BUKA! Lomkhumbi usenkingeni. Uyawubona kutsi uyaphuka! Uyababona yini labantfu labangene emantini? Labanye kubo sebatawufika elusentseni. Lomuntfu loya nguPawula yini? Ase sibone kutsi yini leyayenteka kuye.

Khumbula kutsi Pawula wavalelwa ejele laseKhesariya iminyaka lemibili. Ngemuva kwaloko yena naletinye tiboshwa bagitjeliswa umkhumbi, bacala luhambo loluya eRoma. Batsi basengce sichingi saseKhrethe, kwacala kuhhusha umoya lomubi lowabaphazamisa. Lomoya wawunemandla lamkhulu baze behluleka ngisho nekucondzisa umkhumbi. Bebangakwati ngisho nekubona lilanga emini kanye netinkhanyeti ebusuku. Ekugcineni, ngemuva kwemalanga lamanyenti, labebakhwele emkhunjini baphelelwa litsemba lekutsi bangasindza.

Ngako Pawula wasukuma wema emkhatsini wabo watsi: ‘Kute namunye kitsi lotawufa, kodvwa umkhumbi wona utawuphuka. Ngoba itolo ebusuku ingilosi yaNkulunkulu ifike kimi yatsi: “Ungesabi Pawula, kufanele ume embikwaKhesari umbusi waseRoma. Nkulunkulu utawusindzisa bonkhe labo lohamba nabo.”’

Ekhatsi nebusuku ngelilanga lesi-14 siphepho sicalile, bashayeli bemkhumbi babona kutsi emanti abengasashoni. Ngenca yekwesaba kutsi umkhumbi ungahle uphahlateke ematjeni, behlisa tisimiso temkhumbi. Ngakusasa ekuseni babona sikhumulo semikhumbi, ngako bancuma kuwuyisa khona nalowabo.

Batsi nabasondzela ngaselusentseni, umkhumbi washayisa sidvuli sesihlabatsi, futsi wabhajwa. Emagagasi elwandle acala kuwushaya ngemandla, wacala kuphuka waba tincetu. Indvuna yelibutfo leyayicondzisa yatsi: ‘Bonkhe labakwatiko kuhlamba, abahlambe baye elusentseni, nine labanye landzelani emvakwabo, nibambelele ngetincetu temkhumbi.’ Bonkhe benta njalo. Ngako basindza bonkhe bantfu labangu-276, njengoba yayetsembisile ingilosi.

Lesichingi kwakutsiwa yiMaltha. Bantfu bakhona bebanemusa, futsi babanakekela bonkhe labebaphume emkhunjini. Satsi nasesiba nconywana simo selitulu, Pawula wagitjeliswa lomunye umkhumbi wayiswa eRoma.