2 AKW Wɔkyerɛw faa nsɛm a wɔaka akyerɛ yɛn a nnipa a wohuu saa nneɛma yi fi mfiase no nam so daa no adi no ho. BSB BSB: just as they were handed down to us by the initial eyewitnesses and servants of the word.
3 AKW Nanso minyaa adwene bi sɛ, sɛ mehwehwɛ nea wɔakyerɛw no nyinaa mu yiye na mekyerɛw brɛ wo a, eye. BSB BSB: Therefore, having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
4 AKW Eyi bɛboa wo ma woahu nokware a ɛwɔ nea woasua no nyinaa mu. BSB BSB: so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
6 AKW Na Sakaria ne ne yere Elisabet som Onyankopɔn nokware mu a wɔn ho nni asɛm wɔ Onyankopɔn anim. BSB BSB: Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord.
7 AKW Na wonni ɔba, efisɛ na Elisabet yɛ obonin. Na wɔn baanu nyinaa nso anyinyin. BSB BSB: But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well along in years.
8 AKW Da bi a eduu Sakaria asɔfokuw so sɛ wɔyɛ asɔredan mu adwuma no, BSB BSB: One day while Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
9 AKW wɔtow aba yii no sɛ, ɔnkɔhyew aduhuam wɔ ɔhyew afɔremuka no so. BSB BSB: he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10 AKW Saa bere no ara nso na asafo no rebɔ mpae wɔ adiwo hɔ sɛnea wɔtaa yɛ no. BSB BSB: And at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside.
11 AKW Sakaria gu so rehyew aduhuam no, prɛko pɛ, Awurade bɔfo begyinaa afɔremuka no nkyɛn mu wɔ nifa so. BSB BSB: Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
12 AKW Sakaria huu no no, ɔbɔɔ piriw na ne ho popoe. BSB BSB: When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear.
13 AKW Nanso ɔsoro ɔbɔfo no ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Sakaria, nsuro, Awurade Nyankopɔn ate wo mpaebɔ. Wo yere Elisabet bɛwo ɔbabarima na ɛsɛ sɛ woto ne din Yohane. BSB BSB: But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.
14 AKW Nʼawo bɛma wʼani agye na wo ho asɛpɛw wo. Saa ara na ɛbɛma nnipa bebree nso ani agye. BSB BSB: He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice at his birth,
15 AKW Ɔbɛyɛ ɔkɛse wɔ Awurade anim. Ɔrennom nsa biara da, na Honhom Kronkron bɛyɛ no ma afi ne na yam. BSB BSB: for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He shall never take wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.
16 AKW Israelfo pii nam nʼasɛnka so benya adwensakra asan aba Awurade, wɔn Nyankopɔn, nkyɛn. BSB BSB: Many of the sons of Israel he will turn back to the Lord their God.
18 AKW Sakaria buaa ɔbɔfo no se, “Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na eyi aba mu? Mabɔ akwakoraa na me yere nso abɔ aberewa.” BSB BSB: “How can I be sure of this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”
19 AKW Ɔbɔfo no kae se, “Mene Gabriel a migyina Onyankopɔn anim daa no. Ɔno na ɔsomaa me se memmɛka asɛmpa yi nkyerɛ wo. BSB BSB: “I am Gabriel,” replied the angel. “I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
20 AKW Esiane sɛ woagye akyinnye nti, wobɛtɔ mum akosi sɛ wɔbɛwo abofra no. Na nea maka akyerɛ wo yi nyinaa bɛba mu pɛpɛɛpɛ wɔ ne bere a ɛsɛ mu.” BSB BSB: And now you will be silent and unable to speak until the day this comes to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”
21 AKW Saa bere yi nyinaa na asafo mma no retwɛn Sakaria sɛ ɔbɛba. Na ɛyɛ wɔn nwonwa sɛ wakyɛ saa. BSB BSB: Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he took so long in the temple.
22 AKW Bere a ɔbae no, wantumi ankasa ankyerɛ asafomma no. Wohu fii ne nneyɛe mu sɛ wahu nʼani so ade wɔ asɔredan mu hɔ. BSB BSB: When he came out and was unable to speak to them, they realized he had seen a vision in the temple. He kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
23 AKW Owiee nʼasɔfodwuma wɔ asɔredan mu hɔ no, ɔkɔɔ fie. BSB BSB: And when the days of his service were complete, he returned home.
24 AKW Nna bi akyi no, ne yere Elisabet nyinsɛnee, na ɔde ne ho siee asram anum. BSB BSB: After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. She declared,
25 AKW Ɔde anigye kae se, “Awurade ayɛ me adɔe. Wayi animguase a ɛkaa me wɔ nnipa anim no afi me so.” BSB BSB: “The Lord has done this for me. In these days He has shown me favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
27 AKW se, ɔnkɔ ɔbea kronkron bi a wɔfrɛ no Maria a na wɔde no ama Yosef a ofi Ɔhene Dawid abusua mu no aware no nkyɛn. BSB BSB: to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.
28 AKW Gabriel huu no ara pɛ, ɔka kyerɛɛ no se, “Asomdwoe nka wo! Awurade ka wo ho, wo a Awurade adom wo.” BSB BSB: The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 AKW Ɔbɔfo no asɛm no maa Maria adwene mu yɛɛ no nnaa ma obisaa ne ho se, “Na saa nkyia yi ase ne dɛn?” BSB BSB: Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
30 AKW Ɔbɔfo no san ka kyerɛɛ Maria bio se, “Maria, nsuro, efisɛ Awurade adom wo. BSB BSB: So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 AKW Tie! Ɛrenkyɛ biara wubenyinsɛn na woawo ɔbabarima na woato ne din Yesu. BSB BSB: Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.
32 AKW Ɔbɛyɛ ɔkɛse, na wɔbɛfrɛ no Ɔsorosoro Nyankopɔn Ba. Na Awurade de ne nena Dawid ahengua no bɛma no. BSB BSB: 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 AKW Na obedi Yakob fi so hene daa; na nʼahenni to rentwa da.” BSB BSB: and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!”
35 AKW Ɔbɔfo no buae se, “Honhom Kronkron bɛba wo so na Ɔsorosoro Nyankopɔn tumi abɛkata wo so, eyi nti abofra a wobɛwo no no bɛyɛ kronkron na wɔbɛfrɛ no Onyankopɔn Ba. BSB BSB: The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.
36 AKW Ɛbɛyɛ asram asia ni a wo busuani Elisabet mpo a ɔyɛ obonin anyinsɛn ɔbabarima wɔ ne mmerewabere mu. BSB BSB: Look, even Elizabeth your relative has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is in her sixth month.
37 AKW Efisɛ Onyankopɔn de, biribiara nso no yɛ.” BSB BSB: For no word from God will ever fail.”
39 AKW Nna kakra bi akyi no, Maria kɔɔ Yudea mmepɔw so kurow bi mu. BSB BSB: In those days Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah,
40 AKW Saa kurow no mu na Sakaria te. Oduu kurow no mu hɔ no, ɔkɔɔ Sakaria fi kɔsraa Elisabet. Okyiaa no. BSB BSB: where she entered the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
41 AKW Elisabet tee Maria nkyia no, ɔba a ɔda ne yam no kekaa ne ho; amono mu hɔ ara na Honhom Kronkron hyɛɛ Elisabet ma. BSB BSB: When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 AKW Elisabet de ahosɛpɛw teɛɛ mu se, “Maria, wɔahyira wo sen mmea nyinaa, na wo ba a wobɛwo no no bɛyɛ onipa kɛse. BSB BSB: In a loud voice she exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43 AKW Anuonyam bɛn na ɛsen eyi. Me sɛɛ ne hena a anka mʼAwurade bɛba abɛsra me? BSB BSB: And why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 AKW Wukyiaa me pɛ, na abofra no de anigye kekaa ne ho. BSB BSB: For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
45 AKW Nhyira nka wo sɛ wugye dii sɛ nea Onyankopɔn aka no ɔbɛyɛ; ɛno nti na wɔadom wo yi.” BSB BSB: Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord’s word to her will be fulfilled.”
47 AKW Na me honhom ani gye mʼagyenkwa Nyankopɔn mu; BSB BSB: and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
49 AKW Efisɛ Ɔkronkronni Tumfo no ayɛ ade kɛse ama me; BSB BSB: For the Mighty One has done great things for me. Holy is His name.
50 AKW nʼahummɔbɔ fi awo ntoatoaso kosi awo ntoatoaso ma wɔn a wosuro no na wodi no ni no nyinaa. BSB BSB: His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.
51 AKW Ɔde ne nsa a tumi wɔ mu no abɔ ahomasofo ne ahantanfo ne wɔn nsusuwii apete. BSB BSB: He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52 AKW Watu abirɛmpɔn ade so ama ahobrɛasefo so. BSB BSB: He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble.
53 AKW Wama wɔn a ahia wɔn no nnepa na wagya ahonyafo kwan nsapan. BSB BSB: He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.
54 AKW Waboa nʼakoa Israel na ne werɛ amfi ne mmɔborɔhunu ne ne bɔ BSB BSB: He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful,
55 AKW a ɔhyɛɛ yɛn agya Abraham ne nʼasefo no da.” BSB BSB: as He promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.”
56 AKW Maria tenaa Elisabet nkyɛn bɛyɛ asram abiɛsa ansa na ɔresan akɔ ne kurom. BSB BSB: Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
57 AKW Elisabet awo duu so no, ɔwoo ɔbabarima. BSB BSB: When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son.
58 AKW Nʼafipamfo ne nʼabusuafo tee adɔe a Awurade ayɛ no no, wɔne no nyinaa de anigye dii ahurusi. BSB BSB: Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they rejoiced with her.
59 AKW Eduu nnaawɔtwe no, abusuafo ne adɔfo behyiaa sɛ wɔrebetwa abofra no twetia na wɔato ne din. Wɔpɛɛ sɛ wɔde abofra no to nʼagya Sakaria. BSB BSB: On the eighth day, when they came to circumcise the child, they were going to name him after his father Zechariah.
60 AKW Nanso ne na kae se, “Dabi! Ɛsɛ sɛ wɔfrɛ no Yohane.” BSB BSB: But his mother replied, “No! He shall be called John.”
61 AKW Wɔka kyerɛɛ no se, “Obiara nni abusua yi mu a wɔfrɛ no saa.” BSB BSB: They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who bears this name.”
62 AKW Eyi ma wɔde wɔn nsa yɛɛ nsɛnkyerɛnne bisaa nʼagya, din a wɔmfa nto abofra no. BSB BSB: So they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted to name the child.
63 AKW Sakaria ma wɔde krataa brɛɛ no na ɔkyerɛw so se, “Ne din de Yohane.” Eyi yɛɛ wɔn nyinaa nwonwa. BSB BSB: Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.
64 AKW Amono mu hɔ ara, Sakaria tumi kasaa bio, na ofii ase yii Onyankopɔn ayɛ. BSB BSB: Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak, praising God.
65 AKW Wɔn a wɔtee nyinaa ho dwiriw wɔn, na saa asɛm yi trɛw faa Yudea mmepɔw so hɔ nyinaa. BSB BSB: All their neighbors were filled with awe, and people throughout the hill country of Judea were talking about these events.
66 AKW Obiara a ɔtee saa nsɛm yi bisaa ne ho se, “Ɛno de, na dɛn na abofra yi rebenyin ayɛ? Ɛda adi pefee sɛ Awurade nsa wɔ ne so.” BSB BSB: And all who heard this wondered in their hearts and asked, “What then will this child become?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.
67 AKW Honhom hyɛɛ nʼagya Sakaria ma ma ɔhyɛɛ nkɔm se, BSB BSB: Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
68 AKW “Nhyira nka Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn, sɛ waba abegye ne manfo. BSB BSB: “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and redeemed His people.
69 AKW Ɔde Agyenkwa Tumfo a ɔyɛ ne somfo Dawid aseni rebrɛ yɛn, BSB BSB: He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David,
70 AKW sɛnea ɔnam nʼadiyifo akronkron so fii teteete hyɛɛ bɔ BSB BSB: as He spoke through His holy prophets, those of ages past,
71 AKW sɛ, ɔbɛma yɛn Agyenkwa a obegye yɛn afi yɛn atamfo ne wɔn a wokyi yɛn no nsam no, BSB BSB: salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,
72 AKW sɛ obehu yɛn agyanom mmɔbɔ na wakae nʼapam kronkron no, BSB BSB: to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant,
73 AKW ntam a ɔka kyerɛɛ yɛn agya Abraham no: BSB BSB: the oath He swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
74 AKW sɛ obegye yɛn afi yɛn atamfo nsam no, na yɛasom no a osuro biara nni mu. BSB BSB: deliverance from hostile hands, that we may serve Him without fear,
75 AKW Na yɛn nkwa nna nyinaa mu, yɛayɛ kronkron ne atreneefo wɔ nʼanim. BSB BSB: in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives.
76 AKW “Na wo, akokoaa yi, wɔbɛfrɛ wo Ɔsorosoroni no Odiyifo efisɛ wo na wubesiesie ɔkwan ama Agyenkwa no, BSB BSB: And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him,
77 AKW na wobɛkyerɛ ne manfo kwan a wɔnam bɔnefakyɛ so nya nkwa a enni awiei; BSB BSB: to give to His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 AKW na eyinom nyinaa bɛba mu efisɛ Onyankopɔn mmɔborɔhunu a ɛdɔɔso no, BSB BSB: because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the Dawn will visit us from on high,
79 AKW na ɛbɛma hann a efi ɔsoro abepue yɛn so ahyerɛn wɔn a wɔte sum ne owu sum mu no so, na akyerɛ yɛn kwan akɔ asomdwoe mu.” BSB BSB: to shine on those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
80 AKW Abofra no nyinii na honhom hyɛɛ no ma; ɔtenaa sare so kosii bere a ofii nʼasɛnka adwuma ase. BSB BSB: And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until the time of his public appearance to Israel.