1-3. (a) Ngubani osehamba loPhawuli futhi ungumuntu onjani? (b) Sizaxoxa ngani esahlukweni lesi?

 NJENGOBA bekhasabula emgwaqweni olamagodi godi phakathi kwamadolobho, umphostoli uPhawuli uyalikhangela ijaha leli ahamba lalo. Ibizo lalo nguThimothi. UThimothi angabe esefikisa iminyaka engu-20 kumbe esanda kudlula lapho futhi usaqinile. Njengoba beqhubeka ngohambo lwabo balokhu besiba khatshana langakibo kukaThimothi. Ilanga selisiyatshona futhi sebeyitshiye emuva iListra le-Ikhoniyami. Manje uhambo lwabo lolu lubaphatheleni? UPhawuli angabe ekwazi abangahlangana lakho ngoba lolu luhambo lwakhe lwesibili engumnali. Uyakwazi ukuthi bazahlangana lobunzima obutshiyeneyo. Kodwa uyazibuza ukuthi ijaha leli lizenelisa yini ukuqinisela.

² UPhawuli uyalithemba sibili ijaha leli elithobekileyo lanxa lona lingazithembi kangako. Izinto ezisanda kwenzakala zenze wangathandabuzi ukuthi uyamdinga sibili umuntu wokuhamba laye angamthemba. Uyakwazi ukuthi umsebenzi wokuvakatshela amabandla lokuwaqinisa uzadinga ukuthi yena lalowo ahamba laye bazimisele futhi babe ngqondonye. Kuyini okungabe kusenza abone izinto ngalindlela? Mhlawumbe yikuphikisana okwabakhona phakathi kwakhe loBhanabha okwabangela ukuthi behlukane.

³ Esahlukweni lesi sizaxoxa ngokuthi singenzani ukuze silungise ukungazwanani. Sizaphinda sibone lokuthi kuyini okwenza uPhawuli wakhetha uThimothi ukuthi amphelekezele njalo sizaxoxa ngomsebenzi oqakathekileyo owenziwa ngababonisi beziqinti lamuhla.

4. UPhawuli waluthathelani uhambo lwakhe lwesibili engumnali?

⁴ Esahlukweni esidlulileyo sibonile ukuthi uPhawuli loBhanabha loJuda loSila balikhuthaza njani ibandla lase-Antiyokhi ngesinqumo esasenziwe liqula elikhokhelayo mayelana lendaba yokusoka. Kuyini uPhawuli akwenzayo ngemva kwalokho? Walanda uBhanabha  elecebo elitsha, wathi: “Asibuyele siyevakatshela abafowethu kuwo wonke amadolobho esatshumayela kuwo ilizwi likaJehova siyebona ukuthi banjani.” (Imiseb. 15:36) Lapha uPhawuli wayengakhulumi ngokuyababona nje kuphela abantu laba ababesanda kuba ngamaKhristu. Ibhuku lemiSebenzi liyasitshela okwenza uPhawuli wathatha uhambo lwakhe lwesibili engumnali. Okokuqala, wayezatshela abazalwane izinqumo ezazenziwe liqula elikhokhelayo. (Imiseb. 16:4) Okwesibili, njengoba uPhawuli wayengumbonisi ohambelayo wayezimisele ukuqinisa amabandla ewancedisa ukuthi ahlale elokholo oluqinileyo. (Rom. 1:11, 12) Lamuhla oFakazi bakaJehova babalingisela njani abaphostoli?

5. IQula Elikhokhelayo lisebenzisani ukuze liqondise njalo likhuthaze amabandla?

⁵ Lamuhla uKhristu ukhokhela ibandla lakhe esebenzisa iQula Elikhokhelayo laboFakazi bakaJehova. IQula Elikhokhelayo lisebenzisa izincwadi, amabhuku atholakala kwezempucuko laphrintiweyo, imihlangano yebandla lezinye indlela zokukhulumisana ukuze liqondise njalo likhuthaze amabandla asemhlabeni wonke. Liphinda lithintane lamabandla lisebenzisa ababonisi beziqinti abavakatshela ibandla ngalinye. Likhethe izinkulungwane zabadala abafaneleyo ukuthi babe ngababonisi beziqinti.

6, 7. Yiphi eminye imisebenzi eyenziwa ngababonisi beziqinti?

⁶ Ababonisi beziqinti bakhuthaza njalo batshengise ukuthi balendaba lomuntu ngamunye emabandleni abawavakatshelayo. Bakwenza njani lokhu? Balingisela amaKhristu akuqala anjengoPhawuli. UPhawuli wakhuthaza omunye owayengumbonisi ohambelayo njengaye wathi: ‘Tshumayela ilizwi, ukwenze lokho masinyane, ngezikhathi ezinhle langezikhathi ezinzima, ukhuze, usole, ukhuthaze, ngokubekezela konke langokufundisa ngobungcitshi. Wenze umsebenzi womvangeli.’—2 Thim. 4:2, 5.

⁷ Umbonisi wesiqinti lomkakhe nxa etshadile, balandela okutshiwo evesini le ngokutshumayela labamemezeli bebandla abalivakatsheleyo. Ababonisi beziqinti bakhuthele ekutshumayeleni futhi bazingcitshi ekufundiseni. Lokhu kuyalikhuthaza kakhulu ibandla. (Rom. 12:11; 2 Thim. 2:15) Okunye abaziwa ngakho luthando lwabo kanye lokuzimisela kwabo ukuncedisa abanye. Bayazinikela lanxa umkhathi umubi futhi behamba lasezindaweni eziyingozi. (Flp. 2:3, 4) Ababonisi beziqinti baphinda bafundise, baxwayise njalo bakhuthaze ibandla ngalinye ngenkulumo ezisekelwe eBhayibhilini. Bonke ebandleni bayancedakala nxa bangacabangisisa ngendlela ababonisi beziqinti abaziphatha ngayo besebelingisela ukholo lwabo.—Heb. 13:7.

8. UBhanabha walamukela njani icebo likaPhawuli?

⁸ UBhanabha walamukela ngazo zombili icebo likaPhawuli lokuthi  ‘bavakatshele abafowabo.’ (Imiseb. 15:36) Babesebenze kuhle bonke futhi bobabili babezijayele indawo labantu ababezabavakatshela. (Imiseb. 13:2–14:28) Yikho kwakukhanya kulicebo elihle ukuthi bahambe bonke lakulolu uhambo. Kodwa kwaba lohlupho. ImiSebenzi 15:37 ithi: “UBhanabha wayezimisele ukuthi bahambe loJohane owayebizwa ngokuthi nguMakho.” Lapha uBhanabha wayengakhulumi akucabangayo nje kodwa “wayezimisele” ukuthi bahambe lomzawakhe uMakho.

9. Kuyini okwenza uPhawuli angavumelani loBhanabha?

⁹ UPhawuli kazange avumelane laye. Yindaba? Ibhuku lemiSebenzi lithi: “Kodwa uPhawuli wayengavumelani lokuthi bahambe laye ngoba wayebatshiyile ePhamfiliya wangahambi labo emsebenzini.” (Imiseb. 15:38) UMakho wayesuke loPhawuli loBhanabha ngesikhathi behamba okokuqala bengabanali kodwa wabatshiya endleleni. (Imiseb. 12:25; 13:13) Wayebatshiye ePhamfiliya bengakayi ngaphi ngohambo lwabo wabuyela ngakibo eJerusalema. IBhayibhili alisitsheli ukuthi wayebatshiyelani kodwa kukhanya umphostoli uPhawuli wayesebona uMakho njengomuntu ongaqakathekisiyo umsebenzi ayewuphiwe. Kukhanya uPhawuli wayesethandabuza lokuthi uMakho ngumuntu angamthemba yini.

10. Ukuphikisana kukaPhawuli loBhanabha kwaphetha ngani?

¹⁰ Lanxa kunjalo uBhanabha wayezimisele ukuthi bahambe loMakho kodwa uPhawuli yena wayezimisele ukuthi bangahambi laye. ImiSebenzi 15:39 ithi: “Baphikisana kwaba luthuli bacina besehlukana.” UBhanabha wasuka loMakho bagada isikepe baya esihlengeni sakibo eKhuphro. UPhawuli waqhubeka ngohambo lwakhe. Ukulandisa okusebhukwini lemiSebenzi kuthi: “UPhawuli yena wakhetha uSila. Abazalwane bathi sebenikele uPhawuli emuseni omkhulu kaJehova, wasuka wahamba.” (Imiseb. 15:40) Wahamba loSila, “wadabula eSiriya leKhilikhiya eqinisa amabandla.”—Imiseb. 15:41.

11. Yibuphi ubuntu okumele sibe labo nxa kube lokungazwanani?

¹¹ Indaba le isikhumbuza ukuthi sonke silesono. Phela uPhawuli loBhanabha babekhethwe ukuthi babe ngabameli abaqakathekileyo bequla elikhokhelayo futhi kungenzeka ukuthi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uPhawuli waba lilunga lequla lelo. Lanxa kunjalo kulesisenzakalo yena loBhanabha bavumela isono sabakhulela. Kodwa baqhubeka bengazwisisani yini? Lanxa amadoda la ayelesono, womabili ayethobekile njalo elengqondo kaKhristu. Asithandabuzi ukuthi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi bathethelelana batshengisa ukuthi bangabazalwane sibili. (Efe. 4:1-3) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uPhawuli loMakho basebenza ndawonye kweminye imisebenzi yenkonzo. a—Kol. 4:10.

12. Abadala kumele bamlingisele njani uPhawuli loBhanabha?

 ¹² Ukuphikisana okwabakhona phakathi kukaPhawuli loBhanabha kwakutshengisa ubuntu babo bansuku zonke yini? Hatshi! UBhanabha wayesaziwa njengendoda elothando futhi ephanayo okokuthi abaphostoli babengambizi ngebizo lakhe lokuzalwa elithi Josefa, kodwa babembiza ngokuthi Bhanabha okutsho “Indodana yenduduzo.” (Imiseb. 4:36) UPhawuli laye wayesaziwa ngokuba lesineke lozwelo. (1 Thes. 2:7, 8) Lamuhla bonke abadala okugoqela lababonisi beziqinti kumele bazame ukulingisela uPhawuli loBhanabha ngokuba ngabantu abathobekileyo langokuphatha abanye abadala kanye lomhlambi wonke ngozwelo.—1 Phet. 5:2, 3.

13, 14. (a) Wayengubani uThimothi futhi uPhawuli wahlangana laye njani? (b) Kuyini okwenza uPhawuli wamnanzelela uThimothi? (c) Yiwuphi umsebenzi uThimothi awuphiwayo?

¹³ Esehamba okwesibili uPhawuli wavakatshela isabelo seRoma okuthiwa yiGalathiya lapho okwakulamabandla athile ayesebunjiwe. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi “wafika eDebhe laseListra.” Ibhuku lemiSebenzi lithi: “Kwakulomfundi okwakuthiwa nguThimothi. Wayeyindodana yowesifazana ongumJuda olikholwa kodwa uyise wayengumGrikhi.”—Imiseb. 16:1. b

¹⁴ Kukhanya uPhawuli wahlangana lemuli yakoThimothi ngesikhathi evakatshela indawo le okokuqala ngabo-47 C.E. Ngemva kweminyaka emibili kumbe emithathu esephinda ukuvakatshela eListra wananzelela ijaha leli elisakhulayo. Okwenza walinanzelela yikuthi ‘abazalwane babekhuluma kuhle ngalo.’ UThimothi wayengathandwa ngabazalwane bedolobho ayehlala kulo kuphela kodwa langabanye ababesemabandleni aseduze. Ibhuku lemiSebenzi lithi abazalwane baseListra labe-Ikhoniyami eyayiqhelelane leListra ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-30 babekhuluma kuhle ngoThimothi. (Imiseb. 16:2) Umoya ongcwele waqondisa abadala ukuthi banike uThimothi umsebenzi oqakathekileyo wokuba ngumbonisi ohambelayo encedisa uPhawuli loSila.—Imiseb. 16:3.

15, 16. Kuyini okwenza abazalwane bakhuluma kuhle ngoThimothi?

¹⁵ Kuyini okwenza abazalwane bakhuluma kuhle ngoThimothi lanxa wayesesemncane? Ukuthi kwakungenxa yokukhalipha kwakhe, ukubukeka kwakhe kumbe iziphiwo ayelazo? Abantu bajayele ukuqakathekisa izinto ezinjengalezi. Lomphrofethi uSamuyeli wake waqakathekisa indlela umuntu abukeka ngayo ngaphandle. Kodwa uJehova wamtshela wathi: “Indlela umuntu abona ngayo ayisiyo indlela uNkulunkulu abona ngayo, ngoba umuntu ubona okungaphandle kodwa uJehova ubona okusenhliziyweni.” (1 Sam. 16:7) Okwenza abazalwane bakhuluma kuhle ngoThimothi yibuntu bakhe obuhle hatshi iziphiwo ayelazo.

 ¹⁶ Eminyakeni eyalandelayo uPhawuli wakhuluma ngobunye ubuntu obuhle uThimothi ayelabo. Wathi wayebathanda ngenhliziyo yonke abazalwane futhi ekhuthele ekwenzeni imisebenzi ephathelane lokukhonza. (Flp. 2:20-22) UThimothi wayesaziwa langokuba lokholo “olungelakuzenzisa.”—2 Thim. 1:5.

17. Abasakhulayo bangamlingisela njani uThimothi?

¹⁷ Lamuhla abasakhulayo abanengi balingisela uThimothi ngokuba lobuntu obuhle obuthandwa nguNkulunkulu. Lokhu kwenza babe lebizo elihle kuJehova lasebantwini bakhe lanxa besesebancane. (Zaga. 22:1; 1 Thim. 4:15) Batshengisa ukholo olungelabuzenzisi futhi abafihli lokho abayikho. (Hubo. 26:4) Abasakhulayo abalingisela uThimothi baqakathekile sibili ebandleni. Bonke abamthandayo uJehova kuyabakhuthaza ukubona abasakhulayo besiba ngabamemezeli bezindaba ezinhle futhi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi bezinikela kuJehova njalo bebhabhathizwa.

18. (a) Yiphi imisebenzi uPhawuli loThimothi abayenzayo bengababonisi abahambelayo? (b) Ukulalela kwawanceda njani amabandla?

¹⁸ UPhawuli loThimothi basebenza bonke okweminyaka eminengi. Iqula elikhokhelayo lalibathuma ukuthi benze imisebenzi etshiyeneyo. IBhayibhili lithi: “Babehamba idolobho ngedolobho betshela abazalwane izinqumo ezazenziwe ngabaphostoli labadala eJerusalema ukuze bazilandele.” (Imiseb. 16:4) Amabandla ayekulalela lokho ayekutshelwa ngabaphostoli labadala ababeseJerusalema. Yikho “aqhubeka eqiniswa ekukholweni labazalwane besanda usuku ngosuku.”—Imiseb. 16:5.

19, 20. Kungani kumele amaKhristu alalele ‘labo abakhokhelayo’?

¹⁹ Lamuhla oFakazi bakaJehova bathola izibusiso ngenxa yokulalela ‘abakhokhelayo phakathi kwabo.’ (Heb. 13:17) Izinto ziqhubeka zitshintsha emhlabeni yikho kuqakathekile ukuthi amaKhristu alandele iziqondiso aziphiwa ‘yinceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo.’ (Mat. 24:45; 1 Khor. 7:29-31) Ukwenza njalo kuzawanceda ukuthi angaphambuki endleleni yeqiniso futhi ahlale engelasici emhlabeni.—Jak. 1:27.

²⁰ Ababonisi abangamaKhristu okugoqela lamalunga eQula Elikhokhelayo balesono njengoba nje uPhawuli loBhanabha loMakho labanye abadala ababegcotshiwe ngesikhathi samaKhristu akuqala labo babelesono. (Rom. 5:12; Jak. 3:2) IQula Elikhokhelayo litshengisa ukuthi lithembekile ngokulandela lokho okutshiwo liLizwi likaNkulunkulu lendlela abaphostoli ababesenza ngayo. (2 Thim. 1:13, 14) Lokhu kwenza amabandla aqhubeke eqiniswa ekukholweni.