ImiSebenzi Yabaphostoli 9:1-43
9 Kodwa uSawuli wayelokhu ebasongela abafundi beNkosi+ futhi efuna ngabomvu ukubabulala. Ngakho waya kumphristi omkhulu
2 wafika wacela izincwadi ayezahamba lazo emasinagogeni eDamaseko ukuze ayebopha abaleyoNdlela,+ amadoda labesifazana, abuye labo eJerusalema.
3 Wathi esezafika eDamaseko kwaphazima ukukhanya okuvela ezulwini kwakhanyisa lapho ayekhona.+
4 Wawela phansi wasesizwa ilizwi lisithi kuye: “Sawuli, Sawuli, kanti ungihlukuluzelani?”
5 Yena wabuza wathi: “Ungubani Nkosi?” Ilizwi lathi: “NginguJesu,+ lowo omhlukuluzayo.+
6 Sukuma ungene edolobheni, uzatshelwa okumele ukwenze.”
7 Amadoda ayehamba laye wona amangala aswela lokuthi athini. Ayelizwa sibili ilizwi kodwa engaboni muntu.+
8 USawuli wasukuma kodwa wayengasaboni lutho lanxa wayevule amehlo. Yikho bamqhuba bembambe ngesandla bayangena laye eDamaseko.
9 Wahlala engaboni okwamalanga amathathu,+ engadli futhi enganathi lutho.
10 EDamaseko kwakulomfundi okwakuthiwa ngu-Ananiya.+ INkosi yakhuluma laye embonweni yathi: “Ananiya!” Yena wathi: “Ngilapha Nkosi.”
11 INkosi yasisithi kuye: “Suka uye emgwaqweni obizwa ngokuthi nguMgwaqo Oqondileyo. Ungafika endlini kaJudasi udinge indoda okuthiwa nguSawuli edabuka eThasu.+ Sikhuluma nje iyathandaza
12 njalo ibone umuntu okuthiwa ngu-Ananiya embonweni engena futhi eyibeka izandla ukuze iphinde ibone.”+
13 U-Ananiya waphendula wathi: “Nkosi, banengi abantu esengibazwe bekhuluma ngendoda le, bekhuluma ngaso sonke isihluku eyasenza abangcwele bakho eJerusalema.
14 Ilapha nje iphiwe amandla ngabaphristi abakhokhelayo ukuze ibophe bonke ababiza ibizo lakho.”+
15 Kodwa iNkosi yathi kuye: “Hamba! Indoda le iyisitsha sami engisikhethileyo,+ izafakaza ngebizo lami ezizweni+ lasemakhosini+ kanye lasebantwini bako-Israyeli.
16 Ngizayitshengisa ukuthi izahlupheka kangakanani ngenxa yebizo lami.”+
17 U-Ananiya wahamba wafika wangena endlini leyo, wambeka izandla uSawuli wathi: “Sawuli mfowethu, iNkosi uJesu ebonakale kuwe emgwaqweni obuhamba ngawo ingithumile ukuze uphinde ubone njalo wamukele umoya ongcwele.”+
18 Khonokho nje emehlweni akhe kwakhithika okwakungathi ngamaxolo enhlanzi, waqalisa ukubona. Wasesukuma wabhabhathizwa
19 njalo wadla wathola amandla.
Wahlala labafundi eDamaseko okwamalanga athile,+
20 wahle waqalisa ukutshumayela emasinagogeni etshela abantu ukuthi uJesu uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.
21 Kodwa bonke ababemuzwa babemangala kakhulu bathi: “Indoda le ayisiyo yini ebihlukuluza abaseJerusalema ababiza ibizo leli?+ Kanti ayibuyanga lapha ilande ukuzobabopha ukuze ibase kubaphristi abakhokhelayo?”+
22 Loba kunjalo uSawuli waqhubeka esiba lamandla kakhulu futhi etshengisa ngendlela ecacileyo ukuthi lo nguye uKhristu,+ amaJuda aseDamaseko aze asala engelankani.
23 Kwathi sekwedlule insuku ezinengi amaJuda ahlanganisa amakhanda abumba icebo lokumbulala.+
24 Kodwa icebo lawo lafika endlebeni zikaSawuli. AmaJuda ayesehlala elinde amagedi edolobho emini lebusuku ukuze ambulale.
25 Ngakho abafundi bamehlisa ebusuku ngesikhala esasisemdulini, bemfake ebhasikitini enkulu.+
26 Wathi efika eJerusalema+ wazama ukuzihlanganisa labafundi kodwa bonke babemesaba ngoba babengakholwa ukuthi usengumfundi.
27 Wancedwa nguBhanabha+ owamthatha wahamba laye kubaphostoli. Wabalandisela konke okwakwenzakale kuSawuli, ukuthi wayebone iNkosi+ emgwaqweni lokuthi yayikhulume laye. Wabatshela lokuthi eDamaseko wayekhulume ngebizo likaJesu ngesibindi.+
28 Ngakho uSawuli wahlala labo futhi wayezihambela eJerusalema ekhululekile, ekhuluma ngebizo leNkosi ngesibindi.
29 Wayekhuluma futhi ephikisana lamaJuda akhuluma isiGrikhi, wona asezama ukumbulala.+
30 Abazalwane bathi bekuzwa lokho bamusa eKhesariya, basebemdlulisela eThasu.+
31 Ngemva kwalokho wonke amabandla ayeseJudiya leGalile kanye leSamariya+ aba sesikhathini sokuthula futhi aqhubeka eqiniswa. Abafundi banda njengoba babephila impilo yokumesaba uJehova* njalo bevuma ukududuzwa ngumoya ongcwele.+
32 UPhetro wahamba ebhoda isabelo sonke waze wayafika lakwabangcwele ababehlala eLida.+
33 Endaweni le wathola indoda okwakuthiwa ngu-Eniya eyayome umhlubulo. Yayisileminyaka engu-8 ilele embhedeni ingavuki.
34 UPhetro wathi kuyo: “Eniya, uJesu Khristu uyakusilisa.+ Sukuma wendlule umbheda wakho.”+ U-Eniya wahle wasukuma.
35 Bonke ababehlala eLida lasemagcekeni eSharoni bathi bembona baphendukela eNkosini.
36 EJopha kwakulomfundi okwakuthiwa nguThabitha, okutsho ukuthi “Dokhasi.”* Wayesenza izinto ezinengi ezinhle futhi esipha abayanga izipho ayezenza.
37 Kodwa ngalezonsuku wagula wafa, basebemgezisa bambeka endlini ephezulu.
38 Njengoba iLida yayiseduze leJopha, abafundi bathi besizwa ukuthi uPhetro useLida bathuma amadoda amabili ukuthi ayekuthi kuye: “Sicela ufike kithi masinyane.”
39 UPhetro wasukuma wahamba labo. Wathi efika bamusa endlini ephezulu, bonke abafelokazi beza kuye bekhala bemtshengisa izigqoko ezinengi lamajazi* ayethungwe nguDokhasi.
40 UPhetro wakhiphela wonke umuntu phandle,+ waguqa wathandaza. Wasetshibilika wakhangela isidumbu wathi: “Thabitha, vuka!” Wathi evula amehlo wabona uPhetro, wasevuka wahlala.+
41 UPhetro waqhuba isandla wamsukumisa, wasebiza abangcwele labafelokazi wabatshengisa ukuthi uThabitha wayesephila.+
42 Lokhu kwaziwa kulo lonke elaseJopha njalo abanengi bakholwa eNkosini.+
43 UPhetro waqhubeka eseJopha okwamalanga amanengi, ehlala lomtshuki wezikhumba okuthiwa nguSimoni.+
Amabala angaphansi
^ Khangela iSengezo ku-A5.
^ Ibizo lesiGrikhi elithi Dokhasi lelesi-Aramu elithi Thabitha womabili atsho ukuthi, “Impala.”
^ Kumbe, “lezembatho zangaphandle.”
