1-3. (a) Ni iyihe mimerere iteye ubwoba Sitefano yarimo, kandi se yabyitwayemo ate? (b) Ni ibihe bibazo tugiye gusuzuma?

 SITEFANO yari ahagaze imbere y’urukiko. Abagabo 71 bari bamukikije bakoze igice cy’uruziga mu cyumba kinini, uko bigaragara gishobora kuba cyari hafi y’urusengero rw’i Yerusalemu. Urwo Rukiko rw’Ikirenga rw’Abayahudi rwari rwateranye kugira ngo rucire Sitefano urubanza. Abacamanza barwo bari abantu bakomeye, bemerwa n’abantu kandi benshi muri bo basuzuguraga abigishwa ba Yesu. Byongeye kandi, uwari watumije abacamanza b’urwo rukiko yari Umutambyi Mukuru Kayafa, akaba ari na we wari uyoboye urwo rukiko igihe rwakatiraga urwo gupfa Yesu Kristo mu mezi runaka mbere yaho. Ese Sitefano yagize ubwoba?

² Icyo gihe hari ikintu kidasanzwe cyagaragaye mu maso ha Sitefano. Abacamanza bamuhanze amaso, maze babona mu maso he hameze “nko mu maso h’umumarayika” (Ibyak 6:15). Abamarayika batangaza ubutumwa bwa Yehova Imana. Bityo bafite impamvu yumvikana yo kutagira ubwoba, bagatuza kandi bakaba abanyamahoro. Uko ni ko Sitefano yari ameze, kandi n’abo bacamanza bari buzuye urwango barabyiboneraga. Ni iki cyatumye akomeza gutuza?

³ Muri iki gihe, Abakristo bashobora kwigira byinshi ku gisubizo cy’icyo kibazo. Nanone tugomba kumenya icyatumye Sitefano agera muri iyo mimerere iteye ubwoba. Ni mu buhe buryo yari yaravuganiye ukwizera kwe mbere yaho? Kandi se twamwigana dute?

4, 5. (a) Kuki Sitefano yari afitiye akamaro itorero? (b) Ni mu buhe buryo Sitefano yari ‘yarahawe umugisha n’imbaraga z’Imana’?

⁴ Sitefano yari afitiye akamaro itorero rya gikristo ryari rikivuka. Mu gice kibanziriza iki, twabonye ko yari umwe mu bagabo barindwi bicishaga bugufi bari biteguye gufasha intumwa igihe babisabwaga. Iyo tuzirikanye ukuntu uwo mugabo yari yarahawe impano nyinshi, bituma turushaho kubona ko yicishaga bugufi. Iyo dusomye mu Byakozwe 6:8, tubona ko yari  afite ubushobozi bwo gukora “ibitangaza n’ibimenyetso bikomeye,” nk’uko bamwe mu ntumwa babikoraga. Nanone tubwirwa ko yari ‘yarahawe umugisha n’imbaraga z’Imana.’ Ibyo byasobanuraga iki?

⁵ Uko bigaragara Sitefano yarangwaga n’ineza no kwicisha bugufi, ibyo bikaba byaratumaga abantu bamukunda. Yavugaga mu buryo bwatumaga yemeza benshi mu babaga bamuteze amatwi, bakibonera ko yavugishaga ukuri kandi ko ibyo yabigishaga byari kubagirira akamaro. Yari yuzuye imbaraga kubera ko umwuka wera wa Yehova wakoreraga muri we, akemera kuyoborwa na wo. Aho kugira ngo izo mpano zose n’ubushobozi yari afite bimutere kwibona, ikuzo ryose yarihaga Yehova akagaragaza ko yitaga ku bantu yabwiraga. Ntibitangaje rero kuba abamurwanyaga barabonaga ko ateje akaga.

6-8. (a) Ni iki abarwanyaga Sitefano bamureze, kandi se babitewe n’iki? (b) Kuki urugero rwa Sitefano ari ingenzi ku Bakristo bo muri iki gihe?

⁶ Abantu batandukanye bagiye impaka na Sitefano, ariko “ntibashoboye kumutsinda kuko yari afite ubwenge kandi akavuga ayobowe n’umwuka wera.” a Barashobewe, maze “bashuka abantu rwihishwa” ngo barege uwo mwigishwa wa Kristo w’inzirakarengane. Nanone ‘batumye abaturage,’ abakuru n’abanditsi bivumbagatanya, bamufata ku mbaraga bamujyana imbere y’Urukiko rw’Ikirenga rw’Abayahudi (Ibyak 6:9-12). Abamurwanyaga bamureze ko atuka Imana na Mose. Mu buhe buryo?

⁷ Abo bagabo bashinje Sitefano ibinyoma bavuga ko yatukaga Imana atuka ‘ahantu hera,’ ni ukuvuga urusengero rw’i Yerusalemu (Ibyak 6:13). Nanone bamureze ko yatutse Mose, kuko bavugaga ko yatutse Amategeko ya Mose agahindura n’imigenzo yashyizeho. Icyo cyari ikirego gikomeye cyane kubera ko Abayahudi b’icyo gihe babonaga ko urusengero n’ibintu byose bikubiye mu Mategeko ya Mose ndetse n’indi migenzo myinshi bari barongeye ku Mategeko, byari iby’agaciro kenshi. Bityo, icyo kirego cyasobanuraga ko Sitefano yari ateje akaga kandi ko akwiriye gupfa.

⁸ Ikibabaje, ni uko kenshi abanyamadini bakoresha amayeri nk’ayo kugira ngo batoteze abagaragu b’Imana. Kugeza n’uyu munsi, abanyamadini barwanya Abahamya ba Yehova bashuka abayobozi ngo badutoteze. Mu gihe dushinjwe ibinyoma twagombye kubyifatamo dute? Dushobora kwigira byinshi kuri Sitefano.

9, 10. Abantu bakunda kujora bavuze iki ku magambo Sitefano yavuze igihe yari imbere y’Urukiko rw’Ikirenga rw’Abayahudi, kandi se ni iki tugomba kuzirikana?

⁹ Nk’uko byavuzwe mu ntangiriro y’iki gice, igihe Sitefano yumvaga ibyo yaregwaga, mu maso he hari hatuje, hameze nk’ah’umumarayika. Hanyuma  Kayafa yaramubajije ati “ese ibyo bintu ni ukuri koko” (Ibyak 7:1)? Sitefano yahawe umwanya wo kwisobanura, maze arisobanura biratinda.

¹⁰ Hari abatemera amagambo ya Sitefano, bemeza ko nubwo yavuze amagambo menshi atigeze yiregura ku byo bamushinjaga. Ariko mu by’ukuri, Sitefano yadusigiye urugero ruhebuje rw’ukuntu twavuganira ubutumwa bwiza (1 Pet 3:15). Zirikana ko Sitefano yaregwaga ko yatukaga Imana apfobya urusengero, kandi ko yatukaga Mose apfobya Amategeko. Mu bisobanuro Sitefano yatanze, yavuze muri make ibyiciro bitatu by’amateka ya Isirayeli, kandi atsindagiriza ingingo zimwe na zimwe abyitondeye. Nimucyo dusuzume ibyo byiciro bitatu by’ayo mateka kimwe ukwacyo.

11, 12. (a) Ni mu buhe buryo Sitefano yakoresheje neza urugero rwa Aburahamu? (b) Kuki Sitefano yagize icyo avuga kuri Yozefu?

¹¹ Igihe cy’abakurambere (Ibyak 7:1-16). Sitefano yatangiye avuga ibihereranye na Aburahamu, uwo Abayahudi bubahiraga ukwizera kwe. Sitefano yatangiriye kuri iyo ngingo y’ingenzi bahurizagaho, atsindagiriza ko Yehova, “Imana ikomeye,” mbere na mbere yiyeretse Aburahamu igihe yari muri Mezopotamiya (Ibyak 7:2). Mu by’ukuri, uwo mugabo yari umwimukira mu gihugu cy’isezerano. Aburahamu ntiyagiraga urusengero, habe n’Amategeko ya Mose. Ubwo se umuntu yashoboraga ate gukomeza kwemeza ko kuba indahemuka ku Mana bishingiye ku rusengero cyangwa Amategeko?

¹² Abari bateze amatwi Sitefano na bo babonaga ko Yozefu umwuzukuruza wa Aburahamu yari umuntu ukomeye. Ariko Sitefano yabibukije ko abavandimwe ba Yozefu, ari bo bakomotsweho n’ishyanga rya Isirayeli, batoteje uwo mugabo wari umukiranutsi kandi bakamugurisha ngo ajye kuba umucakara. Nyamara kandi, Imana yaje kumukoresha kugira ngo akize Abisirayeli igihe inzara yateraga. Uko bigaragara Sitefano yari azi neza ko ibyabaye kuri Yozefu byari bifite byinshi bihuriyeho n’ibyabaye kuri Yesu Kristo, ariko yirinze kugira icyo abivugaho kugira ngo abari bamuteze amatwi bakomeze gushishikarira ibyo yavugaga.

13. Ni mu buhe buryo ibyo Sitefano yavuze kuri Mose binyomoza ibirego yaregwaga, kandi se byatumye atsindagiriza iyihe ngingo y’ingenzi?

¹³ Igihe cya Mose (Ibyak 7:17-43). Sitefano yagaragaje ubwenge maze avuga byinshi  kuri Mose, dore ko benshi mu bari bagize Urukiko rw’Ikirenga rw’Abayahudi bari Abasadukayo, bakaba barangaga ibitabo byose byo muri Bibiliya usibye ibyanditswe na Mose. Nanone wibuke ko bari bareze Sitefano ko yatutse Mose. Amagambo ya Sitefano yanyomoje icyo kirego adaciye ku ruhande, kubera ko yagaragaje ko yubahaga cyane Mose n’Amategeko (Ibyak 7:38). Nanone yagaragaje ko abo Mose yaharaniraga gukiza bamwanze. Bamwanze igihe yari afite imyaka 40. Hashize imyaka 40 nyuma yaho, barwanyije ubutware bwe incuro nyinshi. b Muri ubwo buryo, Sitefano yatsindagirije iyi ngingo y’ingenzi: ubwoko bw’Imana bwakomeje kwanga abo Yehova yabaga yashyizeho ngo babuyobore.

14. Sitefano yakoresheje urugero rwa Mose ashaka gushyigikira ibihe bitekerezo?

¹⁴ Sitefano yibukije abari bamuteze amatwi ko Mose yari yarahanuye ko muri Isirayeli hari kuzaboneka umuhanuzi umeze nka we. Uwo muhanuzi yari kuba ari nde kandi se yari kwakirwa ate? Sitefano yabaye aretse gusubiza ibyo bibazo, abisubiza mu magambo yavuze asoza. Hari ikindi kintu cy’ingenzi yagaragaje: Mose yamenye ko ubutaka bwose bushobora kwezwa nk’uko byagenze ku butaka bwo kuri cya gihuru cyagurumanaga, aho Yehova yavuganiye na we. None se ubwo gahunda yo gusenga Yehova ishobora gushingira gusa ku nzu runaka, wenda nk’urusengero rw’i Yerusalemu? Nimucyo tubisuzume.

15, 16. (a) Kuki ihema ry’ibonaniro ryari ingenzi mu gitekerezo Sitefano yasobanuraga? (b) Sitefano yakoresheje ate urusengero rwa Salomo mu bisobanuro yatanze?

¹⁵ Ihema ry’ibonaniro n’urusengero (Ibyak 7:44-50). Sitefano yibukije abari mu rukiko ko mbere yuko haba urusengero urwo ari rwo rwose muri Yerusalemu, Imana yari yarategetse Mose kubaka ihema ry’ibonaniro, rikaba ryari ihema ryimukanwa ryakoreshwaga muri gahunda yo gusenga Yehova. Ni nde wari kwihandagaza avuga ko iryo hema ry’ibonaniro ryari rifite agaciro gake urigereranyije n’urusengero, kandi Mose ubwe yararisengeyemo?

¹⁶ Nyuma yaho, igihe Salomo yubakaga urusengero rw’i Yerusalemu, yrahumekewe maze atanga isomo ry’ingenzi cyane mu isengesho rye. Nk’uko Sitefano yabivuze “Isumbabyose ntitura mu mazu yubatswe n’amaboko” (Ibyak 7:48; 2 Ngoma 6:18). Yehova ashobora gukoresha urusengero kugira ngo asohoze imigambi ye, ariko si ko buri gihe ari rwo akoresha. Ubwo se kuki abamusenga bakumva ko gahunda y’ugusenga kutanduye ishingiye ku nzu yubatswe n’amaboko y’abantu? Mu gusoza Sitefano yashimangiye icyo gitekerezo asubiramo amagambo yo mu gitabo cya Yesaya agira ati “Yehova aravuze ati “ijuru ni intebe yanjye y’Ubwami, naho isi ikaba intebe y’ibirenge byanjye. None se muzanyubakira inzu imeze ite? Cyangwa ahantu naruhukira ni he? Ese si njye waremye ibyo byose?”—Ibyak 7:49, 50; Yes 66:1, 2.

17. Ni mu buhe buryo amagambo ya Sitefano (a) yagaragaje imitekerereze idakwiriye y’abari bamuteze amatwi (b) kandi agasubiza ibirego bamuregaga?

¹⁷ Ese aho tugeze aha dusuzuma amagambo Sitefano yavugiye imbere y’Urukiko rw’Ikirenga rw’Abayahudi, ntiwemera ko yavuganye ubuhanga agaragaza ko  abamuregaga bari bafite imitekerereze idakwiriye? Yagaragaje ko umugambi wa Yehova ukomeza kujya mbere ufite imbaraga. Ntuhama hamwe cyangwa ngo wibande ku migenzo gusa. Abo bantu bakabyaga guha agaciro urusengero rwiza cyane rwari i Yerusalemu, kandi bakizirika ku migenzo n’imiziririzo yari yarakomotse ku Mategeko ya Mose, ntibigeze basobanukirwa icyo Amategeko n’urusengero byari bigamije. Amagambo Sitefano yavuze yatumye havuka ikibazo cy’ingenzi: mbese kumvira Yehova si bwo buryo bwiza cyane bwo kubaha Amategeko n’urusengero? Mu by’ukuri, Sitefano yireguye neza ku byo bamuregaga, kubera ko yari yubashye Yehova uko ashoboye kose.

18. Twagombye kugerageza kwigana Sitefano mu biki?

¹⁸ Ni iki twakwigira ku magambo ya Sitefano? Yari asobanukiwe neza Ibyanditswe. Natwe rero, niba dushaka kujya ‘dukoresha neza ijambo ry’ukuri,’ tugomba kwiga Ijambo ry’Imana dushyizeho umwete (2 Tim 2:15). Nanone dushobora kuvana isomo ku buryo Sitefano yavuganye ineza kandi akagira amakenga. Abari bamuteze amatwi baramwangaga bikabije. Nyamara yakoze uko ashoboye kose, akomeza kwibanda ku bintu bari bahuriyeho kandi bahaga agaciro cyane. Yakomeje kubavugisha abubashye, akita abo bakuru “ba nyakubahwa” (Ibyak 7:2). Natwe tugomba gutangaza ukuri ko mu Ijambo ry’Imana ‘mu bugwaneza kandi twubaha cyane.’—1 Pet 3:15.

19. Sitefano yagaragaje ate ubutwari igihe yagezaga ku Rukiko rw’Ikirenga rw’Abayahudi ubutumwa bw’urubanza rwa Yehova?

¹⁹ Icyakora, ntitugomba kwifata ngo tureke gutangaza Ijambo ry’Imana dutinya kubabaza abantu. Nta nubwo tugomba kujenjeka mu gihe dutangaza urubanza rwa Yehova. Sitefano ni urugero rwiza kuri twe. Nta gushidikanya ko yabonye ko ibihamya byose yari yavugiye imbere y’Urukiko rw’Ikirenga rw’Abayahudi bitari byagize icyo bihindura kuri abo bacamanza bari barinangiye. Bityo, umwuka wera watumye asoza disikuru ye avuga nta bwoba abereka ko bari bameze nka ba sekuruza babo banze Yozefu, Mose n’abahanuzi bose (Ibyak 7:51-53). Mu by’ukuri, abo bacamanza ni bo bari baherutse kwica Mesiya, uwo Mose n’abandi bahanuzi bose bari barahanuye ko yari kuzaza. Rwose, bishe Amategeko ya Mose mu buryo bukabije.

20, 21. Abari bagize Urukiko rw’Ikirenga rw’Abayahudi bitwaye bate bamaze kumva amagambo ya Sitefano, kandi se Yehova yamukomeje ate?

²⁰ Amagambo ya Sitefano adaciye ku ruhande yarakaje cyane abo bacamanza. Bananiwe kwifata maze bamuhekenyera amenyo. Uwo mugabo wizerwa agomba kuba yarabonaga ko nta mbabazi bari bumugirire, nk’uko batari barazigiriye Shebuja ari we Yesu.

²¹ Sitefano yari akeneye kugira ubutwari kugira ngo ahangane n’ibyari bigiye kumubaho, kandi nta gushidikanya ko yatewe inkunga cyane n’iyerekwa Yehova yamweretse abigiranye ineza. Sitefano yabonye ikuzo ry’Imana, kandi abona Yesu ahagaze iburyo bwa Se. Igihe Sitefano yasobanuraga iby’iryo yerekwa yari abonye, abacamanza bipfutse amatwi. Kubera iki? Ni uko mbere yaho Yesu yari  yabwiye urwo rukiko ko yari Mesiya, kandi ko nyuma y’igihe gito yari kuba ahagaze iburyo bwa Se (Mar 14:62). Iyerekwa rya Sitefano ryagaragaje ko ibyo Yesu yari yavuze byari ukuri. Mu by’ukuri, abari bagize urwo rukiko bari baragambaniye Mesiya kandi baramwica. Bose biroheye icyarimwe kuri Sitefano, bamutera amabuye arapfa. c

22, 23. Ni mu buhe buryo Sitefano yapfuye nk’uko Shebuja yapfuye, kandi se muri iki gihe ni mu buhe buryo Abakristo na bo bashobora kurangwa n’icyizere nka Sitefano?

²² Sitefano yapfuye rwose nk’uko Shebuja yapfuye: yapfuye afite umutima utuje, yiringiye Yehova byimazeyo, kandi asabira imbabazi abamwishe. Yaravuze ati “Mwami Yesu, nguhaye ubuzima bwanjye,” bikaba bishoboka ko yari akibona mu iyerekwa Umwana w’umuntu ari kumwe na Se. Nta gushidikanya ko Sitefano yari azi amagambo ya Yesu atera inkunga agira ati “ni jye kuzuka n’ubuzima” (Yoh 11:25). Hanyuma Sitefano yahise asenga Imana mu ijwi riranguruye agira ati “Yehova, iki cyaha ntukibabareho.” Amaze kuvuga atyo, ahita apfa.—Ibyak 7:59, 60.

²³ Bityo rero, Sitefano yabaye umumaritiri wa mbere mu bigishwa ba Kristo. (Reba agasanduku gafite umutwe uvuga ngo “ ‘Umumaritiri’ mu buhe buryo?.”) Ikibabaje ariko, ni uko atari we wabaye uwa nyuma. Kugeza n’uyu munsi, hari abagaragu ba Yehova bizerwa bishwe n’abanyamadini, abanyapolitiki b’intagondwa n’abandi banyarugomo babarwanyaga. Icyakora dufite impamvu zo kugira icyizere nk’icyo Sitefano yari afite. Ubu Yesu ategeka ari Umwami, akoresheje ububasha buhebuje yahawe na Se. Nta kizamubuza kuzura abigishwa be bizerwa.—Yoh 5:28, 29.

24. Ni uruhe ruhare Sawuli yagize igihe Sitefano yicwaga azira ukwizera kwe, kandi se urupfu rw’uwo mugabo wizerwa rwagize akahe kamaro?

²⁴ Hari umusore witwaga Sawuli witegerezaga ibyo byose. Yari ashyigikiye ko Sitefano yicwa ndetse arinda imyenda y’abamuteye amabuye. Nyuma y’igihe gito, yayoboye ibitotezo bikaze byibasiraga Abakristo. Ariko urupfu rwa Sitefano rwagize akamaro. Urugero rwe rwakomeje abandi Bakristo bituma bakomeza kuba abizerwa, kandi bakomeza gushikama. Byongeye kandi, Sawuli waje kumenyekana cyane ku izina rya Pawulo, yasubizaga amaso inyuma agatekereza ku ruhare yagize mu rupfu rwa Sitefano, akababazwa cyane n’ibyo yari yarakoze (Ibyak 22:20). Yatumye Sitefano yicwa ariko nyuma yaho yaje kwivugira ati “kera natukaga Imana, ngatoteza ubwoko bwayo kandi nkaba umunyagasuzuguro” (1 Tim 1:13). Uko bigaragara, Pawulo ntiyigeze yibagirwa Sitefano n’amagambo afite imbaraga yavuze kuri uwo munsi. Ikibigaragaza ni uko mu magambo Pawulo yavuze no mu nyandiko ze, yagarutse ku bintu Sitefano na we yavuze (Ibyak 7:48; 17:24; Heb 9:24). Amaherezo, Pawulo yageze aho yitoza mu buryo bwuzuye gukurikiza urugero rwo kwizera n’ubutwari rwatanzwe na Sitefano, wari “warahawe umugisha n’imbaraga z’Imana.” Twakwibaza tuti ‘ese natwe tuzamwigana?’