CHAPTER 27
“Storyim Gud Kingdom”
Paul preach nomata hem prisoner long Rome
Acts 28:11-31 storyim diswan
1. Paul, Luke, and Aristarchus savve long wanem, and why nao olsem?
LONG samting olsem 59 C.E., wanfala ship wea garem image bilong “olketa son bilong Zeus” sail from Malta, wanfala island long Mediterranean Sea for go long Italy. Luk olsem hem big kago ship wea karem olketa bag wheat. Aposol Paul, Luke, and Aristarchus nao go long datfala ship. From Paul hem prisoner, wanfala soldia nao gaedem hem. (Acts 27:2) Thrifala hia no olsem olketa crew long ship wea trustim tufala son bilong Zeus, god bilong olketa long Greece for protectim olketa. Tufala hia twin and nem bilong tufala hem Castor and Pollux. (Acts 28:11) Paul, Luke, and Aristarchus worshipim Jehovah, wea mekem olketa savve Paul bae preachim gud nius long Rome and lukim King.—Acts 23:11; 27:24.
2, 3. Ship wea Paul go insaed go kasem olketa wanem ples, and hu nao sapotim Paul long datfala gogo?
2 Ship hem arrive long Syracuse, wanfala taon long Sicily wea luk naes and important olsem Athens and Rome. Bihaen thrifala day, ship kasem Rhegium long south Italy. Then ship sail go long Puteoli, wanfala port long Italy wea klosap long Naples distaem wea stap samting olsem 320 kilometer from Rhegium. Wind blow kam from south so long next day nomoa ship kasem Puteoli nao.—Acts 28:12, 13.
3 Paul klosap nao for kasem Rome for lukim King Nero. “God wea givim iumi comfort” hem strongim Paul long datfala gogo. (2 Cor. 1:3) Long disfala chapter, bae iumi storyim hao Jehovah gohed sapotim Paul and Paul tu gohed strong for talemaot gud nius.
Diswan “Strongim Hem and Hem Thankiu Long God” (Acts 28:14, 15)
4, 5. (a) Wanem nao olketa brata long Puteoli duim for Paul, Luke, and Aristarchus, and maet why nao Paul free for go stap witim olketa? (b) Nomata olketa Christian stap long prison, wanem gud samting nao savve happen from olketa showimaot gudfala wei?
4 Paul, Luke, and Aristarchus “meetim samfala brata long [Puteoli] wea laekem tumas for [olketa] stap witim olketa for wanfala full week.” (Acts 28:14) Olketa brata showimaot gudfala example for lukaftarem thrifala brata hia! Masbi olketa brata long Puteoli tu kasem encouragement from thrifala. Bat why nao Paul wea hem prisoner hem free for go lukim olketa Christian? Maet hem bikos Paul duim samting wea mekem olketa soldia bilong Rome for trustim hem.
5 Long taem bilong iumi tu olketa bigman long prison letem Olketa Jehovah’s Witness for duim samfala samting wea olketa no letem olketa nara prisoner for duim. Datwan hem bikos olketa brata and sista showimaot gudfala wei. Tingim wanfala man from Romania. From hem steal, kot sei hem mas stap long prison for 75 year. Gogo hem start for studyim Bible and hem barava changem wei bilong hem. From datwan, olketa bigman long prison letem hem go seleva long taon and baem olketa samting for prison! Hem important for tingim hao gudfala wei bilong iumi savve mekem pipol for praisem Jehovah.—1 Pet. 2:12.
6, 7. Wanem nao olketa brata long Rome duim wea showimaot olketa barava lovem Paul, Luke, and Aristarchus?
6 Bihaen Paul, Luke, and Aristarchus lusim Puteoli, luk olsem olketa baeleg followim road wea olketa kolem Appian Way wea go for Rome. Olketa baeleg for samting olsem 50 kilometer for kasem Capua. Olketa long Rome wakem datfala road from olketa big flat ston wea olketa tekem from volkeno. Taem man followim road hia, hem savve lukim olketa naesfala vilij long Italy and taem hem gogo moa hem savve lukim Mediterranean Sea. Road hem go pas tu long swamp area wea olketa kolem Pontine Marshes, wea stap samting olsem 60 kilometer from Rome. Hem nao ples wea market long Appius stap. Luke sei: “Taem olketa brata long Rome herem mifala kam, samfala kam meetim mifala long market long Appius and olketa narawan meetim mifala long ples wea olketa kolem Thrifala Resthaos,” wea stap samting olsem 50 kilometer from Rome. Olketa brata long Rome showimaot olketa barava lovem thrifala brata hia!—Acts 28:15.
7 Market long Appius hem no gudfala ples for pipol wea travel kam from farawe for rest. Horace, wanfala man bilong Rome for raet sei datfala market hem “fulap long olketa crew long ship and olketa wea lukaftarem resthaos wea no kaen.” Hem sei “wata long there hem smel and teist nogud.” Horace bat les for kaikai long there tu! Nomata hem no gudfala ples for stap, olketa brata long Rome hapi nomoa for weitim Paul, Luke, and Aristarchus long there mekem olketa savve go tugeta long Rome.
8. Why nao Paul thankiu long God ‘taem hem lukim olketa brata’?
8 “Taem Paul lukim olketa, diswan barava strongim hem and hem thankiu long God.” (Acts 28:15) Maet Paul savve gud long samfala brata hia. Why nao hem thankiu long God taem hem lukim olketa? Hem savve holy spirit nao mekem olketa for showimaot love. (Gal. 5:22) Distaem tu holy spirit savve mekem olketa Christian for duim samting for helpem and comfortim narawan.—1 Thess. 5:11, 14.
9. Hao nao iumi savve followim example bilong olketa brata long Rome?
9 Olsem example, holy spirit savve mekem olketa brata and sista for kaen and welkamim olketa circuit overseer, missionary, and olketa narawan wea duim full-taem service. Plande long olketa sakrifaesim staka samting mekem olketa savve duim moa samting for Jehovah. Tingim diswan: ‘Waswe, mi savve invaetem circuit overseer and waef bilong hem sapos hem marit for kam kaikai long haos, stap long haos, or duim nara samting for helpem olketa? Waswe, mi savve waka witim olketa long ministry?’ Sapos iu duim olsem, iu tu savve kasem blessing. Tingim feeling bilong olketa brata long Rome. Masbi olketa hapi tumas taem olketa herem samfala experience wea Paul and tufala brata storyim.—Acts 15:3, 4.
“Pipol Long Evri Ples Tok Againstim Disfala Sekson” (Acts 28:16-22)
10. Wanem nao happen long Paul taem hem kasem Rome, and wanem nao hem duim no longtaem bihaen?
10 Taem evriwan kasem Rome, “olketa letem Paul for stap seleva and wanfala soldia nomoa gaedem hem.” (Acts 28:16) For mek sure man wea prisoner long haos no ranawe, olketa soldia savve chainim hand bilong hem long wanfala soldia. Nomata olketa chainim hand bilong Paul long wanfala soldia, datwan no stopem hem for preach. Bihaen thrifala day nomoa, Paul kolem kam olketa bigman bilong olketa Jew wea stap long Rome mekem hem talem olketa hu nao hem and for preach long olketa.
11, 12. Taem Paul story long olketa Jew long Rome, wanem nao hem talem for mekem olketa garem stretfala tingting abaotem hem?
11 Paul sei: “Olketa brata, mi no duim eni samting wea againstim pipol bilong iumi or againstim kastom bilong olketa grani bilong iumi. Nomata olsem, olketa holem mi long Jerusalem, then olketa givim mi go long olketa bigman bilong Rome. Olketa askem staka kwestin long mi bat olketa no faendem mi duim eni samting wea mekem mi fit for dae, so olketa laek for letem mi go free. Olketa Jew no laekem olketa for letem mi go free, so mi mas ask for King long Rome nao hem judgem case bilong mi, bat mi no duim diswan for accusim pipol bilong mi.”—Acts 28:17-19.
12 Paul kolem olketa Jew hia “olketa brata” bikos hem laekem olketa for lisin long hem and for garem stretfala tingting abaotem hem. (1 Cor. 9:20) And hem laekem olketa for luksavve hem no kam for accusim olketa Jew bat hem laekem King long Rome nao for judgem case bilong hem. Bat olketa Jew long there nating herem eni nius abaotem datwan. (Acts 28:21) Why nao olketa Jew long Judea no sendem nius long olketa? Wanfala buk sei: “Masbi ship wea Paul go insaed hem first wan for arrive long Italy bihaen long cold season, and olketa man wea olketa bigman bilong Jerusalem sendem go long Rome no arrive yet witim leta abaotem datfala case.”
13, 14. Wanem nao Paul talem for storyim message abaotem Kingdom, and hao nao iumi savve followim example bilong hem?
13 From Paul laek storyim message abaotem Kingdom, hem storyim samting for mekem olketa Jew interest. Hem sei: “Olketa taengem mi long disfala chain bikos long datfala hope bilong Israel. Dastawe mi laekem tumas for lukim and story witim iufala.” (Acts 28:20) Datfala hope bae kamap tru bikos long Messiah and Kingdom bilong hem, and hem nao hope wea Christian kongregeson preach abaotem. Olketa bigman bilong olketa Jew sei long Paul: “Mifala laek herem tingting bilong iu, bikos mifala savve pipol long evri ples tok againstim disfala sekson wea iu insaed.”—Acts 28:22.
14 Iumi tu savve followim example bilong Paul taem iumi preachim gud nius. Iumi savve askem olketa kwestin or storyim wanfala point for mekem pipol interest. Iumi savve iusim olketa gudfala idea wea stap lo pablikeson olsem, Laef and Ministry blo Iumi—Meeting Buk, Kasem Gud Samting From Theocratic Ministry Skul Education and Gohed Waka Hard for Read and Teach Gud. Waswe, iu mekius long olketa samting hia?
Paul Showim Gud Example for “Storyim Gud Kingdom” (Acts 28:23-29)
15. Wanem nao fofala samting wea Paul duim wea iumi savve followim?
15 Olketa Jew markem wanfala day for story moa witim Paul and “staka pipol nao kam long ples wea hem stap. Start long morning go kasem evening hem barava storyim gud Kingdom bilong God long olketa. Hem iusim law bilong Moses and samting wea olketa profet raetem for story gud abaotem Jesus tu.” (Acts 28:23) Tingim fofala samting wea Paul duim taem hem story long olketa. First samting, hem mekhae long Kingdom bilong God. Mek-tu, hem “story gud” long olketa for mekem olketa interest. Mek-thri, hem iusim olketa Holy Raeting. Mek-foa, hem showimaot hem no tingim hemseleva bikos hem preach “start long morning go kasem evening.” Paul showimaot gudfala example for iumi! Wanem nao happen bihaen? “Samfala bilivim samting wea hem talem bat olketa narawan no laek bilivim hem.” Luke sei: “From olketa no savve agree, olketa go nao.”—Acts 28:24, 25a.
16-18. (a) Why nao Paul no sapraes taem plande Jew long Rome no acceptim gud nius? (b) Taem pipol no acceptim gud nius, iumi shud ting hao long datwan?
16 Paul no sapraes long wanem olketa duim bikos hem lukim datwan finis and Bible tu profesi abaotem datwan. (Acts 13:42-47; 18:5, 6; 19:8, 9) Dastawe bifor olketa go, Paul sei long olketa: “Samting wea holy spirit mekem profet Isaiah for talem long olketa grani bilong iufala hem barava fitim. Hem sei, ‘Go long pipol hia and sei: “Iufala bae herem samting bat bae no minim datwan, and iufala bae lukim samting bat bae no minim datwan tu. Tingting bilong pipol hia hem sat nao.”’” (Acts 28:25b-27) From tingting bilong pipol hia hem sat, olketa no acceptim nao message abaotem Kingdom. Datwan hem barava sorre samting!
17 Nomata staka Jew no lisin, Paul sei ‘olketa wea no Jew bae laekem tumas for herem disfala gud nius.’ (Acts 28:28; Ps. 67:2; Isa. 11:10) Aposol Paul luksavve datwan hem tru bikos hem lukim finis staka pipol wea no Jew acceptim message abaotem Kingdom!—Acts 13:48; 14:27.
18 Olsem Paul, iumi tu mas no feel nogud taem pipol les long gud nius. Iumi savve samfala pipol nomoa bae faendem road wea lead go for laef olowe. (Matt. 7:13, 14) Taem olketa wea laekem laef olowe acceptim truth and disaed for worshipim Jehovah, iumi shud hapi and welkamim olketa.—Luke 15:7.
“Preach Abaotem Kingdom Bilong God” (Acts 28:30, 31)
19. Wanem nao Paul duim taem hem stap long haos and wanfala soldia gaedem hem?
19 Samting wea Luke storyim long end bilong buk bilong Acts barava encouragem iumi. Hem sei: “For tufala year Paul hem stap long wanfala haos wea hem rentim and hem hapi for story long eniwan wea kam for lukim hem. Hem no fraet for preach abaotem Kingdom bilong God long olketa, and teachim olketa abaotem Lord Jesus Christ, and no eniwan trae for stopem hem.” (Acts 28:30, 31) Paul showimaot nambawan example for iumi! Hem garem faith, welkamim pipol, and strong for preach!
20, 21. Storyim samfala wea kasem gud samting from Paul preach long Rome.
20 Paul hapi for story witim Onesimus, wanfala slave from Colossae wea ranawe from boss bilong hem. Paul helpem Onesimus for kamap Christian. Paul sei hem “brata wea [hem] lovem and wea hem faithful,” and hem ting long hem “olsem pikinini bilong [hem].” (Col. 4:9; Philem. 10-12) Masbi samting wea Onesimus duim barava encouragem Paul! a
21 Olketa narawan tu kasem gud samting from example bilong Paul. Paul sei long olketa long Philippi: “Olketa samting wea kasem mi hem mekem datfala waka for talemaot gud nius hem gohed gud. Evriwan, and olketa soldia wea security for king tu, savve mi stap long prison bikos mi garem faith long Christ. Taem olketa brata wea duim waka bilong Lord savve mi stap long prison, plande long olketa kasem strong from datwan and olketa no fraet nao for talemaot toktok bilong God.”—Phil. 1:12-14.
22. Nomata Paul prisoner long Rome, wanem nao hem duim?
22 Nomata Paul prisoner long Rome, hem mekius long chance for raetem olketa leta wea distaem hem part bilong olketa Christian Greek Scripture. b Olketa leta hia wea hem raetem for olketa Christian lo first century hem helpem olketa. Iumi tu kasem gud samting from olketa leta bilong Paul. Olketa kaonsel wea stap insaed fitim olketa long bifor, and hem savve helpem iumi distaem tu.—2 Tim. 3:16, 17.
23, 24. Staka Christian stap long prison nomata olketa no duim eni rong samting. Hao nao olketa followim example bilong Paul?
23 Buk bilong Acts no storyim taem wea Paul kamap free, bat hem stap long prison for tufala year long Caesarea and tufala year long Rome. c (Acts 23:35; 24:27) Nomata olsem, Paul hapi and duim best bilong hem for gohed preach. Staka Jehovah’s Witness distaem tu stap long prison nomata olketa no duim eni rong samting. Nomata olsem, olketa hapi nomoa and gohed for preach. Tingim Adolfo wea olketa putim hem long prison long Spain bikos hem les for werem uniform bilong army. Wanfala bigman long prison sei: “Mifala sapraes tumas long iu. Nomata mifala mekem laef hard for iu, iu gohed smile nomoa and talem olketa kaenfala toktok.”
24 Gogo olketa long prison trustim Adolfo and leavim door long cell bilong hem open nomoa. Olketa soldia savve visitim hem and askem olketa kwestin abaotem Bible. Wanfala security savve go insaed cell bilong Adolfo for readim Bible and Adolfo nao lukluk sapos eni soldia kam. Hem olsem prisoner nao gaedem security! Gudfala example bilong olketa faithful Witness hia savve helpem iumi for “no fraet . . . for talemaot toktok bilong God” nomata wanem hard samting nao kasem iumi.
25, 26. Wanem profesi nao kamap tru long taem bilong Paul, and waswe long taem bilong iumi?
25 Lastfala samting wea Luke raetem long buk bilong Acts barava encouragem iumi. Paul, wea hem aposol bilong Christ gohed for “preach abaotem Kingdom bilong God” nomata wanfala soldia gaedem hem. Hem preach long evriwan wea visitim hem! Firstfala chapter long buk bilong Acts storyim waka wea Jesus givim long olketa follower bilong hem. Hem sei: “Taem iufala kasem holy spirit datwan bae strongim iufala, and iufala bae talem pipol abaotem mi long Jerusalem, long evri ples long Judea and long Samaria, and long evri farawe ples long earth.” (Acts 1:8) No winim 30 year bihaen, “evriwan long earth herem finis” message abaotem Kingdom. d (Col. 1:23) Datwan showimaot holy spirit bilong God hem strongfala paoa!—Zech. 4:6.
26 Distaem tu holy spirit strongim olketa brata bilong Christ wea stap yet long earth and “olketa nara sheepsheep” for “barava storyim gud Kingdom bilong God” long winim 230 kantri! (John 10:16; Acts 28:23) Waswe, iu duim best bilong iu long datfala waka?
a Paul laekem Onesimus for stap witim hem, bat datwan bae brekem law bilong Rome and spoelem raet bilong boss bilong hem Philemon. So Onesimus go bak long Philemon and tekem go leta bilong Paul wea encouragem Philemon for welkamim Onesimus bikos hem wanfala brata nao.—Philem. 13-19.
b Lukim box, “ Paul Raetem Faevfala Leta Long Firstaem Hem Prisoner Long Rome.”
c Lukim box, “ Samting wea Paul Duim Bihaen 61 C.E.”
d Lukim box, “ ‘Evriwan Long Earth Herem Finis’ Datfala Gud Nius.”