Luke 1

Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled^[a] among us,

لَمَّا كَانَ كَثِيرُونَ قَدْ أَقْدَمُوا عَلَى تَدْوِينِ قِصَّةٍ فِي الأَحْدَاثِ الَّتِي تَمَّتْ بَيْنَنَا،

just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.

كَمَا سَلَّمَهَا إِلَيْنَا أُولئِكَ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا مِنَ الْبَدَايَةِ شُهُودَ عَيَانٍ، ثُمَّ صَارُوا خُدَّاماً لِلْكَلِمَةِ،

With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

رَأَيْتُ أَنَا أَيْضاً، بَعْدَمَا تَفَحَّصْتُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ مِنْ أَوَّلِ الأَمْرِ تَفَحُّصاً دَقِيقاً، أَنْ أَكْتُبَهَا إِلَيْكَ مُرَتَّبَةً يَا صَاحِبَ السُّمُوِّ ثَاوُفِيلُسَ

so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

لِتَتَأَكَّدَ لَكَ صِحَّةُ الْكَلامِ الَّذِي تَلَقَّيْتَهُ.

البشارة بميلاد يوحنا المعمدان

In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.

كَانَ فِي زَمَنِ هِيرُودُسَ مَلِكِ الْيَهُودِيَّةِ كَاهِنٌ اسْمُهُ زَكَرِيَّا، مِنْ فِرْقَةِ أَبِيَّا، وَزَوْجَتُهُ مِنْ نَسْلِ هَارُونَ، وَاسْمُهَا أَلِيصَابَاتُ.

Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.

وَكَانَ كِلاهُمَا بَارَّيْنِ أَمَامَ اللهِ، يَسْلُكَانِ وَفْقاً لِوَصَايَا الرَّبِّ وَأَحْكَامِهِ كُلِّهَا بِغَيْرِ لَوْمٍ.

But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

وَلكِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُمَا وَلَدٌ، إِذْ كَانَتْ أَلِيصَابَاتُ عَاقِراً وَكِلاهُمَا قَدْ تَقَدَّمَا فِي السِّنِّ كَثِيراً.

Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,

وَبَيْنَمَا كَانَ زَكَرِيَّا يُؤَدِّي خِدْمَتَهُ الْكَهَنُوتِيَّةَ أَمَامَ اللهِ فِي دَوْرِ فِرْقَتِهِ،

he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

وَقَعَتْ عَلَيْهِ الْقُرْعَةُ الَّتِي أُلْقِيَتْ حَسَبَ عَادَةِ الْكَهَنُوتِ لِيَدْخُلَ هَيْكَلَ الرَّبِّ وَيُحْرِقَ الْبَخُورَ.

And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

وَكَانَ جُمْهُورُ الشَّعْبِ جَمِيعاً يُصَلُّونَ خَارِجاً فِي وَقْتِ إِحْرَاقِ الْبَخُورِ.

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.

فَظَهَرَ لَهُ مَلاكٌ مِنْ عِنْدِ الرَّبِّ وَاقِفاً عَنْ يَمِينِ مَذْبَحِ الْبَخُورِ.

When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.

فَاضْطَرَبَ زَكَرِيَّا لَمَّا رَآهُ وَاسْتَوْلَى عَلَيْهِ الْخَوْفُ.

But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.

فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمَلاكُ: «لا تَخَفْ يَا زَكَرِيَّا، لأَنَّ طِلْبَتَكَ قَدْ سُمِعَتْ، وَزَوْجَتُكَ أَلِيصَابَاتُ سَتَلِدُ لَكَ ابْناً، وَأَنْتَ تُسَمِّيهِ يُوحَنَّا،

He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,

وَيَكُونُ لَكَ فَرَحٌ وَابْتِهَاجٌ وَكَثِيرُونَ سَيَفْرَحُونَ بِوِلادَتِهِ.

for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.

وَسَوْفَ يَكُونُ عَظِيماً أَمَامَ الرَّبِّ، وَلا يَشْرَبُ خَمْراً وَلا مُسْكِراً، وَيَمْتَلِئُ بِالرُّوحِ الْقُدُسِ وَهُوَ بَعْدُ فِي بَطْنِ أُمِّهِ،

He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.

وَيَرُدُّ كَثِيرِينَ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِلَى الرَّبِّ إِلهِهِمْ،

And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

فَيَتَقَدَّمُ أَمَامَهُ وَلَهُ رُوحُ إِيلِيَّا وَقُدْرَتُهُ، لِيَرُدَّ قُلُوبَ الآبَاءِ إِلَى الأَوْلادِ، وَالْعُصَاةَ إِلَى حِكْمَةِ الأَبْرَارِ، لِيُهَيِّئَ لِلرَّبِّ شَعْباً مُعَدّاً!»

Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

فَسَأَلَ زَكَرِيَّا الْمَلاكَ: «بِمَ يَتَأَكَّدُ لِي هَذَا، فَأَنَا شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ وَزَوْجَتِي مُتَقَدِّمَةٌ فِي السِّنِّ؟»

The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.

فَأَجَابَهُ الْمَلاكُ: «أَنَا جِبْرَائِيلُ، الْوَاقِفُ أَمَامَ اللهِ، وَقَدْ أُرْسِلْتُ لأُكَلِّمَكَ وَأُبَشِّرَكَ بِهَذَا.

And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”

وَهَا أَنْتَ سَتَبْقَى صَامِتاً لَا تَسْتَطِيعُ الْكَلامَ، إِلَى الْيَوْمِ الَّذِي يَحْدُثُ فِيهِ هَذَا، لأَنَّكَ لَمْ تُصَدِّقْ كَلامِي، وَهُوَ سَيَتِمُّ فِي حِينِهِ».

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple.

وَكَانَ الشَّعْبُ مُنْتَظِرِينَ زَكَرِيَّا، وَهُمْ مُتَعَجِّبُونَ مِنْ تَأَخُّرِهِ دَاخِلَ الْهَيْكَلِ.

When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

وَلكِنَّهُ لَمَّا خَرَجَ لَمْ يَقْدِرْ أَنْ يُكَلِّمَهُمْ، فَأَدْرَكُوا أَنَّهُ رَأَى رُؤْيَا دَاخِلَ الْهَيْكَلِ. فَأَخَذَ يُشِيرُ لَهُمْ وَظَلَّ أَخْرَسَ.

When his time of service was completed, he returned home.

وَلَمَّا أَتَمَّ أَيَّامَ خِدْمَتِهِ، رَجَعَ إِلَى بَيْتِهِ.

After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion.

وَبَعْدَ تِلْكَ الأَيَّامِ، حَبِلَتْ أَلِيصَابَاتُ زَوْجَتُهُ، فَكَتَمَتْ أَمْرَهَا خَمْسَةَ أَشْهُرٍ، قَائِلَةً:

“The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

«هَكَذَا فَعَلَ الرَّبُّ بِي، فِي الأَيَّامِ الَّتِي فِيهَا نَظَرَ إِلَيَّ لِيَنْزِعَ عَنِّي الْعَارَ مِنْ بَيْنِ النَّاسِ!»

البشارة بميلاد يسوع

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,

وَفِي شَهْرِهَا السَّادِسِ، أُرْسِلَ الْمَلاكُ جِبْرَائِيلُ مِنْ قِبَلِ اللهِ إِلَى مَدِينَةٍ بِالْجَلِيلِ اسْمُهَا النَّاصِرَةُ،

to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

إِلَى عَذْرَاءَ مَخْطُوبَةٍ لِرَجُلٍ اسْمُهُ يُوسُفُ، مِنْ بَيْتِ دَاوُدَ، وَاسْمُ الْعَذْرَاءِ مَرْيَمُ.

The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

فَدَخَلَ الْمَلاكُ وَقَالَ لَهَا: «سَلامٌ، أَيَّتُهَا الْمُنْعَمُ عَلَيْهَا! الرَّبُّ مَعَكِ: مُبَارَكَةٌ أَنْتِ بَيْنَ النِّسَاءِ».

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

فَاضْطَرَبَتْ لِكَلامِ الْمَلاكِ، وَسَاءَلَتْ نَفْسَهَا: «مَا عَسَى أَنْ تَكُونَ هذِهِ التَّحِيَّةُ!»

But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.

فَقَالَ لَهَا الْمَلاكُ: «لا تَخَافِي يَا مَرْيَمُ، فَإِنَّكِ قَدْ نِلْتِ نِعْمَةً عِنْدَ اللهِ!

You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.

وَها أَنْتِ سَتَحْبَلِينَ وَتَلِدِينَ ابْناً، وَتُسَمِّينَهُ يَسُوعَ.

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,

إِنَّهُ يَكُونُ عَظِيماً، وَابْنَ الْعَلِيِّ يُدْعَى، وَيَمْنَحُهُ الرَّبُ الإِلهُ عَرْشَ دَاوُدَ أَبِيهِ،

and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

فَيَمْلِكُ عَلَى بَيْتِ يَعْقُوبَ إِلَى الأَبَدِ، وَلَنْ يَكُونَ لِمُلْكِهِ نِهَايَةٌ».

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

فَقَالَتْ مَرْيَمُ لِلْمَلاكِ: «كَيْفَ يَحْدُثُ هَذَا، وَأَنَا لَسْتُ أَعْرِفُ رَجُلاً؟»

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called^[b] the Son of God.

فَأَجَابَهَا الْمَلاكُ: «الرُّوحُ الْقُدُسُ يَحِلُّ عَلَيْكِ، وَقُدْرَةُ الْعَلِيِّ تُظَلِّلُكِ. لِذلِكَ أَيْضاً فَالْقُدُّوسُ الْمَوْلُودُ مِنْكِ يُدْعَى ابْنَ اللهِ.

Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month.

وَهَا هِيَ نَسِيبَتُكِ أَلِيصَابَاتُ أَيْضاً قَدْ حَبِلَتْ بِابْنٍ فِي سِنِّهَا الْمُتَقَدِّمَةِ. وَهَذَا هُوَ الشَّهْرُ السَّادِسُ لِتِلْكَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تُدْعَى عَاقِراً.

For no word from God will ever fail.”

فَلَيْسَ لَدَى اللهِ وَعْدٌ يَسْتَحِيلُ عَلَيْهِ إِتْمَامُهُ».

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

فَقَالَتْ مَرْيَمُ: «هَا أَنَا أَمَةُ الرَّبِّ. لِيَكُنْ لِي كَمَا تَقُولُ!» ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ الْمَلاكُ مِنْ عِنْدِهَا.

مريم عند أليصابات

At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,

وَفِي تِلْكَ الأَيَّامِ، قَامَتْ مَرْيَمُ وَذَهَبَتْ مُسْرِعَةً إِلَى الْجِبَالِ، قَاصِدَةً إِلَى مَدِينَةٍ مِنْ مُدُنِ يَهُوذَا.

where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.

فَدَخَلَتْ بَيْتَ زَكَرِيَّا وَسَلَّمَتْ عَلَى أَلِيصَابَاتَ.

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

وَلَمَّا سَمِعَتْ أَلِيصَابَاتُ سَلامَ مَرْيَمَ، قَفَزَ الْجَنِينُ دَاخِلَ بَطْنِهَا. وَامْتَلأَتْ أَلِيصَابَاتُ مِنَ الرُّوحِ الْقُدُسِ،

In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!

وَهَتَفَتْ بِصَوْتٍ عَالٍ قَائِلَةٍ: «مُبَارَكَةٌ أَنْتِ بَيْنَ النِّسَاءِ! وَمُبَارَكَةٌ ثَمَرَةُ بَطْنِكِ!

But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

فَمِنْ أَيْنَ لِي هَذَا: أَنْ تَأْتِيَ إِلَيَّ أُمُّ رَبِّي؟

As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.

فَإِنَّهُ مَا إِنْ وَقَعَ صَوْتُ سَلامِكِ فِي أُذُنَيَّ حَتَّى قَفَزَ الْجَنِينُ ابْتِهَاجاً فِي بَطْنِي:

Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Mary’s Song

فَطُوبَى لِلَّتِي آمَنَتْ أَنَّهُ سَيَتِمُّ مَا قِيلَ لَهَا مِنْ قِبَلِ الرَّبِّ!»

نشيد مريم

And Mary said:

كَمَا تَكَلَّمَ إِلَى آبَائِنَا، لإِبْرَاهِيمَ وَنَسْلِهِ إِلَى الأَبَدِ».

Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

The Birth of John the Baptist

وَأَقَامَتْ مَرْيَمُ عِنْدَ أَلِيصَابَاتَ نَحْوَ ثَلاثَةِ أَشْهُرٍ، ثُمَّ رَجَعَتْ إِلَى بَيْتِهَا.

ميلاد يوحنا المعمدان

When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son.

وَأَمَّا أَلِيصَابَاتُ فَتَمَّ زَمَانُهَا لِتَلِدَ فَوَلَدَتِ ابْناً.

Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

وَسَمِعَ جِيرَانُهَا وَأَقَارِبُهَا أَنَّ الرَّبَّ أَفَاضَ رَحْمَتَهُ عَلَيْهَا، فَفَرِحُوا مَعَهَا.

On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah,

وَفِي الْيَوْمِ الثَّامِنِ حَضَرُوا لِيَخْتِنُوا الصَّبِيَّ، وَكَادُوا يُسَمُّونَهُ زَكَرِيَّا عَلَى اسْمِ أَبِيهِ.

but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”

وَلَكِنَّ أُمَّهُ قَالَتْ: «لا، بَلْ يُسَمَّى يُوحَنَّا!»

They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”

فَقَالُوا لَهَا: «لَيْسَ فِي عَشِيرَتِكِ أَحَدٌ تَسَمَّى بِهَذَا الاسْمِ».

Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child.

وَأَشَارُوا لأَبِيهِ، مَاذَا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُسَمَّى.

He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.”

فَطَلَبَ لَوْحاً وَكَتَبَ فِيهِ: «اسْمُهُ يُوحَنَّا». فَتَعَجَّبُوا جَمِيعاً.

Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God.

وَانْفَتَحَ فَمُ زَكَرِيَّا فِي الْحَالِ وَانْطَلَقَ لِسَانُهُ، فَتَكَلَّمَ مُبَارِكاً اللهَ.

All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.

فَاسْتَوْلَى الْخَوْفُ عَلَى جَمِيعِ السَّاكِنِينَ فِي جُوَارِهِمْ، وَصَارَتْ هذِهِ الأُمُورُ مَوْضُوعَ الْحَدِيثِ فِي جِبَالِ الْيَهُودِيَّةِ كُلِّهَا.

Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

Zechariah’s Song

وَكَانَ جَمِيعُ السَّامِعِينَ يَضَعُونَهَا فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ، قَائِلِينَ: «تُرَى، مَاذَا سَيَصِيرُ هَذَا الطِّفْلُ؟» فَقَدْ كَانَتْ يَدُ الرَّبِّ مَعَهُ.

نشيد زكريا

His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

لِيُضِيءَ عَلَى الْقَابِعِينَ فِي الظَّلامِ وَظِلِّ الْمَوْتِ، وَيَهْدِيَ خُطَانَا فِي طَرِيقِ السَّلامِ».

And the child grew and became strong in spirit^[d]; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

وَكَانَ الطِّفْلُ يَنْمُو وَيَتَقَوَّى بِالرُّوحِ؛ وَأَقَامَ فِي الْبَرَارِي إِلَى يَوْمِ ظُهُورِهِ لإِسْرَائِيلَ.