1 إ ذْ حاوَلَ كَثِيرُونَ أنْ يُؤَرِّخُوا لِلأحداثِ الَّتِي حَصَلَتْ فيما بَيْنَنا.

Seeing that many did take in hand to set in order a narration of the matters that have been fully assured among us,

2 و َهِيَ الأحداثُ الَّتِي نَقَلَها إلَيْنا الأشْخاصُ الَّذِينَ كانُوا شُهُودَ عَيانٍ لَها مُنذُ البِدايَةِ، وَخُدّاماً يُعلِنونَ رِسالَةَ اللهِ لِلنّاسِ.

as they did deliver to us, who from the beginning became eye-witnesses, and officers of the Word, --

3 و َحَيثُ إنِّي قَدْ تَحَقَّقتُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيءٍ بِدِقَّةٍ، رَأيتُ أنا أيضاً أنْ أكتُبَ إلَيكَ، يا صاحِبَ السَّعادَةِ ثاوْفِيلُسَ، وَصْفاً مُتَسَلسِلاً لِتِلكَ الأحداثِ مُنذُ البِدايَةِ،

it seemed good also to me, having followed from the first after all things exactly, to write to thee in order, most noble Theophilus,

4 ل ِكَي تَتَيَقَّنَ مِنْ أنَّ ما تَعَلَّمتَهُ صَحِيحٌ. زَكَرِيّا وَألِيصابات

that thou mayest know the certainty of the things wherein thou wast instructed.

5 ك انَ فِي أيّامِ هِيْرُودُسَ مَلِكِ إقليمِ اليَهُودِيَّةِ، كاهِنٌ اسْمُهُ زَكَرِيّا، وَهُوَ مِنْ مَجمُوعَةِ أبِيّا الكَهنُوتِيَّةِ، وَزَوجَتُهُ ألِيصاباتُ مِنْ نَسلِ هارُونَ.

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest, by name Zacharias, of the course of Abijah, and his wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elisabeth;

6 و َكانا كِلاهُما بارَّيْنِ وَبِلا عَيبٍ فِي حِفظِهِما لِوَصايا الرَّبِّ وَفَرائِضِهِ.

and they were both righteous before God, going on in all the commands and righteousnesses of the Lord blameless,

7 ل َكِنَّهُما كانا بِلا أبناءٍ، فَقَدْ كانَتْ ألِيْصاباتُ عاقِراً، وَكانَ الاثْنانِ كَبِيْرَينِ فِي السِّنِّ.

and they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and both were advanced in their days.

8 و َكانَ زَكَرِيّا يَخدِمُ كَكاهِنٍ للهِ فِي الهَيْكَلِ في نَوبَةِ مَجمَوعَتِهِ الكَهنُوتِيَّةِ،

And it came to pass, in his acting as priest, in the order of his course before God,

9 ف َتَمَّ اختِيارُهُ بِالقُرعَةِ، حَسَبَ العادَةِ المُتَّبَعَةِ لَدَى الكَهَنَةِ، لِلدُّخُولِ إلَى هَيكَلِ الرَّبِّ وَتَقدِيمِ البَخُورِ.

according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot was to make perfume, having gone into the sanctuary of the Lord,

10 و َحِينَ جاءَ وَقتُ تَقدِيمِ البَخُورِ، كانَ كُلُّ الشَّعبِ مُجتَمِعِينَ خارِجاً يُصَلُّونَ.

and all the multitude of the people were praying without, at the hour of the perfume.

11 ف َظَهَرَ لَهُ مَلاكٌ مِنْ عِندِ الرَّبِّ واقِفاً عَنْ يَمِينِ مَذْبَحِ البَخُورِ.

And there appeared to him a messenger of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of the perfume,

12 ف َلَمّا رَأى زَكَرِيّا المَلاكَ، اضطَرَبَ وَخافَ خَوفاً شَدِيداً.

and Zacharias, having seen, was troubled, and fear fell on him;

13 ف َقالَ لَهُ المَلاكُ: «لا تَخَفْ يا زَكَرِيّا. لَقَدْ سَمِعَ اللهُ صَلاتَكَ. وَسَتَلِدُ لَكَ زَوجَتُكَ ألِيصاباتُ ابناً، فَسَمِّهِ يُوحَنّا.

and the messenger said unto him, `Fear not, Zacharias, for thy supplication was heard, and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear a son to thee, and thou shalt call his name John,

14 س َيَكُونُ لَكَ فَرَحٌ وَابتِهاجٌ، وَسَيَفرَحُ كَثِيرُونَ أيْضاً بِمَولِدِهِ.

and there shall be joy to thee, and gladness, and many at his birth shall joy,

15 س َيَكُونُ عَظِيْماً فِي نَظَرِ الرَّبِّ. لَنْ يَشرَبَ نَبِيذاً وَلا شَراباً مُسكِراً، وَسَيَمتَلِئُ مِنَ الرُّوحِ القُدُسِ حَتَّىْ قَبلَ وِلادَتِهِ!

for he shall be great before the Lord, and wine and strong drink he may not drink, and of the Holy Spirit he shall be full, even from his mother's womb;

16 س َيَجعَلُ كَثِيرِيْنَ مِنْ بَنِي إسرائِيلَ يَرجِعُونَ إلَى الرَّبِّ إلَهِهِمْ.

and many of the sons of Israel he shall turn to the Lord their God,

17 و َسَيَأتِي قَبلَ الرَّبِّ بِرُوحِ إيلِيّا وَقُوَّتِهِ، لِكَي يَرُدَّ قُلُوبَ الآباءِ لِأبنائِهِمْ، وَيَرُدَّ أفْكارَ العُصاةِ إلَى الطَّريقِ الصَّحيحِ، فَيُهَيئَ شَعباً مُستَعِداً لِلرَّبِّ.»

and he shall go before Him, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn hearts of fathers unto children, and disobedient ones to the wisdom of righteous ones, to make ready for the Lord, a people prepared.'

18 ف َقالَ زَكَرِيّا لِلمَلاكِ: «كَيفَ لِي أنْ أتَيَقَّنَ مِنْ هَذا الكَلامِ؟ فَأنا عَجُوزٌ، وَزَوجَتِي فِي شَيخُوخَتِها!»

And Zacharias said unto the messenger, `Whereby shall I know this? for I am aged, and my wife is advanced in her days?'

19 ف َأجابَهُ المَلاكُ: «أنا جِبْرائِيلُ الَّذِي أقِفُ فِي حَضْرَةِ اللهِ. لَقَدْ أُرسِلتُ لِأُكَلِّمَكَ، وَأنقُلَ إلَيكَ هَذِهِ البُشرَى.

And the messenger answering said to him, `I am Gabriel, who have been standing near before God, and I was sent to speak unto thee, and to proclaim these good news to thee,

20 ل َكِنِ انتَبِه لِهَذا: سَتَكُونُ صامِتاً، وَلَنْ تَقدِرَ عَلَى الكَلامِ إلَى أنْ يَتَحَقَّقَ كُلُّ هَذا، لِأنَّكَ لَمْ تُصَدِّقْ كَلامِي الَّذِي سَيَتَحَقَّقُ فِي وَقتِهِ.»

and lo, thou shalt be silent, and not able to speak, till the day that these things shall come to pass, because thou didst not believe my words, that shall be fulfilled in their season.'

21 و َكانَ النّاسُ خارِجاً فِي انتِظارِ زَكَرِيّا وَهَمْ يَتَساءَلُونَ عَنْ سَبَبِ تَأخُّرِهِ فِي الهَيكَلِ.

And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and wondering at his tarrying in the sanctuary,

22 و َحِينَ خَرَجَ لَمْ يَكُنْ قادِراً عَلَى التَّحَدُّثِ إلَيْهِمْ، فَأدرَكُوا أنَّهُ رَأى رُؤْيا فِي الهَيكَلِ. وَكانَ يُكَلِّمُهُمْ بِالإشاراتِ، وَبَقِيَ أخرَسَ.

and having come out, he was not able to speak to them, and they perceived that a vision he had seen in the sanctuary, and he was beckoning to them, and did remain dumb.

23 و َحِينَ انتَهَتْ فَترَةُ خِدمَتِهِ عادَ إلَى بَيتِهِ.

And it came to pass, when the days of his service were fulfilled, he went away to his house,

24 و َبَعدَ زَمَنٍ حَبِلَتْ زَوجَتُهُ ألِيصاباتُ، فَعَزَلَتْ نَفسَها عَنِ النّاسِ خَمسَةَ أشهُرٍ، وَقالَتْ:

and after those days, his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying --

25 « ها قَدْ أعانَنِي الرَّبُّ أخِيراً. اهتَمَّ بِي، وَأزالَ عارَ عُقمِي مِنْ بَينِ النّاسِ.» العَذراءُ مَريَم

`Thus hath the Lord done to me, in days in which He looked upon, to take away my reproach among men.'

26 و َحِينَ كانَتْ ألِيصاباتُ فِي شَهرِها السّادِسِ، أرسَلَ اللهُ المَلاكَ جِبْرائِيلَ إلَى بَلدَةٍ فِي إقليمِ الجَلِيلِ تُدعَى النّاصِرَةُ،

And in the sixth month was the messenger Gabriel sent by God, to a city of Galilee, the name of which Nazareth,

27 إ لَى فَتاةٍ عَذراءَ اسْمُها مَريَمُ، مَخطُوبَةٍ لِرَجُلٍ مِنْ نَسلِ داوُدَ اسْمُهُ يُوسُفُ.

to a virgin, betrothed to a man, whose name Joseph, of the house of David, and the name of the virgin Mary.

28 ف َجاءَ إلَيها جِبْرائِيلُ وَقالَ لَها: «السَّلامُ عَلَيكِ أيَّتُها المُمتَلِئَةُ نِعمَةً، الرَّبُّ مَعكِ.»

And the messenger having come in unto her, said, `Hail, favoured one, the Lord with thee; blessed thou among women;'

29 ف َاضطَرَبَتْ مِنْ رِسالَتِهِ هَذِهِ، وَتَعَجَّبَتْ ما عَسَى أنْ يَكُونَ مَعنَى هَذِهِ التَّحِيَّةِ!

and she, having seen, was troubled at his word, and was reasoning of what kind this salutation may be.

30 ف َقالَ المَلاكُ لَها: «لا تَخافِي يا مَريَمُ، فَقَدْ نِلتِ نِعمَةً مِنَ اللهِ.

And the messenger said to her, `Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God;

31 و َها أنتِ سَتَحبَلِينَ وَتَلِدِينَ ابناً، وَتُسَمينَهُ يَسُوعَ.

and lo, thou shalt conceive in the womb, and shalt bring forth a son, and call his name Jesus;

32 س َيَكُونَ عَظِيماً، وَسَيُدعَى ابنَ اللهِ العَلِيِّ. وَسَيُعطِيهِ الرَّبُّ الإلَهُ عَرشَ أبِيْهِ داوُدَ.

he shall be great, and Son of the Highest he shall be called, and the Lord God shall give him the throne of David his father,

33 و َسَيَحكُمُ بَيتَ يَعقُوبَ إلَى الأبَدِ، وَلَنْ يَنتَهِيَ مُلكُهُ أبَداً.»

and he shall reign over the house of Jacob to the ages; and of his reign there shall be no end.'

34 ف َقالَتْ مَريَمُ لِلمَلاكِ: «كَيفَ سَيَحدُثُ هَذا؟ فَأنا لَمْ يَلمِسْنِي رَجُلٌ قَطُّ!»

And Mary said unto the messenger, `How shall this be, seeing a husband I do not know?'

35 ف َأجابَها المَلاكُ: «الرُّوحُ القُدُسُ سَيَحِلُّ عَلَيكِ، وَقُوَّةُ العَلِيِّ سَتُغَطِّيكِ. لِهَذا فَإنَّ القُدُّوسَ الَّذِي سَيُولَدُ مِنكِ سَيُدعَى ابنَ اللهِ.

And the messenger answering said to her, `The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee, therefore also the holy-begotten thing shall be called Son of God;

36 و َاعلَمِي هَذا: ها هِيَ قَرِيبَتُكِ ألِيصاباتُ حُبلَى بابنٍ رُغمَ شَيخُوخَتِها. فَالمَرأةُ الَّتِي يَدْعونَها عاقِراً هِيَ فِي شَهرِها السّادِسِ!

and lo, Elisabeth, thy kinswoman, she also hath conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month to her who was called barren;

37 إ ذْ لَيسَ هُناكَ مُستَحِيلٌ عِندَ اللهِ.»

because nothing shall be impossible with God.'

38 ف َقالَتْ مَريَمُ: «أنا خادِمَةُ الرَّبِّ، فَليَحدُثْ لِي كَما قُلْتَ.» فَتَرَكَها المَلاكُ. مَريَمُ تَزُورُ زَكَرِيّا وَألِيصابات

And Mary said, `Lo, the maid-servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to thy saying,' and the messenger went away from her.

39 و َفِي أثناءِ تِلكَ الفَترَةِ، استَعَدَّتْ مَريَمُ وَأسرَعَتْ إلَى بَلدَةٍ فِي إقليمِ يَهُوذا الجَبَلِيِّ.

And Mary having arisen in those days, went to the hill-country, with haste, to a city of Judea,

40 و َتَوَجَّهَتْ إلَى بَيتِ زَكَرِيّا، وَحَيَّتْ ألِيصاباتَ.

and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.

41 ف َما إنْ سَمِعَتْ ألِيصاباتُ تَحِيَّتَها حَتَّى تَحَرَّكَ الطِّفلُ فِي بَطنِها. فَامتَلأتْ ألِيصاباتُ مِنَ الرُّوحِ القُدُسِ.

And it came to pass, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe did leap in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,

42 و َرَفَعَتْ صَوتَها وَقالَتْ: «لَقَدْ بارَكَكِ اللهُ أكثَرَ مِنْ كُلِّ النِّساءِ، وَمُبارَكٌ أيضاً الطِّفلُ الَّذِي سَتَلِدِينَهُ.

and spake out with a loud voice, and said, `Blessed thou among women, and blessed the fruit of thy womb;

43 ل َكِنْ ما هَذا الشَّرَفُ العَظِيمُ الَّذِي حَظِيتُ بِهِ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَ أُمُّ سَيِّدِي إلَيَّ؟

and whence this to me, that the mother of my Lord might come unto me?

44 ل ِأنَّهُ ما إنْ وَصَلَ صَوتُ تَحِيَّتِكِ إلَى أُذُنَيَّ، حَتَّى وَثَبَ الطِّفلُ بِفَرَحٍ فِي بَطنِي.

for, lo, when the voice of thy salutation came to my ears, leap in gladness did the babe in my womb;

45 ف َمُبارَكَةٌ أنتِ لِأنَّكِ صَدَّقْتِ أنَّ ما وَعَدَكِ بِهِ الرَّبُّ سَيَتَحَقَّقُ.» مَريَمُ تُسَبِّحُ الله

and happy she who did believe, for there shall be a completion to the things spoken to her from the Lord.'

46 ف َقالَتْ مَريَمُ: «تُمَجِّدُ نَفسِي الرَّبَّ.

And Mary said, `My soul doth magnify the Lord,

47 و َتَبتَهِجُ رُوحِي بِاللهِ مُخَلِّصِي،

And my spirit was glad on God my Saviour,

48 ل ِأنَّهُ نَظَرَ إلَى خادِمَتِهِ المُتَواضِعَةِ. فَمُنذُ الآنَ، يَدعُونِي جَمِيعُ النّاسِ ‹مُبارَكَةً›

Because He looked on the lowliness of His maid-servant, For, lo, henceforth call me happy shall all the generations,

49 ل ِأنَّ اللهَ القَوِيَّ صَنَعَ لِي أشياءَ مَجِيدَةً. وَاسْمُهُ قُدُّوسٌ.

For He who is mighty did to me great things, And holy His name,

50 ه ُوَ يُعطِي رَحمَةً مِنْ جِيلٍ إلَى جِيلٍ لِلَّذِيْنَ يَعبُدُونَهُ.

And His kindness to generations of generations, To those fearing Him,

51 أ ظهَرَ قُوَّةَ ذِراعِهِ، وَشَتَّتَ المُتَكَبِّرِيْنَ بِأفكارِهِمُ المُتَبَجِّحَةِ.

He did powerfully with His arm, He scattered abroad the proud in the thought of their heart,

52 أ نزَلَ الحُكّامَ عَنْ عُرُوشِهِمْ، وَرَفَعَ مَنزِلَةَ المُتَواضِعِينَ.

He brought down the mighty from thrones, And He exalted the lowly,

53 أ شبَعَ الجِياعَ بِعَطاياهُ الصّالِحَةَ، وَصَرَفَ الأغنِياءَ فارِغِي الأيدِي.

The hungry He did fill with good, And the rich He sent away empty,

54 ج اءَ لِيُعِينَ خادِمَهُ يَعقُوبَ. تَذَكَّرَ فَأظهَرَ رَحمَتَهُ

He received again Israel His servant, To remember kindness,

55 ك َما وَعَدَ آباءَنا، لإبراهِيمَ وَأبنائِهِ إلَى الأبَدِ.»

As He spake unto our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed -- to the age.'

56 و َأقامَتْ مَريَمُ عِندَ ألِيصاباتَ نَحْوَ ثَلاثَةِ شُهورٍ، ثُمَّ رَجِعَتْ إلَى بَيتِها. مَولِدُ يُوحَنّا

And Mary remained with her about three months, and turned back to her house.

57 و َحانَ الوَقتُ لِتَضَعَ ألِيصاباتُ طِفلَها، فَأنجَبَتْ صَبِيّاً.

And to Elisabeth was the time fulfilled for her bringing forth, and she bare a son,

58 ف َسَمِعَ جِيرانُها وَأقارِبُها أنَّ اللهَ قَدْ أظهَرَ لَها رَحمَةً عَظِيمَةً، فَابتَهَجُوا مَعَها.

and the neighbours and her kindred heard that the Lord was making His kindness great with her, and they were rejoicing with her.

59 و َفِي اليَومِ الثّامِنِ جاءُوا لِيَختِنُوا الطِّفلَ، وَأرادُوا أنْ يُسَمُّوهُ زَكَرِيّا عَلَى اسْمِ أبيهِ.

And it came to pass, on the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child, and they were calling him by the name of his father, Zacharias,

60 ل َكِنَّ أُمَّهُ قالَتْ: «لا، بَلْ سَيُدعَى يُوحَنّا.»

and his mother answering said, `No, but he shall be called John.'

61 ف َقالُوا لَها: «لَيسَ بَينَ أقارِبِكِ مَنْ يَحمِلُ هَذا الاسمَ.»

And they said unto her -- `There is none among thy kindred who is called by this name,'

62 ف َأشارُوا بِأيدِيهِمْ إلَى أبِيْهِ يَسألُونَهُ أيَّ اسْمٍ يُرِيدُ أنْ يُسَمِّيَهُ!

and they were making signs to his father, what he would wish him to be called,

63 ف َطَلَبَ لَوحاً وَكَتَبَ عَلَيهِ: «اسْمُهُ يُوحَنّا،»

and having asked for a tablet, he wrote, saying, `John is his name;' and they did all wonder;

64 ف َدُهِشُوا جَمِيعاً! وَفي الْحالِ انفَتَحَ فَمُ زَكَرِيّا وَانحَلَّ لِسانُهُ، وَبَدَأ يَتَكَلَّمُ وَيُسَبِّحُ اللهَ.

and his mouth was opened presently, and his tongue, and he was speaking, praising God.

65 ف َتَمَلَّكَ الخَوفُ الجِيرانَ كُلَّهُمْ. وَراحَ النّاسُ فِي كُلِّ أنحاءِ المِنطَقَةِ الجَبَلِيَّةِ مِنَ الجَلِيلِ يَتَحَدَّثُونَ عَنْ هَذِهِ الأُمُورِ.

And fear came upon all those dwelling around them, and in all the hill-country of Judea were all these sayings spoken of,

66 ف َتَعَجَّبَ كُلُّ مَنْ سَمِعَ عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَقالَ: «تُرَى ماذا سَيُصبِحُ هَذا الطِّفلُ؟» لِأنَّ قُوَّةَ الرَّبِّ كانَتْ مَعَهُ. زَكَرِيّا يُسَبِّحُ الله

and all who heard did lay them up in their hearts, saying, `What then shall this child be?' and the hand of the Lord was with him.

67 ث ُمَّ امتَلأ أبُوهُ زَكَرِيّا بِالرُّوحِ القُدُسِ وَتَنَبَّأ فَقالَ:

And Zacharias his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and did prophesy, saying,

68 « مُبارَكٌ هُوَ الرَّبُّ إلَهُ إسْرائِيلَ، لِأنَّهُ جاءَ لِيُعِينَ شَعبَهُ وَيُحَرِّرَهُمْ.

`Blessed the Lord, the God of Israel, Because He did look upon, And wrought redemption for His people,

69 ق َدَّمَ لَنا مُخَلِّصاً قَوِيّاً مِنْ نَسلِ داوُدَ خادِمِهِ.

And did raise an horn of salvation to us, In the house of David His servant,

70 ه َذا ما وَعَدَنا اللهُ بِهِ مُنذُ القَدِيمِ.

As He spake by the mouth of His holy prophets, Which have been from the age;

71 و َعَدَنا بِالخَلاصِ مِنْ أعدائِنا وَمِنْ أيدِي جَمِيعِ مُبغِضِيْنا.

Salvation from our enemies, And out of the hand of all hating us,

72 و َعَدَ بِأنْ يُظهِرَ رَحمَةً لآبائِنا وَيَتَذَكَّرَ عَهدَهُ المُقَدَّسَ مَعَهُمْ.

To do kindness with our fathers, And to be mindful of His holy covenant,

73 و َحَفِظَ الوَعدَ الَّذِي أقسَمَ بِهِ لِأبِينا إبْراهِيمَ.

An oath that He sware to Abraham our father,

74 و َعَدَ بِأنْ يُنقِذَنا مِنْ أيدِي أعدائِنا، لِكَي نَخدِمَهُ دُونَ خَوفٍ،

To give to us, without fear, Out of the hand of our enemies having been delivered,

75 و َنَحيا بِالقَداسَةِ وَالبِرِّ جَمِيعَ أيّامِ حَياتِنا.

To serve Him, in holiness and righteousness Before Him, all the days of our life.

76 أ مّا أنتَ، يا ابنِي، فَسَتُدعَى نَبِيّاً لِلعَلِيِّ. فَأنتَ سَتَتَقَدَّمُ الرَّبَّ لِتُعِدَّ لَهُ الطَّرِيقَ.

And thou, child, Prophet of the Highest Shalt thou be called; For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord, To prepare His ways.

77 س َتَتَقَدَّمُهُ لِتُخْبِرَ شَعبَهُ بِأنَّهُم سَيُخَلَّصُونَ، وَسَتُغْفَرُ خَطاياهُمْ.

To give knowledge of salvation to His people In remission of their sins,

78 ه َذا بِفَضلِ رَحمَةِ إلَهِنا المُحِبَّةِ، فَسَيُشْرِقُ نُورٌ عَلَينا مِنَ السَّماءِ.

Through the tender mercies of our God, In which the rising from on high did look upon us,

79 و َسَيُضِيءُ عَلَى الَّذِيْنَ يَعِيشُونَ فِي ظِلِّ المَوتِ المُظلِمِ. وَسَيَهدِي خَطَواتِنا فِي طَرِيقِ السَّلامِ.»

To give light to those sitting in darkness and death-shade, To guide our feet to a way of peace.'

80 ف َنَما الصَّبِيُّ، وَكانَ يَتَقَوَّى دائِماً فِي الرُّوحِ. وَعاشَ فِي البَرِّيَّةِ إلَى حِينِ ظُهُورِهِ عَلَناً لِبَنِي إسْرائِيلَ.

And the child grew, and was strengthened in spirit, and he was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.