1, 2. Sawuli yari agiye gukora iki i Damasiko?

 ABAGENZI barakaye cyane bari bageze hafi y’i Damasiko, kandi bari bagambiriye gusohoza umugambi mubisha. Bari biyemeje gufata abigishwa ba Yesu bangwaga cyane bakabakura mu ngo zabo, bakababoha, bakabakoza isoni, maze bakabakurubana bakabajyana imbere y’Urukiko rw’Ikirenga rw’Abayahudi kugira ngo rubahane.

² Uwari uyoboye icyo gitero yitwaga Sawuli, kandi yari yaramaze gushyira ikizinga cy’amaraso mu biganza bye. a Hari hashize iminsi mike ahagarikiye bagenzi be b’intagondwa, igihe bicishaga amabuye umwigishwa wa Yesu warangwaga n’ishyaka witwaga Sitefano (Ibyak 7:57–8:1). Kubera ko Sawuli yumvaga ko gutoteza abigishwa ba Yesu babaga i Yerusalemu bitari bihagije, yiyemeje kujya kubahiga aho babaga hose akabatoteza. Yifuzaga kumaraho abo yumvaga ko bari bateje akaga bitwaga ‘Inzira y’Umwami.’—Ibyak 9:1, 2; reba agasanduku gafite umutwe uvuga ngo “ Ububasha Sawuli yari afite i Damasiko.”

3, 4. (a) Byagendekeye bite Sawuli? (b) Ni ibihe bibazo turi busuzume?

³ Mu buryo butunguranye, Sawuli yabonye urumuri rwinshi. Abo yari kumwe na bo mu rugendo babonye urwo rumuri baratangara babura icyo bavuga. Sawuli yituye hasi kuko yari yahumye adashobora kureba. Yumvise ijwi rivugira mu ijuru riti “Sawuli, Sawuli, kuki untoteza?” Sawuli byaramuyobeye arabaza ati “uri nde nyakubahwa?” Igisubizo Sawuli yahawe kigomba kuba cyaramutangaje cyane. Yumvise ijwi rivuga ngo “ndi Yesu, uwo utoteza.”—Ibyak 9:3-5; 22:9.

⁴ Ni irihe somo tuvana kuri ayo magambo Yesu yabwiye Sawuli? Gusuzuma ibyabaye igihe Sawuli yahindukaga Umukristo, byatugirira akahe kamaro? Kandi se ni ayahe masomo twavana ku kuntu itorero ryakoresheje igihe cy’amahoro ryinjiyemo Sawuli amaze kuba Umukristo?

5, 6. Amagambo Yesu yabwiye Sawuli atwigisha iki?

⁵ Igihe Yesu yatangiriraga Sawuli ku muhanda ujya i Damasiko, ntiyamubajije ati “kuki utoteza abigishwa banjye?” Nk’uko twabibonye, yaravuze ati “kuki untoteza” (Ibyak 9:4)? Koko rero, Yesu yiyumvisha ibigeragezo abigishwa be bahangana na byo.—Mat 25:34-40, 45.

⁶ Niba ukandamizwa kubera ko wizera Kristo, izere ko Yehova na Yesu bazi neza imimerere urimo (Mat 10:22, 28-31). Yehova ashobora kudahita avanaho icyo kigeragezo. Ibuka ko Yesu yarebaga igihe Sawuli yagiraga uruhare mu iyicwa rya Sitefano, kandi yabonaga ukuntu yakurubanaga abigishwa be bizerwa b’i Yerusalemu abavana mu mazu yabo (Ibyak 8:3). Nyamara nubwo Yesu yabonaga ibyo byose, icyo gihe ntiyahise agira icyo akora. Ahubwo, Yehova yakoresheje Kristo kugira ngo ahe Sitefano n’abandi bigishwa imbaraga bari bakeneye kugira ngo bakomeze kuba abizerwa.

7. Ni iki ugomba gukora kugira ngo wihanganire ibitotezo?

⁷ Nawe ushobora kwihanganira ibitotezo nukurikiza izi nama: (1) iyemeze gukomeza kuba indahemuka uko ikigeragezo waba uhanganye na cyo cyaba kimeze kose. (2) Saba Yehova ubufasha (Fili 4:6, 7). (3) Reka Yehova abe ari we uzaguhorera (Rom 12:17-21). (4) Iringire ko Yehova azaguha imbaraga kugira ngo wihangane, kugeza igihe azabona ko bikwiriye ko akuvaniraho icyo kigeragezo.—Fili 4:12, 13.

8, 9. Ananiya agomba kuba yarumvise ameze ate ku bihereranye n’inshingano yahawe?

⁸ Yesu amaze gusubiza Sawuli wari umubajije ati “uri nde Mwami,” yaramubwiye ati “haguruka ujye mu mujyi, nugerayo uzabwirwa icyo ugomba gukora” (Ibyak 9:6). Kubera ko Sawuli yari yahumye baramurandase bamugeza aho yagombaga gucumbika i Damasiko, ahamara iminsi itatu asenga, atarya atanywa. Hagati aho, Yesu yamenyesheje ibya Sawuli umwigishwa wo muri uwo mugi witwaga Ananiya, ‘wavugwaga neza n’Abayahudi baho bose.’—Ibyak 22:12.

 ⁹ Tekereza ukuntu Ananiya agomba kuba yaragize ibyishimo bivanze n’ubwoba. Icyo gihe, Yesu Kristo wazutse akaba n’Umutware w’itorero, we ubwe yaramuvugishije, amutoranya mu bandi amuha inshingano idasanzwe. Mbega ukuntu yari inshingano nziza ariko itoroshye! Igihe Ananiya yabwirwaga ko yagombaga kujya kuvugana na Sawuli, yarashubije ati “Mwami, numvise abantu benshi bavuga iby’uwo muntu, ukuntu yakoreye ibibi byinshi abantu bawe bari i Yerusalemu. Kandi na hano ahafite ububasha yahawe n’abakuru b’abatambyi, bwo gufunga abantu bose bizera izina ryawe.”—Ibyak 9:13, 14.

10. Uburyo Yesu yashyikiranye na Ananiya butwigisha iki?

¹⁰ Yesu ntiyigeze acyaha Ananiya kubera ko yari agaragaje impungenge ze. Icyakora, Yesu yamuhaye amabwiriza asobanutse. Nanone Yesu yagaragaje ko  amwubashye amusobanurira impamvu yashakaga ko akora uwo murimo utoroshye. Yesu yavuze ibyerekeye Sawuli agira ati “uwo muntu namutoranyije kugira ngo ageze izina ryanjye mu bindi bihugu, ku bami no ku Bisirayeli. Nzamwereka neza ibintu byinshi bibi bigomba kuzamubaho bamuhora izina ryanjye” (Ibyak 9:15, 16). Ananiya yahise yumvira Yesu. Yagiye gushaka Sawuli wahoze atoteza Abakristo, aramubwira ati “Muvandimwe Sawuli, Umwami Yesu, wa wundi wakubonekeye uri mu nzira uza, yantumye ngo ngufashe wongere kureba kandi uhabwe umwuka wera.”—Ibyak 9:17.

11, 12. Inkuru ivuga ibya Yesu, Ananiya na Sawuli itwigisha iki?

¹¹ Hari ibintu byinshi dusobanukirwa iyo dusuzumye inkuru ivuga ibya Yesu, Ananiya na Sawuli. Urugero, Yesu agira uruhare mu kuyobora umurimo wo kubwiriza nk’uko yari yarabisezeranyije (Mat 28:20). Nubwo muri iki gihe Yesu atavugisha abantu imbonankubone, ayobora umurimo wo kubwiriza abinyujije ku mugaragu wizerwa, ubu akaba yaramushinze abo mu rugo rwe (Mat 24:45-47). Inteko Nyobozi, yohereza ababwiriza n’abapayiniya gushaka abantu bifuza kumenya byinshi kurushaho ku byerekeye Kristo. Nk’uko byavuzwe mu gice kibanziriza iki, hari abantu benshi bagiye basenga Imana bayisaba ubuyobozi, hanyuma bagasurwa n’Abahamya ba Yehova.—Ibyak 9:11.

¹² Ananiya yarumviye yemera inshingano, maze ahabwa imigisha. Mbese wumvira itegeko ryo kubwiriza mu buryo bunonosoye, nubwo waba wumva iyo nshingano ikugora? Kuri bamwe, kubwiriza ku nzu n’inzu bagahura n’abantu bataziranye birabahangayikisha. Abandi bo, kubwiriza abantu babasanze aho bakorera, mu muhanda, kuri telefoni cyangwa bakoresheje amabaruwa, birabagora. Ananiya yanesheje ubwoba yari afite bituma ashobora gufasha Sawuli ahabwa umwuka wera. b Ananiya yagize icyo ageraho kubera ko yiringiye Yesu kandi akabona Sawuli nk’umuvandimwe we. Kimwe na Ananiya, natwe nitwiringira ko Yesu ayobora umurimo wo kubwiriza, tukagirira abantu impuhwe, kandi tukabona ko n’abantu bateye ubwoba kurusha abandi bashobora guhinduka abavandimwe bacu, dushobora kuzanesha ubwoba.—Mat 9:36.

13, 14. Niba wiga Bibiliya ariko ukaba utarabatizwa, urugero rwa Pawulo rwakwigisha iki?

¹³ Sawuli ntiyatinze gushyira mu bikorwa ibyo yize. Amaze guhumuka, yemeye kubatizwa kandi atangira kwifatanya n’abigishwa b’i Damasiko. Ariko yakoze ibirenze ibyo. Yahise “ajya mu isinagogi atangira kubwiriza ibya Yesu, avuga ko Yesu ari we Mwana w’Imana.”—Ibyak 9:20.

 ¹⁴ Niba wiga Bibiliya ariko ukaba utarabatizwa, mbese uzigana Sawuli maze uhite ushyira mu bikorwa ibyo wize? Ni iby’ukuri ko Sawuli yiboneye igitangaza Kristo yamukoreye, kandi nta gushidikanya ko ibyo ari byo byamufashije akagira icyo akora. Ariko hari n’abandi babonye ibitangaza Yesu yakoze. Urugero, hari itsinda ry’Abafarisayo bamubonye akiza umuntu wari unyunyutse ukuboko, kandi Abayahudi benshi muri rusange bari bazi ko Yesu yazuye Lazaro. Nyamara benshi muri bo ntibigeze bashishikazwa n’ibyo bitangaza, ndetse bamwe baramurwanyije (Mar 3:1-6; Yoh 12:9, 10). Ariko Sawuli we yarahindutse rwose. Kuki Sawuli yagize icyo akora mu gihe abandi bo nta cyo bakoze? Ni ukubera ko we yatinyaga Imana kurusha abantu kandi akaba yarashimiraga cyane ku bw’imbabazi Kristo yamugiriye (Fili 3:8). Nawe rero numwigana, ntuzemera ko hagira ikikubuza kwifatanya mu murimo wo kubwiriza no kuzuza ibisabwa ngo ubatizwe.

15, 16. Ni iki Sawuli yakoreye mu masinagogi, kandi se Abayahudi b’i Damasiko babyitabiriye bate?

¹⁵ Ese ushobora kwiyumvisha ukuntu abantu batangaye kandi bakarakara igihe Sawuli yatangiraga kubwiriza ibya Yesu mu masinagogi? Barabajije bati “harya uyu si wa muntu watotezaga cyane abantu b’i Yerusalemu bizera iryo zina” (Ibyak 9:21)? Igihe Sawuli yabasobanuriraga impamvu yahinduye uko yabonaga Yesu, yaberetse ko “Yesu ari we Kristo akoresheje amagambo yemeza” (Ibyak 9:22). Ariko gutanga ibitekerezo bihuje n’ubwenge ntibishobora gutuma abantu bose bahinduka. Ntibishobora guhindura ibitekerezo by’abantu babaswe n’imigenzo cyangwa bafite imitima yuzuye ubwibone. Nyamara Sawuli ntiyigeze acika intege.

¹⁶ Nyuma y’imyaka itatu, Abayahudi b’i Damasiko bari bakigisha Sawuli impaka. Amaherezo bashatse no kumwica (Ibyak 9:23; 2 Kor 11:32, 33; Gal 1:13-18). Uwo mugambi mubi umaze kumenyekana, Sawuli yashatse uko yahunga mu ibanga akava mu mugi, maze bamumanurira mu gitebo bamunyuza mu idirishya ry’urukuta rw’umugi. Luka avuga ko abafashije Sawuli gucika muri iryo joro bari “abigishwa” be (Ibyak 9:25). Iyo mvugo igaragaza ko nibura hari bamwe bumvise ibyo Sawuli yavugiye i Damasiko, maze bakitabira ubutumwa bwiza bagahinduka abigishwa ba Kristo.

17. (a) Abantu bakira bate ukuri kwa Bibiliya? (b) Ni iki tugomba gukomeza gukora kandi kuki?

¹⁷ Igihe watangiraga kubwira abagize umuryango wawe, incuti n’abandi bantu ibintu byiza wigaga, ushobora kuba wari witeze ko buri wese yari kwemera ukuri kwa Bibiliya kubera ko guhuje n’ubwenge. Bamwe bashobora kuba barakwemeye abandi ntibakwemere. Hari n’ubwo abagize umuryango wawe bashobora kuba baragufashe nk’umwanzi (Mat 10:32-38). Ariko rero, nukomeza kongera ubushobozi bwawe bwo gufasha abantu gutekereza ku Byanditswe kandi ugakomeza kugira imyifatire ya gikristo, abantu bakurwanya na bo hari igihe bazagera aho bagahindura uko babona ibintu.—Ibyak 17:2; 1 Pet 2:12; 3:1, 2, 7.

18, 19. (a) Igihe Barinaba yagenzuraga niba koko Sawuli yari yarahindutse umwigishwa, byageze ku ki? (b) Twakwigana dute Barinaba na Sawuli?

 ¹⁸ Igihe Sawuli yinjiraga muri Yerusalemu abigishwa ntibemeye ko yari yarahindutse umwigishwa, kandi byarumvikanaga rwose. Ariko igihe Barinaba yagenzuraga niba koko Sawuli yari yarahindutse umwigishwa, intumwa zaramwemeye kandi zimarana na we igihe runaka (Ibyak 9:26-28). Sawuli yagiraga amakenga, ariko ntiyaterwaga isoni n’ubutumwa bwiza (Rom 1:16). Yabwirije muri Yerusalemu nta gutinya kandi ari ho yari yaratotereje bikabije abigishwa ba Yesu Kristo. Abayahudi b’i Yerusalemu batewe impungenge n’uko mugenzi wabo yari yaritandukanyije na bo, maze bashaka kumwica. Iyo nkuru igira iti “abavandimwe babimenye bamujyana i Kayisariya, nyuma bamwohereza i Taruso” (Ibyak 9:30). Sawuli yagandukiye ubuyobozi Yesu atanga binyuze ku itorero. Yaba Sawuli cyangwa abagize itorero bose barungukiwe.

¹⁹ Zirikana ko Barinaba yafashe iya mbere kugira ngo afashe Sawuli. Nta gushidikanya ko icyo gikorwa kirangwa n’ineza, cyatumye ubucuti bwaje kuvuka hagati y’abo bagaragu ba Yehova barangwaga n’ishyaka burushaho gukomera. Ese kimwe na Barinaba, uba witeguye gufasha abakiri bashya mu itorero, mukajyana mu murimo wo kubwiriza kandi ukabafasha kugira amajyambere yo mu buryo bw’umwuka? Niba ubikora uzabona ingororano ihebuje. Ese niba uri umubwiriza mushya w’ubutumwa bwiza, wemera ubufasha abandi baguha nk’uko Sawuli yabwemeye? Nubwirizanya n’ababwiriza b’inararibonye, uzongera ubuhanga bwawe mu murimo n’ibyishimo byawe byiyongere, kandi bazaba incuti zawe.

20, 21. Ni mu buhe buryo abagaragu b’Imana bo mu gihe cya kera n’abo muri iki gihe, bakoresheje neza ‘igihe cy’amahoro’?

²⁰ Sawuli amaze guhinduka umwigishwa kandi akagenda amahoro, ‘abari bagize itorero ryo muri Yudaya hose n’i Galilaya n’i Samariya bagize amahoro’ (Ibyak 9:31). Abigishwa bakoresheje bate icyo “gihe cyiza” (2 Tim 4:2)? Iyo nkuru ivuga ko ‘bakomeye.’ Intumwa n’abandi bavandimwe bari bafite inshingano bakomeje ukwizera kw’abigishwa kandi bafata iya mbere bayobora itorero ryagendaga ‘ritinya Yehova kandi rigahabwa imbaraga n’umwuka wera.’ Urugero, Petero yakoresheje icyo gihe akomeza abigishwa bo mu mugi wa Lida mu kibaya cya Sharoni. Imihati ye yatumye benshi bari batuye hafi aho “bizera Umwami” (Ibyak 9:32-35). Abigishwa ntibigeze barangazwa n’inyungu zabo bwite, ahubwo bashishikariye kwitanaho no kubwiriza ubutumwa bwiza. Ibyo byatumye itorero ‘rikomeza kwiyongera.’

²¹ Ahagana ku iherezo ry’ikinyejana cya 20, Abahamya ba Yehova bo mu bihugu byinshi ‘bagize amahoro’ nk’ayo. Ubutegetsi bwari bwaramaze imyaka ibarirwa muri za mirongo bukandamiza ubwoko bw’Imana bwagize butya  buvaho, kandi amategeko yabuzaga umurimo wo kubwiriza yarorohejwe cyangwa akurwaho burundu. Abahamya ba Yehova babarirwa mu bihumbi mirongo bakoresheje neza uburyo bari babonye babwiriza mu ruhame, kandi bageze ku bintu bishishikaje.

22. Ni mu buhe buryo wakoresha neza umudendezo wose ufite?

²² Mbese ukoresha neza umudendezo ufite? Niba uri mu gihugu cyemera ubwisanzure bw’amadini, Satani ashobora kugushuka kugira ngo ukurikirane ubutunzi aho gukurikirana inyungu z’Ubwami (Mat 13:22). Witeshuka. Koresha neza igihe cy’amahoro icyo ari cyo cyose ubonye. Jya ubona ko ari uburyo ubonye bwo kubwiriza kuri gahunda no kubaka itorero. Jya wibuka ko ibintu bishobora guhinduka mu buryo butunguranye.

23, 24. (a) Inkuru ivuga ibya Tabita itwigisha iki? (b) Twagombye kwiyemeza iki?

²³ Reka dusuzume ibyabaye ku mwigishwa witwaga Tabita, cyangwa Dorukasi. Yabaga mu mugi wa Yopa wari hafi ya Lida. Uwo mushiki wacu wizerwa yakoreshaga igihe cye n’ubutunzi bwe abigiranye ubwenge, ‘agakora ibikorwa byinshi byiza kandi agafasha abakene.’ Icyakora, yarwaye mu buryo butunguranye maze arapfa. c Urupfu rwe rwateye agahinda kenshi abigishwa b’i Yopa, cyane cyane abapfakazi bari barakozwe ku mutima n’ineza yabagaragarizaga. Igihe Petero yageraga mu nzu bateguriragamo umurambo wa Tabita mbere yo kuwushyingura, yakoze igitangaza intumwa za Yesu Kristo zitari zarigeze zikora. Petero yarasenze, hanyuma azura Tabita. Ese ushobora kwiyumvisha ibyishimo abo bapfakazi n’abandi bigishwa bagize igihe Petero yabahamagaraga ngo bagaruke mu cyumba, maze akabereka Tabita ari muzima? Mbega ukuntu ibyo bintu bishobora kuba byarabakomeje bigatuma bihanganira ibigeragezo bahuye na byo nyuma yaho! Icyo gitangaza ‘cyamenyekanye i Yopa hose, maze abantu benshi bizera Umwami.’—Ibyak 9:36-42.

²⁴ Iyi nkuru isusurutsa umutima ivuga ibya Tabita, itwigisha ibintu bibiri by’ingenzi. (1) Ubuzima ni bugufi. Ku bw’ibyo rero, ni iby’ingenzi ko twihesha izina ryiza imbere y’Imana mu gihe bigishoboka (Umubw 7:1). (2) Ibyiringiro by’umuzuko ntibishidikanywaho. Yehova yazirikanye ibikorwa byinshi by’ineza Tabita yari yarakoze, kandi arabimuhembera. Azibuka umuri mo dukorana umwete kandi niyo twapfa mbere ya Harimagedoni, azatuzura (Heb 6:10). Ku bw’ibyo rero, twaba duhanganye n’‘igihe kigoye’ cyangwa twishimira ‘amahoro dufite,’ nimucyo dukomeze guhamya ibyerekeye Kristo mu buryo bunonosoye.—2 Tim 4:2.