1. Kungani abantu abanengi bengalithembi iBhayibhili?

 ABANTU abanengi abakwazi ukuthi bangathemba bani. Bayazibuza ukuthi abantu abayabe bekhangelele ukuthi babancede balendaba labo yini, ngokwesibonelo abezombusazwe labezesayensi labezamabhizimusi. Kanti njalo kababathembi abafundisi. Lokhu yikho okwenza bengalithembi iBhayibhili ngoba kababathembi labobafundisi abayabe besithi bayalilandela.

2. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo kuHubo 119:160, kuyini esingaba leqiniso lakho?

² Zonke izinceku zikaJehova azithandabuzi ukuthi ‘unguNkulunkulu weqiniso’ lokuthi uhlala ezifisela okuhle. (Hubo. 31:5; Isaya. 48:17) Siyakwazi ukuthi singakuthemba konke esikubala eBhayibhilini ngenxa yokuthi ‘ilizwi lakhe lonke liliqiniso.’ (Bala iHubo 119:160.) Sivumelana lokwatshiwo ngesinye isazi seBhayibhili esathi: “Akula ngitsho lokukodwa uNkulunkulu akukhulumileyo okungamanga kumbe okungasoze kugcwaliseke. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu bangakuthemba lokho akutshoyo ngenxa yokuthi bayamthemba lowo okukhulumileyo.”

3. Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

³ Kuyini esingakwenza ukuze sincede abanye labo balithembe iLizwi likaNkulunkulu? Sizaxoxa ngezizatho ezintathu zokuthi kungani kumele silithembe iBhayibhili. Sizabona ukuthi lokho elikutshoyo akutshintshanga lokuthi iziphrofetho ezikulo zigcwaliseke njani kanye lokuthi lilamandla okutshintsha impilo zabantu.

4. Kuyini okwenza abanye abantu bathandabuze ukuthi lokho okutshiwo liBhayibhili akutshintshanga?

⁴ UJehova uNkulunkulu wasebenzisa amadoda athembekileyo angaba ngu-40 ukuthi abhale iBhayibhili kodwa iMibhalo yokuqala abayibhalayo ayisekho. Esilakho khathesi ngamakhophi kuphela. Lokhu ngokunye okwenza abanye abantu bazibuze ukuthi okuseBhayibhilini yikho kanye yini okwakubhalwe ngamadoda abhala iBhayibhili. Wake wazibuza ukuthi kuyini okungenza sibe leqiniso lokuthi lokho okutshiwo liBhayibhili kulokhu kunjengoba kwakunjalo?

5. Ababesenza umsebenzi wokukopa iMibhalo yesiHebheru babekwenza njani lokho? (Khangela umfanekiso ongaphandle.)

⁵ UJehova watshela abantu bakhe ukuthi bakope iBhayibhili ukuze amazwi alo alondolozwe. Watshela amakhosi ako-Israyeli ukuthi abhale uMthetho emabhukwini awo njalo wakhetha amaLevi ukuthi afundise abantu uMthetho. (Dute. 17:18; 31:24-26; Neh. 8:7) AmaJuda athi esekhululiwe ekuthunjweni eBhabhiloni, iqembu lamadoda azingcitshi laqalisa ukwenza amakhophi eMibhalo yesiHebheru. (Ezra. 7:6, amabala angaphansi.) Amadoda la akwenza lokhu ngonanzelelo. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ababesenza umsebenzi lo babesithi nxa bangaqeda ukubhala babale amabala kanye lenhlamvu zamabala ababezibhalile ukuze babone ukuthi akukho okuseleyo kumbe okwengezelelweyo. Akhona amaphutha amancane angenayo njengoba amadoda la ayelesono. Kodwa kwakubhalwa amakhophi amanengi, yikho kwakusiba lula ukuthi amaphutha anje abonakale. Ayezabonakala njani?

6. Izazi zingabona njani lokho okwakungabe kuphanjaniswe yilabo ababekopa iBhayibhili?

⁶ Kulezinsuku izazi zilendlela engazinceda zibone lokho okwakuphanjaniswe yilabo ababekopa iBhayibhili. Ngokwesibonelo ake sithi amadoda angu-100 acelwe ukuthi akope indaba ethile ebhaliweyo, omunye ekukopeni kwakhe abesephambanisa kancane nje. Eyinye indlela esingabona ngayo lapho aphambanise khona yikuthatha iphepha lakhe besesiliqathanisa lawabanye. Lezazi ziyenelisa ukubona okwaphanjaniswayo loba okweqiwayo nxa ziqathanisa iMibhalo eminengi yasendulo.

7. Ababekopa iBhayibhili babewenza njani umsebenzi wabo?

⁷ Labo ababekopa iMibhalo yeBhayibhili yasendulo basebenza nzima ukuze bakope izinto eziqondileyo. Ake sikhangele isibonelo esitshengisa ukuthi kuliqiniso lokho. IMibhalo yesiHebheru emidala ukwedlula yonke ngeyabo-1008 C.E. b kumbe 1009 C.E. Ibizwa ngokuthi yiLeningrad Codex. Kodwa khathesi sekuleminye iMibhalo yasendulo lezinye izingxenye zeMibhalo esezitholakele ezindala kuleLeningrad Codex ngeminyaka engaba ngu-1000. Abanye bangacabanga ukuthi njengoba iMibhalo le yakotshwa kanengi phakathi kweminyaka engu-1000, iLeningrad Codex iyabe isitshiyene kakhulu leMibhalo le emidala. Kodwa lokho akusiloqiniso. Izazi eziqathanise iMibhalo emidala laleyo etholakale khathesi sezithole ukuthi lanxa kulomehluko omncane emabaleni asetshenzisiweyo, lokho akutshintshi okutshiwo ngamavesi aseBhayibhilini.

8. Yiwuphi umehluko okhona phakathi kweMibhalo yamaKhristu yesiGrikhi lamanye amabhuku asendulo?

⁸ AmaKhristu okuqala alingisela lokho okwakusenziwa ngababekopa iMibhalo yesiHebheru. Awakopa ngonanzelelo amabhuku eMibhalo yesiGrikhi angu-27 futhi yiwo ayewasebenzisa emihlanganweni yawo  lasekutshumayeleni. Esinye isazi sathi siqathanisa iMibhalo yesiGrikhi yasendulo ekhona kanye lamanye amabhuku abhalwa ngesikhathi iMibhalo le ibhalwa sathi: ‘Izikhathi ezinengi kuyabe kuleMibhalo yesiGrikhi eyakotshwayo eminengi ukwedlula amanye amabhuku akhona futhi iMibhalo le iyabe iphelele.’ Ibhuku okuthiwa yi-Anatomy of the New Testament lithi: “Lowo obalayo angaba leqiniso lokuthi akubalayo [eMibhalweni yesiGrikhi] ehunyutshwe kuhle yikho okwakubhalwe eMibhalweni yasendulo.”

9. U-Isaya 40:8 uthini ngeLizwi likaNkulunkulu?

⁹ Lamuhla sileBhayibhili eliqondileyo ngenxa yokuthi okweminyaka eminengi abantu ababekopa iBhayibhili babesebenza nzima ukuze babhale izinto eziqondileyo. c Sikwazi mhlophe ukuthi uJehova nguye owaba leqiniso lokuthi ilizwi lakhe eliya ebantwini liyalondolozwa linjengoba linjalo. (Bala u-Isaya 40:8.) Kodwa abanye abantu bangathi ukulondolozwa kweBhayibhili kuze kube namuhla kayisibo bufakazi bokuthi liphefumulelwe nguNkulunkulu. Ake sikhangele obunye ubufakazi obutshengisa ukuthi iBhayibhili liphefumulelwe nguNkulunkulu.

10. Nika isibonelo sesiphrofetho esagcwalisekayo esitshengisa ukuthi lokho okukhulunywa ku-2 Phetro 1:21 kuliqiniso. (Khangela imifanekiso.)

¹⁰ IBhayibhili lileziphrofetho ezinengi esezigcwalisekile njalo ezinye zakhona zagcwaliseka sekuleminyaka eminengi zabhalwa. Imbali itshengisa ukuthi iziphrofetho lezi zagcwaliseka sibili. Lokhu akusimangalisi ngoba siyakwazi ukuthi owabhala iziphrofetho eziseBhayibhilini nguJehova. (Bala u-2 Phetro 1:21.) Cabanga ngeziphrofetho ezimayelana lokunqotshwa kweBhabhiloni. Phakathi kweminyaka yabo-778 kusiya kubo-732 B.C.E., umphrofethi u-Isaya waphefumulelwa ukuthi abhale ngokunqotshwa kweBhabhiloni idolobho elalilamandla. Watsho lokuthi idolobho leli lalizanqotshwa nguKhoresi, waqamba lakho konke okwakuzakwenzakala ngesikhathi  idolobho leli linqotshwa. (Isaya. 44:27–45:2) U-Isaya waphinda waphrofetha ukuthi idolobho leli lalizatshabalaliswa lisale lingamanxiwa. (Isaya. 13:19, 20) Lokhu yikho kanye okwenzakalayo.AmaMede lamaPhesiya anqoba iBhabhiloni ngo-539 B.C.E., njalo indawo lapho okwakuledolobho leli elalidumile isingamanxiwa.—Khangela ividiyo ethi IBhayibhili Laphrofetha Ngokunqotshwa KweBhabhiloni ebhukwini elithi Ungathokoza Kuze Kube Nini Lanini!, isifundo 03 umcijo 5.

11. Chasisa ukuthi uDanyeli 2:41-43 ugcwaliseka njani namuhla.

¹¹ Ukugcwaliseka kweziphrofetho eziseBhayibhilini akuphelelanga endulo kuphela kodwa lalamuhla lokhu zigcwaliseka. Cabanga ngokugcwaliseka kwesiphrofetho sikaDanyeli esimayelana lombuso olamandla ukwedlula yonke oweBritain le-America. (Bala uDanyeli 2:41-43.) Isiphrofetho lesi satshaya khona lapho sisithi umbuso lo wawuzakuba “lamandla nganxanye” njengensimbi uphinde “ube buthakathaka nganxanye” njengebumba. Lokhu yikho obekusenzakala. IBritain le-America itshengise ukuthi ilamandla njengensimbi njengoba yenza umsebenzi omkhulu ekunqobeni empini yomhlaba wonke yokuqala leyesibili njalo ilamandla amakhulu kwezempi. Kodwa amandla ayo abebuthakathaka ngenxa yabantu abavukelayo belwela amalungelo abantu lawezisebenzi kanye labanye nje abahlamukela uhulumende. Esinye isikhwicamfundo kwezombusazwe sathi: “I-America iphucukile sibili futhi abantu bakhona balenkululeko kodwa alikho elinye ilizwe emhlabeni elilabantu abangabambananga njengayo.” Kanti njalo iBritain, ingxenye yombuso lo womhlaba wonke ibilohlupho ngenxa yemibono etshiyeneyo mayelana lokuthi kumele isebenzelane njani lamanye amazwe aku-European Union. Lokhu bekusenza kubenzima ukuthi umbuso weBritain le-America wenze lokho ofuna ukukwenza.

12. Iziphrofetho eziseBhayibhilini zisinceda njani?

¹² Iziphrofetho ezinengi eziseBhayibhilini esezigcwalisekile zenza singathandabuzi lakancane ukuthi lokho uNkulunkulu asithembisa khona kuzakwenzakala. Sizizwa njengomhubi owathandaza esithi: “Ngiyilindele ngabomvu insindiso yakho ngoba ngithembele elizwini lakho.” (Hubo. 119:81) UJehova usinike “ithemba kanye lekusasa elihle” eLizwini lakhe iBhayibhili. (Jer. 29:11) Asithembelanga ebantwini kodwa sithembele kuJehova onguye yedwa ongasinika ikusasa elihle. Asiqhubekeni sikukhuthalele ukubala iziphrofetho eziseBhayibhilini ngoba lokhu kuzakwenza sihlale silithemba iLizwi likaNkulunkulu.

13. Yibuphi obunye ubufakazi esibuthola kuHubo 119:66, 138 obutshengisa ukuthi singalithemba iBhayibhili?

¹³ Obunye ubufakazi obungasenza silithembe iBhayibhili yikukhangela ukuthi kwenzakalani nxa abantu bangalandela lokho elikutshoyo. (Bala iHubo 119:66, 138.) Ngokwesibonelo abanye abantu okwasekusele kancane ukuthi badivose sebehlalisane kuhle ngenxa yokwenza okutshiwo liBhayibhili. Abantwababo bazizwa bevikelekile futhi bayabona ukuthi bayathandwa ngenxa yokuthi bayabe bekhuliswa emulini elothando.—Efe. 5:22-29.

14. Okwenzakala kuJack kutshengisa njani ukuthi iBhayibhili liyabatshintsha abantu?

¹⁴ IBhayibhili selincede lezigebenga eziyingozi ukuthi zitshintshe impilo yazo. Ake sixoxe ngokuthi lanceda njani esinye isibotshwa okuthiwa nguJack. d UJack wayeyisigebenga  esilodlakela futhi esiyingozi kakhulu phakathi kwalezo ezazigwetshelwe ukufa. Kodwa ngelinye ilanga uJack wafica abanye abazalwane beqhuba isifundo seBhayibhili wasejoyina. Abazalwane laba ababeqhuba isifundo seBhayibhili babelomusa futhi lokhu kwamthinta uJack waseqalisa laye ukufunda iBhayibhili. Eseqalise ukusebenzisa lokho ayekufunda eBhayibhilini watshintsha indlela ayeziphatha ngayo lobuntu bakhe waba ngumuntu olomusa. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uJack waba ngummemezeli ongabhabhathizwanga wacina esebhabhathiziwe. Wayekukhuthalele ukufundisa ezinye izibotshwa ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu njalo wancedisa abangaba ngu-4 ukuthi bafunde iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini. Ilanga lokubulawa kwakhe lathi lifika uJack wayesengumuntu osetshintshile. Elinye igqwetha lakhe lathi: “UJack kasenguye muntu engangimazi eminyakeni engu-20 eyadlulayo. Okufundiswa ngoFakazi bakaJehova sekuyitshintshile impilo yakhe.” Lanxa uJack wabulawa, isibonelo sakhe sitshengisa ukuthi singalithemba iLizwi likaNkulunkulu lokuthi lilamandla okutshintsha abantu babe ngabantu abangcono kakhulu.—Isaya. 11:6-9.

15. Ukusebenzisa iLizwi likaNkulunkulu kubanceda njani abantu bakhe lamuhla? (Khangela umfanekiso.)

¹⁵ Abantu bakaJehova babambene ngenxa yokuthi basebenzisa okutshiwo liBhayibhili. (Joh. 13:35; 1 Khor. 1:10) Ukuthula lokubambana okuphakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu kuyamangalisa ngoba abantu abanengi emhlabeni kababambananga ngenxa yezombusazwe lokubandlululana ngemihlobo loba ngezinto umuntu alazo. UJean wamangala lapho ebona ukubambana okukhona phakathi kwabantu bakaJehova. Wakhulela kwelinye ilizwe elise-Africa. Kwathi kusiba lempi elizweni lelo wangena esisotsheni kodwa ngemva kwesikhathi wabalekela kwelinye ilizwe elingumakhelwane. Eselapho wahlangana laboFakazi bakaJehova. UJean uthi: “Ngafunda ukuthi abantu abalandela inkolo yeqiniso kabangeneli kwezombangazwe futhi bamanyene njalo bayathandana.” Uqhubeka esithi:  “Ngangizinikele ukuthi ngilwele ilizwe lakithi kodwa ngathi sengifunde iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini nganikela impilo yami kuJehova.” UJean watshintsha sibili. Khathesi kasalwi labantu beminye imihlobo kodwa usetshela wonke umuntu ahlangana laye iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini elenza abantu bamanyane. Indlela iBhayibhili elinceda ngayo abantu bemihlobo etshiyeneyo iyibufakazi bokuthi singalithemba sibili iLizwi likaNkulunkulu.

16. Kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi siqhubeke silithemba iBhayibhili?

¹⁶ Izinto zizaqhubeka zisiba nzima, yikho kungaba nzima ukuthi siqhubeke silithemba iLizwi likaNkulunkulu. Abantu bangazama ukusenza sithandabuze ukuthi iBhayibhili lileqiniso, lokuthi uJehova uyibekile sibili inceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo ukuthi ikhokhele abantu bakhe lamuhla. Kodwa nxa singathandabuzi ukuthi iLizwi likaJehova lileqiniso kasisoze sivume ukuthi izinto lezi zixegise ukholo lwethu. ‘Sizazimisela ukulalela imilayo yakhe zikhathi zonke, kuze kube sekucineni.’ (Hubo. 119:112) ‘Asisoze sibe lenhloni’ zokutshela abantu iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini kanye lokubakhuthaza ukuthi balandele lokho elikutshoyo. (Hubo. 119:46) Kanti njalo sizenelisa ukuqinisela ebunzimeni ‘sibekezela futhi sithokoza’ lanxa sihlukuluzwa.—Kol. 1:11; Hubo. 119:143, 157.

17. Umbhalo wethu womnyaka uzasikhumbuzani?

¹⁷ Siyambonga kakhulu uJehova ngoba usivezele iqiniso! Lisenza sihlaliseke sikwazi ukuthi siphilelani njalo liphinda lisifundise ukuthi singaphila njani emhlabeni lo ogcwele ingxabangxoza leziphithiphithi. Lisinika ithemba lokuthi sizakuba lekusasa elihle sesibuswa nguMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Sengathi umbhalo womnyaka ka-2023 ungasenza singathandabuzi ngitsho lakancane ukuthi konke okuseLizwini likaNkulunkulu kuliqiniso!—Hubo. 119:160.