1-4. Ni iyihe mimerere igoye Petero yahuye na yo, kandi se iyaba ari wowe wari kumva umeze ute?

 PETERO yashyizwe muri gereza, bakubitaho urugi runini rw’icyuma. Yari aboheshejwe iminyururu hagati y’abarinzi babiri b’Abaroma, bamujyana mu kumba yagombaga gufungirwamo. Hanyuma yamaze amasaha menshi, ndetse hashobora no kuba harashize iminsi myinshi, ategereje kumenya uko byari kumugendekera. Nta kindi yabonaga uretse inkuta n’ibyuma bya gereza, iminyururu n’abarinzi.

² Inkuru aho yaziye, yaje ari incamugongo. Umwami Herode Agiripa wa I yari yiyemeje kwica Petero. a Mu by’ukuri, Petero yagombaga kuzanwa imbere ya rubanda Pasika irangiye, urupfu rwe rukaba impano yo kunezeza abantu. Iryo ntiryari iterabwoba gusa. Hari hashize iminsi mike uwo mutegetsi yishe Yakobo, wari umwe mu ntumwa zakoranaga na Petero.

³ Hari nimugoroba buri bucye Petero akicwa. None se yatekerezaga iki igihe yari mu kumba kijimye yari afungiyemo? Ese yaba yaributse ko mu myaka myinshi mbere yaho, Yesu yari yaravuze ko Petero yari kuzabohwa akajyanwa aho adashaka, akicwa (Yoh 21:18, 19)? Birashoboka ko Petero yatekereje ko icyo gihe cyari kigeze.

⁴ None se iyo uza kuba uri mu mimerere nk’iya Petero wari kumva umeze ute? Benshi bakumva bihebye, bagatekereza ko bibarangiriyeho. Ariko se hari imimerere umwigishwa nyakuri wa Yesu Kristo yageramo, akumva ko bimurangiriyeho? Ni iki twakwigira ku kuntu Petero na bagenzi be b’Abakristo bitwaye mu bitotezo byabagezeho? Nimucyo tubisuzume.

5, 6. (a) Kuki Umwami Herode Agiripa wa I yatoteje itorero rya gikristo, kandi se yabikoze ate? (b) Kuki urupfu rwa Yakobo rwari ikigeragezo ku itorero?

⁵ Nk’uko twabibonye mu gice kibanziriza iki, ihinduka ry’Umunyamahanga witwa Koruneliyo n’abo mu rugo rwe, ryashimishije itorero  rya gikristo. Icyakora Abayahudi batizera, bagomba kuba barababajwe no kumenya ko Abayahudi benshi b’Abakristo basengeraga hamwe n’abatari Abayahudi nta cyo batinya.

⁶ Herode wari umunyapolitiki w’indyarya, yaboneyeho uburyo bwo gushaka kwemerwa n’Abayahudi, maze atangira gutoteza Abakristo. Nta gushidikanya ko yamenye ko intumwa Yakobo yari afitanye na Yesu Kristo ubucuti bwihariye. Ni yo mpamvu Herode ‘yishe Yakobo umuvandimwe wa Yohana, amwicishije inkota’ (Ibyak 12:2). Mbega ikigeragezo itorero ryari rihuye na cyo! Yakobo yari umwe muri ba bandi batatu biboneye Yesu ahindura isura, bakabona n’ibindi bitangaza bitabonywe n’izindi ntumwa (Mat 17:1, 2; Mar 5:37-42). Yesu yari yarise Yakobo n’umuvandimwe we Yohana “Abana b’Inkuba,” kubera ko bagiraga ishyaka ryinshi (Mar 3:17). Bityo itorero ryatakaje umuhamya wizerwa, urangwa n’ubushizi bw’amanga, akaba n’intumwa ryakundaga.

7, 8. Itorero ryitwaye rite Petero amaze gufungwa?

⁷ Iyicwa rya Yakobo ryanejeje Abayahudi nk’uko Agiripa yari abyiteze. Ibyo byatumye yumva ko agomba gukurikizaho Petero. Nk’uko twabivuze tugitangira, yategetse ko Petero afatwa agafungwa. Icyakora Agiripa ashobora kuba yaribukaga ko hari igihe intumwa zigeze gufungwa maze zigafungurwa mu buryo bw’igitangaza, nk’uko twabibonye mu gice cya 5 cy’iki gitabo. Kugira ngo Herode yizere neza ko Petero atari gutoroka, yategetse ko aboherwa hagati y’abarinzi 2, kandi abarinzi 16 bakajya basimburanwa ku manywa na nijoro bamurinda. Iyo aza gutoroka, abo barinzi ni bo bari guhanwa mu mwanya we. Mu mimerere igoranye nk’iyo, ni iki Abakristo bagenzi ba Petero bari gukora?

⁸ Itorero ryari rizi neza icyo ryagombaga gukora. Mu Byakozwe 12:5 hagira hati “nuko Petero arindirwa muri gereza, ariko abagize itorero bakomezaga gusenga  bashyizeho umwete, bamusabira ku Mana.” Koko rero, basenganaga umwete binginga, basabira umuvandimwe wabo bakundaga babikuye ku mutima. Urupfu rwa Yakobo ntirwatumye biheba cyangwa ngo bumve ko gusenga nta cyo bivuze. Yehova abona ko amasengesho ari ay’agaciro kenshi. Iyo amasengesho ahuje n’ibyo ashaka arayasubiza (Heb 13:18, 19; Yak 5:16). Iryo ni isomo Abakristo bo muri iki gihe bagomba kuzirikana.

9. Urugero Abakristo bagenzi ba Petero batanze ku birebana n’isengesho rutwigisha iki?

⁹ Mbese waba uzi bagenzi bawe b’Abakristo bahanganye n’ibigeragezo? Bashobora kuba bahanganye n’ibitotezo, leta yarabuzanyije umurimo wabo, cyangwa bakagerwaho n’ibiza. Byaba byiza ubazirikanye mu masengesho uvuga ubivanye ku mutima. Nanone ushobora kuba uzi abantu bahanganye n’ibigeragezo bidapfa guhita byigaragaza, urugero nk’abafite ibibazo mu muryango, abacitse intege, cyangwa abahanganye n’ibigerageza ukwizera kwabo. Uramutse ubanje gutekereza mbere yo gusenga, ushobora kwibuka abantu wavuga mu mazina mu gihe uvugana na Yehova we “wumva amasengesho” (Zab 65:2). N’ubundi kandi, wifuza ko abavandimwe na bashiki bawe na bo bazajya bakuzirikana mu masengesho yabo, igihe ugeze mu bihe bikomeye.

10, 11. Sobanura ukuntu umumarayika wa Yehova yabohoye Petero akamuvana muri gereza.

¹⁰ Ese Petero yaba yari ahangayikishijwe n’akaga kari kamutegereje? Ntitwabyemeza, ariko mu ijoro rya nyuma yamaze muri gereza, yari asinziriye cyane hagati y’abarinzi babiri bari maso. Nta gushidikanya ko uwo mugabo wizerwa yari azi ko uko ibyari kuzamubaho byari kuba bimeze kose, yari gukomeza gutuza kuko Yehova yari kumwe na we (Rom 14:7, 8). Kandi uko bigaragara Petero ntiyigeze atekereza ko hari hagiye kubaho  ibintu bitangaje. Mu buryo butunguranye, urumuri rwinshi rwuzuye mu kumba yari afungiyemo. Umumarayika yahagaze aho, kandi abarinzi bagomba kuba bataramubonaga. Uwo mumarayika yahise akangura Petero, maze iminyururu yari ku maboko ye yasaga n’aho idashobora gucika ihita ihambuka, igwa hasi.

¹¹ Uwo mumarayika yahaye Petero amabwiriza asobanutse neza. Yaramubwiye ati “byuka vuba! . . . Ambara imyenda kandi ushyiremo n’inkweto zawe. . . . Ambara n’umwitero wawe.” Petero yahise abigenza atyo. Hanyuma umumarayika aramubwira ati ‘nkurikira.’ Nuko Petero aramukurikira. Basohotse muri ako kumba banyura ku barinzi bari bahagaze hanze, bagenda bucece bagana ku rugi runini rw’icyuma. Bari kurunyura he? Niba Petero yaranibajije icyo kibazo ntiyatinze kukibonera igisubizo. Bageze ku rugi, rwahise rwikingura “nta wurukozeho.” Banyuze muri iryo rembo bamanuka mu muhanda, hanyuma umumarayika ahita abura, Petero atarasobanukirwa ibyamubagaho. Petero yasigaye aho ngaho, maze asobanukirwa ko ibyari byamubayeho byari ukuri. Ntibyari iyerekwa. Ntiyari akiri muri gereza.—Ibyak 12:7-11.

12. Kuki gutekereza ukuntu Yehova yarokoye Petero bishobora kuduhumuriza?

¹² Ese gutekereza ukuntu Yehova afite imbaraga zitagira imipaka akoresha arokora abagaragu be, ntibihumuriza? Petero yari yafunzwe n’umwami wari ushyigikiwe n’ubutegetsi bw’igihangange kurusha ubundi bwari bwarabayeho ku isi. Nyamara Petero yavuye muri iyo gereza. Ni iby’ukuri ko Yehova adakorera abagaragu be bose ibitangaza nk’ibyo. Ntiyakijije Yakobo, kandi na nyuma yaho ntiyakijije Petero igihe amagambo Yesu yamuvuzeho yasohozwaga. Abakristo bo muri iki gihe na bo ntibitega ko bashobora gukizwa mu buryo bw’igitangaza. Ariko kandi, tuzirikana ko Yehova atigeze ahinduka (Mal 3:6). Kandi vuba aha azakoresha Umwana we kugira ngo abohore abantu babarirwa muri za miriyoni, abavane muri gereza ikaze kurusha izindi zose, ari yo rupfu (Yoh 5:28, 29). Mu gihe duhanganye n’ibigeragezo muri iki gihe, ayo masezerano ashobora kudutera inkunga ikomeye.

13-15. (a) Abari bagize itorero ryari riteraniye kwa Mariya bumvise bameze bate igihe Petero yahageraga? (b) Igitabo cy’Ibyakozwe gikomeza kivuga iyihe nkuru, kandi se ni iki Petero yakomeje gukorera abavandimwe be bari bahuje ukwizera?

¹³ Petero yahagaze muri uwo muhanda warimo umwijima yibaza aho agomba kwerekeza, hanyuma afata umwanzuro. Hafi aho hari hatuye Umukristokazi witwaga Mariya. Uko bigaragara, Mariya yari umupfakazi wifashije, kandi yari afite inzu nini cyane ku buryo itorero ryose ryashoboraga kuyiteraniramo. Yari nyina wa Yohana Mariko uvugwa bwa mbere aha mu nkuru yo mu Byakozwe, waje no kuba nk’umwana wa Petero (1 Pet 5:13). Muri iryo joro, abenshi mu bagize itorero bari bateraniye kwa Mariya basenga, nubwo bwari bwije cyane. Nta gushidikanya ko basengaga basaba ko Petero yafungurwa, ariko ntibari bazi igisubizo Yehova yari kubaha.

¹⁴ Petero yakomanze ku rugi rwo ku irembo. Umuja witwaga Rode, iryo rikaba ari izina ry’ikigiriki risobanura ururabo rw’iroza, yaje gukingura. Yatangajwe no  kumva ijwi ry’uwakomangaga. Ryari ijwi rya Petero. Aho gukingura umuryango, uwo muja wari wasabwe n’ibyishimo yasize Petero ahagaze mu muhanda, ariruka asubira mu nzu, agerageza kwemeza abagize itorero ko ari Petero wakomangaga. Bavuze ko yasaze, ariko we ntiyashidikanyaga. Yakomezaga kwemeza ko ibyo yavugaga ari ukuri. Bamwe batekereje ko uwo mukobwa ashobora kuba avuga ukuri, ariko bavuga ko ashobora kuba yari yumvise umumarayika wari uhagarariye Petero (Ibyak 12:12-15). Muri icyo gihe cyose, Petero yakomezaga gukomanga ari hanze, kugeza ubwo baje kumukingurira.

¹⁵ Bageze ku muryango ‘baramubonye, maze baratangara’ (Ibyak 12:16). Bari bishimye cyane. Petero yabasabye guceceka kugira ngo abatekerereze uko byari byagenze, kandi abasaba kubibwira umwigishwa Yakobo n’abandi bavandimwe, hanyuma arahava kugira ngo abasirikare ba Herode batahamusanga. Petero yavuye aho ajya mu kandi karere karimo umutekano, akomeza gukora umurimo we mu budahemuka. Nta handi Petero yongera kuvugwa uretse mu Byakozwe igice cya 15, aho avugwa ko yagize uruhare mu gukemura ikibazo kirebana no gukebwa. Igitabo cy’Ibyakozwe gikomereza ku nkuru yibanda ku murimo w’intumwa Pawulo n’ingendo ze. Icyakora, dushobora kwiringira ko aho Petero yajyaga hose, yakomezaga ukwizera kw’abavandimwe na bashiki be. Igihe Petero yatandukanaga n’abari bateraniye kwa Mariya, yasize bafite ibyishimo byinshi.

16. Kuki dushobora kwiringira tudashidikanya ko mu gihe kiri imbere tuzabona ibintu byinshi bishimishije?

¹⁶ Hari igihe Yehova akorera abagaragu be ibirenze ibyo bari biteze, bigatuma bagira ibyishimo byinshi cyane na bo ubwabo baba badashobora kwiyumvisha. Uko ni ko abavandimwe ba Petero bari bahuje ukwizera bumvaga bameze muri iryo joro. Rimwe na rimwe ni ko twumva tumeze, iyo tubona imigisha myinshi Yehova aduha muri iki gihe (Imig 10:22). Mu gihe kizaza, tuzibonera ukuntu amasezerano ya Yehova yose azasohozwa mu rwego rw’isi yose. Ibyo bintu bihebuje bizabaho bizaba birenze kure ikintu icyo ari cyo cyose dushobora gutekereza muri iki gihe. Bityo rero, nidukomeza kuba abizerwa, tuzaba twiringiye ko tuzabona ibintu byinshi bishimishije mu gihe kiri imbere.

17, 18. Ni iki cyatumye imbaga y’abantu ishyeshyenga Herode?

¹⁷ Ifungurwa rya Petero ryatangaje Herode ariko ntiryamushimishije. Herode yahise ategeka ko bashakisha Petero babyitondeye kandi ategeka ko abari bamurinze bahatwa ibibazo. ‘Bagiye kubahana,’ bikaba bishoboka ko babishe (Ibyak 12:19). Herode Agiripa si umuntu uzibukwa ko yagiraga imbabazi cyangwa impuhwe. Ese uwo mugabo w’umugome yaba yarahanwe?

¹⁸ Agiripa ashobora kuba yarumvise acishijwe bugufi, kubera ko atashoboye kwica Petero, ariko bidatinze yarahumurijwe yongera kumva afite ishema. Habayeho imimerere yatumye abanzi be bifuza kubana na we amahoro, kandi nta gushidikanya ko yifuzaga kuvugira imbere y’abantu benshi. Luka avuga ko ‘Herode yambaye imyambaro ye y’ubwami’ akitegura kuvugira imbere y’abaturage. Umuhanga mu by’amateka w’Umuyahudi witwa Josèphe yanditse ko umwambaro  wa Herode wari utatseho ifeza ku buryo iyo urumuri rwamugeragaho wabonaga arabagirana. Uwo munyapolitiki wiyemeraga yatangiye kuganirira abari bateraniye aho. Abantu bageragezaga kumushyeshyenga bateye hejuru bagira bati “noneho ni ijwi ry’imana, si iry’umuntu!”—Ibyak 12:20-22.

19, 20. (a) Kuki Yehova yahannye Herode? (b) Ni irihe humure dushobora kubona mu nkuru ivuga ukuntu Herode Agiripa yapfuye mu buryo butunguranye?

¹⁹ Icyubahiro nk’icyo cyari gikwiriye guhabwa Imana, kandi na yo yarabirebaga. Herode yari afite uburyo bwo kwirinda ako kaga. Yashoboraga gucyaha abo bantu cyangwa se nibura akagaragaza ko atemeranya na bo. Ariko aho kubigenza atyo, yabaye aka wa mugani ngo “kwibona bibanziriza kurimbuka” (Imig 16:18). ‘Ako kanya umumarayika wa Yehova yakubise’ uwo mugabo w’umwibone kandi wikunda, bituma apfa urupfu rukojeje isoni. Herode ‘yatangiye kuzana inyo maze arapfa’ (Ibyak 12:23). Nanone Josèphe yavuze ko Agiripa yakubiswe mu buryo butunguranye kandi yongeraho ko uwo mwami yasobanukiwe ko apfuye azira ko yemeye ibyo rubanda rwamubwiraga rumushyeshyenga. Josèphe yanditse ko Agiripa yamaze iminsi itanu agaragurika mbere y’uko apfa. b

²⁰ Rimwe na rimwe, bisa n’aho abantu batubaha Imana batagerwaho n’ingaruka z’ibikorwa bibi byabo. Ibyo ntibyagombye kudutangaza kubera ko “isi yose iri mu maboko y’umubi” (1 Yoh 5:19). Ariko kandi, hari igihe abagaragu b’Imana bizerwa babuzwa amahoro no kubona abantu babi basa n’aho batagerwaho n’ingaruka z’ibikorwa byabo. Iyo ni imwe mu mpamvu zituma inkuru nk’izi ziduhumuriza. Mu by’ukuri, tubona ukuntu Yehova agira icyo akora, ibyo bikaba byibutsa abagaragu be bose ko akunda ubutabera (Zab 33:5). Byatinda byatebuka, ubutabera buzakwira hose.

21. Ni irihe somo ry’ibanze rikubiye mu Byakozwe igice cya 12, kandi se kuki bishobora kuduhumuriza muri iki gihe?

²¹ Iyi nkuru isozwa n’amagambo ateye inkunga cyane agira ati “ijambo rya Yehova rikomeza kwamamara no gukwirakwira hose” (Ibyak 12:24). Iyo raporo igaragaza ko umurimo wo kubwiriza wakomezaga kwaguka, ishobora kutwibutsa ukuntu Yehova yahaye imigisha abakora umurimo usa n’uwo muri iki gihe. Uko bigaragara, inkuru ivugwa mu Byakozwe igice cya 12 ntiyibanda ahanini ku kuntu intumwa imwe yishwe indi igakizwa. Ivuga ibyerekeye Yehova n’ukuntu yagiye aburizamo imigambi ya Satani, wageragezaga gusenya itorero rya gikristo no guhagarika umurimo wo kubwiriza ryakoranaga umwete. Ibyo bitero byose nta cyo byagezeho, kimwe n’uko imigambi mibi yose icurwa itazagira icyo igeraho (Yes 54:17). Ku rundi ruhande, abari ku ruhande rwa Yehova na Yesu Kristo bakora umurimo utazigera utsindwa. Icyo se si igitekerezo giteye inkunga? Mbega ukuntu twubashywe tugahabwa inshingano yo kubwiriza “ijambo rya Yehova” muri iki gihe!