1, 2. Ngutiphi tintfo letenteka eFiliphi letabangela kutsi boPawula naSilasi bavalelwe ejele? (Buka sitfombe lesisekucaleni kwalesihloko.)

KUSEKHATSI nebusuku. Titfunywa telivangeli letimbili, boPawula naSilasi, tivalelwe ejele lelingekhatsi, ejele lebelisedolobheni laseFiliphi. Tinyawo tabo tikhungelwe etingodvweni futsi imihlane yabo isebuhlungu ngenca yemivimba yekushaywa. (Imis. 16:23, 24) Konkhe loku kwenteke ngekushesha lokukhulu! Bangakagadzi, bahudvulwa sicumbi sebantfu sabayisa emakethe, embikwebabusi. Tingubo tabo tangetulu tadzatjulwa, futsi babhambabulwa ngemizaca. (Imis. 16:16-22) Loku bekusento lesibi kakhulu, ngobe Pawula njengesakhamuti saseRoma, bekufanele atekiswe licala ngendlela lesemtsetfweni. *

² Njengobe Pawula ahleti ebumnyameni, ucabanga ngaloko lokwentekile ngalelo langa. Ucabanga ngebantfu baseFiliphi. Ngalokungafani nalamanye emadolobha Pawula lake wawavakashela, bona bebete ngisho nelisinagoge lemaJuda kulelidolobha labo.  Ngenca yaleso sizatfu, bakhulekeli labangemaJuda bekudzingeka kutsi bayohlangana ngaphandle kweligede eceleni kwemfula. (Imis. 16:13, 14) Kungenteka yini loku kwabangelwa kutsi emadvodza akaJuda abengalakhi linani lemadvodza lalishumi lelidzingekile kute kwakhiwe lisinagogi? Bantfu baseFiliphi bayatigcabha ngekuba ngemaRoma. (Imis. 16:21) Kungenteka yini kutsi nguleso sizatfu lesabenta bacabanga kutsi boPawula naSilasi, lebebangemaJuda, bebangesiwo emaRoma? Kunobe ngukuphi, liciniso litsi bavalelwa ejele ngaphandle kwekutekiswa licala.

3. Kungani Pawula bekumkhatsata kuboshwa kwakhe, nobe kunjalo, yini lase uyayenta?

³ Kungenteka kutsi Pawula abecabanga nangetintfo lebetentekile etinyangeni letimbalwa lebetendlulile. Bekangesheya kweLwandle i-Aegean, esifundzeni sase-Asiya. Ngesikhatsi aselapho, umoya longcwele wamvimba emahlandla lamanyenti kutsi ayoshumayela etindzaweni letitsite. Bekungatsi umoya longcwele ufuna kutsi aye kulenye indzawo. (Imis. 16:6, 7) Bewufuna kutsi aye kuphi? Imphendvulo wayitfola embonweni lawubona aseThrowasi. Kulombono, Pawula watjelwa naku: “Yewelela eMasedoniya.” Akucondza loko Jehova bekafuna kutsi akwente, ngekushesha wasemukela lesimemo. (Fundza Imisebenti 16:8-10.) Kwentekani ngemuva kwaloko? Ngekushesha nje nakefika eMasedoniya, waboshwa! Jehova wakuvumelelani kutsi loku kwenteke kuPawula? Bekatawuhlala sikhatsi lesinganani ejele? Nanobe lemibuto beyimkhatsata, kodvwa akazange ayivumele kutsi iphatamise kukholwa kwakhe kanye nekutsi imcedzele injabulo. BoPawula naSilasi “bathantaza, baphindze badvumisa Nkulunkulu ngetingoma.” (Imis. 16:25) Tinhlitiyo netingcondvo tabo tadvudvutwa kuthula kwaNkulunkulu.

4, 5. (a) Simo setfu singafana njani nesaPawula? (b) Simo saPawula sashintja njani ngendlela lengakalindzeleki?

⁴ NjengaPawula, mhlawumbe nawe tikhona tikhatsi ekuphileni kwakho lapho uke walandzela sicondziso semoya longcwele waNkulunkulu, kodvwa umphumela wangabi nguloko bewukugadzile. Mhlawumbe wake wahlangabetana netimo leticindzetelako nobe watikhandza usesimeni longakaze waba kuso, futsi kwadzingeka kutsi wente tingucuko letinkhulu ekuphileni kwakho. (Shu. 9:11) Njengoba ucabanga ngaloko lokwenteka, kungenteka uyatibuta kutsi kungani Jehova avumela tintfo letinjalo kutsi tenteke. Nangabe kunjalo, yini lengakusita kutsi uchubeke umetsemba Jehova? Kute siphendvule lombuto, asesicoce ngaloko lokwenteka kuboPawula naSilasi.

⁵ Njengoba boPawula naSilasi bebahlabela tingoma tekudvumisa, kwenteka tintfo letinyenti lebetingakagadvwa ngumuntfu. Ngekushesha nje, kwaba nekutamatama lokukhulu kwemhlaba. Iminyango yelijele yavuleka. Tinketane letatibabophile takhumuka kubo bonkhe lebebaboshiwe. Pawula wavimba lomgcinijele kutsi angatibulali. Lomgcinijele nemndeni wakhe wonkhe babhajatiswa. Ngakusasa ekuseni, timantji tatfumela emaphoyisa kumgcinijele kutsi akhulule Pawula naSilasi. Lamaphoyisa abacela kutsi bahambe kulelidolobha ngekuthula. Kamuva, letimantji nativa kutsi boPawula naSilasi bangemaRoma, tabona kutsi tente liphutsa lelikhulu, ngako tona matfupha tabakhipha. Nobe kunjalo, Pawula naSilasi bafuna kuyovalelisa dzadzewabo kucala, longu-Lidiya. Ngetulu kwaloko, basebentisa lelotfuba kute bacinise bazalwane. (Imis. 16:26-40) Yonkhe intfo yashintja ngekushesha!

6. Yini lesitawucoca ngayo nyalo?

⁶ Sifundzani kuletintfo letenteka? Jehova  angasikhulula ngendlela lesingakayigadzi, ngako kute sidzingo sekukhatsateka kakhulu nasibhekene netinkinga. Asingabati kutsi leso sifundvo samtsintsa kakhulu Pawula, njengobe kubonakala kuloko lakubhalela bazalwane baseFiliphi mayelana nekukhatsateka kwakhe kanye nekuthula kwaNkulunkulu. Asesicale sicoce ngemavi aPawula labhalwe kuFiliphi 4:6, 7. (Fundza.) Sitawubese sesibuka naletinye tibonelo letiseBhayibhelini tetintfo Jehova latenta kungakalindzeleki. Ekugcineni sitawubese sicoca ngekutsi “kuthula kwaNkulunkulu” kungasisita njani sikhone kuchubeka simetsemba Jehova.

7. Ngusiphi sifundvo Pawula lasifundzisa bazalwane baseFiliphi kulencwadzi lababhalela yona, futsi sifundzani kulamavi akhe?

⁷ Asingabati kutsi labazalwane baseFiliphi nabafundza lencwadzi lebeyibuya kuPawula, bakhumbula loko bekwenteke kuye, nekutsi kute lebekagadzile kutsi Jehova bekangabakhulula ngalendlela lenta ngayo. Pawula bekabafundzisa siphi sifundvo labazalwane? Bekabafundzisa kutsi bangakhatsateki. Bekatsi abathantaze kute batfole kuthula kwaNkulunkulu. Pawula bekafuna bacondze nekutsi “kuthula kwaNkulunkulu lokwendlula konkhe kucondza.” Kusho kutsini loku? Labanye bahumushi bachaza lenkhulumo ngekutsi “lokwendlula onkhe emaphupho etfu” nobe “lokwendlula konkhe loko umuntfu lakuhlelako.” Ecinisweni, Pawula bekatsi “kuthula kwaNkulunkulu” kujabulisa kakhulu. Ngako-ke, ngendlela tsine bantfu lesicabanga ngayo, kulukhuni kubona kutsi singaphunyuka njani etinkingeni lesibhekana nato kodvwa Jehova uyabona futsi angenta intfo lebesingakagadzi kutsi angayenta.​—Fundza 2 Phetro 2:9.

8, 9. (a) Nanobe Pawula aphatfwa kabi eFiliphi, kodvwa kwaba namiphi imiphumela lemihle? (b) Kungani bazalwane baseFiliphi bekufanele bemukele emavi aPawula njengalabalulekile?

⁸ Kufanele kube kwabacinisa bazalwane baseFiliphi kucabanga ngaloko lebekwenteke eminyakeni lelishumi. Bekuliciniso loko lokwabhalwa nguPawula. Nanobe Jehova ativumela letintfo letimbi kutsi tenteke, loku kwenta kutsi ‘kuvikeleke tindzaba letimnandzi futsi ticaliswe ngalokusemtsetfweni.’ (Fil. 1:7) Labomantji belidolobha besekufanele bacabange kabili ngaphambi kwekwenta intfo lembi kulelibandla lebuKhristu lelisha kulelidolobha. Kungenteka sento saPawula ngiso lesenta kutsi Lukha, lobekangudokotela, asale eFiliphi ngesikhatsi boPawula naSilasi bahamba. Kufanele kube Lukha wawasita kakhulu lamaKhristu lamasha kulelidolobha.

⁹ Kuliciniso kutsi labazalwane baseFiliphi nabafundza lencwadzi yaPawula, bebakucondza kahle kutsi bekungasiwo emavi lavela kumuntfu lebekasebentisa imfundvo yakhe ahleti nje ehhovisini lakhe. Nanobe Pawula abhekana netintfo letibuhlungu kakhulu, kodvwa wachubeka ‘anekuthula kwaNkulunkulu.’ Ecinisweni Pawula nakabhala lamavi, bekavalelwe ejele laseRoma. Kodvwa bekachubeka akhombisa kutsi kuthula kwaNkulunkulu bekunaye.​—Fil. 1:12-14; 4:7, 11, 22.

10, 11. Yini lokufanele siyente nangabe sikhatsateke kakhulu ngenkinga letsite, futsi yini lesingayilindzela?

¹⁰ Yini lengasisita kutsi singakhatsateki ngalutfo kodvwa sichubeke ‘sinekuthula kwaNkulunkulu’? Emavi Pawula lawabhalela baseFiliphi akhombisa kutsi likhambi letinkinga tetfu, ngumthantazo. Ngako nasikhatsatekile, kufanele sitfulele tinkinga tetfu kuNkulunkulu ngemthantazo. (Fundza 1 Phetro 5:6, 7.) Thantaza kuJehova ngekukholwa, uciniseke kutsi uyakukhatsalela. Thantaza kuye “ngekubonga,” ukhumbula loko lakubusise ngako. Sitametsemba kakhulu nangabe sihlale sikhumbula kutsi uyakwati “kwenta lokukhulu kakhulu kunato tonkhe  tintfo lesiticelako nobe lesiticabangako.”​—Ef. 3:20.

¹¹ Njengobe kwenteka kuboPawula naSilasi nabaseFiliphi, natsi singamangala ngaloko Jehova langasentela kona. Kungenteka kungabi yintfo lesijabulisako, kodvwa kuyohlale kuyintfo lesiyidzingako. (1 Khor. 10:13) Kuliciniso, loku akusho kutsi sekufanele sigoce tandla, silindzele Jehova kutsi alungise tintfo nobe alungise tinkinga tetfu. Kufanele sente ngekuvumelana nemithantazo yetfu. (Rom. 12:11) Tento tetfu tikhombisa kutsi sitfobekile futsi tivula ematfuba ekutsi Jehova asibusise. Kufanele siphindze sati nekutsi Jehova akakalelwa ticelo tetfu, nguloko lesikuhlelile kanye naloko lesikugadzile. Ngaletinye tikhatsi usentela tintfo lesingakatilindzeli. Asesicoce ngetibonelo letiseBhayibhelini letingasenta simetsembe kakhulu Jehova kutsi angasentela tintfo lesingakatilindzeli.

12. (a) Yini leyentiwa Inkhosi Hezekiya ngalesikhatsi isongelwa yiNkhosi Senaheribi yase-Asiriya? (b) Yini lesiyifundzako mayelana nendlela Jehova lacutulula ngayo lenkinga?

¹² Njengobe sihlola imiBhalo, sifundza ngetibonelo letinyenti lapho Jehova enta khona tintfo letingakalindzeleki. Inkhosi Hezekiya yaphila ngesikhatsi Senaheribi, inkhosi yase-Asiriya ihlasela live lakaJuda futsi itfumba onkhe emadolobha, ngaphandle kweJerusalema. (2 Khos. 18:1-3, 13) Ngemuva kwaloko, Senaheribi wase ufuna kuhlasela neJerusalema. Yini Inkhosi Hezekiya leyakwenta ngalokusongelwa lokunje? Waya kuJehova ngemthantazo futsi wacela neseluleko saJehova kumphrofethi Isaya. (2 Khos. 19:5, 15-20) Hezekiya waphindze wakhombisa kuhlakanipha ngekutsi akhokhe inhlawulo lebeyifunwa nguSenaheribi. (2 Khos. 18:14, 15) Ngesikhatsi lesifanako, Hezekiya waphindze walungiselela libutfo lakhe lemphi. (2 Khr. 32:2-4) Kepha salungiseka njani lesimo? Jehova watfumela ingelosi kutsi iyobulala emasotja aSenaheribi langu-185 000 ngebusuku bunye. Loku kwamangalisa bonkhe bantfu, ngisho naHezekiya imbala!​—2 Khos. 19:35.

13. (a) Ngusiphi sifundvo lesisifundzako kuloko lokwenteka kuJosefa? (b) Yini leyenteka emfatini wa-Abrahama, Sara, lebeyingakagadvwa ngumuntfu?

¹³ Cabanga ngaJosefa, indvodzana yaJakobe. Ngalesikhatsi aboshiwe eGibhithe, Josefa bekacabanga yini kutsi ngalelinye lilanga bekatawuba sesikhundleni sesibili ngemuva kwenkhosi nobe bekati yini kutsi Jehova bekatamsebentisa kute akhulule umndeni wakubo endlaleni? (Gen. 40:15; 41:39-43; 50:20) Asingabati kutsi Jehova wenta loko Josefa abengakakugadzi. Cabanga futsi nangakhokho waJosefa, Sara. Nanobe Sara abesagugile, wacabanga yini kutsi Jehova abengambusisa ngemntfwana lotalwa nguye matfupha hhayi nje umntfwana lotelwe sisebenti sakhe? Nakanjani, kutalwa kwa-Isaka kwendlula konkhe loko Sara bekakucabanga.​—Gen. 21:1-3, 6, 7.

14. Yini lesingaciniseka ngayo ngaJehova?

 ¹⁴ Esikhatsini setfu asikalindzeli kutsi Jehova asuse tonkhe tinkinga tetfu ngalokusimangaliso lisengakafiki live lelisha lasetsembise lona, futsi ngeke simphocelele kutsi kutsi asentele tintfo letisimanga ekuphileni kwetfu. Kodvwa siyati kutsi loNkulunkulu lowasita tinceku takhe ngetindlela letimangalisako, unguNkulunkulu wetfu Jehova. (Fundza Isaya 43:10-13.) Loku kusenta sibe nekukholwa kuye. Siyati kutsi angenta nobe ngabe yini kute asinikete emandla ekutsi sikhone kufeza kahle injongo yakhe. (2 Khor. 4:7-9) Ngutiphi tifundvo lesitifundza kuloko lokubhalwe eBhayibhelini? Njengobe sibonile etibonelweni taboHezekiya, Josefa naSara, Jehova angasisita sincobe ngisho netinkinga letibonakala tingancobeki, yingci nje nasetsembekile kuye.

15. Yini letasisita kutsi silondvolote kuthula kwaNkulunkulu futsi singakwenta njani loko?

¹⁵ Singabhekana njani netinkinga kodvwa singalahlekelwa “kuthula kwaNkulunkulu”? Singakwenta ngekutsi silondvolote buhlobo betfu lobuhle naNkulunkulu, Jehova. Buhlobo lobunjalo bungabakhona kuphela “ngaKhristu Jesu,” lowanikela ngekuphila kwakhe njengenhlawulo. Lesipho senhlawulo singuleminye yemisebenti yaBabe wetfu lemangalisako. Jehova usebentisa lenhlawulo kute ambonye tono tetfu, asisite kutsi sibe nanembeza lomuhle futsi sisondzelane naye.​—Joh. 14:6; Jak. 4:8; 1 Phet. 3:21.

16. Utawuba yini umphumela nangabe silondvolota “kuthula kwaNkulunkulu”? Fanekisa.

¹⁶ Uba yini umphumela wekwemukela “kuthula kwaNkulunkulu lokwendlula konkhe kucondza”? ImiBhalo isitjela kutsi ‘kuthula kwaNkulunkulu lokwendlula konkhe kucondza kutawulondza tinhlitiyo tetfu netingcondvo tetfu ngaKhristu Jesu.’ (Fil. 4:7) Ekucaleni leligama lelitsi “kulondza,” belisetjentiswa emasotjeni lagadzako. Belibhekisela ebutfweni lemasotja lelihlomile lebelabelwe kugadza emadolobha latincaba asendvulo. Lidolobha laseFiliphi belinjalo. Bantfu baseFiliphi bebalala behle butfongo ngobe bebati kutsi emasotja lahlomile bekaligadzile lelidolobha. Ngendlela lefanako, nasinekuthula kwaNkulunkulu, tinhlitiyo netingcondvo tetfu tiba nekuthula. Siyati kutsi Jehova uyasikhatsalela futsi ufuna siphumelele. (1 Phet. 5:10) Kukwati loko kutasilondza kute singancotjwa tinkhatsato tekuphila nobe kudvumateka.

17. Yini lengasisita kutsi silindzele likusasa ngekuciniseka lokukhulu?

¹⁷ Masinyane nje, sonkhe sintfu sitawubhekana nekuhlupheka lokukhulu lokungazange sekube khona emhlabeni. (Mat. 24:21, 22) Asiyati yonkhe imininingwane yaloko lokutawukwenteka kumuntfu ngamunye. Nanobe kunjalo, kute sidzingo sekutsi sihlale sikhatsetekile. Ngisho nobe singeke sikwati konkhe loko Jehova latawukwenta, kodvwa siyamati Nkulunkulu wetfu. Sikubonile loko lakwentile esikhatsini lesendlulile kutsi ngisho nobe kungentekani, Jehova utawuhlale ayifeza injongo yakhe futsi ngalesinye sikhatsi uyenta ngendlela lengakagadvwa ngumuntfu. Ngako-ke nobe ngabe yini Jehova lasentela yona nyalo, ingasenta sitfole “kuthula kwaNkulunkulu lokwendlula konkhe kucondza,” ngendlela lesingakaze sakutfola ngayo.