariya igi gəɽo kana eled̶a l-Abiyya. Wasen galəŋənu eled̶a l-Arun d̶urri na gënəŋu gəbërnia Alisabaṯ. 6 Lënəŋulu ndəm lad̶urwaṯo eŋen Rəmwa nëiñua na lafo mənna gero eŋen pred̶ ŋ-Alganun na eŋen pred̶ ŋ-Eləŋ Rəmwa. 7 Orn lënəŋulu lero ŋere ŋen ŋanṯa Alisabaṯ gaɽo ltəm, na loɽra ndəm.
8 Ŋen Sakariya gəbəd̶ia ŋəmëɽria ŋalkana Rəmwa nëiñua ig-Alekəl iliga ləled̶a l-Abiyya, 9 eŋen ŋəŋəmëɽria ŋalkana, ŋen ŋiɽəṯəma nano ṯa gënəŋu gəbënṯia egeɽa gə-Rəmwa ṯa aŋənaid̶e ŋela iŋi ŋuɽənia ŋəmwad̶a gəñəla. 10 Na led̶a pred̶ lafo labekeɽəd̶ia Rəmwa ndëuwərano iliga ŋela ŋuɽənia. 11 Iliga ildei malaiyəka d̶-Eləŋ Rəmwa d̶eṯəma nano nḏəd̶uri nḏəŋ d̶əŋaicəba ad̶una nano eŋela ŋuɽənia. 12 Na Sakariya nəŋgərd̶e ndə gəseicu malaiyəka na ŋəd̶aiña nəŋəmëndi. 13 Orn malaiyəka nḏəmeiṯi ṯa, “Ŋerṯe agəd̶əñialo ya Sakariya! Rəmwa rano d̶eɽəd̶ia d̶əlaɽəŋa na wasalo Alisabaṯ gid̶i aŋələŋəṯi ŋere na ñagid̶i ñamenəci Yuanna. 14 Na ñagid̶i ñaŋəreṯe nano kaiñ, na led̶a lwaiña lid̶i aləŋəreṯe nano ndə gënəŋu gələŋənu! 15 Gënəŋu gid̶i aŋoɽreṯe Rəmwa nëiñua, na aŋerṯe gəṯia ŋuɽu kwai kwai, na aŋunḏeini Usilaga Gətəɽe ŋen gəfo ləŋgen egare məldin, 16 na gid̶i aŋoɽəbaice led̶a lwaiña l-Israyil Eləŋ nano igi gəɽo Rəmwa eren. 17 Gënəŋu gid̶i ṯaŋerldo Eləŋ Rəmwa nëiñua, igusila na eŋabəɽa ŋ-Iliya, ṯa aŋoɽəbaice nara nəlṯenia eñere eñen, na ṯa aŋərid̶i led̶a ildi ləned̶o lənna ṯa aləŋeṯe ŋen nəsi garno led̶a ildi ləd̶urwaṯo eŋen, na ṯa aŋəṯoɽaṯe led̶a ŋen ŋanṯa Eləŋ Rəmwa ildi ləṯuɽeinu ŋopia.” 18 Sakanya nəŋeɽəd̶e malaiyəka nəŋaṯa. “Fəṯau igid̶i eləŋeṯe ŋen iŋi ṯa ŋad̶eṯəm? Egaɽo uṯëɽi na wasaiñ goɽra com.” 19 Na malaiyəka nḏəmuɽəbiṯi eŋen ṯa, “Igəbernia Jabraiyil ñiŋgi igəṯurwa Rəmwa nëiñua Igad̶weinu ṯa iŋalwaɽəṯi, na ṯa eŋanaice ŋen iŋi ŋəŋəra. 20 No ŋen iŋi, liga ŋen iŋi ŋəmulu ŋəɽiñad̶einia, agid̶i ŋabwame ŋəma, na ŋaijəbeṯe agəɽwata, ŋen ŋanṯa agero agəbëndia ŋen ŋəlëɽəñi iŋi ŋid̶i aŋəɽiñad̶eim iliga lëɽənu.” 21 Led̶a laṯurṯu Sakanya ldirəwano ŋen ŋanṯa gënəŋu gafo gaɽaŋa egeɽa gətəɽe liga lwalano. 22 Na ndə gəməño nəŋerṯe gəɽwad̶aṯa gəlwaɽəṯia, na led̶a ldələŋeṯe ṯa ŋen ŋamiñiṯəma ŋə-Rəmwa ig-Alekəl na gënəŋu ṯaləɽwatiṯu rəŋəra nəŋaŋəbeṯe gəɽwata. 23 Nda ñoman ñəŋəmeɽria ŋəlëɽəŋu ñəɽiñad̶einu, gënəŋu nəŋoɽəbaṯe eɽa gəlëɽəŋu.
24 Na ŋen liga ildei ləŋgaṯo d̶əge, wasen gəbërnia Alisabaṯ nəŋwonḏaice, nəŋələbijəni nubwa d̶enəŋ nəŋaṯa, 25 “Fəŋen iŋi Rəmwa nṯiñi liga rënəŋu rəseicəñi ṯa arəŋgeici d̶əd̶ama d̶əlëɽəñi eled̶a!”
Ŋen ŋəlwaɽənu id̶ələŋənia d̶ə-Yesu
26 Ndə nubwa nəɽo d̶enəŋ nəŋəməñe gonto, Rəmwa rad̶waṯo malaiyəka Jabraiyil irnuŋ gənəŋ gəbërnia Nasəraṯ alo yi-Jalil. 27 Rad̶waṯəma eŋere ŋənəŋ ŋəɽo ŋowa iŋi ŋəwërd̶ənṯu maje gənəŋ gəbërnia Yusif igi gəled̶a lə-Ḏawuḏ liga ləmulu ləldəgəndra. Na ŋere ŋəbërnia Mariam. 28 Malaiyəka d̶ënṯu eɽa nḏəmeṯa nano nəd̶aṯa, “Ŋere bəṯau! Agabuŋənṯu i-Rəmwa, Eləŋ Rəmwa ñagafəldəga!” 29 Na ŋere nəŋgərd̶e ndə ŋəno ŋen iŋi nəŋaṯa egare, “Đənna ëiñua id̶i d̶aɽo ṯau?” 30 Malaiyəka ndəmeiṯi ṯa, “Ŋerṯe agəd̶əñialo ya Mariam, agabuŋənṯu i-Rəmwa. 31 Agid̶i ŋwonḏaice na ŋaləŋe id̶ia na agid̶i ŋamënəci Yesu. 32 Gënəŋu gid̶i aŋoɽreṯe na gid̶i aŋënəjəni Id̶ia gə-Rəmwa irri roɽra rəməñaṯo laŋge pred̶, na Eləŋ Rəmwa rid̶i arəmanaice ŋələŋe ŋarno ŋeṯen Ḏawuḏ. 33 Gënəŋu gid̶i aŋəɽeṯe eləŋ gəled̶a lə-Yagub bəɽəbəte. Ŋələŋe ŋəlëɽəŋu ŋaber ŋid̶i aŋəməndëd̶əni kwai kwai!”
34 Na Mariam nəŋeiṯi malaiyəka ṯa, “Ŋen iŋi ŋid̶i aŋəfeṯe ṯau? Egaijəba ed̶a gəɽorra kwai kwai.” 35 Malaiyəka nḏəmuɽəbiṯi eŋen ṯa, “Usila Gətəɽe gid̶i aŋeṯa nano na ŋabəɽa ŋə-Rəmwa irri roɽra rəməñaṯo laŋge pred̶ ŋid̶i aŋeṯa nano. Ŋen ŋafəṯia id̶ia igi gid̶i aŋələŋəni gid̶i aŋënəjəni gətəɽe Id̶ia gə-Rəmwa. 36 Oralo Alisabaṯ com gwonḏaico id̶ia ŋen goɽra, na gënəŋu igi led̶a laṯa gaɽo ltəm gaɽiñad̶aṯo nubwa d̶enəŋ nəŋəməñe gonto. 37 Wagero gənəŋ kwai kwai igi gaijəbinṯu Rəmwa.” 38 Mariam nəŋaṯa, “Igënəñi egaɽo ebai g-Eləŋ Rəmwa. Ŋgiṯu ŋen aŋəfeṯe iñi ŋarno agəlwaɽo.” Oro malaiyəka nḏəmaṯad̶e nḏabəla.
Ŋen Mariam gabəṯa Alisabaṯ nano
39 Iliga lakəl Mariam nəŋətwod̶e gëɽəd̶iaŋəno na gabəṯa naiyən nwaldaŋ irnuŋ gənəŋ galo Yuḏiya. 40 Nəgabəṯa eɽa gə-Sakariya nəŋəne Alisabaṯ ëiñua. 41 Ndə Alisabaṯ gəno d̶ənna ëiñua d̶ə-Mariam, ŋere nəŋərəd̶uni egare gəlëɽəŋu na Alisabaṯ nəŋwunḏeini Usilaga Gətəɽe. 42 Na gënəŋu nəŋəraice olia nəŋeiṯi Mariam ṯa, “Agabuŋənṯu eled̶a əɽəlda, na id̶ia igi egare gəlaɽəŋa gəbuŋənṯu. 43 Ŋen ŋeṯəñe nano ŋoɽra ed̶a, ṯa ləŋgen g-Eləŋ gəlëɽəñi geṯəñe nano? 44 Ŋen ŋanṯa ndə egəno olia gəd̶ənna ëiñua d̶əlaɽəŋa ŋere nəŋərəd̶uni egare gəlëɽəñi, ŋen ŋanṯa ŋaŋəra nano. 45 Gënəŋu gabuŋənṯu igi gëndu ŋen ṯa gid̶i aŋəfeṯe ŋen ŋanṯa ŋen iŋi Eləŋ Rəmwa rəlwaɽəṯəma ŋid̶i aŋəɽiñad̶eini.”
Ŋələŋa ŋə-Mariam
46 Na Mariam nəŋaṯa ṯa,
“Ara gəlëɽəñi ganaica Eləŋ Rəmwa ŋaɽrwa,
47 na usila gəlëɽəñi gaŋəra nano i-Rəmwa irri rəɽo Đëbəria d̶əlëɽəñi,
48 ŋen ŋanṯa raseicu ebai gəlëɽəŋu ṯa gaɽo ŋəbaiyaŋəno.
Iliga ildi lnëiñua led̶a pred̶ lid̶i ṯalaṯa igabuŋənṯu,
49 ŋen ŋanṯa Rəmwa irri ronḏəṯo kaiñ riṯiñi ŋen ŋoɽra.
Irəŋ gəlëɽəŋu gətəɽe.
50 Na d̶ələŋeṯad̶əño d̶əlëɽəŋu d̶afo bəɽəbəte eled̶a ildi ləd̶əñiama.
51 Rënəŋu rid̶u ŋəmëɽria kaiñ d̶əŋd̶a d̶wonḏəṯo d̶əlëɽəŋu,
na rënəŋu ralëldəd̶u led̶a alo ildi lëldəŋəd̶einia id̶inia enare enen.
52 Rënəŋu rirəwu nələŋ eŋələŋ eŋen, na ndrətuci led̶a elo lərra.
53 Rënəŋu ndrəbeice led̶a ildi ləcoiña laŋgela ləŋəra,
na ndrəd̶waṯe led̶a lwaiña laŋge məɽəməɽeñ laŋge lero.
54 Rënəŋu reṯo ṯa araməd̶aṯe Israyil isi yiməd̶uɽəd̶ənṯia,
ŋen ŋanṯa rəlëldəŋəd̶einia eŋəbaiya eŋen.
55 Garno ŋen iŋi rëɽəṯu bapanda eldaiñ, ṯa rid̶i arəgiyace.
Ibrayim ŋəbaiya nano na ləd̶ia əllëɽəŋu bəɽəbəte.”
56 Na Mariam laɽaŋo Alisabaṯəga nubwa niɽijin, oro nəŋoɽəbaṯe egeɽa gəlëɽəŋu.
Ŋen ŋəd̶ələŋənia d̶e-Yuanna igi gənanaid̶ia mamuḏiya
57 Orn nṯia nubwa n-Alisabaṯ nabəɽenḏed̶o nəŋələŋe ŋere. 58 Na led̶a ləɽo ëuwər əllëɽəŋu na led̶a ləŋəd̶urəba lano ṯa Eləŋ Rəmwa ragiyacəma ŋəbaiya nano kaiñ, na lënəŋulu ldəŋəreṯəlda nano. 59 Na ndə ñoman ñəɽo d̶enəŋ nəñəməñe ñiɽijin led̶a leṯo ŋen ŋanṯa aluɽəd̶i ŋere na lwonaṯa almënəci Sakariya, irəŋ geṯen, 60 orn ləŋgen nəŋaṯa, “Ndo! Gënəŋu gid̶i aŋënəjəni Yuanna.” 61 Na led̶a ldəmeiṯi ṯa, “Ed̶a gero iŋəd̶urəba gënəjənu ṯia.” 62 Na led̶a ṯaləɽwatiṯu eṯen rəŋəra ṯa gwonaṯa id̶ia gəbënəjənia əsëgi. 63 Gënəŋu nəŋəleɽəd̶e abred̶a nəŋəwërd̶i ṯa, “Ŋere ŋəbërnia Yuanna.” Na led̶a pred̶ ldirəwano. 64 Na taltal ëiñua yi-Sakariya niyabərd̶i na d̶əŋəla ṯad̶əɽwato, nəŋənaice Rəmwa d̶amia. 65 Na ŋəd̶aiña nəŋëndi led̶a pred̶ lirnuŋ gakəl, na ŋen iŋi pred̶ nəŋuɽwatəni naiyən pred̶ alo Yuḏiya. 66 Na led̶a pred̶ ildi ləno ldëndi ŋen iŋi enare enen ldaṯa, “Ŋere iŋi ŋid̶i aŋəɽeṯe wande?” Ŋen ŋanṯa d̶eṯəm Eləŋ Rəmwa lafəldəga.
Ŋələŋa ŋə-Sakariya
67 Na eṯen gəlëɽəŋu, Sakariya nəŋunḏeini Usilaga Gətəɽe, ṯaŋəɽwato ŋen ŋə-Rəmwa nəŋaṯa,
68 “Rəmwa r-Israyil arəbuŋənṯi, ŋen ŋanṯa reṯo eled̶a əllëɽəŋu ndrləpəɽe.
69 Na rënəŋu ratud̶i ed̶a gwonḏəṯo igi gəɽo Đëbəria ŋen ŋanṯa nëndr,
eled̶a lə-Ḏawuḏ igi gəduɽəd̶ənṯu.
70 Ŋen ŋarno rəlwaɽo ëiñuaya yeled̶a ltəɽe ildi ləɽo anəbiya ilëɽəŋu yepənde,
71 ṯa gënəŋu aŋəndəmiñr eled̶a ildi ləgeiyandr na erəŋ rəled̶a pred̶ ildi ləned̶əndr.
72 Rəmwa rid̶u ṯia ṯa arəgiyace bapanda eldaiñ ŋəbaiya nano ŋenŋa ŋəd̶əɽiñad̶ata
ŋen ŋəd̶ərreid̶ia eŋen d̶əlëɽəŋu d̶ətəɽe.
73 Fəd̶aləfia id̶i rënəŋu raləfo eŋen ŋəbapa egaiñ Ibrayim,
74 ṯa arəndənaicr ŋen ṯa aləmiñənr erəŋ rəled̶a ildi
ləgeiyandr na ṯa aləd̶uɽəd̶ənṯr ŋəd̶aiña ŋero,
75 eŋen ŋətəɽe na ŋəd̶urwaṯo ŋu nëiñua liga ləgəməṯiar.
76 Na aganəŋa com, ya ŋere, agid̶i ŋënəjəni nabi yi-Rəmwa
irri roɽra rəməñaṯo laŋge pred̶, ŋen ŋanṯa agid̶i ŋëfəṯi Eləŋ nëiñua ṯa ŋamëɽəṯi rad̶alo,
77 na ṯa ŋid̶i led̶a əllëɽəŋu alləŋeṯe d̶ëbəria id̶i d̶əfo d̶əŋgeiniad̶a d̶əŋen eŋen ŋeicia.
78 Đeṯəm eŋen ŋəd̶ələŋeṯa d̶əño na ŋəŋəbaiya ŋə-Rəmwa irëndr,
loman larrerre gelo gid̶i aŋəndeṯar nano,
79 ṯa aŋəwad̶e eled̶a ildi ləɽaŋa iŋərəm na igusil gəŋəɽaiñ,
na ṯa aŋəndirldir ed̶ad̶ d̶əd̶ëuṯaralo.” Arrerre uleŋgi
80 Na ŋere nəŋətwod̶e ṯaŋakaɽəjaid̶o ed̶wonḏəṯa igusila. Ŋënəŋu ŋafo ed̶əñwa iliga ləmulu leṯo ṯa aŋəmiñiṯi led̶a l-Israyil.