1, 2. N’chifukwa chiyani ulendo umene Baranaba ndi Saulo ankakonzekera unali wapadera, nanga kodi ntchito yawo inathandiza bwanji kukwaniritsa lemba la Machitidwe 1:8?

 TSIKU lina mpingo wa ku Antiokeya unasangalala kwambiri chifukwa pa aneneri ndi aphunzitsi onse amene anali mumpingomo, mzimu woyera unasankha Baranaba ndi Saulo kuti akalalikire uthenga wabwino kumadera akutali. a (Mac. 13:1, 2) N’zoona kuti amuna oyenerera anali atatumizidwa m’madera osiyanasiyana m’mbuyomu. Komabe pa nthawiyo amishonale ankapita kumadera kumene Chikhristu chinali chitakhazikitsidwa kale. (Mac. 8:14; 11:22) Koma pa nthawiyi, Baranaba ndi Saulo limodzi ndi Yohane Maliko, amene anam’tenga kuti azikawatumikira, ankakonzekera kupita kumadera amene anthu ambiri anali asanamvepo uthenga wabwino.

² Zaka 14 m’mbuyomo, Yesu anali atauza otsatira ake kuti: “Mudzakhala mboni zanga mu Yerusalemu, ku Yudeya konse ndi ku Samariya, mpaka kumalekezero a dziko lapansi.” (Mac. 1:8) Kusankhidwa kwa Baranaba ndi Saulo kuti akhale amishonale kunathandiza kuti ulosi wa Yesu ukwaniritsidwe. b

3. N’chifukwa chiyani kuyenda maulendo ataliatali kunali kovuta m’nthawi ya atumwi?

³ Masiku ano anthu angayende ulendo wautali kwa ola limodzi kapena maola awiri okha chifukwa kuli magalimoto komanso ndege. Koma m’nthawi ya atumwi zinthu sizinali choncho. Kalelo, anthu akafuna kuyenda ulendo wautali, kawirikawiri ankayenda wapansi ndipo nthawi zambiri ankadutsa m’misewu yoipa. Kwa tsiku lathunthu ankayenda mtunda wokwana makilomita pafupifupi 30 ndipo ulendo wake unkakhala wotopetsa. c Choncho, n’zosakayikitsa kuti pamene Baranaba ndi Saulo ankakonzekera utumiki wawo, ankadziwa kuti ukhala ulendo wovuta kwambiri, ndipo akufunika kuvala zilimbe.​—Mat. 16:24.

4. (a) N’chiyani chinatsogolera mpingo kuti usankhe Baranaba ndi Saulo, nanga Akhristu ena anatani amuna amenewa atasankhidwa? (b) Kodi tingathandize bwanji anthu amene alandira utumiki mumpingo wa Chikhristu?

⁴ Komabe, kodi n’chifukwa chiyani Mulungu pogwiritsa ntchito mzimu woyera anauza mpingo kuti upatule Baranaba ndi Saulo “kuti agwire ntchito” yapadera? (Mac. 13:2) Baibulo silinena chifukwa chake. Koma timadziwa kuti mzimu woyera ndi umene unatsogolera mpingowo kuti usankhe amuna amenewa. Komabe zikuoneka kuti aneneri ndi aphunzitsi ena a ku Antiokeya sanatsutse maganizo amenewa. M’malomwake, iwo anagwirizana kwambiri ndi kusankhidwa kwa amuna awiriwa. Taganizani mmene Baranaba ndi Saulo anamvera pamene Akhristu anzawo, mopanda nsanje, ‘anasala kudya ndi kupemphera, [kenako] kuwagwira pamutu n’kuwalola kuti apite.’ (Mac. 13:3) Ifenso tiyenera kuthandiza anthu amene apatsidwa utumiki mumpingo wa Chikhristu, monga amuna amene asankhidwa kuti aziyang’anira mumpingo. M’malo mochita nsanje ndi anthu amene alandira utumiki umenewu, tiyenera ‘kuwasonyeza chikondi komanso ulemu waukulu chifukwa cha ntchito yawo.’​—1 Ates. 5:13.

5. Fotokozani mmene ntchito yochitira umboni pachilumba cha Kupuro inayendera.

⁵ Atayenda ulendo wapansi mpaka kukafika ku Selukeya, doko limene linali pafupi ndi Antiokeya, Baranaba ndi Saulo anakwera ngalawa n’kuyenda ulendo wa makilomita pafupifupi 200 kupita ku Kupuro. d Kwawo kwa Baranaba kunali ku Kupuro, choncho n’zosakayikitsa kuti iye anasangalala kuti akalalikire uthenga wabwino m’dera la kwawo. Atafika ku Salami, mzinda umene unali kum’mawa kwa chilumbacho, mwamsanga amuna amenewa “anayamba kulalikira mawu a Mulungu m’masunagoge a Ayuda.” e (Mac. 13:5) Baranaba ndi Saulo anayenda m’madera onse a pachilumbacho, ndipo zikuoneka kuti ankalalikira m’mizinda ikuluikulu imene ankadutsa. Poona njira imene anadutsa, n’kutheka kuti amishonalewa anayenda mtunda wokwana makilomita pafupifupi 160.

6, 7. (a) Kodi Serigio Paulo anali ndani, nanga n’chifukwa chiyani Bara-Yesu ankafuna kumukopa kuti asamvetsere uthenga wabwino? (b) Kodi Saulo anachita chiyani Bara-Yesu atayamba kutsutsa uthenga wabwino?

⁶ M’nthawi ya atumwi, anthu a ku Kupuro ankalambira kwambiri milungu yabodza. Tikudziwa zimenezi chifukwa cha zomwe zinachitika pamene Baranaba ndi Saulo anafika mumzinda wa Pafo, umene unali kumadzulo kwa chilumbacho. Kumeneko anakumana ndi “[munthu] wina wamatsenga dzina lake Bara-Yesu, yemwe analinso mneneri wabodza.” Komanso “iyeyu anali limodzi ndi bwanamkubwa Serigio Paulo, yemwe anali munthu wanzeru.” f Pa nthawiyo, Aroma ambiri otchuka, ngakhale “munthu wanzeru” ngati Serigio Paulo, ankadalira kwambiri anthu amatsenga kapena okhulupirira nyenyezi kuti awathandize maganizo pa nkhani zofunika. Komabe, Serigio Paulo anachita chidwi kwambiri ndi uthenga wa Ufumu ndipo “ankafunitsitsa kumva mawu a Mulungu.” Koma zimenezi sizinasangalatse Bara-Yesu, amenenso ankadziwika ndi dzina logwirizana ndi ntchito yake lakuti Elima, kutanthauza kuti “Wamatsenga.”​—Mac. 13:6-8.

⁷ Bara-Yesu ankatsutsa kwambiri uthenga wa Ufumu. Ndipotu iye analibe njira ina yotetezera udindo wake wokhala mlangizi wa Serigio Paulo kuposa ‘kuyesetsa kuti bwanamkubwayo asakhulupirire Ambuye.’ (Mac. 13:8) Koma Saulo sakanalekerera kuti wamatsengayo achotse chidwi chimene Serigio Paulo anali nacho pa choonadi. Ndiye Saulo anachita chiyani? Nkhaniyi imati: “Saulo, wotchedwanso Paulo, atadzazidwa ndi mzimu woyera, anamuyang’anitsitsa [Bara-Yesu] n’kunena kuti: ‘Iwe munthu wodzaza ndi chinyengo chamtundu uliwonse ndiponso zoipa, mwana wa Mdyerekezi komanso mdani wa chinthu chilichonse cholungama, kodi udzasiya liti kupotoza njira zowongoka za Yehova? Tsopano tamvera! Dzanja la Yehova lili pa iwe ndipo ukhala wakhungu. Kwakanthawi, suthanso kuona kuwala kwa dzuwa.’ Nthawi yomweyo anaona nkhungu yamphamvu m’maso mwake ndiponso mdima wandiweyani, ndipo anayamba kufufuza anthu oti amugwire dzanja ndi kumutsogolera.” g Kodi zotsatira za chozizwitsa chimenechi zinali zotani? “Bwanamkubwa uja ataona zimenezi, anakhala wokhulupirira, chifukwa anadabwa kwambiri ndi zimene anaphunzira zokhudza Yehova.”​—Mac. 13:9-12.

8. Kodi tingatsanzire bwanji kulimba mtima kwa Paulo masiku ano?

⁸ Paulo sanachite mantha ndi Bara-Yesu. Ifenso tisamachite mantha anthu otsutsa akamafuna kufooketsa anthu amene asonyeza chidwi ndi kukhulupirira uthenga wa Ufumu. Ndipotu, ‘nthawi zonse mawu athu azisonyeza kuti ndife okoma mtima ndipo azikhala okoma ngati kuti tawathira mchere.’ (Akol. 4:6) Komabe, tisalephere kuthandiza munthu amene ali ndi chidwi chofuna kuphunzira mawu a Mulungu pongofuna kupewa mikangano. Kapenanso tisamachite mantha kutsutsa mfundo zonama zimene chipembedzo chonyenga chimaphunzitsa, chifukwa chikupitirizabe “kupotoza njira zowongoka za Yehova” ngati mmene ankachitira Bara-Yesu. (Mac. 13:10) Mofanana ndi Paulo tiyenera kulengeza choonadi mopanda mantha ndi kuthandiza anthu a mitima yabwino. Ngakhale kuti Mulungu sangatithandize m’njira yoonekera ngati mmene anachitira ndi Paulo, timatsimikiza ndi mtima wonse kuti Yehova adzagwiritsira ntchito mzimu wake woyera kukoka anthu oyenerera kuti aphunzire choonadi.​—Yoh. 6:44.

9. Kodi Paulo ndi Baranaba anapereka bwanji chitsanzo chabwino kwa abale amene akutsogolera mumpingo masiku ano?

⁹ Zikuoneka kuti zinthu zinasintha pamene amuna amenewa anachoka ku Pafo ndi kuyenda panyanja ulendo wa makilomita pafupifupi 250 kupita ku Pega, dera limene linali m’mphepete mwa nyanja ku Asia Minor. Ponena za gulu la anthu amenewa, lemba la Machitidwe 13:13, limati panali ‘Paulo ndi anzake.’ Mmene mawuwa analembedwera, zimasonyeza kuti Paulo ndi amene anayamba kutsogolera gululi. Komabe, palibe paliponse pamene pamasonyeza kuti Baranaba anayamba kuchitira nsanje Paulo. M’malomwake amuna awiriwa anapitiriza kugwira ntchito limodzi pofuna kukwaniritsa chifuniro cha Mulungu. Paulo ndi Baranaba anapereka chitsanzo chabwino kwambiri kwa abale amene amatsogolera mumpingo masiku ano. M’malo mochita zinthu mopikisana pofuna kutchuka, Akhristu amakumbukira mawu a Yesu akuti: “Nonsenu ndinu abale.” Iye ananenanso kuti: “Aliyense amene amadzikweza adzatsitsidwa, koma aliyense amene amadzichepetsa adzakwezedwa.”​—Mat. 23:8, 12.

10. Fotokozani mmene ulendo wochokera ku Pega kupita ku Antiokeya wa ku Pisidiya unalili.

¹⁰ Atafika ku Pega, Yohane Maliko anasiya Paulo ndi Baranaba n’kubwerera ku Yerusalemu. Baibulo silinena chifukwa chimene anabwererera mwadzidzidzi choncho. Koma Paulo ndi Baranaba anapitiriza ulendo wawo, ndipo atachoka ku Pega anafika mumzinda wa Antiokeya wa ku Pisidiya, umene unali m’chigawo cha Galatiya. Ulendo umenewu unali wovuta kwambiri chifukwa chakuti mzinda wa Antiokeya wa ku Pisidiya unali pamalo okwera kwambiri, mamita pafupifupi 1,100. Misewu ya m’mapiri akumeneko inali yoipa kwambiri ndiponso inali yoopsa chifukwa nthawi zambiri munkakhala achifwamba. Kuwonjezera pamenepo, n’kutheka kuti pa nthawiyi Paulo ankadwala. h

11, 12. Kodi Paulo anakopa bwanji anthu amene ankamumvetsera pamene ankalankhula m’sunagoge ku Antiokeya wa ku Pisidiya?

¹¹ Pamene anali ku Antiokeya wa ku Pisidiya, tsiku la Sabata, Paulo ndi Baranaba analowa m’sunagoge. Nkhaniyi imati: “Chilamulo ndi zimene aneneri analemba zitawerengedwa pamaso pa anthu, atsogoleri a sunagoge anatuma munthu kukawauza kuti: ‘Abale inu, ngati muli ndi mawu alionse amene angalimbikitse anthuwa, lankhulani.’” (Mac. 13:15) Pamenepo Paulo anaimirira kuti alankhule.

¹² Poyamba kulankhula ndi anthuwo, Paulo anati: “Anthu inu, Aisiraeli, ndiponso ena nonsenu amene mumaopa Mulungu.” (Mac. 13:16) Anthu amene ankamvetsera Paulo anali Ayuda komanso anthu amitundu ina amene analowa Chiyuda. Kodi Paulo anatani kuti akope anthuwo, amene sankadziwa udindo umene Yesu ali nawo pokwaniritsa chifuniro cha Mulungu? Choyamba, iye anafotokoza mbiri ya mtundu wa Chiyuda. Anafotokoza mmene Yehova ‘anasandutsira anthu amenewa kukhala mtundu wamphamvu pamene ankakhala m’dziko lachilendo la Iguputo,’ komanso mmene Mulungu ‘anapiririra khalidwe lawo m’chipululu’ kwa zaka 40 atawalanditsa. Paulo anafotokozanso mmene Aisiraeliwo anatengera Dziko Lolonjezedwa ndi mmene Yehova ‘anaperekera dzikolo kwa iwo kuti likhale cholowa chawo.’ (Mac. 13:17-19) Anthu ena amanena kuti n’kutheka kuti Paulo ankagwira Malemba ena amene anali atawerengedwa kumene mokweza tsiku la Sabata lomwelo. Ngati zimenezi n’zoona, ndiye kuti pamenepa tikuonapo chitsanzo china chosonyeza kuti Paulo ankadziwa mmene angakhalire “zinthu zonse kwa anthu osiyanasiyana.”​—1 Akor. 9:22.

13. Kodi tingatani kuti uthenga wathu uwafike pamtima anthu amene tikuwalalikira?

¹³ Ifenso tiyenera kuyesetsa kuti uthenga wathu uziwafika pamtima anthu amene tikuwalalikira. Mwachitsanzo, kudziwa chipembedzo cha munthu komanso zimene amakhulupirira, kungatithandize kusankha nkhani imene ingamusangalatse. Komanso tingatchule mawu a m’Baibulo amene munthuyo akuwadziwa bwino. Ndipo zingakhale zothandiza kwambiri ngati titamupempha munthuyo kuti awerenge mawuwo m’Baibulo lake. Nthawi zonse muziyesetsa kufotokoza mfundo m’njira yoti omvera anu ziwafike pamtima.

14. (a) Kodi Paulo anayamba bwanji kufotokoza uthenga wabwino wa Yesu, nanga anapereka chenjezo lotani? (b) Kodi anthu anachita chiyani atamva mawu amene Paulo ananena?

¹⁴ Kenako Paulo anafotokoza za mzera wa mafumu a Isiraeli umene unadzafika pa “mpulumutsi . . . amene ndi Yesu,” ndipo kalambulabwalo wake anali Yohane M’batizi. Atatero Paulo anafotokoza za kuphedwa kwa Yesu ndi kuukitsidwa kwake. (Mac. 13:20-37) Ndiyeno Paulo ananena kuti: “Tsopano dziwani abale anga kuti, ife tikulalikira kwa inu za kukhululukidwa kwa machimo kudzera mwa ameneyu. Dziwaninso kuti . . . aliyense wokhulupirira akuonedwa wopanda mlandu kudzera mwa iyeyu.” Kenako mtumwiyu anachenjeza anthu amene ankamumvetserawo kuti: “Choncho samalani kuti zimene aneneri analemba zisakugwereni, zomwe zimati: ‘Inu onyoza onani zimene ine ndikuchita n’kudabwa nazo. Kenako mudzatha, chifukwa simudzakhulupirira ngakhale pang’ono zimene ndidzachite m’masiku anu, ngakhale wina atakufotokozerani mwatsatanetsatane.’” Zimene anthuwo anachita atamva mawu amenewa zinali zodabwitsa. Baibulo limati: “Anthu anawachonderera kuti adzawafotokozerenso nkhani zimenezi Sabata lotsatira.” Komanso msonkhano wa m’sunagoge utatha, “Ayuda ndi anthu ambiri omwe analowa Chiyuda amene ankalambira Mulungu anatsatira Paulo ndi Baranaba.”​—Mac. 13:38-43.

15. Kodi chinachitika n’chiyani tsiku la Sabata Paulo atalankhula ndi anthu?

¹⁵ Sabata lotsatira, “pafupifupi mzinda wonse” unasonkhana pamodzi kudzamvetsera Paulo. Koma Ayuda ena sanasangalale nazo zimenezi ndipo “anayamba kutsutsa mwamwano zimene Paulo ankalankhula.” Zitatero, Paulo ndi Baranaba anawauza molimba mtima kuti: “Inu munali oyenera kuti muyambe kuuzidwa mawu a Mulungu. Koma popeza mukuwakana ndipo mukudziweruza nokha kuti ndinu osayenera moyo wosatha, ife tikupita kwa anthu a mitundu ina. Ndipotu Yehova watilamula kuti, ‘Ndakupatsani udindo woti mukhale kuwala kwa anthu a mitundu ina, kuti mukhale chipulumutso mpaka kumalekezero a dziko lapansi.’”​—Mac. 13:44-47; Yes. 49:6.

16. Kodi Ayuda anatani Paulo ndi Baranaba atawauza mawu amphamvu, nanga amishonalewa anachita chiyani anthu atayamba kuwatsutsa?

¹⁶ Anthu a mitundu ina amene ankamvetsera mawu a Paulo anasangalala, ndipo “anthu onse amene anali ndi maganizo abwino amene akanawathandiza kukapeza moyo wosatha anakhala okhulupirira.” (Mac. 13:48) Pasanapite nthawi mawu a Yehova anafalikira m’dziko lonselo. Koma Ayuda sanalabadire uthengawo, ndiye amishonalewa anawauza kuti ngakhale kuti iwowo anali oyamba kuuzidwa mawu a Mulungu, anasankha kukana Mesiya ndipo anali oyenera kulandira chilango choopsa. Atamva zimenezi, Ayudawo anauza zoipa azimayi otchuka komanso amuna olemekezeka amumzindawo ndipo iwowa “anachititsa kuti Paulo ndi Baranaba ayambe kuzunzidwa, ndipo anawaponya kunja kwa mzinda wawo.” Kodi pamenepa Paulo ndi Baranaba anachita chiyani? Iwo “anasansa fumbi kumapazi awo kuti ukhale umboni wowatsutsa n’kupita ku Ikoniyo.” Kodi zimenezi zikutanthauza kuti Chikhristu chinathera pomwepo ku Antiokeya wa ku Pisidiya? Ayi, chifukwa ophunzira amene anatsala kumeneko “anapitiriza kukhala osangalala komanso mzimu woyera unkawathandiza kwambiri.”​—Mac. 13:50-52.

17-19. Kodi tingatsanzire bwanji chitsanzo chabwino cha Paulo ndi Baranaba, nanga zimenezi zingatithandize bwanji kukhala osangalala?

¹⁷ Zimene amuna okhulupirikawa anachita atayamba kutsutsidwa zikutipatsa phunziro lofunika kwambiri. Timapitiriza kulalikira, ngakhale anthu otchuka m’dzikoli atayesetsa kutiletsa kulengeza uthenga wathu. Onaninso kuti anthu a ku Antiokeya atakana uthenga wa Paulo ndi Baranaba, ophunzirawa “anasansa fumbi kumapazi awo.” Zimenezi sizinatanthauze kuti iwo anakwiya ayi, koma zinasonyeza kuti analibe mlandu wa magazi a anthuwo. Amishonalewa ankazindikira kuti anthu anali ndi ufulu wosankha kumvetsera kapena kukana uthenga wawo. Choncho iwo anangofunikira kusankha kupitiriza kapena kusiya kulalikira, moti anasankha kupitiriza ndipo anachoka kumeneko n’kupita ku Ikoniyo.

¹⁸ Kodi ophunzira amene anatsalira ku Antiokeya anachita chiyani? Iwo anali osangalala ngakhale kuti ankakhala m’dera la anthu ovuta kwambiri omwe sankamvetsera uthenga wabwino. Koma panali chifukwa chimene chinawachititsa kuti azisangalala. Yesu anati: “Osangalala ndi anthu amene akumva mawu a Mulungu n’kuwasunga!” (Luka 11:28) Ndipotu ophunzira a ku Antiokeya wa ku Pisidiya anali otsimikiza mtima kuchita zimenezi.

¹⁹ Mofanana ndi Paulo komanso Baranaba, nthawi zonse tizikumbukira kuti udindo wathu ndi wolalikira uthenga wabwino. Anthu amene timawalalikirawo ali ndi ufulu wosankha kumvetsera kapena ayi. Ngati anthu amene tikuwalalikira akuoneka kuti sakulabadira uthenga wathu, tingachite zimene ophunzira a m’nthawi ya atumwi anachita. Tikamadziwa kufunika kwa uthenga wabwino komanso kulola kuti Mulungu azititsogolera ndi mzimu wake, tidzakhala osangalala ngakhale pamene ena akutitsutsa.​—Agal. 5:18, 22.