CHAPTER 9
“God Hem No Favorim Eniwan”
Olketa Christian start for preach long pipol wea no Jew and no circumcise
Acts 10:1–11:30 storyim diswan
1-3. Wanem nao Peter lukim long vision, and why nao iumi need for minim datwan?
LONG wanfala day long 36 C.E., Peter go ap long ruf bilong haos for prea. For samfala day finis, hem stap long haos bilong Simon wea klosap long saedsea long Joppa. Simon hem man wea redyim skin bilong animal for pipol savve iusim for wakem samting. Samfala Jew les for stap witim man wea duim waka olsem, bat Peter hem willing for stap witim Simon and datwan showimaot hem no favorim eniwan. a Bat wanfala samting happen wea mekem Peter luksavve Jehovah no favorim eniwan.
2 Taem Peter prea, hem lukim vision. Samting wea hem lukim savve mekem eni Jew feel nogud. Peter lukim big kaleko kam daon from skae wea insaed long hem, hem olketa difren kaen animal wea Law sei hem no klin. Angel talem Peter for killim dae eni animal hia and kaikaim, bat Peter sei: “No enitaem mi kaikaim eni samting wea hem no klin olsem.” Thrifala taem angel sei long hem: “God mekem olketa samting hia for klin nao, so iu no sei olketa samting hia hem no klin.” (Acts 10:14-16) Peter hem konfius bat no longtaem bihaen hem minim datfala vision.
3 Wanem nao datfala vision hem minim? Hem important for iumi savve bikos hem teachim iumi tru samting abaotem hao Jehovah ting long pipol. Sapos iumi no garem sem tingting olsem Jehovah, bae hem hard for iumi storyim gud Kingdom bilong God long pipol. For minim datfala vision, bae iumi storyim samting wea happen.
“Hem Prea Strong Long God Evritaem” (Acts 10:1-8)
4, 5. Hu nao Cornelius and wanem nao happen taem hem prea?
4 Long day bifor, Peter no savve Cornelius wea stap long Caesarea lukim vision tu. Caesarea hem samting olsem 50 kilometer north long Joppa. Cornelius hem wanfala bigman bilong olketa soldia long army bilong Rome. Hem no followim religion bilong olketa Jew bat hem “worshipim God.” b Hem showimaot gud example for lukaftarem famili bikos “full famili bilong hem olketa worshipim God” tu. Nomata hem no Jew and no circumcise, hem givim samting for helpem olketa Jew wea poor. Hem savve “prea strong long God evritaem.”—Acts 10:2.
5 Long wanfala aftanun long samting olsem 3 klok, Cornelius prea and lukim vision. Angel sei long hem: “God hem herem olketa prea bilong iu and hem lukim tu olketa gudfala samting wea iu duim for pipol wea poor. Hem no forgetim olketa samting hia.” (Acts 10:4) Angel talem Cornelius for sendem samfala man go long Joppa for tekem kam aposol Peter, so Cornelius duim datwan. Cornelius nao bae first man wea no Jew and no circumcise for herem gud nius.
6, 7. (a) Storyim eni experience wea showimaot God ansarem prea bilong pipol wea laek for savve long tru samting abaotem hem. (b) Wanem nao iumi lanem from olketa experience olsem?
6 Waswe, God ansarem prea bilong pipol wea laek for savve long tru samting abaotem hem? Tingim disfala experience. Wanfala woman long Albania tekem Wastaoa magasin wea storyim hao for trainim olketa pikinini. Hem sei long Witness wea story long hem: “Iu savve, mi just prea long God for helpem mi trainim tufala gele bilong mi. God nao sendem iu kam! Iu givim magasin wea mi barava needim!” Datfala woman witim tufala gele bilong hem start for studyim Bible, and bihaen hasband tu joinim study.
7 Waswe, kaen samting olsem hem happen long datfala woman nomoa? Nomoa! Hem happen long staka pipol long world and hem no happen nating nomoa. Wanem nao iumi lanem from olketa experience olsem? First samting, Jehovah ansarem prea bilong pipol wea laek for savve long hem. (1 Ki. 8:41-43; Ps. 65:2) Mek-tu, olketa angel helpem iumi long preaching waka.—Rev. 14:6, 7.
“Peter Hem Barava Konfius” (Acts 10:9-23a)
8, 9. God iusim holy spirit for mekem Peter savve long wanem, and wanem nao Peter duim?
8 Taem thrifala wakaman bilong Cornelius kasem haos wea Peter stap, Peter hem antap long ruf yet and hem “barava konfius.” Hem no minim samting wea hem lukim long vision. (Acts 10:17) Thrifala taem Peter sei long angel hem les for kaikaim eni samting wea Law sei hem no klin. So waswe, hem willing for go witim olketa man hia and go insaed haos bilong Cornelius wea no Jew? God iusim holy spirit for mekem Peter savve long plan bilong Hem abaotem pipol wea no Jew. Holy spirit sei long Peter: “Thrifala man lukaotem iu. Iu go daon long olketa and no fraet for go witim olketa bikos mi nao sendem olketa kam.” (Acts 10:19, 20) Luk olsem vision wea Peter lukim helpem hem for followim wei wea holy spirit leadim hem.
9 Taem Peter savve angel nao talem Cornelius for sendem olketa man for lukaotem hem, hem talem olketa man hia wea no Jew for kam and “stap” witim hem long haos. (Acts 10:23a) Peter start for changem tingting bilong hem from hem luksavve long wanem God laekem.
10. Hao nao Jehovah leadim pipol bilong hem, and olketa wanem kwestin nao iumi shud tingim?
10 Kam kasem distaem, Jehovah isisi helpem pipol bilong hem for minim olketa samting long Bible. (Prov. 4:18) Hem iusim holy spirit for leadim “wakaman wea faithful and wise.” (Matt. 24:45) Maet samfala taem olketa change kamap long organization or hao iumi minim samfala teaching long Bible. Iumi shud tingim diswan: ‘Wanem nao tingting bilong mi abaotem datwan? Waswe, mi followim wei wea holy spirit leadim pipol bilong God saed long olketa samting hia?’
Peter “Talem Olketa for Baptaes” (Acts 10:23b-48)
11, 12. Wanem nao Peter duim taem hem kasem Caesarea and hem luksavve long wanem?
11 Long day bihaen Peter lukim vision, hem witim thrifala man wea Cornelius sendem kam and “sixfala brata” from Joppa wea Jew, olketa go long Caesarea. (Acts 11:12) Taem Cornelius weitim Peter for kam, hem talem “olketa relative and olketa gud fren bilong hem” for kam long haos tu. Luk olsem evriwan hia no Jew. (Acts 10:24) Taem Peter kasem haos bilong Cornelius, hem duim samting wea no enitaem bifor hem duim. Hem go insaed long haos bilong man wea no Jew and no circumcise! Peter sei long olketa: “Iufala savve finis law bilong mifala hem stopem olketa Jew for no visitim or fren gud witim eniwan wea hem no wanfala Jew. Bat God hem showim long mi finis for mi mas no sei nara pipol olketa no klin.” (Acts 10:28) Peter minim nao datfala vision. Hem luksavve hem no abaotem kaikai nomoa wea hem shud kaikaim, bat hem “mas no sei nara pipol olketa no klin.”
“Cornelius hem weitim olketa for kam, so hem talem olketa relative and olketa gud fren bilong hem for kam tu.”—Acts 10:24
12 Evriwan wea hipap laek savve wanem nao Peter bae talem. Cornelius sei: “Mifala evriwan hipap front long God for herem evri samting wea Jehovah talem long iu for talem long mifala.” (Acts 10:33) Tingim sapos samwan wea laek savve abaotem Jehovah tok olsem long iu. Bae iu hapi tumas! Peter sei long olketa: “Distaem mi barava luksavve God hem no favorim eniwan. Long evri kantri long world, sapos man worshipim God and duim samting wea stret, God bae hapi long hem.” (Acts 10:34, 35) Peter luksavve God acceptim eniwan nomata wanem nao lukluk bilong hem, tribe, or kantri wea hem kam from. Peter gohed story long olketa abaotem ministry wea Jesus duim, dae bilong hem, and hao Jesus laef bak.
13, 14. (a) Taem Cornelius and olketa narawan wea no Jew kamap Christian long 36 C.E., datwan showimaot wanem? (b) Why nao iumi no judgem pipol bikos long lukluk bilong olketa, tribe, kantri, or religion bilong olketa?
13 Wanfala samting happen wea no enitaem hem happen bifor. Bible sei: “Taem Peter hem toktok yet,” God givim holy spirit long “olketa wea no Jew.” (Acts 10:44, 45) Datfala scripture nomoa storyim Jehovah givim holy spirit long pipol firstaem bifor olketa baptaes. Peter luksavve datwan showimaot God acceptim olketa wea no Jew, so hem “talem olketa for baptaes.” (Acts 10:48) Long 36 C.E., Cornelius and olketa narawan wea no Jew kamap Christian. Start long datfala taem, olketa Jew no spesol pipol bilong Jehovah nao. (Dan. 9:24-27) Hem nao taem wea Peter iusim mek-thri “key bilong Kingdom.” (Matt. 16:19) Datwan givim chance long olketa wea no Jew and no circumcise for kamap olketa anointed Christian.
14 Iumi olketa Witness luksavve “God hem no saedem eniwan.” (Rome 2:11) “Hem laekem tumas for evri difren kaen man mas sev.” (1 Tim. 2:4) So iumi no judgem pipol bikos long lukluk bilong olketa, tribe, kantri, or religion bilong olketa. God laekem iumi for storyim gud Kingdom bilong Hem long evri difren kaen pipol.
‘Olketa No Gohed Raoa and Olketa Praisem God’ (Acts 11:1-18)
15, 16. (a) Why nao samfala Jew Christian raoa witim Peter? (b) Wanem nao Peter talem for explainim why hem go long haos bilong Cornelius?
15 Peter laek storyim gud samting wea happen long Caesarea long olketa brata long Jerusalem, so hem go long Jerusalem. Bat luk olsem olketa herem finis hao pipol wea no Jew and no circumcise “biliv.” No longtaem bihaen Peter kasem Jerusalem, “olketa wea strong for sei man mas circumcise, olketa raoa witim hem.” Olketa no hapi bikos Peter go insaed “long haos bilong olketa man wea no circumcise and hem kaikai witim olketa.” (Acts 11:1-3) Olketa no kros bikos pipol wea no Jew kamap Christian, bat olketa sei pipol hia mas followim Law and mas circumcise mekem God hapi long olketa. Tru tumas, samfala Jew Christian laek gohed yet for followim Law bilong Moses nomata Christ hem finisim Law.
16 Wanem nao Peter talem for explainim why hem go long haos bilong Cornelius? Acts 11:4-16 sei Peter storyim fofala samting wea pruvim God nao mekem hem for go long haos bilong Cornelius. First samting, God mekem hem lukim vision. (Verse 4-10) Mek-tu, holy spirit talem hem for go long haos bilong Cornelius. (Verse 11, 12) Mek-thri, wanfala angel story long Cornelius. (Verse 13, 14) And mek-foa, God givim holy spirit long pipol wea no Jew. (Verse 15, 16) Peter sei tu: “So sapos God givim sem present [holy spirit] long olketa [wea no Jew wea biliv] wea hem givim long iumi [olketa Jew] wea biliv long Lord Jesus Christ, hem no fitim for mi stopem samting wea God laekem.”—Acts 11:17.
17, 18. (a) Samting wea Peter storyim mekem olketa Jew Christian for mas disaedem wanem? (b) Why nao hem no isi for gohed garem wan mind long kongregeson, and olketa wanem kwestin nao hem gud for tingim?
17 Samting wea Peter storyim mekem olketa Jew Christian for mas disaedem samting. Waswe, bae olketa no saedem olketa Jew nomoa bat acceptim olketa niu brata and sista wea no Jew? Bible sei: “Taem [olketa aposol and olketa nara Jew Christian] herem olketa samting hia, olketa no gohed raoa witim Peter nao. Olketa praisem God and sei: ‘So hem klia nao! God givim chance long olketa wea no Jew tu for repent mekem olketa savve kasem laef.’” (Acts 11:18) From olketa garem gudfala tingting olsem, datwan mekem evriwan long kongregeson wan mind.
18 From olketa tru Christian kam ‘from evri kantri, tribe, pipol, and languis,’ samfala taem hem no isi for gohed garem wan mind. (Rev. 7:9) Plande kongregeson garem pipol from olketa difren tribe, kastom, and living. Hem gud for tingim diswan: ‘Waswe, mi favorim samfala pipol yet? Staka pipol long world ting daonem pipol from difren kantri, tribe, kastom, and wea garem difren kala skin. So waswe, mi no letem tingting olsem for spoelem wei wea mi fren witim olketa Christian brata and sista wea kam from difren ples?’ Tingim samting wea happen long Peter (Cephas) samfala year bihaen Cornelius and olketa narawan wea no Jew kamap Christian. Peter favorim olketa Jew and “hem no kaikai witim olketa [Christian wea no Jew] nao, and hem no laek stap witim olketa tu.” So Paul kaonselem hem. (Gal. 2:11-14) Iumi tu mas traem best for no favorim eniwan.
“Staka Pipol Biliv” (Acts 11:19-26a)
19. Olketa Jew Christian long Antioch start for preach long hu, and wanem nao happen?
19 Waswe, olketa disaepol bilong Jesus start for preach long pipol wea no Jew and no circumcise? Tingim samting wea happen long Antioch long Syria. c Nomata staka Jew stap long there, olketa stap gud witim pipol wea no Jew. So hem isi for olketa Jew Christian for preach long Antioch. Samfala start for talemaot gud nius long “pipol wea story long Greek languis.” (Acts 11:20) Olketa preach long olketa Jew wea story long Greek languis and long pipol wea no Jew and no circumcise. Jehovah blessim olketa and “staka pipol biliv.”—Acts 11:21.
20, 21. Wanem nao Barnabas duim wea showimaot hem hambol, and hao nao iumi savve showimaot iumi hambol taem iumi duim ministry?
20 From olketa long Antioch willing for lisin long gud nius, kongregeson long Jerusalem sendem Barnabas long there. Bat from staka pipol interest, hem hard for Barnabas duim datfala waka seleva. Hem fitim for Saul helpem hem bikos Jesus markem hem for kamap aposol for preach long pipol wea no Jew! (Acts 9:15; Rome 1:5) Waswe, Barnabas trae for winim Paul? Nomoa, Barnabas hem hambol. Hem nao go lukaotem Saul long Tarsus and tekem hem go long Antioch for helpem hem. Tufala waka tugeta for 1 year for strongim olketa disaepol long there.—Acts 11:22-26a.
21 Hao nao iumi savve showimaot iumi hambol taem iumi duim ministry? Iumi need for luksavve long wanem iumi fit for duim and no fit for duim. Iumi evriwan difren and maet samting wea iumi savve long hem or fit for duim hem no semsem olsem narawan. Olsem example, maet samfala savve tumas hao for duim enitaem witnessing or duim haos tu haos, bat maet hem no isi for olketa duim return visit or startim Bible study. Sapos iu laek kamap gud long hao for duim wanfala samting saed long ministry, hem gud for askem olketa narawan for helpem iu! Sapos iu duim olsem, bae iu hapi and kasem gud samting long ministry.—1 Cor. 9:26.
Olketa Disaepol “Sendem Relief Supply” (Acts 11:26b-30)
22, 23. (a) Wanem nao olketa brata long Antioch duim wea showimaot olketa lovem olketa brata? (b) Wanem nao pipol bilong God duim distaem?
22 Long Antioch “olketa disaepol kasem datfala nem ‘Christian.’ God nao givim disfala nem long olketa.” (Acts 11:26b) Olketa disaepol fit for garem datfala nem bikos olketa followim gud example bilong Christ. From pipol wea no Jew kamap Christian, waswe, olketa Jew Christian fren gud witim olketa? Tingim samting wea happen taem big hangre kamap long samting olsem 46 C.E. d Long bifor, olketa big hangre barava spoelem pipol wea poor bikos olketa no keepim eni selen or garem staka kaikai long haos. So taem datfala big hangre kamap, olketa Jew Christian long Judea barava needim kaikai and olketa nara samting bikos luk olsem staka long olketa poor. Taem olketa Christian long Antioch wea Jew and no Jew herem datwan, olketa sendem “relief supply” for helpem olketa brata long Judea. (Acts 11:29) Olketa showimaot trufala love long olketa, olsem man wea lovem brata bilong hem!
23 Pipol bilong God distaem duim sem samting. Taem olketa brata long nara kantri or ples wea iumi stap needim help, iumi willing for helpem olketa. Branch Komiti kwiktaem organizem olketa Disaster Relief Komiti for helpem olketa brata and sista wea cyclone, earthquake, tsunami, or nara natural disaster kasem olketa. Taem olketa brata helpem narawan, olketa showimaot trufala Christian love.—John 13:34, 35; 1 John 3:17.
24. Wanem nao iumi savve duim for showimaot iumi minim vision wea Peter lukim?
24 Iumi olketa tru Christian minim vision wea Peter lukim long winim 1,900 year go finis. God wea iumi worshipim no favorim eniwan. Hem laekem iumi for storyim Kingdom bilong Hem long evriwan, nomata wanem tribe, kantri, or living nao olketa garem. So iumi laek givim chance long evriwan wea interest for acceptim gud nius.—Rom. 10:11-13.
Taem olketa brata needim help, iumi willing for helpem olketa
a Samfala Jew ting daonem man wea duim waka olsem bikos hem tasim animal wea dae finis and iusim toilet bilong dog for aotem hair from skin bilong animal. Olketa Jew sei man wea duim waka olsem no fit for go long temple and bisnis bilong hem mas stap winim 50 cubit, wea minim winim 22 meter from eni taon. Maet hem nao why haos bilong Simon “stap long saedsea.”—Acts 10:6.
b Lukim box, “ Cornelius and Army Bilong Rome.”
c Lukim box, “ Antioch Long Syria.”
d Josephus wea raet abaotem history bilong olketa Jew sei datfala “big hangre” kamap taem Claudius hem King bilong Rome (41-54 C.E.).
