1, 2. (a) Impilo yethu ibizakuba njani ngabe kasilalo iBhayibhili? (b) Kuyini okungenza silizwisise iBhayibhili?

IMPILO yethu ibizakuba nzima kakhulu ngabe kasilalo iBhayibhili. Besingeke simazi uNkulunkulu njalo besingasoze sizithole izimpendulo zemibuzo ephathelane lokuphila kwethu kanye lekusasa lethu. Bekuzakuba nzima lokuthi siyazi indlela uJehova ayephatha ngayo abantu endulo futhi besizakuba ngumhlambi kazelusile ngoba kungelamithetho esiqondisayo.

² Siyambonga uNkulunkulu ngoba usinike iLizwi lakhe njalo ku-Isaya 40:8 wathembisa ukuthi lizahlala likhona kuze kube nini lanini. Lanxa umbhalo lo ungakhulumi ngeBhayibhili ngokwalo, isimiso esikuwo singasetshenziswa nxa kukhulunywa ngalo. Umphostoli uPhetro wayisebenzisa ivesi le ngesikhathi eloba enye incwadi yakhe. (Bala u-1 Phetro 1:24, 25.) Abanengi abalithandayo iLizwi likaNkulunkulu sebakubona ukuthi kulula kakhulu ukulizwisisa nxa ulibala ngolimi oluzwisisayo. Lanxa kunjalo abahumutshi beBhayibhili badlule ebunzimeni obukhulu ngesikhathi belihumutsha njalo belidinda ukuze lifikiswe ebantwini. Umsebenzi wabo wafeza injongo kaNkulunkulu  ngoba kuyintando yakhe ukuthi “abantu bonke basindiswe njalo balazi iqiniso.”​—1 Tim. 2:3, 4.

3. Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

³ Esihlokweni lesi sizaxoxa ngokuthi iLizwi likaNkulunkulu lidlule njani ebunzimeni (1) bokuntshintsha kwezindimi, (2) ukuntshintsha kwemibuso, (3) lokuhlukuluzwa kwabantu ababelihumutsha. Ukuxoxa ngemicijo le kuzasinceda ukuthi simthande kakhulu uBaba wethu osezulwini futhi siliqakathekise iLizwi lakhe.​—Mik. 4:2; Rom. 15:4.

4. (a) Yiluphi untshintsho olubakhona ezindimini ezikhulunywa ngabantu? (b) Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu uthanda bonke abantu njalo wena uzizwa njani ngakho?

⁴ Izindimi ziyantshintsha ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Mhlawumbe lawe uyake ukunanzelele kolwakho ulimi ukuthi amabala ayesetshenziswa kudala awasasebenzi khathesi. Kunjalo langezindimi ezasetshenziswa ukuloba iBhayibhili. Ngokwesibonelo isiHebheru lesiGrikhi esikhulunywa lamuhla sitshiyene lesasisetshenziswa ngesikhathi kulotshwa iBhayibhili. Ngakho abantu abakhuluma izindimi lezi lamuhla kuyadingakala ukuthi bathole iBhayibhili elihunyutshwe ngendlela abakhuluma ngayo khathesi. Loba kunjalo abanye bacabanga ukuthi kungcono bafunde isiHebheru lesiGrikhi sakudala ukuze benelise ukuzwisisa iBhayibhili ngolimi elalotshwa ngalo. Kodwa iqiniso elikhona yikuthi ukwenza njalo akusoze kubancede kangako. * Khathesi iBhayibhili selitholakala ngezindimi ezedlula 3 000. Kuyakhanya ukuthi uJehova ufuna abantu ‘bezizwe zonke lezizwana kanye lezindimi’ zonke balithole iLizwi lakhe. (Bala iSambulo 14:6.) Kumele ukuthi ukuzwa lokhu kukwenza usondele kuNkulunkulu wethu ongelalo ubandlululo.​—ImiSeb. 10:34.

5. Kuyini okwenza abantu bayithanda kakhulu i-King James Version?

⁵ Ukuntshintsha kwezindimi kwenze kwaba lontshintsho lasemsebenzini wokuhumutsha iBhayibhili. Ngokwesibonelo iBhayibhili elalingabe lizwisiseka kudala lingacina lingasazwisiseki ngenxa yokuntshintsha kolimi. Ake ucabange ngeBhayibhili lesiNgisi okuthiwa yi-King James Version elahunyutshwa ngomnyaka ka-1611. Ngalesosikhathi lalizwisiseka futhi abantu babelithanda kakhulu okokuthi lamabala ayekulo babewasebenzisa ekukhulumeni kwansuku zonke. Kodwa iBhayibhili leli lalisebenzisa ibizo likaNkulunkulu emavesini amalutshwana kuphela. Ikanti eMibhalweni eminengi yesiHebheru lapho okwakutholakala khona ibizo likaNkulunkulu abahumutshi balo babefaka ibala elithi “nkosi” belibhale ngamabala amakhulu. Ngokuya kwesikhathi basebekwenza lokhu laseMibhalweni yamaKhristu yesiGrikhi. Ngokwenza lokhu abahumutshi beBhayibhili leli batshengisa ukuthi bayakuvuma ukuthi ibizo likaNkulunkulu kumele libe khona lakuThestamente Elitsha.

6. Kuyini okwenza uyikhwabithe i-New World Translation?

⁶ Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi amabala amanengi ayesetshenziswe ku-King James Version ayesemadala futhi engasazwisiseki ebantwini abakhuluma isiNgisi. Lokhu kwenzakala lakwamanye amaBhayibhili ayehunyutshwe  ngezinye izindimi. Ngakho siyayibonga kakhulu inhlanganiso yethu ngokusilungisela i-New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures ka-2013. IBhayibhili leli selitholakala ngezindimi ezedlula 150 njalo lokhu sekuncede abantu abanengi ukuthi bakholise ukulibala ngolimi lwabo. (Hubo. 119:97) Okuhle yikuthi abahumutshi balo balifaka ibizo likaNkulunkulu kuzo zonke izindawo elalitholakala kuzo eMibhalweni yakuqala.

7, 8. (a) Kuyini okwabangela ukuthi amaJuda amanengi angayizwisisi iMibhalo yesiHebheru? (b) Kuyini i-Septuagint?

⁷ Ukuntshintsha kwemibuso lakho kwenze ukuthi kube lenguquko ezindimini ezikhulunywa ngabantu abanengi. Lanxa kunjalo uNkulunkulu ube leqiniso lokuthi untshintsho lolu kalwenzi ukuthi abantu bangasalizwisisi iLizwi lakhe. Ngokwesibonelo iMibhalo yesiHebheru yalotshwa ngama-Israyeli futhi yibo ‘ababephathiswe amazwi kaNkulunkulu’ ngalesosikhathi. (Rom. 3:1, 2) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi amaJuda amanengi ayengasasizwisisi isiHebheru ngoba u-Alexander owayengumbusi weGreece wathumba izindawo ezinengi emhlabeni zaba ngaphansi kombuso wakhe. (Dan. 8:5-7, 20, 21) Ngakho isiGrikhi yilo ulimi olwaselukhulunywa ngabantu abanengi kuhlanganisa lamaJuda amanengi ayesezindaweni ezitshiyeneyo. Njengoba amaJuda ayesekhuluma isiGrikhi kwasekunzima ukuthi ayizwisise iMibhalo eyayilotshwe ngolimi lwesiHebheru. Pho yalungiswa njani indaba le?

⁸ Kusasele iminyaka engaba ngu-250 ukuthi uJesu abuye emhlabeni amabhuku amahlanu esiHebheru ahunyutshwa ngolimi lwesiGrikhi. Ngokuya kwesikhathi yonke iMibhalo yesiHebheru yayisitholakala ngolimi lolu. IBhayibhili leli lalibizwa ngokuthi yi-Septuagint futhi yilo elokuqala elahunyutshwa ngolimi lwesiGrikhi lisuselwa kusiHebheru.

9. (a) Kwabanceda njani abantu ukuthola amaBhayibhili ayehunyutshwe ngezindimi abazizwisisayo? (b) Yiphi ivesi oyithanda kakhulu eMibhalweni yesiHebheru?

⁹ IBhayibhili leli okwakuthiwa yi-Septuagint laba lusizo kakhulu kumaJuda ayekhuluma isiGrikhi lakwabanye abantu. Kumele ukuthi kwabathokozisa kakhulu ukuthola iLizwi likaNkulunkulu ngolimi ababeluzwisisa. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi iBhayibhili laselitholakala langezinye izindimi ezazikhulunywa ngalesosikhathi ezigoqela isiLathini, isi-Aramayikhi lesiGothikhi. Njengoba abantu basebebala iMibhalo engcwele ngolimi lwabo kwasekulula ukuthi bayizwisise njalo babe lamavesi abawathandayo njengathi lamuhla. (Bala iHubo 119:162-165.) Kuyakhanya ukuthi untshintsho olubekhona ezindimini ezitshiyeneyo aluzange lwenze ukuthi iLizwi likaNkulunkulu litshabalale.

10. Kungani abantu abanengi babengelalo iBhayibhili ngesikhathi sikaJohn Wycliffe?

¹⁰ Ngezinye izikhathi kwakusiba labantu ababengafuni ukuthi iBhayibhili libe sezandleni zabantu abanengi. Lanxa kunjalo bakhona abanye ababemthanda uNkulunkulu abangazange bakuvume lokhu. Omunye wabo nguJohn Wycliffe owayehlala eNgilandi ngeminyaka yabo 1330 kusiya ku-1384. Indoda le yayikholwa ukuthi wonke umuntu kumele athole iLizwi likaNkulunkulu ukuze limsize. Loba kunjalo abantu abanengi eNgilandi ngalesosikhathi babengelawo  amaBhayibhili futhi kwakungalula ukuwathola. Lokhu kwakubangelwa yikuthi ayebhalwa ngesandla futhi edula kakhulu. Kanti njalo abantu abanengi babengakwazi ukubala. Lanxa iBhayibhili lalingabe libalwa emasontweni abo kumele ukuthi babengalizwisisi ngenxa yokuthi lalibalwa ngesiLathini. Balutshwana kakhulu abantu ababesazi isiLathini ngalesosikhathi ngakho kwakunzima ukuthi balizwisise iBhayibhili.​—Zaga. 2:1-5.

11. Umsebenzi wokuhumutsha owenziwa nguJohn Wycliffe wabanceda njani abantu abanengi?

¹¹ Ngo-1382 uJohn Wycliffe labanye bakhe bahumutsha iBhayibhili ngolimi lwesiNgisi. IBhayibhili leli laqalisa ukusetshenziswa liqembu labantu ababebizwa ngokuthi ngamaLollards ababekuthanda ukufunda iBhayibhili. Abantu laba babehamba bebhoda ezindaweni ezitshiyeneyo eNgilandi betshumayela. Babesithi bangafika emizini yabantu babafundele iBhayibhili leli njalo babatshiyele ezinye izingxenye zalo ezazibhalwe ngesandla. Umsebenzi wabo wanceda abantu abanengi ukuthi balazi iBhayibhili.

12. Umsebenzi owenziwa nguWycliffe labanye bakhe wabaphatha njani abafundisi besonto?

¹² Lokhu okwenziwa nguWycliffe labanye bakhe akubaphathanga kuhle abafundisi besonto. Ngakho baqalisa ukuhlukuluza amaLollards njalo badinga amaBhayibhili ayehunyutshwe nguWycliffe futhi abawatholayo bawatshisa. Babiza uWycliffe ngokuthi ngumuntu oyingozi ofundisa amanga. Lanxa kunjalo kwaba nzima ukuthi bamjezise ngoba wayesefile, ngakho bagebha amathambo akhe bawatshisa futhi baphosela umlotha wakhona emfuleni. Abakhokheli laba kabazange baphumelele ukuvimba abantu ababelesifiso sokubala iBhayibhili lokulizwisisa. Ngeminyaka eyalandelayo abantu be-Europe lakwezinye izindawo emhlabeni baqalisa ukuhumutsha iBhayibhili njalo balidinda ngezindimi ezazikhulunywa ngabantu.

13. Kuyini esileqiniso lakho njalo ukwazi lokho kusinceda njani?

¹³ IBhayibhili liphefumulelwe nguNkulunkulu kodwa lokhu akutsho ukuthi  ukuhunyutshwa kwamaBhayibhili esikhulume ngawo esihlokweni lesi lakho kwaphefumulelwa. Loba kunjalo nxa sikhangela umsebenzi owenziwa ngabahumutshi bamaBhayibhili la kanye lamanye akhona kusegcekeni ukuthi iLizwi likaNkulunkulu limi kuze kube nini lanini. Ukwazi lokhu kusenza sibe leqiniso lokuthi zonke izithembiso zikaJehova zizagcwaliseka loba sekutheni.—Josh. 23:14.

14. ILizwi likaNkulunkulu lisinceda njani?

¹⁴ Ukubona indlela uJehova alondoloze ngayo iLizwi lakhe kuyaluqinisa ukholo lwethu futhi kwenza simthande kakhulu. * Khumbula ukuthi okwenza wasinika lona yikuthi uyasithanda njalo ufuna lisincede ukuze sithokoze empilweni. (Bala u-Isaya 48:17, 18.) Lokhu kumele kusifuqe ukuthi simthande njalo silalele imithetho yakhe.​—1 Joh. 4:19; 5:3.

15. Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁵ Nxa silithanda iLizwi likaNkulunkulu kufanele sizimisele ukugebha sijule kulo ukuze sithole amagugu angasinceda. Kuyini okungakusiza ukuthi uncedakale nxa ubala iBhayibhili? Ungenzani ukuze usize abantu ukuthi balithande nxa usekutshumayeleni? Abafundisayo ebandleni bangenzani ukuze kukhanye ukuthi abakufundisayo kuvela eLizwini likaNkulunkulu? Imibuzo le sizaxoxa ngayo esihlokweni esilandelayo.