1, 2. I-New World Translation iliphazimulisa njani ibizo lakaZimu?

BEKUNGELESIBILI ekuseni ngomhlaka-2 Disemba 1947, umoya ubetha kamnandi, nelanga libalele. Mhlokho, isiqhenyana sabazalwana abazesiweko beBethel yeBrooklyn, eNew York, sathoma ukwenza umsebenzi omkhulu. Umphako bewungadliwa mntwana kangangobana kwabathatha iminyaka eli-12 yoke ukuqeda umsebenzi lo. Kwathi emaswapheleni, ngoSondo kaMatjhi 13, 1960, kwaphethwa ukutjhugululwa kweBhayibheli etja. Kuthe ngemva kweenyanga ezintathu ngoJuni 18, 1960, umzalwana uNathan Knorr watjhaphulula iBhayibheli epheleleko i-New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures emhlanganweni owatjhisa amadamu anamanzi ebewubanjelwe eManchester, e-England. Isikhulumi sayibeka yezwakala kuhle indlela nabanye ebebazizwa ngayo nasithi: ‘Namhlanjesi woke umuntu onguFakazi kaJehova osephasini loke uzokuthaba abhembese!’ Phela ebekuthabisa khulu ngeBhayibheli le kukuthi beyinebizo lakaZimu.

² AmaBhayibheli amanengi bewanganalo ibizo lakaZimu. Kodwana iinceku zakaZimu ezikhethiweko zabetha ngenyawo phasi, zathi angekhe zathoma zisekele iqhinga lakaSathana lokwenza uZimu angaziwa ebantwini. Kangangobana nesingeniso seBhayibheli eyatjhatjhululwa mhlokho le, sathi: “Okuqakatheke khulu ngeBhayibheli le, kukuthi ibizo lakaZimu libuyiselwe ngamananeko wakhona.” Nangambala kunjalo, ku-New World Translation ibizo lakaZimu livela iinkhathi ezingaphezu kwe-7 000. Awazi kuthabisa kangangani bona kube neBhayibheli ephazimulisa ibizo lakaBabethu wezulwini, uJehova!

3. (a) Abanakwethu bebayizwisisa njani ihlathululo yebizo lakaZimu? (b) Kufuze simzwisise njani u-Eksodusi 3:13, 14? (Qala ibhoksi elithi “ Litjho Ukuthini Ibizo LakaZimu?”)

³ Eminyakeni yakade, abaFundi beBhayibheli balizwisisa kuhle ibizo lakaZimu nalithi, “Ngingilokho engingikho.” (Eks. 3:14, King James Version) Yeke, isiThala sangoJanabari 1, 1926, sathi: “Ibizo elithi Jehova liqinisekisa ubukhona bakhe, . . . Okutjho bona akanasithomo begodu akanasiphetho.” Nanyana kunjalo, kuthe bona abatjhugululi be-New World Translation bathome umsebenzabo wokutjhugulula, uJehova besekabasizile abantu bakhe, bazwisisa bona ibizo lakhe aliqinisekisi ubukhona  bakhe kwaphela, kodwana limveza nanjengoZimu omajadu nonomnqopho. Bafunda nokuthi ibizweli litjho ukuthi “Owenza into ibekhona.” Vele kunjalo, phela koke okusemkayi, neembunjwa ezihlakaniphileko wazenza zabakhona, begodu usaraga nokwenza koke akuhlosileko bona kwenzeke. Nakunjalo-ke, kubayini kuqakathekile ukuphazimulisa ibizo lakaZimu, begodu khuyini esingayenza bona nathi sifake isandla ekuliphazumuliseni.

4, 5. (a) Vane sithandazela ini nasithi: “Alicwengiswe ibizo lakho”? (b) Ibizo lakaZimu lizokucwengiswa nini begodu njani?

⁴ UJehova ufuna ibizo lakhe licwengiswe. Eqinisweni, umnqophwakhe oyidlula yoke kukuthi acwengise ibizo lakhe, njengombana noJesu akutjho emthandazwenakhe osibonelo nakathi: “Alicwengiswe ibizo lakho.” (Mat. 6:9) Nasesithandaza njalo, sisuke sithandazela ini?

⁵ Njengombana sifundile esahlukweni 1 sencwadi le, isibawo esithi “alicwengiswe ibizo lakho” singesinye seembawo ezintathu zomthandazo lo ezimalungana nomnqopho kaJehova. Ezimbili zazo ngilezi: “Umbuso wakho awufike, intando yakho yenziwe ephasini njengombana kunjalo nezulwini.” (Mat. 6:10) Yeke-ke, njengombana sibawa uJehova bona athathe amagadango wokuletha umBuso wakhe nje nokuthi enze intandwakhe yenzeke, sisuke sibawa uJehova bona acwengise ibizo lakhe. Ngamanye amagama, sisuke sibawa uJehova ukuthi athathe amagadango wokusula ihlamba ebeyisolo ipharwa ebizweneli kusukela e-Edeni. UJehova yena uzizwa njani ngomthandazo onjengalo? Muzwe azikhulumela ngokwakhe nakathi: “Nje-ke ngizokuveza ukucwengeka kwebizo lami elikhulu nelisilaphazweko hlangana nezizwe.” (Hez. 36:23; 38:23) Nge-Arimagedoni, mhla athanyela boke ubukhohlakali, uJehova uzokucwengisa ibizo lakhe emehlweni wakho koke okubunjiweko.

6. Thina singahlanganyela njani ekucwengisweni kwebizo lakaZimu?

⁶ Kiwo woke umlando wokuphila komuntu, uJehova ukuvumele bona iinceku zakhe zifake isandla ekucwengisweni kwebizo lakheli. Siyazi ukuthi akukghonakali bona silicwengise seqele ngale. Kwakade vele, ayikho into ecwenge njengalo, ngombana ibizweli likhamba lodwa ngokucwengeka. Alo-ke, thina silicwengisa ngamuphi umqondo? U-Isaya uyayikhanyisa indaba le nakathi: “[UJehova, NW] uMninimandlawoke, akabe nguye yedwa ocwengileko.” NoJehova ngokwakhe naye uthe nasekakhuluma ngabantu bakhe wathi: “Bazakudumisa ibizo lami . . . , besabe uZimu ka-Israyeli.” (Isa. 8:13; 29:23) Yeke, sicwengisa ibizo lakaZimu ngokulihlukanisa, nokulibeka phezu kwawo woke amanye amagama, sisize nabanye bona baliqale njengelicwengileko. Ukumesaba kwethu sikutjengisa ngokwenza uJehova abe Mbusi wethu begodu simlalele ngeenhliziyo zethu zoke.—IzA. 3:1; IsAm. 4:11.

7, 8. (a) Kubayini kwathatha isikhathi eside kangaka bona abantu bakaZimu babizwe ngebizo lakhe? (b) Sizokudemba yiphi indaba esihlokwenesi?

⁷ Iinceku zakaZimu zesikhathi sanamhlanjesi bezisolo zilisebenzisa ibizo lakaZimu kusukela ngo-1870. Nasi isibonelo, i-Zion’s Watch Tower ka-Arhostosi 1879 ne-Songs of the Bride, zathonywa ukwenziwa ngawo umnyaka loyo, zinebizo lakaJehova. Nanyana kunjalo, kubonakala ngasuthi ngaphambi kobana uJehova avumele abantu bakhe bazibize ngebizo elicwengilekweli, bekuneemfuneko ezithileko ebekufuze babe nazo. Nekunjalo-ke, uJehova ubalungiselele njani abantu bakhaba bona bakwazi ukutjatha ibizo lakhe?

⁸ Nasihlehlela emva ngabo-1800 ukuya kibo-1900, siyayibona indlela uJehova ebekafundisa ngayo abantu bakhe, abenza bazwisise namaqiniso aqakathekileko ngebizo lakhe. Khesicoce ngamathathu wawo.

9, 10. (a) Kubayini iinhloko zesiThala sakade bezidzimelele khulu kuJesu? (b) Kwaba namaphi amatjhuguluko kusukela ngo-1919 ukuyaphambili, begodu waba yini umphumela? (Qala ibhoksi elithi “ Indlela IsiThala Esaliphakamisa Ngayo Ibizo LakaZimu.”)

⁹ Kokuthoma, iinceku zakaJehova bezinomqondo ofaneleko ngokuqakatheka kwebizo lakaJehova. Ifundiso yesihlengo beyiqakatheke khulu kubaFundi beBhayibheli, iqalwa nanjengefundisosisekelo yeBhayibheli. Ngikho isiThala sangesikhatheso besidzimelele kangaka ekuhlathululeni uJesu. Ngokwesibonelo, ngomnyaka wokuthoma okwagadangiswa ngawo umagazini lo, ibizo lakaJesu lavela kiwo iinkhathi ezilitjhumi kudlula ibizo lakaJehova. Nasikhuluma ngabaFundi beBhayibheli bangesikhatheso isiThala sakaMatjhi 15, 1976, satjengisa bona bebenza uJesu “abe ngoqakatheke khulu” kudlula uZimu. Kwathi ngesikhathi esifaneleko, uJehova wabasiza bazwisisa bona iBhayibheli idzimelele khulu ekuqakathekeni kwebizo lakaZimu. Kwabathinta njani abaFundi baBhayibheli lokho? Kusukela ngo-1919 kuye phambili, isiThala sithi, “bathoma ukudzimelela khulu ekuhlonipheni uYise lakaMesiya, uJehova.” Yeke, eminyakeni ematjhumi eyalandela u-1919, ibizo lakaZimu beselivela iinkhathi ezingaba zi-6 500 kumagazini wesiThala.

¹⁰ Abanakwethu benza koke okusemandlenabo bona balithande bebalenze libe nesithunzi ibizo elithi, Jehova. NjengoMosi, ‘bamemezela ibizo [lakaJehova, NW].’ (Dut. 32:3; Rhu. 34:3) Yeke njengombana imiTlolo kheyatjho, uJehova wathoma ukuyitjheja indlela ebebalithanda ngayo ibizo lakhe, bewababusisa ngokwenza kwabo njalo.—Rhu. 119:132; Heb. 6:10.

11, 12. (a) Iincwadi zethu zatjhuguluka njani ngemva kwaka-1919? (b) UJehova bekafuna abantu bakhe balemuke ini, begodu kubayini enza njalo?

¹¹ Kwesibili, amaKrestu bekufuze awuzwisise kuhle umsebenzi awunikelwe nguZimu. Ngemva kwaka-1919, abazalwana abakhethiweko bemba batjhinga ekuhlolisiseni isiphorofido saka-Isaya. Yeke, izinto zathoma ukugaya ngomunye umhlathi, iincwadi zethu zathoma ukudzimelela kwamanye amaphuzu. Kubayini amatjhuguluko lawo bekafaniswa nokudla okufike ngesikhathi esifaneleko?—Mat. 24:45.

¹² Ngaphambi kwaka-1919, bekungakhenge khekwenzeke bona isiThala sidembe iphuzu elisencwadini ka-Isaya elithi:  “‘Nibofakazi bami, kutjho uJehova, ‘iye incekwami engiyikhethileko.’” (Funda u-Isaya 43:10-12, NW.) Kodwana kuthe ngemva kwaka-1919 iincwadi zethu zathoma ukudzimelela edabeni le eseBhayibhelini, zikhuthaza boke abakhethiweko bona benze umsebenzi uJehova abanikele wona wokufakaza ngaye. Kwathi kusukela ngo-1925 bekwaba ngo-1931, kwacocwa ngo-Isaya isahluko 43 eenThaleni ezima-57 ezihlukahlukeneko, begodu kumagazini ngamunye besele kusetjenziswa amezwi la ka-Isaya ekuhlathululeni amaKrestu wamambala. Hlangana neminyaka leyo, uJehova bekasolo anqophisa abantu bakhe bona benze umsebenzi ebekufuze bawenze. Ngaliphi ibanga? Ngebanga lokuthi bekufuze ‘bahlolisiswe ntangi.’ (1 Thim. 3:10) Ngaphambi kobana abaFundi beBhayibheli batjathe ibizo lakaJehova, bekufuze baziveze bona bangakghona na ukuba bofakazi bakhe.—Luk. 24:47, 48.

13. IliZwi lakaZimu liyiveza njani ipikiswano eqakathekileko okufuze irarululwe?

¹³ Kwesithathu, abantu bakaJehova bakuzwisisa ukuqakatheka kokucwengiswa kwebizo lakaZimu. Ngabo-1920, kwaba semtarini kibo ukuthi kuqakatheke kwamanikelela ukucwengiswa kwebizo lakaZimu. Lithini iliZwi lakaZimu ngeqiniswelo? Cabanga ngananzi iimbonelo ezimbili. Ngiliphi ibanga eliwadlula woke elenza uZimu watjhaphulula ama-Israyeli eGibhide? Ngelakhulunywa nguJehova ngokwakhe nakathi: “Ngikubabalele ngomnqopho wokukukhombisa amandlami nokobana ibizo lami libatjazwe iphasi loke.” (Eks. 9:16) Okhunye kukuthi, khuyini okwenza uJehova wawalibalela ama-Israyeli nakathoma ukungasamlaleli? Nalapho uJehova uthi: “Ngaqunta ukwenza okuthileko ngenca yebizo lami ukuze lingasilaphazwa emehlweni wezizwe.” (Hez. 20:8-10) Ngisiphi isifundo abaFundi beBhayibheli abasifundileko ekulandisenokhu nakezinye iindaba zeBhayibheli?

14. (a) Ngekupheleni kwabo-1920, khuyini abantu bakaZimu abakghona ukukuzwisisa? (b) Indlela abaFundi beBhayibheli ebebayizwisisa ngayo indaba le yawuthinta njani umsebenzabo wokutjhumayela? (Qala ibhoksi elithi “ Ibanga Elinamandla Elisenza Sitjhumayele.”)

¹⁴ Ngekupheleni kwaka-1920, abantu bakaZimu balemuka bona kwatjhiwo kade khulu eminyakeni engaba zi-2 700 eyadlulako ukuthi amezwi ka-Isaya aqakatheke kangangani nakathi ngoJehova: “Warhola abantu bakho [Jehova, NW] kobana uzenzele ibizo elidumileko.” (Isa. 63:14) AbaFundi beBhayibheli bazwisisa bona okuqakatheke khulu kwakungasi kusindiswa kwabo, kodwana bekukucwengiswa kwebizo lakaZimu. (Isa. 37:20; Hez. 38:23) Ngo-1929 incwadi ebeyinesihloko esithi Prophecy yabethelela isikhonkhwani ngananti iphuzu: “Indaba yebizo lakaJehova iqakatheke kudlula yoke into edaliweko.” Ukulungiswokhu kwahlohlozela iinceku zakaJehova bona zihlanze ibizo lakhe.

15. (a) Ngabo-1930, yini abanakwethu ebesele bayizwisisa kuhle? (b) Leso besekusikhathi sokwenzani?

¹⁵ Kwathi ngabo-1930, abanakwethu besele bakuzwisisa kuhle ukuqakatheka kwebizo lakaZimu, umsebenzi abawunikelwe nguZimu, nokuthi ngiyiphi ipikiswano eqakathekileko okufuze irarululwe. Yeke, besekusikhathi sakaJehova esifaneleko sokobana athathe ibizweli alibeke phezu kwabantu bakhe. Ukuthi  kwenzeke njani lokho, akhe sithi ukubuyela ezenzakalweni zakade.

16. (a) Ngiyiphi indlela ehle khulu uJehova ayisebenzisako bona aphazimulise ibizo lakhe? (b) Ekadeni ngisiphi isitjhaba ebesibizwa ngebizo lakaZimu?

¹⁶ Kusukela nakade, bekuyindlela kaJehova ukuthi azikhethele abantu ephasini, ababize ngebizo lakhe. Solo kwangomnyaka ka-1513 ngeenkathi zakaMosi, uJehova bekajanyelelwa ma-Israyeli ephasinapha. (Isa. 43:12) Kodwana ama-Israyeli ahluleka ukwenza ngokwesivumelwano sawo noZimu, kwathi ngo ngomnyaka ka-33 ngeenkhathi zabapostoli, uZimu wawalahla. Kuthe ngemva kwalokho-ke uJehova wathatha “isizwe esibizwa ngebizo lakhe.” Isizwe esitjheso sabizwa ngokuthi ‘ngu-Israyeli kaZimu, owakhiwa ngabakhethelwe ukubusa ezulwini abavela eentjhabeni ezihlukahlukeneko.—Gal. 6:16.

17. Ngiliphi iqhinga uSathana aphumele kilo?

 ¹⁷ Kwathi ngomnyaka ka-44, uZimu wenza ukuthi abafundi bakaKrestu babizwe “bona maKrestu.” (IzE. 11:26) Kuhlekuhle, ibizwelo belibahlukanisa ngombana beliqalisele kumaKrestu weqiniso kwaphela. (1 Pit. 4:16) Nanyana kunjalo, ngokomfanekiso kaJesu wamabele nekhula uSathana waphumelela ngeqhinga lakhe lokudidanisa izinto, yeke ngitjho nalabo abamaKrestu wamala besele babizwa ngebizweli. Umphumela waba kukuthi kwadlula amatjhumi weminyaka amabele ahlangene neenhlumba, kunganamahluko phakathi kwamaKrestu wamala neweqiniso. Kodwana koke lokho kwathoma ukugaya ngomunye umhlathi hlangana ‘nesikhathi sokuvuna’ esathoma ngo-1914. Kubayini kunjalo? Kungombana iingilozi besezithomile ukuhlukanisa amaKrestu weqiniso kewamala.—Mat. 13:30, 39-41.

18. Yini eyenza abanakwethu babona itlhogeko yebizo elitjha?

¹⁸ Ngemva kokubekwa kwenceku ethembekileko ngo-1919, uJehova wasiza abantu bakhe bona bawuzwisise kuhle umsebenzi abanikele wona. Kwabakhanyela msinya bona ukutjhumayela umuzi nomuzi kubenza bahluke kiwo woke amaKrestu wamala. Bathe bona bakuzwisise kuhle lokho, babona ukuthi ukubizwa ‘ngabaFundi beBhayibheli’ akukhambisani nalokho abangikho. Umnqopho omkhulu epilwenabo bekungasi kufunda iBhayibheli kwaphela, kodwana bekukufakaza ngoZimu nokucwengisa ibizo lakhe. Yeke, ngiliphi-ke ibizo ebelifaneleka khudlwana bona babizwe ngalo? Umbuzo loyo waphendulwa ngo-1931.

19, 20. (a) Ngisiphi isiqunto esithabisako esenzeka emhlanganweni ngo-1931? (b) Abazalwana bazizwa njani ngebizo elitjheli?

¹⁹ Kwathi ngoJulayi 1931, abaFundi beBhayibheli abangaba zi-15 000 bahlangana eColumbus, e-Ohio, e-U.S.A. Bathi nabaqala isigubuzeso sehlelo lomhlangano bazibuza bona amaledere amabili u-J no-W, atjho ukuthini. Abanye bebacabanga bona atjho ukuthi ‘Just Watch’, abanye bathi, ‘Just Wait.’ Kwathi ngoSondo, ngoJulayi 26, uMzalwana uJoseph Rutherford wethula ilizwi lesivumelwano elinamezwi athabisako nakathi: “Sithanda ukunazisa ngebizo elitjha esizokubizwa ngalo elithi AboFakazi bakaJehova.” Mhlokho, boke ebebakhona bazwisisa bona amaledere u-J no-W bekatjho ukuthi Jehovah’s Witnesses, okulibizo elisekelwe ku-Isaya 43:10.

²⁰ Mhlokho kwaba mnandi khulu emhlanganweni loyo, abantu bebakwakwazela ngapha nangapha, izandla zawahlwa ziwahliwe. Umrhatjho nawo bewungakazibeki phasi kangangobana ebekusemhlanganweni loyo kwarhatjhwa iphasi loke! U-Ernest noNaomi Barber ebebahlala e-Australia nebakhumbula isehlakalweso bathi: “Nekuwahlwa izandla e-Amerikha, abazalwana ebebaseMelbourne bebeqa kwekonyana bakwakwazela. Lesi kuphela kwesenzakalo esingekhe sisilibale!” *

21. Ukubizwa ngebizo elitjha kwawubasela njani umsebenzi wokutjhumayela?

²¹ Ukubizwa ngebizo elisemTlolweni elithi aboFakazi bakaJehova kwabasela iinceku zakaZimu bona zibe mafulufulu  emsebenzini wokutjhumayela. U-Edward noJessie Grimes ebebaphayona e-United States bebasemhlanganweni loyo ngo-1931. Nabakhuluma ngalokho abakubonileko bathi: “Nesisuka ekhaya besibaFundi beBhayibheli, kodwana sabuya sesiboFakazi bakaJehova. Sithabe khulu ngombana ukubizwa ngebizwelo kusihlohlozela bona sicwengise ibizo lakaZimethu.” Kwathi ngemva komhlangano, abanye aboFakazi beza nendlela etja yokukwenza lokho. Bebathi nebangena emzini banikele abamtholako ikarajana ebelinomlayezo othi: “Ngingomunye wabofakazi bakaJEHOVA abatjhumayela ngomBuso kaJEHOVA uZimethu.” Kwamambala, abantu bakaZimu bebazikhakhazisa ngokutjatha ibizo lakaJehova begodu bebazimisele ukulirhatjha kiyo yoke indawo.—Isa. 12:4.

22. Yini efakazela bona abantu bakaJehova bahlukile kwezinye iinkolo?

²² Sekuminyaka eminengi uJehova ahlohlozela abakhethiweko bakhe bona batjathe ibizo lakhe eliqakatheke kangaka. Umbuzo kukuthi kusukela eminyakeni leyo, uSathana khewaphumelela na ekusitheni isithunzi sabantu bakaZimu? Kghani uphumelele na ekubadideni, khona abanye abantu bangazukubahlukanisa kwezinye iinkolo? Awa, yena uzamile kodwana wabetha phasi! Kunalokho, abantu bebathi nabasiqala bavele babone ukuthi sibofakazi bakaZimu. (Funda uMikha 4:5, NW; uMalaki 3:18) Eqinisweni indlela abantu abasazi ngayo isemtarini kangangobana woke umuntu osebenzisa ibizo lakaZimu ngokutjhaphulukileko uqalwa njengoFakazi kaJehova. Kunokuthi sisithwe ziinkolo ezinengi zamala ezinjengeentaba, ukulotjha uZimu ngeqiniso kuphakanyiswe ngaphezu ‘kwesiqongolo seentaba.’ (Isa. 2:2) Yeke, namhlanjesi ukulotjha uJehova nokucwengiswa kwebizo lakhe kuphakanyiswe ngaphezu kwakho koke.

23. NgokweRhubo 121:5, khuyini okusikhuthazako ngalokho uJehova azimisele ukukwenza?

²³ Awazi bona kukhuthaza kangangani ukwazi ukuthi uJehova uyasivikela ekusahleleni uSathani aphezu kwakho nje, nekwesikhathi esizako! (Rhu. 121:5) Nakunjalo-ke, sinebanga elihle lokutjho amezwi atjhiwo mrhubi athi: “Siyathaba isizwe uZimaso onguJehova, isizwe uZimu azikhethele sona.”—Rhu. 33:12.