ImiSebenzi 22:1-30
22 “Madoda, bafowethu lani bobaba, zwanini ukuzivikela kwami khathesi.”
2 Bathi besizwa ekhuluma labo ngolimi lwesiHebheru baqhubeka bethule zwi, wasesithi:
3 “Mina ngingumJuda owazalelwa eThasu yaseKhilikhiya, kodwa ngafundiswa nguGamaliyeli ngokwakhe* kulonaleli idolobho, ngifundiswa ukuwugcina ngonanzelelo uMthetho wabokhokho njalo ngikhuthalele ukukhonza uNkulunkulu njengani lonke elilapha lamuhla.
4 Ngangihlukuluza abaleyoNdlela ngize ngibabulalise, futhi ngangibopha amadoda labesifazana ngibahambisa emajele.
5 Umphristi omkhulu leqembu lonke labadala bangangifakazela. Izincwadi engahamba lazo kubafowethu eDamaseko ngazithatha kubo, njalo ngangisendleleni ngisiyabopha ababelapho ukuze ngibuye labo eJerusalema bajeziswe.
6 “Kodwa ngathi sengiseduze leDamaseko, sekungaba semini enkulu, masinyane nje ukukhanya okwakuvela ezulwini kwaphazima lapho engangikhona.
7 Ngawela phansi, ngezwa ilizwi lisithi kimi: ‘Sawuli, Sawuli, kanti ungihlukuluzelani?’
8 Ngaphendula ngathi: ‘Ungubani Nkosi?’ Yena wathi kimi: ‘NginguJesu umNazaretha, lowo omhlukuluzayo.’
9 Amadoda engangilawo akubona ukukhanya, kodwa kawazange azwe ukuthi ilizwi lalowo owayekhuluma lami lalisithini.
10 Ngasengisithi: ‘Kufanele ngenzeni Nkosi?’ INkosi yathi kimi: ‘Sukuma ungene eDamaseko, uzafika lapho utshelwe konke okhethelwe ukuthi ukwenze.’
11 Kodwa njengoba ngangingasaboni lutho ngenxa yenkazimulo yokukhanya lokho, ngafika eDamaseko ngibanjwe ngesandla yilabo engangilabo.
12 “Indoda okuthiwa ngu-Ananiya eyesaba uNkulunkulu, egcina uMthetho njalo ekhulunyelwa kuhle yiwo wonke amaJuda
13 yeza kimi. Yafika yama eduze kwami yathi kimi: ‘Sawuli mfowethu, amehlo akho kawaphinde abone!’ Ngaso kanye lesosikhathi ngakhangela ngayibona.
14 Yathi: ‘UNkulunkulu wabokhokho bethu usekukhethile ukuthi wazi intando yakhe futhi ubone olungileyo, uzwe lelizwi lomlomo wakhe,
15 ngoba uzakuba ngufakazi wakhe ebantwini bonke, ubatshele zonke izinto ozibonileyo lozizwileyo.
16 Manje usalindeni? Sukuma ubhabhathizwe, ugeze izono zakho ngokubiza ibizo lakhe.’
17 “Kodwa ngathi sengiphendukile eJerusalema, ngithandaza ethempelini, ngafikelwa ngumbono,
18 ngabona iNkosi isithi kimi: ‘Phangisa uphume eJerusalema masinyane ngoba kabasoze bakwamukele okufakazayo ngami.’
19 Ngasengisithi: ‘Nkosi, abantu labo bakwazi mhlophe ukuthi ngangijayele ukubaphosela ejele abakholwa kuwe njalo ngangibabhaxabula isinagogi ngesinagogi.
20 Lalapho igazi likaStefane ufakazi wakho lichithwa, ngangimi khonapho ngivumelana lababembulala futhi ngilinde izembatho zabo zangaphandle.’
21 Loba kunjalo yathi kimi: ‘Hamba, ngoba ngizakuthuma ezizweni ezikhatshana.’”
22 Babelokhu bemlalele, kodwa wathi esekhulume amazwi lawo bamemeza bathi: “Kasuswe emhlabeni umuntu lo ngoba akufanelanga aphile!”
23 Babeklabalala bejikela izembatho zabo zangaphandle le lale, bephosela uthuli emoyeni. Yikho
24 induna yamabutho yalaya ukuthi uPhawuli alethwe enkambeni yamasotsha, yathi kabuzisiswe ebhaxabulwa ukuze ikwazi kuhle ukuthi kungani abantu babememeza kangako besithi uPhawuli kabulawe.
25 Kodwa bathi sebembophile ukuze bamtshaye, uPhawuli wathi kumkhokheli webutho owayemi khonapho: “Kusemthethweni yini ukuthi ubhaxabule umuntu ongumRoma* engalahlwanga licala?”*
26 Umkhokheli webutho uthe elizwa lelo wasuka wayabikela induna yamabutho wathi: “Pho usuzakwenzani? Indoda le ingumRoma.”
27 Ngakho induna yamabutho yamlanda yathi kuye: “Akungitshele, ungumRoma yini?” Yena wathi: “Yebo.”
28 Induna yamabutho yasisithi: “Ngawathenga ngemali enengi kakhulu amalungelo okuba yisizalwane saseRoma.” UPhawuli wathi: “Manje mina ngazalwa ngilawo.”
29 Amadoda ayesefuna ukumthonisisa emhlukuluza ahle amyekela atshedela emuva. Induna yamabutho yesaba inanzelela ukuthi wayengumRoma lokuthi yayimbophe ngamaketane.
30 Yikho ngelanga elilandelayo yamkhulula yatshela abaphristi abakhokhelayo leSanihedrini yonke ukuthi babuthane ngoba yayifuna ukwazi sibili ukuthi kungani amaJuda ayemmangalela. Yasisehla loPhawuli yammisa phakathi kwabo.
Amabala angaphansi
^ NgesiGrikhi, “enyaweni zikaGamaliyeli.”
^ Kumbe, “isizalwane seRoma.”
^ Kumbe, “engathonisiswanga?”
