1 Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us, 2 even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us, 3 it 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; 4 that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed.

5 There 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. 6 They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.

8 Now while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his division 9 according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.

11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, "Don’t be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For 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. 16 He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 He 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."

18 Zacharias 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."

19 The 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. 20 Behold, 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."

21 The people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marveled that he delayed in the temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute. 23 When the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house. 24 After these days Elizabeth his wife conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying, 25 "Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach among men."

26 Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 Having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!"

29 But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be. 30 The angel said to her, "Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and shall name him ‘Jesus.’ 32 He 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, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom."

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

35 The 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. 36 Behold, Elizabeth your relative also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing spoken by God is impossible."

38 Mary said, "Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word."

Then the angel departed from her.

39 Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah, 40 and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 She called out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy! 45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!"

46 Mary said,

"My soul magnifies the Lord.

47 My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,

48 for he has looked at the humble state of his servant.

For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.

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

Holy is his name.

50 His mercy is for generations and generations on those who fear him.

51 He has shown strength with his arm.

He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

52 He has put down princes from their thrones,

and has exalted the lowly.

53 He has filled the hungry with good things.

He has sent the rich away empty.

54 He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,

55 as he spoke to our fathers,

to Abraham and his offspring forever."

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

57 Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. 60 His mother answered, "Not so; but he will be called John."

61 They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name." 62 They made signs to his father, what he would have him called.

63 He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, "His name is John."

They all marveled. 64 His mouth was opened immediately and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65 Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, "What then will this child be?" The hand of the Lord was with him.

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

68 "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,

for he has visited and redeemed his people;

69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David

70 (as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets who have been from of old),

71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;

72 to show mercy toward our fathers,

to remember his holy covenant,

73 the oath which he swore to Abraham our father,

74 to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies,

should serve him without fear,

75 in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.

76 And 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,

77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins,

78 because of the tender mercy of our God,

by which the dawn from on high will visit us,

79 to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death;

to guide our feet into the way of peace."

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

1 Na, i te mea he tokomaha kua anga ki te whakakaupapa i te korero o nga mea kua whakatutukitia nei i waenganui i a tatou,

2 He mea whakarite ki nga mea i homai ki a tatou e te hunga i kite a kanohi, i mahi hoki i te kupu,

3 Koia ahau i mahara ai, i te mea kua ata whakatakina iho e ahau nga mea katoa i te timatanga mai, kia tuhituhi whakatepe atu ki a koe, e Tiopira, e te tangata pai rawa,

4 Kia matau ai koe ki te tuturutanga o nga mea i whakaakona ai koe.

5 No mua, no nga ra o Herora kingi o Huria, tera tohunga, ko Hakaraia te ingoa, no te wiki o Apiata: ko tana wahine hoki no nga tamahine a Arona, ko Erihapeti tona ingoa.

6 He hunga tika hoki raua i te aroaro o te Atua, kahore he he o ta raua haere i runga i nga kupu ako katoa, i nga tikanga a te Ariki.

7 Na kahore a raua tamariki, he pakoko hoki a Erihapeti, a i taua wa kua maha haere rawa nga ra o tetahi, o tetahi.

8 Na tupono tonu, i a ia e mahi ana i a te tohunga mahi i te aroaro o te Atua i te takanga o tana wiki,

9 E whakarite ana i nga ritenga o nga tohunga, ka taka mana te haere ki roto ki te whare tapu o te Ariki, tahu ai te whakakakara.

10 Na i waho te nuinga katoa o te iwi e inoi ana i te haora whakakakara.

11 A ka puta mai ki a ia tetahi anahera a te Ariki e tu ana i te taha matau o te aata whakakakara.

12 Na ka ohorere a Hakaraia i tona kitenga i a ia, a tau ana te wehi ki a ia.

13 Otira ka mea te anahera ki a ia, kaua e wehi, e Hakaraia: kua rangona hoki tau inoi, a ka whanau i tau wahine, i a Erihapeti, he tama mau, a ka huaina e koe tona ingoa ko Hoani.

14 A ka whiwhi koe i te hari me te harakoa; a he tokomaha hoki e hari i tona whanautanga.

15 E nui hoki ia i te aroaro o te Atua: e kore ia e inu i te waina, i te wai whakahaurangi ranei: a ka ki ia i te Wairua Tapu, mai ano o te kopu o tona whaea.

16 He tokomaha ano hoki o nga tama a Iharaira ka whakatahuritia e ia ki te Ariki, ki to ratou Atua.

17 Ka haere ano ia i tona aroaro i runga i te wairua, i te mana, o Iraia, hei whakatahuri i nga ngakau o nga matua ki nga tamariki, i te hunga whakatuturi ki nga whakaaro o te hunga tika; hei whakarite mo te Ariki i tetahi iwi i ata taka mona.

18 Na ko te meatanga a Hakaraia ki te anahera, Ma te aha ka matau ai ahau ki tenei mea? he koroheke nei hoki ahau, kua maha haere hoki nga ra o taku wahine.

19 Na ka whakahoki te anahera, ka mea ki a ia, Ko Kapariera ahau, kei te aroaro o te Atua toku turanga; kua tonoa mai hoki ahau ki te korero ki a koe, ki te whakapuaki i tenei rongo pai ki a koe.

20 Nana, ka noho puku koe, kahore hoki e puta te korero i a koe, kia tae mai ra ano te ra e meatia ai enei mea, mou kihai i whakapono ki aku kupu, ka mana nei i te wa e rite ai.

21 A tatari tonu te iwi ki a Hakaraia, me te miharo ano i a ia e whakaroa ana i roto i te whare tapu.

22 A, i tona putanga mai ki waho, kihai ia i ahei te korero ki a ratou: a ka mohio ratou kua kite ia i tetahi putanga atua ki a ia i roto i te whare tapu: hono tonu tana waitohu ki a ratou me te wahangu ano.

23 A ka rite nga ra hei minitatanga mana, ka hoki ia ki tona whare.

24 Na muri iho i aua ra ka hapu tana wahine, a Erihapeti, a e rima nga marama i whakangaro ai i a ia, a i mea ia,

25 Ko ta te Ariki tenei i mea ai ki ahau, i nga ra i titiro mai ai ia, ki te whakamutu i toku tawainga i roto i nga tangata.

26 Na i te ono o nga marama ka tonoa a Kapariera, te anahera, e te Atua ki tetahi pa o Kariri, ko Nahareta te ingoa,

27 Ki tetahi wahine i taumautia ma tetahi tangata, ko Hohepa te ingoa, no te whare o Rawiri; ko te ingoa o te wahine ko Meri.

28 Na, ko tona haerenga ki roto, ki a ia, ka mea, Tena koe, e te wahine kua manakohia nei; kei a koe te Ariki: ko koe te manaakitia i roto i nga wahine.

29 Otira he nui tona oho ki taua kupu, ka whakaaroaro ki te tikanga o tenei ohatanga.

30 Na ka mea te anahera ki a ia, Kei wehi koe, e Meri; kua paingia hoki koe e te Atua.

31 Nana, tera koe e hapu, ka whanau he tama, a ka huaina e koe tona ingoa ko Ihu.

32 Ka nui ia, ka kiia hoki ko te Tama a te Runga Rawa: a ka hoatu ki a ia e te Ariki, e te Atua, te torona o Rawiri, o tona papa.

33 Hei kingi hoki ia mo te whare o Hakopa ake ake; e kore ano e mutu tona rangatiratanga.

34 Na ka mea a Meri ki te anahera, E peheatia tenei, kahore nei hoki ahau e mohio ki te tane?

35 Na ka whakahoki te anahera, ka mea ki a ia, Ka tae te Wairua Tapu ki runga ki a koe, ka taumarumaru iho te kaha o te Runga Rawa ki runga ki a koe: no reira hoki ka kiia te mea e whanau mai he tapu, ko te Tama a te Atua.

36 Na, ko tou whanaunga, ko Erihapeti, kua hapu hoki ia i tona ruruhitanga, he tama; a koe te ono tenei o nga marama ki a ia, i kiia ra he pakoko.

37 Kahore hoki he kupu i ahu mai i te Atua i kore e whai mana.

38 Ano ra ko Meri, Ina, te pononga a te Ariki; kia peratia ahau me tau i korero ai. A mawehe atu ana te anahera i a ia.

39 Na ka whakatika a Meri i aua ra, a haere kaika ana ki te whenua pukepuke ki tetahi pa o Hura;

40 A ka tomo ki te whare o Hakaraia, ka oha ki a Erihapeti.

41 A, no te rongonga o Erihapeti i te oha a Meri, ka koiri te tamaiti i roto i tona kopu; na kua ki a Erihapeti i te Wairua Tapu:

42 A he nui tona reo ki te karanga, ka mea, Ka manaakitia koe i roto i nga wahine, ka manaakitia ano te hua o tou kopu.

43 No hea hoki tenei ki ahau, kia haere mai te whaea o toku Ariki ki ahau?

44 Na, pa kau mai te reo o tau oha ki oku taringa, ka oho te tamaiti i toku kopu i te hari.

45 Ka koa ano ia e whakapono ana: ka whakaritea hoki nga mea i korerotia ki a ia e te Ariki.

46 A ka mea a Meri, Ka whakanui toku wairua i te Ariki,

47 E hari ana toku wairua ki te Atua, ki toku Kaiwhakaora;

48 Mona i titiro ki te iti o tana pononga; ta te mea hoki katahi ahau ka kiia e nga whakatupuranga katoa e haere ake nei, he wahine hari.

49 He nui hoki nga mahi a te Mea Kaha ki ahau; he tapu hoki tona ingoa.

50 He mahi tohu tana ki te hunga e wehi ana ki a ia, ki tenei whakatupuranga, ki tenei whakatupuranga.

51 Kua whakaputaina he kaha e ia, ara e tona ringa; nana te hunga whakakake i marara ai, i te whakaaro o o ratou ngakau.

52 Kua whakataka e ia nga piriniha i o ratou torona, a whakateiteitia ake ana te hunga iti.

53 Kua whakakiia e ia te hunga mate hiakai ki nga mea pai; kua tonoa kautia atu te hunga taonga.

54 Kua tautokona e ia a Iharaira, tana pononga, he whakamahara hoki ki tana mahi tohu;

55 Ki a Aperahama ratou ko tana whanau ake tonu atu, pera hoki me tana i korero ai ki o tatou matua.

56 Na tata tonu ki te toru marama a Meri e noho ana ki a ia, a hoki ana ki tona whare.

57 A ka rite te taima o Erihapeti e whanau ai; na ka whanau he tama.

58 A ka rongo te hunga e noho tata ana, me ona whanaunga, kua whakanuia e te Ariki tona aroha ki a ia; na ka hari tahi me ia.

59 A i te waru o nga ra ka haere mai ratou ki te kokoti i te tamaiti; ka mea kia huaina e ratou ko Hakaraia, ko te ingoa o tona papa.

60 Na ka whakahoki tona whaea, ka mea, Kahore; engari me hua ia ko Hoani.

61 Na ko ta ratou meatanga ki a ia, Ara, kahore tenei ingoa i huaina ki tetahi o ou whanaunga.

62 Na ka ui ratou ki tona papa, he mea waitohu, ko wai tana e pai ai kia huaina ki a ia.

63 Ka mea ia ki tetahi papa tuhituhi, a ka tuhituhi, ka mea, Ko Hoani hei ingoa mona. A miharo ana ratou katoa.

64 Na whai reo tonu iho tona mangai, ka matara tona arero, ka korero ia, ka whakapai ki te Atua.

65 A tau ana te wehi ki te hunga katoa e noho tata ana ki a ratou: ka korerotia enei mea katoa puta noa i te whenua pukepuke katoa o Huria.

66 Na ka rongoatia enei mea e te hunga katoa i rangona ai ki roto ki o ratou ngakau, ka mea, He tamaiti aha ianei tenei? i a ia hoki te ringa o te Ariki.

67 Na kua ki a Hakaraia, tona papa, i te Wairua tapu, ka poropiti, ka mea,

68 Kia whakapaingia te Ariki, te Atua o Iharaira; kua titiro mai hoki ia, kua hoko i tana iwi,

69 Kua whakaarahia ake e ia he haona whakaora mo tatou, i roto i te whare o Rawiri, o tana pononga;

70 Ko tana hoki ia i korerotia e te mangai o ana poropiti tapu, no te timatanga mai ano o te ao:

71 Hei whakaora i a tatou i o tatou hoa whawhai, i te ringa ano o te hunga katoa e kino ana ki a tatou;

72 Hei whakaputa i te mahi tohu ki o tatou tupuna, hei whakamahara ki tana kawenata tapu;

73 Ki te oati i oati ai ia ki a Aperahama, ki to tatou tupuna,

74 Kia tukua mai e ia ki a tatou he ora i te ringa o o tatou hoa whawhai, kia mahi wehikore tatou ki a ia,

75 I runga i te tapu, i te tika, ki tona aroaro, i nga ra katoa e ora ai tatou.

76 A ko koe, e tama, ka kiia ko te poropiti a te Runga Rawa: e haere hoki koe i te aroaro o te Ariki, hei whakapai i ona ara;

77 Hei whakamatau i tana iwi ki te ora, i o ratou hara e murua ana;

78 He mea hoki na te aroha, na te mahi tohu a to tatou Atua; na reira hoki i puta mai ai te puaotanga o runga ki a tatou,

79 Hei whakamarama i te hunga e noho ana i te pouri, i te atarangi hoki o te mate, hei whakatika i o tatou waewae ki te huarahi o te rangimarie.

80 Na ka tupu taua tamaiti, a ka kaha haere tona wairua, a noho ana i nga koraha, taea noatia te ra e whakakitea ai ia ki a Iharaira.