1. Kuyini uPhawuli labangane bakhe abaqiniseka ngakho futhi kungani?

 KUNGABA ngumnyaka ka-59 C.E. Kuselwandle, umkhumbi olezithombe “zamadodana kaZewusi,” [unkulunkulu wamaGrikhi] phambi kwawo ongabe ungowokuthwala ukudla usuka esihlengeni seMalitha esiseMedithera usiya e-Ithali. Abasemkhunjini lo nguPhawuli oyisibotshwa kanye lamaKhristu amabili amphelekezelayo, uLukha lo-Aristakhu. (Imiseb. 27:2) Abavangeli laba abafanani lezisebenzi ezisemkhunjini lo ngoba bona abadingi kuvikelwa ngamadodana kaZewusi angamaphahla okuthiwa ngu-Castor loPollux. (Khangela umcijo wokutaditsha ku-Nguqulo Yomhlaba Omutsha yesiNgisi kumiSebenzi 28:11.) UPhawuli labangane bakhe bakhonza uJehova onguye otshele uPhawuli ukuthi uzakuyafakaza iqiniso eRoma futhi ame phambi kukaKhesari.—Imiseb. 23:11; 27:24.

2, 3. Umkhumbi uPhawuli ahamba ngawo udlula ngaphi usiya eRoma futhi ngubani obemsekela kusukela ekuqaliseni?

² Ngemva kwamalanga amathathu beseSirakhusi, idolobho elihle laseKhilikhiya eliqakathekiswa njenge-Athene leRoma, umkhumbi uyasuka usiya eRegiyumi eseningizimu kwe-Ithali. Umoya ovelela eningizimu ufuqa umkhumbi futhi lokhu kwenza uhambe amakhilomitha angu-320 uyefika masinyane ePhuthewoli (idolobho eliseduze kweNaples) ngelanga lesibili.—Imiseb. 28:12, 13.

³ UPhawuli usezaqeda uhambo lwakhe lokuya eRoma lapho azafika ame phambi kukaMbusi uNero. ‘UNkulunkulu wenduduzo yonke’ ubelokhe eloPhawuli kusukela eqalisa uhambo lwakhe. (2 Khor. 1:3) Njengoba sizabona, uqhubeka emsekela futhi uPhawuli uqhubeka ekhuthele emsebenzini wakhe wokuba ngumnali.

4, 5. (a) UPhawuli labangane bakhe bemukelwa njani ePhuthewoli futhi kuyini okungabe kwenza waphiwa inkululeko? (b) Ukuziphatha kuhle kungawanceda njani amaKhristu asejele?

⁴ UPhawuli labanye bakhe bathi sebesePhuthewoli ‘bathola abazalwane njalo babancenga ukuthi bahlale labo okwensuku eziyisikhombisa.’  (Imiseb. 28:14) AmaKhristu la atshengisa ukuthi alomusa sibili futhi kumele siwalingisele. Kufanele ukuthi isikhuthazo abazalwane laba abasithola kuPhawuli labanye bakhe saluqinisa kakhulu ukholo lwabo. Kodwa kuyini okwakusenza isibotshwa siphiwe inkululeko engaka? Kufanele ukuthi abalindi laba abangamaRoma basebemthemba kakhulu uPhawuli.

⁵ Lalamuhla abantu bakaJehova abasemajele loba enkambeni zokuhlukuluzwa bacina bephiwa inkululeko engeke iphiwe ezinye izibotshwa ngenxa yokuziphatha kwabo. Ngokwesibonelo, eRomania kulendoda eyayigwetshwe iminyaka engu-75 ngenxa yokugqekeza. Yaqalisa ukufunda iBhayibhili yasitshintsha ubuntu bayo. Ngemva kwalokho abaphathi bejele basebeyithuma edolobheni ukuthi iyethenga izinto ezazifuneka ejele ingalindwanga. Okuqakatheke kakhulu yikuthi ukuziphatha kwethu kudumisa uJehova.—1 Phet. 2:12.

6, 7. Abazalwane beRoma batshengisa njani uthando olumangalisayo?

⁶ Kukhanya uPhawuli labangane bakhe bathi besuka ePhuthewoli bahamba amakhilomitha angaba ngu-50 besiya eKhaphuwa eyayisemgwaqweni we-Aphiya owawuzabafikisa eRoma. Nxa wawuhamba emgwaqweni lo owawenziwe ngamatshe amakhulu ayizibhebhedu, wawubona izindawo ezinhle ze-Ithali futhi kwezinye indawo wawubona loLwandle lweMedithera. Umgwaqo lo wawudlula endaweni yePhontiyu elixhaphozi eyayingamakhilomitha angaba ngu-60 usuka eRoma futhi kulapho okwakuleMakethe yase-Aphiya. ULukha uthi abazalwane beRoma ‘bathi sebezwile ngabo’ babuya bazobahlangabeza emakethe futhi abanye babamelela endaweni yokuphumula ebizwa ngokuthi yiZindlu Ezintathu engaba ngamakhilomitha angu-50 usuka eRoma. Abazalwane laba babe lothando sibili!—Imiseb. 28:15.

 ⁷ Umuntu owayephakathi kohambo futhi esediniwe wayengeke aphumule kuhle eMakethe yase-Aphiya. Imbongi engumRoma okuthiwa nguHorace yathi imakethe le “yayigcwele abantu abahamba ngemikhumbi futhi abaphathi bendawo zokuphumula babengelamusa.” Wabhala lokuthi “amanzi alapho ayengcole okumangalisayo.” UHorace waze wala lokudla endaweni le. Lanxa indawo le yayimbi, abazalwane ababevela eRoma bamlindela uPhawuli labangane bakhe ukuze babaphelekezele engxenyeni yokucina yohambo lwabo.

8. Kuyini okwenza uPhawuli wabonga uNkulunkulu “ebabona nje” abazalwane?

⁸ Ukulandisa kuthi: “UPhawuli uthe ebabona nje, wabonga uNkulunkulu futhi waba lesibindi.” (Imiseb. 28:15) Ukubabona nje abazalwane laba, abanye babo ayebazi kwenza uPhawuli waba lamandla njalo waduduzeka. Kuyini okwenza uPhawuli wabonga uNkulunkulu? Wayebona ukuthi balothando oluyisithelo somoya ongcwele. (Gal. 5:22) Lalamuhla umoya ongcwele wenza amaKhristu ukuthi azimisele ukuncedana lokududuzana ngezikhathi ezinzima.—1 Thes. 5:11, 14.

9. Singabalingisela njani abazalwane beRoma?

⁹ Ngokwesibonelo, umoya ongcwele wenza abafowethu labodadewethu abalomusa bancedise ababonisi beziqinti, abanali labanye abasenkonzweni yesikhathi sonke ngalokho abakudingayo. Abanengi abasenkonzweni yesikhathi sonke batshiye izinto ezinengi ukuze bakhonze uJehova. Zibuze, ‘Kuyini engingakwenza ukuze ngisekele umbonisi wesiqinti lomkakhe nxa besivakatshele ebandleni? Ngingabhalisa yini ukuhamba labo ekutshumayeleni?’ UJehova uzakubusisa nxa ungenza njalo. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ukuthi abazalwane beRoma bathokoza njani belalele uPhawuli labangane bakhe bebalandisela izinto ezikhuthazayo ezazenzakele.—Imiseb. 15:3, 4.

10. Kwahamba njani uPhawuli esefike eRoma futhi wenzani esanda kufika?

¹⁰ Bathi sebefikile eRoma “uPhawuli wavunyelwa ukuthi ahlale yedwa elindwe lisotsha.” (Imiseb. 28:16) Ukuze izibotshwa ezazilindwa endlini zingabaleki, zazibotshelwa kumlindi wazo ngeketane. Lanxa kunjalo, uPhawuli wayelokhe etshumayela indaba ezinhle, wayengeke athuliswe yiketane. Yikho wathi esephumule okwamalanga amathathu wabiza amadoda ayeqakathekile phakathi kwamaJuda eRoma ukuze awatshele ukuthi ungubani futhi awatshumayeze.

11, 12. UPhawuli wazama njani ukwenza amaJuda ayeseRoma ahlaliseke?

¹¹ UPhawuli wathi: “Madoda, bafowethu, lanxa ngangingonelanga muntu futhi ngingaphikisananga lamasiko abokhokho bethu, ngabotshwa eJerusalema nganikelwa ezandleni zamaRoma. Ngemva kokungibuzisisa ayesefuna ukungikhulula ngoba kwakungelasizatho sokuthi ngibulawe. Lanxa kunjalo amaJuda ayala ukuthi ngikhululwe, yikho kwakungasela ngenye indlela ngaphandle kokuthi ngidlulisele icala kuKhesari. Kodwa ayisikho ukuthi ngangisethesa isizwe sakithi icala.”—Imiseb. 28:17-19.

 ¹² UPhawuli wabiza amaJuda la ngokuthi “bafowethu” esenzela ukuthi athole lapho ababevumelana khona futhi abenze bahlaliseke bangamcabangeli okubi. (1 Khor. 9:20) Waphinda wakwenza kwacaca ukuthi wayengalandanga ukuzokwethesa amaJuda icala kodwa wayezozivikela phambi kukaKhesari. AmaJuda ayeseRoma ayengazi lutho ngecala likaPhawuli. (Imiseb. 28:21) Kungani indaba le yayingakafiki kumaJuda aseRoma? Elinye ibhuku lithi: “Kufanele ukuthi umkhumbi owawugadwe nguPhawuli yiwo owaqala ukufika e-Ithali sokudlule isikhathi somqando. Yikho incwadi evela kumaJuda eJerusalema yayiyabe ingakafiki, lommeli wawo engakafiki.”

13, 14. UPhawuli wayethula njani indaba yoMbuso futhi singamlingisela njani?

¹³ UPhawuli wakhuluma amazwi amayelana loMbuso esenzela ukuthi amaJuda afise ukuzwa okunengi. Wathi: “Lokhu yikho okwenze ngacela ukulibona ngikhulume lani. Ngibotshwe ngeketane le ngenxa yethemba labako-Israyeli.” (Imiseb. 28:20) Ithemba leli lalisekelwe kuMesiya loMbuso wakhe futhi amaKhristu ayetshumayela ngoMbuso lo. AmaJuda amphendula athi: “Sibona kungcono ukuthi wena usitshele ukuthi ucabangani ngoba siyakwazi sibili ukuthi okuliqembu lokhu kusolwa ngabantu kuyo yonke indawo.”—Imiseb. 28:22.

¹⁴ Lathi nxa sitshumayela indaba ezinhle singalingisela uPhawuli ngokukhuluma amazwi loba ukubuza imibuzo ezakwenza abantu bafise ukuzwa okunengi. Amanye amacebo okwenza lokhu singawathola ebhukwaneni elithi Khuthalela Ukubala Lokufundisa lasebhukwini lesiZulu elithi Ukubonisana  NgemiBhalo lelithi Zuza Emfundweni YeSikole Senkonzo Esingokwasezulwini. Uyawasebenzisa yini amathuluzi la okutaditsha?

15. Yiziphi izinto eziqakathekileyo esizibona entshumayelweni kaPhawuli?

¹⁵ Ngelanga elalikhethiwe amaJuda eRoma abuya lapho uPhawuli ayehlala khona ‘esemanengi kakhulu kulakuqala.’ UPhawuli wawachasisela “kusukela ekuseni kwaze kwaba ntambama, efakaza ngokugcweleyo ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu esebenzisa uMthetho kaMosi labaPhrofethi ukuze abancede bakholwe kuJesu.” (Imiseb. 28:23) Kulezinto ezine eziqakathekileyo ezenziwa nguPhawuli ngesikhathi efakaza kubo. Okokuqala, indaba eyisiqokoqela ayekhuluma ngayo nguMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Okwesibili, wazama ukuthinta inhliziyo zabantu ayekhuluma labo. Okwesithathu, wabonisana labo ngeMibhalo. Okwesine, watshengisa ukuthi uzinikele sibili ngokufakaza “kusukela ekuseni kwaze kwaba ntambama.” UPhawuli uyisibonelo esihle sibili! Manje kwaphetha ngani? “Abanye bakukholwa ayekukhuluma,” kodwa abanye abazange bakukholwe. ULukha uthi kwaba lokungavumelani yikho abantu “baqalisa ukusuka.”—Imiseb. 28:24, 25a.

16-18. Yindaba uPhawuli engazange amangaliswe yindlela amaJuda eRoma enza ngayo esezwe izindaba ezinhle futhi thina kumele sizwe njani nxa abantu bengasilaleli?

¹⁶ Ukungalaleli kwamaJuda akuzange kummangalise uPhawuli ngoba kwakuhambelana leziphrofetho eziseBhayibhilini futhi wayekujayele. (Imiseb. 13:42-47; 18:5, 6; 19:8, 9) Yikho wakhuluma labantu ababengafuni ukwamukela izindaba ezinhle wathi: “Umoya ongcwele wawuqinisile sibili lapho ukhuluma labokhokho benu usebenzisa umphrofethi u-Isaya, usithi, ‘Hamba uyetshela abantu laba uthi: “Lizakuzwa sibili kodwa alisoze lafa lazwisisa, futhi lizakhangela kodwa alisoze labona loba sekutheni. Phela inhliziyo zabantu laba sezibe lukhuni.”’” (Imiseb. 28:25b-27) Ibala lesiGrikhi elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “sezibe lukhuni” litsho inhliziyo okunzima ukuthi iqiniso elimayelana loMbuso lingene kuyo. (Imiseb. 28:27) Kuyingozi ukuba lenhliziyo enjalo.

¹⁷ UPhawuli waphetha ngokutshela amaJuda ukuthi ‘abezinye izizwe bona babezazilalela’ izindaba ezinhle. (Imiseb. 28:28; Hubo. 67:2; Isaya. 11:10) Umphostoli lo wayekwazi mhlophe ayekutsho ngoba wayezibonele ngawakhe abezinye izizwe bezamukela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso.—Imiseb. 13:48; 14:27.

¹⁸ Lathi akumelanga sizonde nxa abantu bengazilaleli izindaba ezinhle. Vele siyakwazi ukuthi balutshwana abazayithola indlela eya ekuphileni. (Mat. 7:13, 14) Kodwa kumele sithokoze njalo sibamukele ngenhliziyo ezimhlophe labo abakwamukelayo ukukhonza kweqiniso njalo bakumele.—Luk. 15:7.

19. Yikuphi okuhle okwenziwa nguPhawuli kungelani lezimo ayekuzo?

¹⁹ ULukha uphetha indaba ngamazwi akhuthazayo, esithi: “UPhawuli  waqhubeka ekuleyondawo okweminyaka emibili ehlala endlini ayeyibhadalela. Wayebamukela kuhle bonke ababemvakatshela. Wayebatshumayeza ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu futhi ebafundisa ngeNkosi uJesu Khristu, ekhuluma ekhululekile kakhulu kungelalutho olumvimbayo.” (Imiseb. 28:30, 31) Kusegcekeni ukuthi uPhawuli wayelomusa lokholo njalo ekhuthele yikho kumele simlingisele.

20, 21. Inkonzo kaPhawuli eRoma yanceda obani?

²⁰ Omunye owemukelwa nguPhawuli yindoda okwakuthiwa ngu-Onesimu owayeyisigqili esasibaleke eKholose. UPhawuli wanceda u-Onesimu ukuthi abe ngumKhristu futhi waba ‘ngumfowabo othembekileyo amthandayo.’ Waphinda wabhala ngaye esithi ‘ungumntanakhe yena enguyise.’ (Kol. 4:9; Filim. 10-12) Kumele ukuthi u-Onesimu wamkhuthaza sibili uPhawuli! a

²¹ Okwenziwa nguPhawuli kwanceda labanye. Wabhalela abaseFiliphi wathi: “Izinto ezingehleleyo sezenze ukuthi izindaba ezinhle ziqhubekele phambili, okokuthi ukubotshwa kwami ngenxa kaKhristu sekusaziwa yibo bonke abalindi benkosi labo bonke abantu nje. Khathesi abafowethu abakhonza iNkosi sebelesibindi ngenxa yokubotshwa kwami. Batshengisa ukuthi balesibindi sokukhuluma ilizwi likaNkulunkulu bengesabi.”—Flp. 1:12-14.

22. UPhawuli wenzani ngesikhathi ebotshiwe eRoma?

²² UPhawuli wasebenzisa isikhathi ayelaso ebotshiwe ukuthi abhale incwadi eziqakathekileyo eseziyingxenye yeMibhalo yamaKhristu yesiGrikhi. b Incwadi lezo zawanceda kakhulu amaKhristu akuqala ayewabhalela. Lathi ziyasinceda ngoba izeluleko ezikuzo zilokhu zisebenza lalamuhla.—2 Thim. 3:16, 17.

23, 24. AmaKhristu akulezinsuku atshengise njani ukuthi aqhubeka ethokoza njengoPhawuli lanxa ebotshelwe ukholo lwawo?

²³ Ibhuku lemiSebenzi alisitsheli ukuthi uPhawuli wakhululwa nini kodwa wakhululwa eseleminyaka emine ebotshiwe, emibili eseKhesariya leminye emibili eseRoma. c (Imiseb. 23:35; 24:27) Kodwa waqhubeka ethokoza futhi esenza konke ayengakwenza enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu. Lalamuhla abantu bakaJehova ababotshelwe ukholo lwabo baqhubeka bethokoza njalo betshumayela. Ngokwesibonelo, u-Adolfo wavalelwa ejele eSpain ngenxa yokungathathi cele kwezombusazwe. Omunye umlindi wejele wathi: “Uyasimangalisa. Besisenza impilo yakho ibenzima kodwa nxa singezelela ubunzima wena ububobotheka kakhulu kulakuqala njalo ungakhulumi kubi.”

 ²⁴ Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi u-Adolfo wayesethenjwa okokuthi umnyango wesitokisi sakhe wawutshiywa uvulekile. Amasotsha ayebuya kuye ezombuza imibuzo yeBhayibhili. Omunye wabalindi wayeze angene esitokisini sika-Adolfo abale iBhayibhili ngapha u-Adolfo elindile ukuze umlindi angabonwa ngabanye. Umlindi wayeselindwa yisibotshwa! Izibonelo zaboFakazi abathembekileyo zisenza ‘sibe lesibindi sokukhuluma ilizwi likaNkulunkulu singesabi’ lanxa izimo zinzima.

25, 26. Yisiphi isiphrofetho uPhawuli asibona sigcwaliseka kungakadluli iminyaka engu-30 futhi lokho kuhambelana njani lokwenzakala lamuhla?

²⁵ Ibhuku lemiSebenzi liphetha ngendlela ethinta inhliziyo sibili. Liphetha ngomphostoli kaKhristu oyisibotshwa ovalelwe endlini ‘etshumayela ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu’ kubo bonke ababemvakatshela. Esahlukweni sakuqala sebhuku leli sibale amazwi kaJesu ngesikhathi ethuma abalandeli bakhe esithi: “Lizakwamukela amandla nxa umoya ongcwele ufika kini njalo lizakuba ngofakazi bami eJerusalema lakulo lonke elaseJudiya leSamariya kuze kuyefika emaphethelweni omhlaba.” (Imiseb. 1:8) Kungakafiki iminyaka engu-30 izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso ‘zasezitshunyayelwe kukho konke okudaliweyo okungaphansi kwezulu.’ d (Kol. 1:23) Lobu yibufakazi obuqinileyo bokuthi umoya kaJehova ulamandla sibili!—Zak. 4:6.

²⁶ Lamuhla umoya ongcwele ofananayo uncede abafowabo bakaKhristu abaseleyo kanye labangane babo ‘abangabezinye izimvu’ ukuthi baqhubeke ‘befakaza ngokugcweleyo ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu’ endaweni ezingu-240! (Joh. 10:16; Imiseb. 28:23) Wena wenza konke ongakwenza yini emsebenzini lo?