“Amɛfã Kɛtee Kipro”

NƐKƐ ji bɔ ni Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji awolo lɛ je Paulo, Barnaba, kɛ Yohane Marko ni ji Kristofoi maŋsɛɛ sanekpakpa shiɛlɔi ni fã kɛtee Kipro yɛ aaafee afi 47 Ŋ.B. lɛ aniiashikpamɔi ahe saji ni aŋma yɛ mli lɛ shishi. (Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 13:4) Nakai beaŋ lɛ abuɔ Kipro waa yɛ maji ni yɔɔ Mediteranea anaigbɛ lɛ ateŋ tamɔ bɔ ni abuɔ lɛ ŋmɛnɛ lɛ.

Romabii lɛ ná ni kulɛ ŋshɔkpɔ lɛ tsɔ amɛnɔ̃, ni ebaje amɛnɔyeli shishi yɛ afi 58 D.Ŋ.B. Dani enɛ aaaba lɛ, no mli lɛ Kipro ená yinɔsane ni miishɛɛ saji babaoo yɔɔ mli. Foinikebii, Helabii, Ashurbii, Persiabii, kɛ Mizraimbii lɛ ye amɛnɔ. Sɛŋmɔtso He Tawulɔi, Frankbii lɛ, kɛ Venetiabii lɛ ye amɛnɔ yɛ Teŋgbɛ Afii lɛ amli, ni no sɛɛ lɛ Ottomanbii lɛ ye amɛnɔ. Ŋshɔkpɔ lɛ baje Britishbii lɛ adɛŋ ni amɛye nɔ yɛ afi 1914 kɛyashi ená heyeli yɛ afi 1960.

Gbɔi kɛ shisharamɔ ji nɔ titri ni haa amɛnáa shika bianɛ, shi yɛ Paulo bei amli lɛ, no mli lɛ Kipro yɛ adebɔɔ nibii ni amɛnáa he sɛɛ, ni Romabii lɛ kɛtsu nii ni amɛkɛ shika ni amɛná kɛjɛ mli lɛ wo Roma shika fotro lɛ mli. Ana akɔɔble mra mli yɛ ŋshɔkpɔ lɛ yinɔsane mli, ni kɛ́ abu he akɔntaa lɛ beni shɛɔ Roma nɔyeli lɛ naagbee lɛ, atsa akɔɔble tɔn 250,000. Shi akɔɔble nitsumɔhe lɛ fite koo gbidii lɛ babaoo yɛ akɔɔble seremɔ hewɔ. Beni Paulo bashɛ  jɛmɛ lɛ, no mli lɛ ŋshɔkpɔ lɛ nɔ kooi lɛ babaoo efite.

Kipro yɛ Roma Nɔyeli Shishi

Taakɛ Encyclopædia Britannica lɛ tsɔɔ mli lɛ, Julius Caesar kɛ Kipro ha Mizraim ni yɛ lɛ esɛɛ lɛ Mark Antony hu fee nakai nɔŋŋ. Shi kɛlɛ, beni Augusto yeɔ nɔ lɛ eku sɛɛ ekɛha Roma—ni taakɛ Luka ni ŋma Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji lɛ bɔ he amaniɛ pɛpɛɛpɛ lɛ—amralo ko ni yɔɔ Roma nɔyeli lɛ shishi lɛ ye Kipro nɔ. Beni Paulo yashiɛ yɛ jɛmɛ lɛ, no mli lɛ Sergio Paulo ji amralo ni yeɔ nɔ.—Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 13:7.

Pax Romana, ni ji majimaji ateŋ toiŋjɔlɛ ni Roma wo he hewalɛ lɛ wo ekãa koni agbele Kipro nitsumɔhei kɛ hei ni atsaa ojarawa tɛi yɛ lɛ amli, ni enɛ ha amɛtee hiɛ yɛ jarayeli mli. Roma asraafoi lɛ kɛ Nyɔŋmɔ jamɔ he gbɛfalɔi ni baa koni amɛkɛ woo abaha Afrodito, ni ji nyɔŋmɔ ni abuɔ lɛ titri yɛ ŋshɔkpɔ lɛ nɔ lɛ hu ha amɛná shika. Enɛ hewɔ lɛ agbála gbɛjegbɛi heei, amamɔ lɛji adaamɔhei heei, ni amamɔ tsũi ni awula amɛ haŋtsii. Hela tee nɔ efee wiemɔ titri ni awieɔ yɛ maŋ lɛ mli, ni—yɛ Roma nɔyelɔ lɛ sɛɛ lɛ—mɛi babaoo jáa Afrodito, Apollo, kɛ Dio. Gbɔmɛi lɛ ná nii kpɔtɔɔ ni amɛná kwasafoŋ shihilɛ mli miishɛɛ.

Enɛ ji shihilɛ ni Paulo kɛkpe beni eyatsɔ Kipro ni etsɔɔ gbɔmɛi lɛ Kristo he nii lɛ. Shi kɛlɛ, ale Kristojamɔ yɛ Kipro dani Paulo yashɛ jɛmɛ. Sane ni aŋma afɔ shi yɛ Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji lɛ amli lɛ kɛɔ wɔ akɛ beni agbe Stefano, ni ji klɛŋklɛŋ Kristofonyo ni gbo ákɛ lá odasefonyo lɛ, mra be mli Kristofoi lɛ ateŋ mɛi komɛi jo foi kɛtee Kipro. (Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 11:19) Barnaba, ni ji Paulo hefatalɔ lɛ ji Kipronyo, ni akɛni ele ŋshɔkpɔ lɛ nɔ jogbaŋŋ hewɔ lɛ, ŋwanejee ko kwraa bɛ he akɛ ebafee gbɛtsɔɔlɔ ni nɔ bɛ kɛha Paulo beni efãa eshiɛmɔ he gbɛfaai nɛɛ.—Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 4:36; 13:2.

Paulo Gbɛfaai lɛ Amlipɛimɔ

Ebɛ mlɛo ákɛ akɛ gbɛ ni Paulo fã kɛtee Kipro lɛ he saji ni yɔɔ fitsofitso aaaha. Shi kɛlɛ, shitsalɔi yɛ egbɛjegbɛi ni nɔ bɛ ni hi shi yɛ Roma nɔyeli beaŋ lɛ he nilee ni fa bɔ ni sa. Bɔ ni ŋshɔkpɔ lɛ nɔ shikamɔ yɔɔ hewɔ lɛ, agbá ŋmɛnɛŋmɛnɛ beaŋ gbɛjegbɛi wuji lɛ po yɛ gbɛjegbɛi ni mra be mli maŋsɛɛ sanekpakpa shiɛlɔi lɛ tsɔ nɔ lɛ nɔŋŋ nɔ.

Paulo, Barnaba, kɛ Yohane Marko kɛ lɛlɛ fã gbɛ kɛjɛ Seleukia kɛtee Salami. Mɛni hewɔ amɛtee Salami, yɛ be mli ni Pafo ji maŋtiase kɛ maŋ ni lɛjiadaamɔhe wulu yɔɔ lɛ? Nɔ kome ji akɛ, Salami yɛ ŋshɔ lɛ bokagbɛ, ni ekɛ Seleukia ni ji maŋ wulu lɛ jɛkɛmɔ ji kilomitai 200 pɛ. Eyɛ mli akɛ beni Romabii lɛ yeɔ nɔ lɛ, amɛjie maŋtiase lɛ kɛjɛ Salami kɛtee Pafo moŋ, shi Salami tee nɔ efee he titri ni ŋshɔkpɔ lɛ nɔ kusum, wolokasemɔ, kɛ jarayeli yaa nɔ yɛ. Yudafoi babaoo yɛ Salami, ni maŋsɛɛ sanekpakpa shiɛlɔi lɛ je shishi “amɛjaje Nyɔŋmɔ wiemɔ lɛ yɛ Yudafoi lɛ akpeehei lɛ.”—Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 13:5.

Salami he nibii ni eshwɛ ŋmɛnɛ pɛ ji amaŋfɔ nibii. Shi fɛɛ sɛɛ lɛ, nibii ni shitsalɔi etsa lɛ yeɔ anunyam kɛ ninámɔ ni maŋtiase lɛ yɔɔ yɛ  blema beaŋ lɛ he odase. Aheɔ ayeɔ akɛ ekolɛ amajarayelihe, ni ji he titri ni atsuɔ maŋkwramɔŋ kɛ jamɔŋ nifeemɔi yɛ lɛ ji Roma jarayelihe ni da fe fɛɛ ni atsa yɛ Mediteranea kpokpaa lɛ nɔ. Augustus Caesar yinɔ beaŋ nibii ni etsɔ amaŋfɔi lɛ jieɔ tɛi bibii loo glasei ni akɛye asamai ni yɔɔ hwanyaŋŋ yɛ sɛmɛnti nɔ, kpɔiaŋgbɔlemɔ tsũi, hejuuhei ni yɔɔ fɛo waa, shwɛmɔhe kɛ hiɛtserɛjiemɔ he ko, saŋi ni yɔɔ fɛo, kɛ hiɛtserɛjiemɔhe agbo ko ni mɛi 15,000 baanyɛ aya mli lɛ kpo! Dio sɔlemɔtsu ni yɔɔ fɛo waa lɛ he amaŋfɔi lɛ hu yɛ emasɛi.

Shi Dio nyɛɛɛ atsi shikpɔŋhosomɔi ni fite maŋ lɛ naa. Shikpɔŋhosomɔ kpele ko fite Salami hei babaoo yɛ afi 15 D.Ŋ.B., shi kɛlɛ Augustus saa eto maŋ lɛ shishi ekoŋŋ yɛ sɛɛ mli. Shikpɔŋhosomɔ saa efite lɛ ekoŋŋ yɛ afi 77 Ŋ.B., ni asaa ato shishi ekoŋŋ. Yɛ klɛŋklɛŋ afii 400 lɛ mli lɛ, shikpɔŋhosomɔ srɔtoi fite Salami, ni enine shɛɛɛ etsutsu anunyam lɛ nɔ dɔŋŋ. Beni shɛɔ Teŋgbɛ Afii lɛ amli lɛ, no mli lɛ ŋmɔtɔ etsi elɛjiadaamɔhe lɛ mli, ni akpa kɛ nitsumɔ.

Atsɔɔɔ bɔ ni Salamibii lɛ fee amɛnii amɛha yɛ Paulo shiɛmɔ lɛ he. Shi ehe bahia ni Paulo ashiɛ aha maji krokomɛi hu. Gbɛ̀i titrii etɛ yɛ ni maŋsɛɛ sanekpakpa shiɛlɔi lɛ baanyɛ atsɔ nɔ kɛshi Salami: ekome yɛ ŋshɔ lɛ kooyigbɛ, ni etsɔɔ Kyrenia gɔji ni eto srɛnɛɛ lɛ ateŋ; nɔ ni ji enyɔ lɛ kã Mesaoria ŋa lɛ nɔ kɛyatsɔɔ ŋshɔkpɔ lɛ diɛŋtsɛ mli; ni nɔ ni ji etɛ lɛ tsɔɔ ŋshɔ lɛ wuoyigbɛ.

Taakɛ bɔ ni mɛi pii fɔɔ feemɔ lɛ, Paulo tsɔ gbɛ ni ji etɛ lɛ nɔ. Ekã okwaayeli shikpɔŋ ni baa nii waa ni shia tsuru ni yɔɔ srɔto yɔɔ jɛmɛ lɛ nɔ. Aaafee kilomitai 50 kɛmiiya wuoyi-anaigbɛ lɛ, gbɛ lɛ ninaa Larnaca maŋ lɛ dani edɔɔ kɛtsɔɔ kooyigbɛ kɛboteɔ maŋ lɛ teŋ tuuŋtu.

“Yɛ Ŋshɔkpɔ Muu lɛ Fɛɛ Nɔ”

Etsɛɛɛ nɔŋŋ kɛkɛ lɛ gbɛjegbɛ wulu lɛ ebote blema maŋtiase ni ji Ledra lɛ mli. Nicosia ni ji ŋmɛnɛŋmɛnɛ beaŋ maŋtiase lɛ ji nɔ ni yɔɔ shikpɔŋ nɛɛ nɔ. Blema maŋtiase lɛ he okadi ko kwraa bɛ. Shi yɛ klɛŋklɛŋ afii 1600 lɛ mli lɛ, gbɛjegbɛ bibioo ko ni afɔɔ nɔ tsɔmɔ waa, ni atsɛɔ lɛ akɛ Ledra Gbɛjegbɛ lɛ kã gbogboi ni akɛfo Venetia ni yɔɔ Nicosia teŋ tuuŋtu lɛ he lɛ mligbɛ. Kɛji akɛ Paulo fã gbɛ kɛtee Ledra loo efeee nakai lɛ, wɔleee. Nɔ ni Biblia lɛ kɛɔ wɔ pɛ kɛkɛ ji akɛ amɛtee “ŋshɔkpɔ muu lɛ fɛɛ nɔ.” (Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 13:6, wɔma efã ko nɔ mi.) The Wycliffe Historical Geography of Bible Lands lɛ kɛɔ akɛ, “ekolɛ wiemɔ nɛɛ tsɔɔ akɛ kɛ akɛaato  he lɛ amɛtee Yudafoi akutsei fɛɛ ni yɔɔ Kipro lɛ mli.”

Paulo yɛ he miishɛɛ waa akɛ eeeshiɛ eha mɛi babaoo bɔ ni eeenyɛ yɛ Kipro. Enɛ hewɔ lɛ, ekolɛ etsɔ gbɛ ni jɛ Ledra wuoyigbɛ kɛbatsɔɔ Amathus kɛ Kourion—ni ji maŋtiasei wuji enyɔ ni mɛi babaoo yɔɔ mli lɛ nɔ.

Kourion yɛ tɛsaa gɔgɔmee ni nɔ kwɔ fe ŋshɔ lɛ kwraa ni ma shi somoromoo yɛ ŋshɔ lɛ mli lɛ ayiteŋ tɔ̃ɔ. Shikpɔŋhosomɔ ni fite Salami yɛ afi 77 Ŋ.B. lɛ nɔŋŋ kpata Hela kɛ Romabii amaŋtiase ni yɔɔ fɛo nɛɛ hiɛ. Sɔlemɔtsu ko ni ajɔɔ nɔ aha Apollo kɛjɛ afi 100 Ŋ.B. lɛ he amaŋfɔi yɛ jɛmɛ. Mɛi 6,000 baanyɛ aya shwɛmɔhe ni yɔɔ jɛmɛ lɛ mli. Tɛi kɛ glasei ni akɛye asamai ni yɔɔ fɛo yɛ sɛmɛnti ni yɔɔ aŋkroaŋkroi ashiai amli lɛ po jieɔ ogbɔjɔ shihilɛ mli ni mɛi babaoo ni yɔɔ Kourion lɛ yɔɔ lɛ kpo.

Gbɛfaa Kɛmiiya Pafo

Kɛjɛ Kourion lɛ, gbɛ ni nibii ni yɔɔ fɛo yɔɔ nɔ lɛ tsaa nɔ kɛyaa anaigbɛ kɛyatsɔɔ maŋ ni afeɔ wein yɛ mli lɛ nɔ, ni ekwɔɔ kɛyaa ŋwɛi fiofio kɛyashi edɔɔ kɔŋtɔŋŋ trukaa kɛbaa shikpɔŋ yɛ tɛsaa gɔgɔmee ni yɔɔ ŋshɔnaa ko ni fɔbitɛi yɔɔ jɛmɛ lɛ nɔ. Taakɛ Hela adesã tsɔɔ lɛ, biɛ tuuŋtu ji heni ŋshɔ lɛ fɔ́ nyɔŋmɔyoo ni ji Afrodito lɛ yɛ.

Afrodito ji Hela nyɔŋmɔi ni yɔɔ Kipro lɛ ateŋ nɔ ni ehe gbɛi waa, ni atee nɔ ajá lɛ aahu kɛbashi klɛŋklɛŋ afi 200 Ŋ.B. Pafo ji heni ajáa Afrodito yɛ titri. Daa agbiɛnaa be mli lɛ ayeɔ gbijurɔ kpele ko yɛ jɛmɛ kɛwoɔ ehiɛ nyam. Nyɔŋmɔjamɔ he gbɛfalɔi ni jɛ Asia Bibioo, Mizraim, Hela, kɛ Persia tɔ̃ɔ lɛ baa Pafo bayeɔ gbijurɔ lɛ. Beni maŋtsɛmɛi ni atsɛɔ amɛ Ptolemy lɛ yeɔ Kipro nɔ lɛ, amɛtsɔɔ Kiprobii lɛ bɔ ni ajáa maŋtsɛmɛi ni atsɛɔ amɛ Farao lɛ ahaa.

Pafo ji maŋtiase ni Romabii lɛ to yɛ Kipro, ni eji heni amralo lɛ yɔɔ, ni jɛmɛ ji heni aha hegbɛ koni afo dade shika ni akɛ akɔɔble fee lɛ yɛ. Shikpɔŋhosomɔ ni ba yɛ afi 15 D.Ŋ.B. lɛ fite jɛmɛ hu, ni taakɛ eji yɛ Salami gbɛfaŋ lɛ, Augustus ha shika koni asaa akɛto maŋ lɛ shishi ekoŋŋ. Nibii ni atsa lɛ jieɔ ogbɔjɔ shihilɛ mli ni niiatsɛmɛi ni hi shi yɛ klɛŋklɛŋ afii 100 lɛ mli yɛ Pafo lɛ yɔɔ mli lɛ kpo—nomɛi ji maŋ gbɛjegbɛi ni dara, aŋkroaŋkroi ashiai ni awula lɛ haŋtsii, lala kasemɔ he skul srɔtoi, kpɔiaŋgbɔlemɔhei, kɛ hiɛtserɛjiemɔhe ko.

Enɛ ji Pafo ni Paulo, Barnaba, kɛ Yohane Marko tee jɛmɛ lɛ, ni biɛ ji heni amralo Sergio Paulo—“ni ji nuu hiɛshikalɔ lɛ”—‘tao akɛ ebo Nyɔŋmɔ wiemɔ lɛ toi’ yɛ shitee-kɛ-woo ni naa wa ni ŋkunyaayelɔ ni ji Elima lɛ kɛba lɛ fɛɛ sɛɛ lɛ. Amralo lɛ ‘he jɔ̃ ehe yɛ Yehowa tsɔɔmɔ lɛ hewɔ.’—Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 13:6-12.

Beni maŋsɛɛ sanekpakpa shiɛlɔi lɛ egbe amɛnitsumɔ lɛ naa yɛ omanyeyeli mli yɛ Kipro lɛ, amɛtsa amɛnitsumɔ lɛ nɔ yɛ Asia Bibioo lɛ mli. Nakai klɛŋklɛŋ maŋsɛɛ sanekpakpa shiɛmɔ he gbɛ ni Paulo fã lɛ ji nifeemɔ ko ni he hiaa yɛ Kristojamɔ lɛ gbɛɛ-kɛ-shwamɔ mli. Wolo ni ji St. Paul’s Journeys in the Greek Orient lɛ tsɛ lɛ akɛ “Kristojamɔ he tafãa kɛ . . . Paulo maŋsɛɛ sanekpakpa shiɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ shishijee diɛŋtsɛ.” Ekɛfata he akɛ: “Akɛni Kipro yɛ heni ŋshɔ hiɛ gbɛ̀i ni yaa Siria, Asia Bibioo, kɛ Hela lɛ bakpeɔ yɛ hewɔ lɛ, nilee yɛ mli akɛ aje maŋsɛɛ sanekpakpa shiɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ shishi yɛ jɛmɛ.” Shi eji shishijee nifeemɔ kɛkɛ. Kristofoi amaŋsɛɛ sanekpakpa shiɛmɔ nitsumɔ lɛ tsa nɔ yɛ aaafee afii 2000 ni nyiɛ sɛɛ lɛ mli, ni abaanyɛ awie yɛ anɔkwale mli akɛ Yehowa Maŋtsɛyeli lɛ he sanekpakpa lɛ yashɛ “shikpɔŋ lɛ naagbeehei lɛ” lɛɛlɛŋ.—Bɔfoi lɛ Asaji 1:8.

[Shikpɔŋ he mfonirii babaoo ni yɔɔ baafa 20]

(Kɛ́ ootao ona bɔ ni saji nɛɛ ji diɛŋtsɛ lɛ, no lɛ kwɛmɔ wolo lɛ mli)

KIPRO

NICOSIA (Ledra)

Salami

Pafo

Kourion

Amathus

Larnaca

KYRENIA GƆJI

MESAORIA ŊA

TROODOS GƆJI

[Mfoniri ni yɔɔ baafa 21]

Akɛni mumɔ krɔŋkrɔŋ eyi Paulo obɔ hewɔ lɛ, eha ŋkunyaayelɔ ni ji Elima lɛ shwila beni eyɔɔ Pafo lɛ