1. Kuyini okungasiduduza nxa sicabanga ukuthi akulamuntu ongasincedisa ukuthi siqinisele ebunzimeni? (IHubo 118:5-7)

NXA uyake ucabange ukuthi akulamuntu ongakuncedisa ukuthi uqinisele ebunzimeni awuwedwa. Zinengi izinceku zikaJehova ezithembekileyo lazo eziyake zicabange njalo. (1 AmaKho. 19:14) Kodwa khumbula isithembiso lesi sikaJehova: “Kangisoze ngikutshiye loba sekutheni, njalo kangisoze ngikulahle loba sekutheni.” Yikho singatsho singathandabuzi sithi: “UJehova ungumsizi wami; kangisoze ngesabe.” (Heb. 13:5, 6) Kungenzakala umphostoli uPhawuli wabhalela amaKhristu aseJudiya amazwi la ngo-61 C.E. * Amazwi akhe asikhumbuza okutshiwo kuHubo 118:5-7.—Bala.

2. Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi njalo kungani?

² Njengomhubi, uPhawuli wayekwazi ukuthi uJehova ungumsizi wakhe ngenxa yokuthi wayeke wamnceda izikhathi ezinengi. Ngokwesibonelo, kwathi sekusele iminyaka engaba mibili ukuthi abhale incwadi eya kumaHebheru, wasinda ngesikhathi ehamba ngomkhumbi elwandle olwalulesiphepho esilolaka. (ImiSeb. 27:4, 15, 20) Phakathi kohambo lolo, uJehova wamnceda ngendlela ezinengi njengoba wayeke wenza eminyakeni eyayedlule. Sizaxoxa ngezintathu zakhona. Wamnceda esebenzisa uJesu lezingilosi, abantu ababesezikhundleni kanye labazalwane. Ukuhlola lokho okwenzakala kuPhawuli kuzenza sisikholwe sibili isithembiso sikaJehova sokuthi uzasiphendula nxa sithandaza kuye sicela uncedo.

3. UPhawuli wayengabe ezibuzani futhi kungani?

³ Kungenzakala ukuthi kwakungumnyaka ka-56 C.E., lapho ixuku lihudulela uPhawuli phandle kwethempeli eJerusalema futhi lizama ukumbulala. Ngelanga elilandelayo eselethwe phambi kweSanihedrini izitha zakhe zaphosa zamdabudabula. Yikho uPhawuli wayeludinga sibili uncedo. (ImiSeb. 21:30-32; 22:30; 23:6-10) Ngalesosikhathi kumele ukuthi wayezibuza ukuthi uzenelisa yini ukuqhubeka eqinisela.

4. UJehova wamsiza njani uPhawuli esebenzisa uJesu?

⁴ UJesu wamsiza njani uPhawuli? Ngobusuku obalandela ukubotshwa kukaPhawuli, “iNkosi” uJesu yema eceleni kwakhe yathi: “Woba lesibindi! Njengoba nje ubufakaza ngami ngokugcweleyo eJerusalema, kumele uyefakaza laseRoma.” (ImiSeb. 23:11) Lokhu kwamkhuthaza sibili uPhawuli. UJesu wamncoma ngokufakaza ayekwenze eJerusalema wasemthembisa ukuthi uzafika kuhle eRoma, lapho ayezaphinda afakaze khona. Kumele ukuthi isithembiso leso senza uPhawuli wazizwa evikelekile njengomntwana ophethwe nguyise.

5. UJehova wamsiza njani uPhawuli esebenzisa ingilosi? (Khangela umfanekiso ongaphandle.)

⁵ Yibuphi obunye ubunzima obehlela uPhawuli? Ngemva kweminyaka engaba mibili ephose wabulawa eJerusalema, wagada umkhumbi owawusiya e-Ithali. Kwaba lesiphepho esasisidla ubhedu okokuthi ababesemkhunjini babecabanga ukuthi ulwandle luzakuba lingcwaba labo. Kodwa uPhawuli yena wayengesabi. Ngenxa yani? Watshela ayelabo emkhunjini wathi: “Ebusuku ingilosi kaNkulunkulu wami engimenzela inkonzo engcwele ifike yama eceleni kwami yathi: ‘Ungesabi Phawuli. Kumele ume phambi kukaKhesari, njalo bonke ohamba labo uNkulunkulu uzabasindisa ngenxa yakho.’” UJehova wasebenzisa ingilosi ukuthi iphinde isithembiso esasenziwe nguJesu. Lakanye uPhawuli wafika kuhle eRoma.—ImiSeb. 27:20-25; 28:16.

6. Yisiphi isithembiso sikaJesu esisiqinisayo futhi kungani?

⁶ UJesu usisiza njani? UJesu uyasisekela njengoba nje wasekela uPhawuli. Ngokwesibonelo uthembisa bonke abalandeli bakhe esithi: “Ngizabe ngilani kuze kube yisiphetho somumo lo wezinto.” (Mat. 28:20) Amazwi la ayasiqinisa ngoba ngezinye izikhathi impilo iyake ibe nzima. Ngokwesibonelo, nxa singafelwa yisihlobo kumbe ngumngane, sizwa ubuhlungu okweminyaka eminengi. Abanye bathwaliswe  nzima yikuguga. Abanye bona bayake bahlulukelwe. Lanxa kunjalo, siyaqinisela ngoba siyakwazi ukuthi uJesu ulathi langezikhathi ezinzima zokuphila kwethu.—Mat. 11:28-30.

7. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo kuSambulo 14:6, uJehova usisiza njani?

⁷ ILizwi likaNkulunkulu lisiqinisekisa ukuthi uJehova uyasisiza esebenzisa izingilosi zakhe. (Heb. 1:7, 14) Ngokwesibonelo ziyasisekela njalo zisikhokhele nxa sitshumayela ‘izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso’ ebantwini ‘bezizwe zonke, lezizwana, lezindimi.’—Mat. 24:13, 14; bala iSambulo 14:6.

8. UJehova wamsiza njani uPhawuli esebenzisa induna yamabutho?

⁸ Abasezikhundleni bamsiza njani uPhawuli? Ngo-56 C.E., uJesu wayethembise uPhawuli ukuthi uzafika kuhle eRoma. Kodwa amanye amaJuda eJerusalema ayefuna ukumcathamela ambulale. UKlawudiyu Lisiya owayeyinduna yamabutho watshelwa ngecebo lelo wasemnceda uPhawuli. Waphanga wakhipha umlayo wokuthi uPhawuli asuswe eJerusalema ahanjiswe eKhesariya futhi wahamba amakhilomitha angaba ngu-105 ngapha evikelwe ngamasotsha amanengi. Esekhonale uSibalukhulu uFelikhe walaya ukuthi uPhawuli “alindwe esigodlweni sikaHerodi.” AmaJuda ayengasoze enelise ukumbulala eselapho.—ImiSeb. 23:12-35.

9. USibalukhulu uFestu wamsiza njani uPhawuli?

⁹ Ngo-58 C.E., uPhawuli wayelokhu ebotshiwe eKhesariya. Ngalesosikhathi uFestu nguye owayesengusibalukhulu. AmaJuda amncenga ukuthi athumele uPhawuli eJerusalema ukuze athonisiswe khonale. Kodwa uFestu wala. Mhlawumbe usibalukhulu lo wayekwazi ukuthi amaJuda ‘afuna ukucathamela uPhawuli emgwaqweni ambulale.’—ImiSeb. 24:27–25:5.

10. USibalukhulu uFestu wathini uPhawuli esecele ukwahlulelwa nguKhesari?

¹⁰ Ngemva kwamalanga athile uPhawuli wathonisiswa eKhesariya. UFestu “wayefuna ukuthabisa amaJuda” yikho wabuza uPhawuli wathi: “Uyafuna yini ukuya eJerusalema uyekwahlulelwa ngezinto lezi phambi kwami?” UPhawuli wayekwazi ukuthi angabulawa eJerusalema njalo wayekwazi okwakumele akwenze ukuze asinde. Kwakumele aye eRoma futhi aqhubeke etshumayela. Yikho waphendula wathi: “Ngidlulisela icala kuKhesari!” UFestu uthe esekhulume labeluleki bakhe wathi kuPhawuli: “Usucele ukuthi icala lakho lidluliselwe kuKhesari, lakanye uzakuya kuKhesari.” Isinqumo esenziwa nguFestu savikela uPhawuli ezitheni zakhe. Ngesikhatshana nje wayezabe eseseRoma, khatshana lamaJuda ayefuna ukumbulala.—ImiSeb. 25:6-12.

11. Yiwaphi amazwi aqinisayo abhalwa ngu-Isaya okungenzakala uPhawuli wacabanga ngawo?

¹¹ Ngesikhathi uPhawuli elindele ukuya e-Ithali, kungenzakala wacabanga ngesixwayiso u-Isaya aphefumulelwa ukuthi asibhale mayelana lalabo abaphikisana loJehova: “Lungisani icebo lenu, kodwa [“lizafadalala,” NWT]: tshonini isu lenu, kodwa kaliyikuma, ngoba uJehova ulathi.” (Isaya. 8:10) UPhawuli wayekwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uzamsiza futhi lokhu kumele ukuthi kwamqinisa lapho ecabanga ngobunzima obabusazomehlela.

12. UJuliyu wamphatha njani uPhawuli futhi kungenzeka uPhawuli wananzelelani?

¹² UPhawuli waqalisa uhambo lwakhe lokuya e-Ithali. Wayekhangelwe ngumkhokheli  webutho okuthiwa nguJuliyu njengoba wayeyisibotshwa. UJuliyu wayengamthwalisa nzima uPhawuli kumbe amphathe kuhle. Manje wayezawasebenzisa njani amandla akhe? Ngelanga elilandelayo umkhumbi wafika wama eSidoni njalo “uJuliyu waba lomusa kuPhawuli, wamvumela ukuthi aye kubangane bakhe.” Ngemva kwensuku ezithile uJuliyu waphinda wanceda uPhawuli. Njani? Amasotsha ayesefuna ukubulala zonke izibotshwa ezazisemkhunjini kodwa uJuliyu wawavimbela ukwenza lokho ngoba “wayezimisele ukufika loPhawuli ephila.” Kumele ukuthi uPhawuli wananzelela ukuthi uJehova wayesebenzisa umkhokheli webutho lo olomusa ukuze amsize njalo amvikele.—ImiSeb. 27:1-3, 42-44.

13. UJehova angabasebenzisa njani abasezikhundleni?

¹³ Abasezikhundleni basisiza njani? UJehova angasebenzisa umoya wakhe ongcwele ukuze abantu abasezikhundleni benze lokho akufunayo. INkosi uSolomoni yathi: “Inhliziyo yenkosi isezandleni zikaJehova, uyiholela lapho athanda khona njengomsele wamanzi.” (Zaga. 21:1) Sitshoni isaga lesi? Abantu bangagebha umgelo ukuze baphambule amanzi agelezele lapho abafuna khona. UJehova laye angasebenzisa umoya wakhe ukutshintsha indlela ababusi abacabanga ngayo ukuze benze intando yakhe. Nxa uJehova angakwenza lokho abasezikhundleni bazazimisela ukwenza izinqumo ezinceda abantu bakhe.—Khangela u-Ezra 7:21, 25, 26.

14. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo kumiSebenzi 12:5, ngobani esingabathandazela?

¹⁴ Kuyini esingakwenza? Singathandazela ‘amakhosi labo bonke abasezikhundleni eziphezulu’ nxa kumele benze izinqumo eziphathelane lokukhonza kwethu. (1 Tim. 2:1, 2; Neh. 1:11) Kumele silingisele amaKhristu akuqala ngokubathandazela ngenhliziyo yonke abafowethu labodadewethu abasemajele. (Bala imiSebenzi 12:5; Heb. 13:3) Kanti njalo singathandazela labo abalinda abazalwane bethu abasemajele. Singancenga uJehova ukuthi enze abantu laba balingisele uJuliyu futhi baphathe abafowethu labodadewethu ababotshiweyo ‘ngomusa.’—ImiSeb. 27:3.

15-16. UJehova wamsiza njani uPhawuli esebenzisa u-Aristakhu loLukha?

¹⁵ Abazalwane bamsiza njani uPhawuli? Ngesikhathi uPhawuli esiya eRoma,  uJehova wamnceda kanengi esebenzisa abazalwane. Ake sixoxe ngabanye babo.

¹⁶ Abangane bakaPhawuli abathembekileyo u-Aristakhu loLukha bakhetha ukuhamba laye eRoma. * IBhayibhili kalisitsheli ukuthi uJesu wabathembisa ukuthi babezafika kuhle khonale. Yikho babefaka ukuphila kwabo engozini ngesikhathi bethatha uhambo lolu oluyingozi. Kodwa babezimisele ukuhamba ukuze bancede uPhawuli. Baze babakwazi sekudlule isikhathi ukuthi bazafika bephila eRoma. Kumele ukuthi bathi bengena emkhunjini eKhesariya, uPhawuli wathandaza ngenhliziyo yonke kuJehova embonga ngokumnika abazalwane laba abalesibindi.—ImiSeb. 27:1, 2, 20-25.

17. UJehova wamsiza njani uPhawuli esebenzisa abazalwane?

¹⁷ Abazalwane bamnceda kanengi uPhawuli ngesikhathi esiya eRoma. Ngokwesibonelo, ethekwini leSidoni, uJuliyu wavumela uPhawuli “ukuthi aye kubangane bakhe bayemnakekela.” Ngemva kwensuku ezilutshwana sebesedolobheni lePhuthewoli, uPhawuli labangane bakhe ‘bathola abazalwane, ababancenga ukuthi bahlale labo okwensuku eziyisikhombisa.’ Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi abazalwane bendawo lezo bathokoza kakhulu ngezindaba ezikhuthazayo uPhawuli ayebaxoxela zona. (Khangela imiSebenzi 15:2, 3.) UPhawuli labangane bakhe bathe sebevuselelwe ngabazalwane baqhubeka ngohambo lwabo.—ImiSeb. 27:3; 28:13, 14.

18. Kuyini okwenza uPhawuli wabonga uNkulunkulu futhi waba lesibindi?

¹⁸ Ngesikhathi uPhawuli eseseRoma kumele ukuthi wayecabanga ngayekubhalele ibandla elalisedolobheni lelo eminyakeni emithathu eyayedlule. Wayebhale wathi: “Sekuleminyaka eminengi ngifisa kakhulu ukuza kini.” (Rom. 15:23) Kodwa wayengacabangeli ukuthi uzafika eyisibotshwa. Kufanele ukuthi kwamkhuthaza ukubona abazalwane beRoma bemlindele emgwaqweni. “UPhawuli uthe ebabona  nje, wabonga uNkulunkulu futhi waba lesibindi.” (ImiSeb. 28:15) Nanzelela ukuthi uPhawuli wathi ebona abazalwane wabonga uNkulunkulu. Kuyini okwenza wambonga? Wabona ukuthi wayemsiza esebenzisa abazalwane.

19. Ngokwalokho okutshiwo ku-1 Phetro 4:10, uJehova angasisebenzisa njani ukuthi asize labo abadinga uncedo?

¹⁹ Kuyini esingakwenza? Bakhona yini abafowethu labodadewethu ebandleni lenu abathwaliswe nzima yikugula kumbe ngobunye nje ubunzima loba abafelweyo? Nxa singabakwazi ukuthi ukhona odinga uncedo, singathandaza kuJehova simcela ukuthi asincedise simtshengise umusa ngamazwi langezenzo. Esikutshoyo lesikwenzayo kungamkhuthaza umfowethu loba udadewethu odinga uncedo. (Bala u-1 Phetro 4:10.) * Esibancedisayo bangaphinda basikholwe isithembiso sikaJehova esithi, “Kangisoze ngikutshiye loba sekutheni, njalo kangisoze ngikulahle loba sekutheni.” Lokhu kungenza sithokoze kakhulu.

20. Kungani singatsho siqiniseka sithi: “UJehova ungumsizi wami”?

²⁰ Lathi singehlelwa zinhlupho njengoPhawuli labangane bakhe. Kodwa silesibindi ngoba siyakwazi ukuthi uJehova ulathi. Uyasisiza esebenzisa uJesu lezingilosi. Kanti njalo angasisiza esebenzisa abantu abasezikhundleni nxa kuyintando yakhe. Angaphinda asebenzise umoya ongcwele ukuthi wenze abafowethu labodadewethu basisize, njengoba abanengi bethu bengakufakazela lokho. Yikho lathi njengoPhawuli singatsho siqiniseka sithi: “UJehova ungumsizi wami; kangisoze ngesabe. Kambe umuntu angangenzani?”—Heb. 13:6.