1-3. (a) Ko Paulo adasankhula mbani ninge munzake wofamba naye, ndipo munzake muyo wenze munthu wotani? (b) Ko tipfunzire chani mu msolo uno?

 NTUMI Paulo na mulumbwana yemwe wenze naye, adafamba ulendo na minyendo kufamba m’misewu ya m’mapiri yophatana na mathaundi yawiri. Ali paulendo muyo, ntumi moyu ambaganizira vomwe mulumbwana muule yemwe dzina yake wenze Timoteyo angadekana kuchita. Timoteyo wenze mulumbwana wamphanvu yemwe panango pa nthawe mweire wenze na magole 20 panango kupitirira pang’ono. Iwo adafamba nsenga utali kuchokera kumuyi kwa Timoteyo ndipo pakufika maulo wenze akali kutali maninge na mathaundi ya Lusitara na Ikoniyo. Ko iwo angadikhira chani? Paulo angadziwa vomwe angagumane navo, ndawa umuyu wenze ulendo wake wachiwiri wa umishonale. Iye angadziwa kuti angagumane na mabvuto komasoti vinthu vizinji vogopsya. Koma ko mulumbwana yemwe angafamba naye ule adakakwanisa kupirira mabvuto mwayo?

² Paulo ambakhulupirira kuti Timoteyo, akwanise kuphata basa mweyi. Iye angakhulupirira maninge vimwevi panango kuposha momwe mulumbwana wodzichepesa moyu angadziwonera. Vomwe Paulo adagumana navo pantsiku zinganani kumbuyo vidamuchitisa kuti aganize vogumana munthu woyenerera kufamba naye. Paulo ambadziwa kuti iye pabodzi na munthu yemwe ankufamba naye angafunika kukhala wolimba ntima komasoti wobverana maninge kuti akwanise kuphata basa yawo yofambira mipingo na kuyalimbikisa. Ndawa chani ambaganiza vimwevi? Panango chinthu chibodzi chomwe chidamuchitisa kuganiza vimwevi ni ndawa yakuti wenze adasiyana maganizo na Baranaba pa vomwe vidachitika m’mambuyo umu vomwe vidawachitisa kuti asiyane.

³ Mu msolo uno, tiwone njira zabwino zomalisira kusiyana maganizo. Tione pomwe ndawa yake Paulo adasalula Timoteyo kuti akhale munzake wofamba naye ndipo tidziwe basa yodikana yomwe onyang’anira madera achaphata ntsiku zino.

4. Ko Paulo wenze na cholinga chiponi pa ulendo wake wachiwiri wa umishonale?

⁴ Mu msolo wapita ule, tidawona kuti abale anayi omwe enze Paulo, Baranaba, Yudasi na Sila omwe adatumiziwa kuchokera ku Yerusalemu, adalimbikisa mpingo wa ku Antiokeya na mpfundo yomwe bungwe yotonga idamanga pa nkhani ya mdulidwe. Ko manje Paulo adachita chani? Iye adauza Baranaba kuti: “Nabo tibwerere ku mathaundi yose komwe tidalalikira mawu ya Yahova kuti tikachezere abale na kuwawona kuti ali tani.” (Mac. 15:36) Mwapa Paulo ambalewalini va ulendo wondoyenda kukacheza basi na Akhrisitu wa manjemanje. Bukhu ya Machitidwe ichawonesa cholinga chaicho cha ulendo wachiwiri wa umishonale wa Paulo. Chakuyamba iye ambafuna kupitiriza kupereka m’mipingo malamulo yochokera ku bungwe yotonga. (Mac. 16:4) Chachiwiri, pakuti Paulo wenze wonyang’anira dera, iye ambafunisisa kulimbikisa mipingo mwauzimu ndipo iye ambafuna kuyathandiza kuti yalimbe mu chikhulupiriro. (Aro. 1:11, 12) Ko gulu ya Mboni za Yahova ntsiku zino ichatewedzera tani chitsanzo cha atumi mwechi?

5. Ko Bungwe Yotonga ntsiku zino ichatsogolera na kulimbikisa tani mipingo?

⁵ Ntsiku zino Yesu Khrisitu achaphatisira basa Bungwe Yotonga ya Mboni za Yahova pakutsogolera mpingo wake. Amuna okhulupirika odzodzewa mwawa, achatsogolera komasoti kulimbikisa mipingo yose padziko yapasi. Iwo achachita vimwevi pa kuphatisira basa makalata, mabukhu komasoti misonkhano na njira zinango zizinji. Bungwe Yotonga mweyi ichayesesa pomwe kuti idziwe momwe mipingo yose yankufambira. Kuti vimwevi vikwanisike Bungwe mweyi ichaphatisira basa oyang’anira madera. Bungwe Yotonga idasankhula akulu oyenerera padziko yose kuti akhale onyang’anira madera.

6, 7. Ko basa zinango zomwe onyang’anira dera achaphata ni ziponi?

⁶ Ntsiku zino onyang’anira madera achayesesa kuthandiza komasoti kulimbikisa mwauzimu munthu aliyese payekha m’mipingo yose yomwe achayafambira. Ko achachita tani vimwevi? Achatewedzera chitsanzo cha Akhrisitu wa nthawe ya atumi ninge Paulo. Iye adalimbikisa onyang’anira madera anzake kuti: “Lalikira mawu, umbalalikire modzipereka pa nthawe yabwino na pa nthawe yoshupa, tsuula, tsutsa, dandaulira, ndipo umbachite vimwevi na luso ya kupfunzisa komasoti modekha maninge . . . umbaphate basa ya mulaliki.”—2 Tim. 4:2, 5.

⁷ Mobverana na mawu mwaya, wonyang’anira dera pabodzi na nkazi wake, peno ni wolowola achangena mu utumiki pabodzi na ofalisa wa mu mpingo womwe ankuchezera. Onyang’anira dera mwawa achita utumiki  wawo mwakhama komasoti mwabuya ndipo vimwevi vichalimbikisa nkhosa. (Aro. 12:11; 2 Tim. 2:15) Onyang’anira madera, achadziwika kuti ni wanthu wachikondi komasoti wosafuna vinthu vizinji. Iwo achatumikira anango mosadandaula ndipo achafamba olo madera yopasa mantha panango pomwe nthawe irilini bwino. (Afil. 2:3, 4) Komasoti iwo achakamba nkhani za m’Baibolo pakupfunzisa na kulimbikisa mpingo uliwose. Wanthu wose mumpingo achaphindula akambaganizira khalidwe yabwino ya onyang’anira madera mwawa komasoti akambatewedzera chikhulupiriro chawo.—Aheb. 13:7.

8. Ko Baranaba adachita tani pomwe Paulo adamukumbira kuti afambe naye pabodzi?

⁸ Baranaba adabverana na maganizo ya Paulo ya kuti “tikachezere abale.” (Mac. 15:36) M’mambuyo umu atumiki mwawa adaphata basa pabodzi yofambira mipingo ndipo wose mwawa ambadziwa bwino madera komasoti wanthu womwe ambafuna kukawachezera. (Mac. 13:2–14:28) Pamwapo iwo adawona kuti vingakhale bwino afambire pomwe pabodzi pa kukachita utumiki moyu. Koma padayambika bvuto inango. Lemba ya Machitidwe 15:37 ichatiuza kuti: “Baranaba ambafunisisa kuti atenge Yohani, wochemerewa pomwe kuti Maliko.” Mwapa vinkutanthauzalini kuti Baranaba ambandolewa maganizo yake neye, koma “ambafunisisa” kumutenga m’bale wake moyu Maliko kuti afambe naye pa ulendo wake wa umishonale.

9. Ndawa chani Paulo adasiyana maganizo na Baranaba?

⁹ Koma Paulo alibe kubverananavo vimwevi. Ndawa chani? Nkhani mweyi ichati: “Koma Paulo adawona kuti vingakhalelini bwino kumutenga ndawa ulendo unango Yohani adawasiya ku Pamfuliya ndipo alibe kuyenda nawo ku basa mweyi.” (Mac. 15:38) Maliko adafamba na Paulo na Baranaba pa ulendo wawo woyamba wa umishonale koma adabwerera panjira. (Mac. 12:25; 13:13) Kumayambiriro kwa ulendo moyu akanati wachoka ku Pamfuliya Maliko adasiya utumiki wake na kubwerera ku Yerusalemu. Baibolo ilewalini ndawa yake Maliko adabwerera, koma vinkuwoneka kuti ntumi Paulo adawona kuti vomwe Maliko adachita ivo chenze chibwana. Ndipomwapa Paulo angakayikira vakuti Maliko angakhale wothembeka.

10. Ko chidachitika nchani Paulo na Baranaba pomwe adasiyana maganizo, ndipo patsogolo pake chidachitika nchani?

¹⁰ Koma Baranaba adangingimira kuti Maliko ayende naye. Nayembo Paulo alibe kubvuma kuti Maliko ayende nawo ulendo moyu. Koma Baibolo ilewa kuti: “Pavidateno adagegedzana maninge mpakana adasiyana. Baranaba adatenga Maliko ndipo adayenda ulendo wapanyanja kuyenda ku Kupuro.” (Mac. 15:39) Pavidachitika vimwevi Baranaba adatenga Maliko  ndipo adayamba ulendo wapanyanja yoyenda kuntsuwa kwa Kupuro komwe kwenze kwawo. Koma Paulo alibe kuchinja cholinga chake chofuna kukachezera abale. Nkhani mweyi ichati: “Koma Paulo adasankhula Sila, ndipo abale padamupempherera Paulo muyo kuti Yahova amuwonese kukoma ntima kukulu, adanyamuka.” (Mac. 15:40) Paulo na Sila adayamba ulendo wawo moyu ndipo “Iye adapita na ku Siriya na ku Kilikiya ndipo ambalimbikisa mipingo”—Mac. 15:41.

11. Ko ni makhalidwe yaponi yodekana maninge yomwe tichadekana kukhala nayo kuti tileke kukhala pa chizondo na wanthu omwe atiphonyera?

¹¹ Nkhani mweyi inkutikumbusa mpfundo yakuti wanthu ise tiribe ungwiro. Paulo na Baranaba adasankhuliwa kuti akhale atumiki wapadera woimira bungwe yotonga. Ndipo nkuyenda kwa nthawe, Paulo adakhala m’bodzi wa abale wa m’bungwe yotonga. Koma panthawe inango Paulo na Baranaba adachita vinthu voipa ndawa ya kusowa ungwiro. Ko iwo adabvuma kuti akhale pa chizondo ndawa ya vomwe vidachitika ivi? Olo kuti enze wanthu wochimwa, Paulo na Baranaba enze wodzichepesa ndipo enze na maganizo ya Khrisitu. Pamwapa ni vodziwikiratu kuti iwo adachita vomwe abale wa Chikhrisitu achadekana kuchita ndipo adakhululukirana. (Aef. 4:1-3) Nkuyenda kwa nthawe, Paulo na Maliko adaphata basa pabodzi pakutumikira Mulungu. a—Akol. 4:10.

12. Ko akulu na onyang’anira madera ntsiku zino achadekana kukhala na makhalidwe yaponi pakutewedzera Paulo na Baranaba?

¹² Kugegedzana kukulu komwe kwenzepo pakati pa Baranaba na Paulo kunkuwonesalini kuti wanthu mwawa enze okonda kugegedzana neye. Baranaba ambadziwika kuti wenze munthu wachikondi komasoti wopasa maninge mwakuti atumi ambamuchemeralini na dzina yake yakuti Yosefe, koma adamupasa dzina yakuti Baranaba yomwe imbatanthauza kuti “Mwana wonyamalisa.” Nayembo Paulo ambadziwika kuti wenze munthu wachifundo komasoti wopfatsa. (1 Ates. 2:7, 8) Pakutewedzera Paulo na Baranaba, akulu ntsiku zino na onyang’anira madera, achadekana kukhala odzichepesa komasoti wachifundo kwa akulu anzawo komasoti kwa gulu yose ya nkhosa.—1 Pet. 5:2, 3.

13, 14. (a) Ko Timoteyo wenze mbani ndipo adagumana tani na Paulo? (b) Ndawa chani Paulo adachita chidwi na Timoteyo? (c) Ko Timoteyo adapasiwa utumiki iponi?

¹³ Paulendo wake wachiwiri wa umishonale Paulo adafika ku chigawo cha Galatiya chomwe chimbatongewa na Aroma ndipo kumoku kwenze mipingo inganani. Patsogolo pake “Paulo adafika ku Debe komasoti ku  Lusitara.” Nkhani mweyi ichapitiriza kulewa kuti: “Kumoko kwenze wopfunzira munango dzina yake wenze Timoteyo, mwana wa mayi wa Chiyuda wokhulupirika, koma ababa wake enze Mgiriki.”—Mac. 16:1. b

¹⁴ Vinkuwoneka kuti Paulo adadziwana na Timoteyo na wanthu wa m’banja mwake pa ulendo wake woyamba cha mu 47 EC. Manje Paulo ali pa ulendo wake wachiwiri, payadapita magole yawiri panango yatatu adachita chidwi maninge na Timoteyo yemwe pathawi mweyo wenze mulumbwana. Ndawa chani adachita naye chidwi tene? Ndawa yakuti abale “adapereka umboni wabwino” wonena va iye. Timoteyo alibe kukondewa na abale wa thaundi ya kwayo wokha neye koma mbiri yake yabwino idabveka pomwe ku mipingo yanango ya madera yakutali. Nkhani mweyi ichati abale wa ku Lusitara komasoti wa ku thaundi ya Ikoniyo, yomwe yenze nsenga wa makilometro pafupifupi 30, ambamulewera vabwino Timoteyo. (Mac. 16:2) Motsogolerewa na mzimu uchena, akulu adamupasa Timoteyo, udindo ukulu kuti ambathandize Paulo na Sila pa utumiki wawo ninge wonyag’anira dera.—Mac. 16:3.

15, 16. Ko nchani chidachitisa kuti Timoteyo akhale na mbiri yabwino?

¹⁵ Ko vidakwanisika tani kuti mulumbwana moyu akhale na mbiri yabwino? Ko ndawa yakuti wenze waukhuzi, wanzeru komasoti ndawa yakuti ambadziwa bwino kuchita vinthu? Kazinjikazinji wanthu achatengeka na vinthu ninge vimwevi. Nthawe zinango m’neneri Samueli adatengeka na maonekedwe ya munthu. Koma Yahova adamukumbusa kuti: ‘Momwe munthu achaonera ni momwelini Mulungu achawonera. Munthu achaona vooneka na maso koma Mulungu awona momwe ntima ulili.’ (1 Sam. 16:7) Akhrisitu ambalewa vinthu vabwino va Timoteyo ndawa yakuti iye wenze na makhalidwe yabwino, osati ndawa yakuti wenze waukhuzi, wanzeru komasoti wodziwa kuchita bwino vinthu.

¹⁶ Payadapita magole yanganani, Paulo adatomola yanango mwa makhalidwe ya Chikhrisitu yomwe Timoteyo wenze nayo. Paulo adafotokoza kuti Timoteyo wenze na ntima wabwino, wenze wachikondi, osafuna vinthu vizinji komasoti wenze wakhama pakutumikira Mulungu. (Afil. 2:20-22) Timoteyo angadziwika pomwe kuti wenze na “chikhulupiriro chaicho.”—2 Tim. 1:5.

17. Ko achilumbwana ntsiku zino angatewedzere tani Timoteyo?

¹⁷ Ntsiku zino, alumbwana azinji achatewedzera Timoteyo pakuyesesa kukhala na makhalidwe yomwe yachakondweresa Mulungu. Podiya kuti akhale akali ang’onoang’ono iwo akhala na mbiri yabwino pamaso pa Yahova komasoti pamaso pa wanthu wake. (Miy. 22:1; 1 Tim. 4:15)  Iwo awonesa chikhulupiriro chaicho pa kupewa kumbachita vinthu viribe chilungamo. (Sal. 26:4) Pamwapa achilumbwana azinji olingana na Timoteyo, angakhale othembeka pa kutumikira mu mpingo. Iwo achadekana kukhala ofalisa ntontholo wabwino ndipo patsogolo pake akadzipereka kwa Yahova na kubatizika, alimbikisa maninge wanthu wose okonda Yahova.

18. (a) Ko Paulo na Timoteyo enze na mwayi wapadera uponi ninge onyang’anira dera? (b) Manje  mipingo yadaphindula tani?

¹⁸ Paulo na Timoteyo adatumikira Mulungu pabodzi kwa magole yazinji. Pakuti iwo enze onyang’anira dera adaphata basa zosiyanasiyana, pakuimira bungwe yotonga. Nkhani ya m’Baibolo mweyi ichalewa kuti: “M’mathaundi yose yomwe iwo angapita, angapasa wokhulupirira wa kumuko malamulo yofunika kuyatewedza, mobverana na vomwe atumi komasoti akulu wa ku Yerusalemu adagamula” (Mac. 16:4) Ni vodziwikiratu kuti mipingo yambatewedza malangizo yochokera kwa atumi na akulu waku Yerusalemu ndawa yakuti iwo adabvera. “Pamwapo wanthu wa m’mipingo adapitiriza kukhala na chikhulupiriro cholimba ndipo chiwerengero chimbaingizirika ntsiku na ntsiku.”—Mac. 16:5.

19, 20. Ndawa chani Akhrisitu achadekana kubvera “omwe ankunyang’anira pakati pawo”?

¹⁹ Ntsiku zinombo Mboni za Yahova zichadalisiwa ndawa yobvera malangizo yochokera kwa “omwe ankunyang’anira pakati” pawo. (Aheb. 13:17) Pakuti vochitika va dziko iyi vinkuchinja nthawe na nthawe, pankufunika kuti Akhrisitu ambabvere malangizo yochokera kwa “kapolo okhulupirika na wanzeru.” (Mat. 24:45; 1 Akor. 7:29-31) Kuchita vimwevi kungatiteteze kuti ayi kuti tisiye chonadi komasoti kungatithandize kuti tileke kupsyipiziwa na dziko iyi.—Yak. 1:27.

²⁰ Ni shuwadi kuti onyang’anira madera ntsiku zino, olo abale wa mu Bungwe Yotonga, ni wanthu omwe alibe ungwiro ninge momwe venzere kwa Paulo, Baranaba, Maliko na akulu anango adzodzewa wa nthawe ya atumi. (Aro. 5:12; Yak. 3:2) Koma Bungwe Yotonga ni yothembeka maninge ndawa ichaphatisira basa Mawu ya Mulungu nthawe zose ndipo ichatewedza chitsanzo cha atumi. (2 Tim. 1:13, 14) Ndawa ya vimwevi, mipingo yachalimbikisiwa ndipo yachakhala yolimba mu chikhulupiriro.