1 Aangesien baie onderneem het om 'n verhaal op te stel oor die dinge wat onder ons al vervul is,
2 soos hulle wat van die begin af ooggetuies en dienaars van die Woord was, dit aan ons oorgelewer het,
3 het ek ook dit goedgedink, hooggeagte Theofilus, nadat ek van voor af alles noukeurig ondersoek het, om dit in volgorde aan u te skrywe,
4 sodat u met volle sekerheid kan weet die dinge waaromtrent u onderrig is.
5 Daar was in die dae van Herodes, koning van Jud,a, 'n sekere priester met die naam van Sagar¡a, uit die afdeling van Ab¡a; en sy vrou was uit die dogters van A„ron, en haar naam was Elisabet.
6 En hulle was altwee regverdig voor God en het in al die gebooie en regte van die Here onberispelik gewandel.
7 En hulle het geen kind gehad nie, omdat Elisabet onvrugbaar was en albei op ver gevorderde leeftyd.
8 En terwyl hy besig was om die priesteramp voor God te bedien in die beurt van sy afdeling,
9 het die lot volgens priesterlike gewoonte op hom geval om in te gaan in die tempel van die Here en reukwerk te brand.
10 En die hele menigte van die volk was buite, besig om te bid op die uur van die reukoffer.
11 Toe verskyn daar aan hom 'n engel van die Here, wat aan die regterkant van die reukofferaltaar staan.
12 En toe Sagar¡a hom sien, was hy ontsteld, en vrees het hom oorval.
13 Maar die engel sê vir hom: Moenie vrees nie, Sagar¡a, want jou gebed is verhoor, en jou vrou Elisabet sal vir jou 'n seun baar, en jy moet hom Johannes noem.
14 En hy sal blydskap en verheuging vir jou wees, en baie sal oor sy geboorte bly wees;
15 want hy sal groot wees voor die Here. En wyn en sterk drank sal hy nooit drink nie, en hy sal vervul word met die Heilige Gees reeds van die skoot van sy moeder af.
16 En hy sal baie van die kinders van Israel bekeer tot die Here hulle God.
17 En hy sal voor Hom uit gaan in die gees en die krag van El¡a, om die harte van die vaders terug te bring tot die kinders en die ongehoorsames tot die gesindheid van die regverdiges, om vir die Here 'n toegeruste volk te berei.
18 Toe sê Sagar¡a vir die engel: Waaraan sal ek dit weet? Want ek is 'n ou man, en my vrou is op ver gevorderde leeftyd.
19 En die engel antwoord en sê vir hom: Ek is Gabriël wat voor God staan, en ek is gestuur om met jou te spreek en jou hierdie goeie tyding te bring.
20 En kyk, jy sal swyg en nie kan praat nie tot op die dag dat hierdie dinge gebeur, omdat jy my woorde wat op hulle tyd vervul sal word, nie geglo het nie.
21 En die volk het op Sagar¡a bly wag en was verwonderd dat hy so lank in die tempel vertoef.
22 Maar toe hy uitkom, kon hy met hulle nie praat nie; hulle bemerk toe dat hy 'n gesig in die tempel gesien het. En hy het aanhoudend vir hulle beduie en stom gebly.
23 En toe die dae van sy diens vervul was, het hy huis toe gegaan.
24 En n hierdie dae het Elisabet, sy vrou, ontvang en haar vyf maande lank verberg en gesê:
25 So het die Here met my gedoen in die dae toe Hy my aangesien het om my smaad onder die mense weg te neem.
26 En in die sesde maand is die engel Gabriël deur God gestuur na 'n stad in Galil,a met die naam van N saret,
27 na 'n maagd wat verloof was aan 'n man met die naam van Josef, uit die huis van Dawid; en die naam van die maagd was Maria.
28 En die engel het by haar binnegekom en gesê: Wees gegroet, begenadigde! Die Here is met jou; geseënd is jy onder die vroue.
29 En toe sy hom sien, was sy baie ontsteld oor sy woord, en sy het daaroor nagedink wat hierdie groet tog kon beteken.
30 En die engel sê vir haar: Moenie vrees nie, Maria, want jy het genade by God gevind.
31 En kyk, jy sal swanger word en 'n Seun baar, en jy moet Hom Jesus noem.
32 Hy sal groot wees en die Seun van die Allerhoogste genoem word; en die Here God sal aan Hom die troon van sy vader Dawid gee,
33 en Hy sal koning wees oor die huis van Jakob tot in ewigheid, en aan sy koninkryk sal daar geen einde wees nie.
34 Toe sê Maria vir die engel: Hoe kan dit wees aangesien ek geen man het nie?
35 En die engel antwoord en sê vir haar: Die Heilige Gees sal oor jou kom en die krag van die Allerhoogste sal jou oorskadu. Daarom ook sal die Heilige wat gebore word, Seun van God genoem word.
36 En kyk, Elisabet, jou bloedverwant, het self ook 'n seun ontvang in haar ouderdom, en hierdie maand is die sesde vir haar wat onvrugbaar genoem is.
37 Want geen ding sal by God onmoontlik wees nie.
38 En Maria sê: Hier is die diensmaagd van die Here. Laat dit met my gaan volgens u woord. En die engel het van haar weggegaan.
39 En in daardie dae het Maria opgestaan en haastig na die bergstreek gegaan, na 'n stad van Juda;
40 en sy het in die huis van Sagar¡a gekom en Elisabet gegroet.
41 En toe Elisabet die groet van Maria hoor, het die kindjie in haar skoot opgespring; en Elisabet is vervul met die Heilige Gees
42 en het met 'n groot stem uitgeroep en gesê: Geseënd is jy onder die vroue, en geseënd is die vrug van jou skoot!
43 En wat het my oorgekom dat die moeder van my Here na my toe kom?
44 Want kyk, toe die geluid van jou groet in my ore klink, het die kindjie in my skoot van vreugde opgespring.
45 En salig is sy wat geglo het, want die dinge wat deur die Here aan haar gesê is, sal vervul word.
46 En Maria het gesê: My siel maak die Here groot,
47 en my gees is verheug in God, my Saligmaker;
48 omdat Hy die nederige toestand van sy diensmaagd aangesien het; want kyk, van nou af sal al die geslagte my salig noem.
49 Want Hy wat magtig is, het groot dinge aan my gedoen, en heilig is sy Naam.
50 En sy barmhartigheid is van geslag tot geslag vir die wat Hom vrees.
51 Hy het deur sy arm kragtige dade gedoen. Hoogmoediges in die gedagtes van hulle hart het Hy verstrooi.
52 Maghebbers het Hy van trone afgeruk en nederiges verhoog.
53 Hongeriges het Hy met goeie dinge vervul en rykes met leë hande weggestuur.
54 Hy het sy kneg Israel bygestaan, sodat Hy aan sy barmhartigheid sou dink
55 soos Hy tot ons vaders gespreek het -- aan Abraham en sy nageslag tot in ewigheid.
56 En Maria het by haar omtrent drie maande gebly; en sy het teruggegaan na haar huis toe.
57 En die tyd dat sy moeder moes word, is vir Elisabet vervul, en sy het 'n seun gebaar.
58 En toe haar bure en bloedverwante hoor dat die Here sy barmhartigheid aan haar groot gemaak het, was hulle saam met haar bly.
59 En op die agtste dag het hulle gekom om die kindjie te besny, en hulle wou hom Sagar¡a noem, na die naam van sy vader.
60 Toe antwoord sy moeder en sê: Nee, maar hy moet Johannes genoem word.
61 En hulle sê vir haar: Daar is niemand in jou familie wat die naam het nie.
62 En hulle beduie vir sy vader hoe hy wou hê dat hy genoem moes word.
63 Hy vra toe 'n skryfbordjie en skryf: Johannes is sy naam. En almal was verwonderd.
64 En onmiddellik is sy mond geopen en het sy tong losgeraak, en hy het gepraat en God geloof.
65 En daar het vrees gekom oor almal wat rondom hulle gewoon het, en daar is baie gepraat oor al hierdie dinge in die hele bergstreek van Jud,a.
66 En almal wat dit gehoor het, het dit ter harte geneem en gesê: Wat sal tog van hierdie kindjie word? En die hand van die Here was met hom.
67 En Sagar¡a, sy vader, is vervul met die Heilige Gees en het geprofeteer en gesê:
68 Geloofd sy die Here, die God van Israel, omdat Hy sy volk besoek het en vir hulle verlossing teweeggebring het,
69 en 'n horing van heil vir ons opgerig het in die huis van Dawid, sy kneg --
70 soos Hy gespreek het deur die mond van sy heilige profete van ouds af --
71 redding van ons vyande en uit die hand van almal wat vir ons haat,
72 om barmhartigheid te bewys aan ons vaders en aan sy heilige verbond te dink,
73 aan die eed wat Hy gesweer het vir Abraham, ons vader, om aan ons te gee
74 dat ons, verlos uit die hand van ons vyande, Hom sonder vrees kan dien,
75 in heiligheid en geregtigheid voor Hom, al die dae van ons lewe.
76 En jy, kindjie, sal 'n profeet van die Allerhoogste genoem word, want jy sal voor die aangesig van die Here uitgaan om sy weë reg te maak;
77 om kennis van saligheid aan sy volk te gee in die vergifnis van hulle sondes,
78 deur die innige barmhartigheid van onse God waarmee die opgaande Lig uit die hoogte ons besoek het,
79 om te skyn oor die wat in duisternis en doodskaduwee sit, om ons voete na die pad van vrede te rig.
80 En die kindjie het gegroei en sterk geword in die Gees; en hy was in die woestyne tot op die dag van sy vertoning aan Israel.
1 As a number of attempts have been made to put together in order an account of those events which took place among us,
2 As they were handed down to us by those who saw them from the first and were preachers of the word,
3 It seemed good to me, having made observation, with great care, of the direction of events in their order, to put the facts in writing for you, most noble Theophilus;
4 So that you might have certain knowledge of those things about which you were given teaching.
5 In the days of Herod, king of Judaea, there was a certain priest, by name Zacharias, of the order of Abijah; and he had a wife of the family of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
6 They were upright in the eyes of God, keeping all the rules and orders of God, and doing no wrong.
7 And they were without children, because Elisabeth had never given birth, and they were at that time very old.
8 Now it came about that in his turn he was acting as priest before God,
9 And as was the way of the priests, he had to go into the Temple to see to the burning of perfumes.
10 And all the people were offering prayers outside, at the time of the burning of perfumes.
11 And he saw an angel of the Lord in his place on the right side of the altar.
12 And Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear came on him.
13 But the angel said, Have no fear, Zacharias, for your prayer has come to the ears of God, and your wife Elisabeth will have a son, and his name will be John.
14 And you will be glad and have great delight; and numbers of people will have joy at his birth.
15 For he will be great in the eyes of the Lord; he will not take wine or strong drink; and he will be full of the Spirit of God from his birth.
16 And through him great numbers of the children of Israel will be turned to the Lord their God.
17 And he will go before his face in the spirit and power of Elijah, turning the hearts of fathers to their children, and wrongdoers to the way of righteousness; to make ready a people whose hearts have been turned to the Lord.
18 And Zacharias said to the angel, How may I be certain of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is far on in years.
19 And the angel, answering, said, I am Gabriel, whose place is before God; I have been sent to say these words to you and to give you this good news.
20 Now, see, you will be without voice or language till the day when these things come about, because you had not faith in my words, which will have effect at the right time.
21 And the people were waiting for Zacharias and were surprised because he was in the Temple for such a long time.
22 And when he came out he was not able to say anything, and they saw that he had seen a vision in the Temple; and he was making signs to them without words.
23 And when the days of his work in the Temple were ended, he went back to his house.
24 After that time, Elisabeth, being certain that she was to become a mother, kept herself from men's eyes for five months, saying,
25 The Lord has done this to me, for his eyes were on me, to take away my shame in the eyes of men.
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee, named Nazareth,
27 To a virgin who was to be married to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary.
28 And the angel came in to her and said, Peace be with you, to whom special grace has been given; the Lord is with you.
29 But she was greatly troubled at his words, and said to herself, What may be the purpose of these words?
30 And the angel said to her, Have no fear, Mary, for you have God's approval.
31 And see, you will give birth to a son, and his name will be Jesus.
32 He will be great, and will be named the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God will give him the kingdom of David, his father:
33 He will have rule over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.
34 And Mary said to the angel, How may this be, because I have had no knowledge of a man?
35 And the angel in answer said to her, The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will come to rest on you, and so that which will come to birth will be named holy, Son of God.
36 Even now Elisabeth, who is of your family, is to be a mother, though she is old: and this is the sixth month with her who was without children.
37 For there is nothing which God is not able to do.
38 And Mary said: I am the servant of the Lord; may it be to me as you say. And the angel went away.
39 Then Mary got up and went quickly into the high lands, to a town of Judah;
40 And went into the house of Zacharias and took Elisabeth in her arms.
41 And when the voice of Mary came to the ears of Elisabeth, the baby made a sudden move inside her; then Elisabeth was full of the Holy Spirit,
42 And she said with a loud voice: May blessing be on you among women, and a blessing on the child of your body.
43 How is it that the mother of my Lord comes to me?
44 For, truly, when the sound of your voice came to my ears, the baby in my body made a sudden move for joy.
45 Happy will she be who had faith that the things which the Lord has said to her will be done.
46 And Mary said: My soul gives glory to God;
47 My spirit is glad in God my Saviour.
48 For he has had pity on his servant, though she is poor and lowly placed: and from this hour will all generations give witness to the blessing which has come to me.
49 For he who is strong has done great things for me; and holy is his name.
50 His mercy is for all generations in whom is the fear of him.
51 With his arm he has done acts of power; he has put to flight those who have pride in their hearts.
52 He has put down kings from their seats, lifting up on high the men of low degree.
53 Those who had no food he made full of good things; the men of wealth he sent away with nothing in their hands;
54 His help he has given to Israel, his servant, so that he might keep in mind his mercy to Abraham and his seed for ever,
55 As he gave his word to our fathers.
56 And Mary was with her for about three months and then went back to her house.
57 Now it was time for Elisabeth to give birth, and she had a son.
58 And it came to the ears of her neighbours and relations that the Lord had been very good to her, and they took part in her joy.
59 And on the eighth day they came to see to the circumcision of the child, and they would have given him the name of Zacharias, his father's name;
60 But his mother made answer and said, No, his name is John.
61 And they said, Not one of your relations has that name.
62 And they made signs to his father, to say what name was to be given to him.
63 And he sent for writing materials and put down: His name is John; and they were all surprised.
64 And straight away his mouth was open and his tongue was free and he gave praise to God.
65 And fear came on all those who were living round about them: and there was much talk about all these things in all the hill-country of Judaea.
66 And all who had word of them kept them in their minds and said, What will this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him.
67 And his father, Zacharias, was full of the Holy Spirit, and with the voice of a prophet said these words:
68 Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and made them free,
69 Lifting up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,
70 (As he said, by the mouth of his holy prophets, from the earliest times,)
71 Salvation from those who are against us, and from the hands of those who have hate for us;
72 To do acts of mercy to our fathers and to keep in mind his holy word,
73 The oath which he made to Abraham, our father,
74 That we, being made free from the fear of those who are against us, might give him worship,
75 In righteousness and holy living before him all our days.
76 And you, child, will be named the prophet of the Most High: you will go before the face of the Lord, to make ready his ways;
77 To give knowledge of salvation to his people, through the forgiveness of sins,
78 Because of the loving mercies of our God, by which the dawn from heaven has come to us,
79 To give light to those in dark places, and in the shade of death, so that our feet may be guided into the way of peace.
80 And the child became tall, and strong in spirit; and he was living in the waste land till the day when he came before the eyes of Israel.