1-4. Pawula uyokwentani eJerusalema, futsi yini lemlindzele lapho?

 KWEHLUKANA kwebazalwane labadzala base-Efesu naboPawula naLukha ngesikhatsi besuka eMilethusi, kwaba buhlungu kakhulu ngobe bebabatsandza. Letitfunywa telivangeli letimbili setigibele umkhumbi futsi imitfwalo yato igcwele tintfo letitatidzinga kuloluhambo. Tiphetse neminikelo lenikelelwe emaKhristu leswele aseJudiya futsi tikubuke ngalabovu kumikisa lesipho kulabazalwane.

² Umoya uphakamisa emaseyila futsi lomkhumbi ucala kuhamba. Labazalwane labaphekeletele lamadvodza lamabili kanye nalaba labangu-7 lebebahamba nawo, beva buhlungu njengobe bababuka bahamba. (Imis. 20:4, 14, 15) Labazalwane labahambako bachubeka bavalelisa labangani babo baze bayositsela.

³ Sekuphela iminyaka lecishe ibe mitsatfu Pawula asebentelana dvutane nalabazalwane labadzala base-Efesu. Kodvwa nyalo acondziswa ngumoya longcwele, sewulibangise eJerusalema. Ngekwelizinga lelitsite, uyati kutsi yini lemlindzele khona. Ngaphambilini, bekatsite kulabadzala: “Ngiholwa ngumoya waNkulunkulu kutsi ngiye eJerusalema, nanobe ngingatati tintfo letitangehlela khona, ngaphandle kwekutsi kulelo nalelo dolobha umoya longcwele bewusolo ungitjela kutsi ngilindzelwe kuboshwa kanye netinhlupheko.” (Imis. 20:22, 23) Ngisho nangetulu kwalobungoti, Pawula utiva uholwa “ngumoya waNkulunkulu,” ubophekile futsi unesifiso sekulandzela sicondziso sawo ngekutsi aye eJerusalema. Utsatsa kuphila kwakhe njengalokubalukile, kodvwa kwenta intsandvo yaNkulunkulu kuyintfo lebaluleke nakakhulu kuye.

⁴ Utiva ngaleyondlela yini nawe? Ngesikhatsi sitinikela kuJehova, senta setsembiso sekutsi kwenta intsandvo yakhe kutawuba yintfo lebaluleke kakhulu ekuphileni kwetfu. Singazuza ngekucabanga ngesibonelo sekwetsembeka semphostoli Pawula.

5. Pawula kanye nalabo lebekahamba nabo bahamba ngayiphi indlela nabaya eThire?

⁵ Lomkhumbi lebewugitjelwe nguPawula kanye nalabo lebekahamba nabo, ‘wahamba wacondza eKhosi.’ Wawuhamba ucondzile uphushwa  ngumoya futsi wefika eKhosi ngalo lelo langa. (Imis. 21:1) Kubonakala shengatsi lomkhumbi walala lapho ngalobo busuku futsi ngelilanga lelilandzelako waya eRodosi nasePhatara. Nabefika ePhatara, leselugwini lolungaseningizimu ye-Asia Minor, labazalwane bagibela umkhumbi lomkhulu lotfwala imitfwalo lowabamikisa eThire leseFenisiya. Endleleni, bendlula ‘sihlenge saseSiphrosi lebesingesencele.’ (Imis. 21:3) Yini leyenta Lukha, umbhali wencwadzi yeMisebenti, washo kutsi bendlula sihlenge saseSiphrosi?

6. (a) Yini lokungenteka yakhutsata Pawula nakabona iSiphrosi? (b) Kucabanga ngendlela Jehova lakusite ngayo nalakubusise ngayo kukwenta ufinyelele siphi siphetfo?

⁶ Kungenteka nabendlula lesihlenge Pawula watjela labo lebekahamba nabo lebekwenteke kuye nakalapho. Eluhambeni lwakhe lwekucala asitfunywa selivangeli eminyakeni lengu-9 leyendlulile, Pawula, Bhanabasi kanye naJohane lebekutsiwa nguMakho, bahlangana nesangoma lokutsiwa ngu-Elimasi, lebesibaphikisa emsebentini wabo wekushumayela. (Imis. 13:4-12) Kungenteka kubona lesihlenge kanye nekukhumbula lebekwenteke kuye nakakuso kwamkhutsata kwaphindze kwamcinisa Pawula kuze abhekane nalebekuseta. Natsi singazuza nasicabanga ngendlela Nkulunkulu lasibusise ngayo nalasisite ngayo kuze sibeketelele tinkinga. Kucabanga ngako kungasisita sisho emavi lashiwo nguDavide,  latsi: “Tinyenti tinhlupheko letehlela lolungile, kodvwa Jehova umkhulula kuto tonkhe.”​—Hla. 34:19.

7. Yini Pawula nalebekahamba nabo labayenta nabefika eThire?

⁷ Pawula bekakucondza kubaluleka kwekutihlanganisa nemaKhristu, ngako bekakulangatelela kuba nalabo lebekakholwa nabo. Lukha wabhala kutsi nabefika eThire ‘bafuna bafundzi futsi babatfola.’ (Imis. 21:4) Ngenca yekutsi bebati kutsi kunemaKhristu eThire, Pawula nalebekahamba nabo bawafuna bawatfola futsi kungenteka bahlala nawo. Lesinye setibusiso letinkhulu tekukhonta Jehova kutsi nobe singayaphi, sitawuhlale sitfola bazalwane labatasemukela. Labo labatsandza Nkulunkulu futsi labamkhonta ngendlela lehlantekile, banebangani emhlabeni wonkhe.

8. Kufanele siwacondze njani emavi lasencwadzini yeMisebenti 21:4?

⁸ Nakachaza lamalanga langu-7 labawahlala eThire, Lukha usho lokutsite lokungabonakala kwetfusa: “Ngenca yaloko lebebakwembulelwe ngumoya, labafundzi [bazalwane baseThire] bebasolo batjela Pawula kutsi angayi eJerusalema.” (Imis. 21:4) Jehova besekashintjile yini? Nyalo besekatjela Pawula kutsi angayi yini eJerusalema? Cha. Umoya waNkulunkulu bewuvete kutsi Pawula bekatawuhlushwa eJerusalema, hhayi kutsi angayi kulelidolobha. Kubonakala shengatsi umoya longcwele wenta labazalwane baseThire baphetsa kahle nabatsi Pawula bekatawuhlushwa eJerusalema. Ngako labazalwane bancenga Pawula kutsi angayi kulelidolobha ngobe bebamkhatsalela. Siyacondzakala sifiso sabo sekuvikela Pawula kulengoti lebekalengela kuyo. Nobe kunjalo, atimisele kwenta intsandvo yaJehova, Pawula wachubeka neluhambo lwakhe loluya eJerusalema.​—Imis. 21:12.

9, 10. (a) Nakeva kukhatsateka kwebazalwane baseThire, kungenteka Pawula wakhumbula siphi simo lesifanako? (b) Ngumuphi umbono lovamile emhlabeni lamuhla, futsi wehluke njani emavini aJesu?

⁹ Nakeva lokukhatsateka kwalabazalwane, kungenteka Pawula wakhumbula loko lokwenteka kuJesu ngesikhatsi atjela bafundzi bakhe kutsi utawuya eJerusalema, ahlupheke futsi abulawe. Akhatsateke kakhulu, Phetro watsi kuJesu: “Nkhosi, Nkulunkulu utakusita; loku ngeke kwenteke kuwe.” Jesu wamphendvula watsi: “Suka Sathane! Usikhubekiso kimi, ngobe awucabangisi kwaNkulunkulu kodvwa ucabangisa kwebantfu.” (Mat. 16:21-23) Jesu bekatimisele kwemukela lesabelo sekutinikela lebekasiniketwe nguNkulunkulu. Pawula wativa ngendlela lefanako. Njengemphostoli Phetro, asingabati kutsi labazalwane baseThire bebanetisusa letinhle, kodvwa bebangayicondzi intsandvo yaNkulunkulu.

¹⁰ Bantfu labanyenti lamuhla bayatsandza kwenta intfo lemelula ngisho nobe kuyenta kungesikahle. Ngalokuvamile bantfu bafuna inkholo labatawutiva bakhululekile kuyo futsi lengadzingi lokunyenti kumalunga ayo. Jesu wakhutsata simo sengcondvo lesehluke ngalokuphelele kuloko. Watjela bafundzi bakhe kutsi: “Nangabe umuntfu afuna kungilandzela, akatidzele futsi avume kuhlushwa  bese ungilandzela njalo.” (Mat. 16:24) Kulandzela Jesu kuyindlela lehlakaniphile nalekahle, kodvwa lengasimelula.

11. Bafundzi baseThire bakhombisa njani kutsi bayamtsandza futsi bayamsekela Pawula?

¹¹ Ngekushesha kwefika sikhatsi sekutsi Pawula, Lukha kanye nalabebahamba nabo bachubeke neluhambo lwabo. Kwehlukana kwalabazalwane baseThire kanye naPawula bekubuhlungu, futsi kukhombisa kutsi bayamtsandza futsi bawusekela ngalokuphelele nemsebenti wakhe wekushumayela. Emadvodza, bafati kanye nebantfwana baphekeletela Pawula nalebekahamba nabo elugwini lwelwandle. Bonkhe baguca, bathantaza base bayabavalelisa. Ngemuva kwaloko, Pawula, Lukha kanye nalebebahamba nabo bagibela lomunye umkhumbi lowabayisa ePhitolemayisi, lapho bafike batfola khona labanye bazalwane futsi bahlala nabo lilanga linye.​—Imis. 21:5-7.

12, 13. (a) Ngumuphi umlandvo wekwetsembeka Filiphu bekanawo? (b) Filiphu usibonelo lesihle njani kubobabe labangemaKhristu lamuhla?

¹² Ngalokulandzelako, Lukha ubika kutsi Pawula kanye nalebekahamba nabo base baya eKhesariya. Nabefika lapho, baya “endlini yaFiliphu umvangeli.” a (Imis. 21:8) Kungenteka bajabula kakhulu nababona Filiphu. Eminyakeni lengu-20 leyendlulile, ngesikhatsi Filiphu aseseJerusalema, baphostoli bebamabele kutsi asite ekwabeni kudla ebandleni lebuKhristu lebelisakhula. Filiphu bekanemlandvo lomudze wekushumayela ngemdlandla. Khumbula kutsi ngesikhatsi bafundzi basakateka ngenca yekuhlushwa, Filiphu waya eSamariya futsi wacala kushumayela khona. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, washumayela futsi wabhabhatisa umthenwa longumTopiya. (Imis. 6:2-6; 8:4-13, 26-38) Filiphu bekanemlandvo lomuhle wekusebenta ngekwetsembeka!

¹³ Umdlandla waFiliphu ngemsebenti wekushumayela awuzange uphele. Njengobe besekahlala eKhesariya, bekachubeka amatasa ngemsebenti wekushumayela njengobe sibona endleleni Lukha lambita ngayo nakatsi “umvangeli.” Siphindze sitfola kutsi nyalo besekanemadvodzakati lamane lebekaphrofetha, lokukhombisa kutsi bekalandzela tinyatselo tababe wawo. b (Imis. 21:9) Ngako kufanele kube Filiphu wasebenta kamatima kuze asite umndeni wakhe ube  nebuhlobo lobuhle naJehova. Bobabe labangemaKhristu lamuhla benta kahle ngekulingisa sibonelo sakhe ngekuhamba embili ekwenteni umsebenti wekushumayela kanye nekusita bantfwana babo kutsi bawutsandze lomsebenti.

14. Yini lesiciniseka kutsi yaba ngumphumela wekuvakasha kwaPawula kanye nalabo lebekahamba nabo, futsi ngumaphi ematfuba lafana nalawa lakhona lamuhla?

¹⁴ Kuto tonkhe tindzawo Pawula laya kuto, bekafuna emaKhristu, awatfole futsi acitse sikhatsi nawo. Asingabati kutsi bazalwane bakuletindzawo bebakulangatelela kuvula emakhaya abo kuze bemukele lesitfunywa selivangeli kanye nalabo lebesihamba nabo. Siyaciniseka kutsi lokuvakasha bekwenta labazalwane ‘bakhutsatane.’ (Rom. 1:11, 12) Ematfuba lafana nalawa akhona nalamuhla. Kuba nemiphumela lemihle kakhulu nangabe uvula likhaya lakho kuze wemukele umbonisi wesigodzi kanye nemkakhe, ngisho nobe lisesimeni lesiphansi kangakanani.​—Rom. 12:13.

15, 16. Ngumuphi umlayeto Agabusi lawuletsa, futsi wabatsintsa njani labo labawuva?

¹⁵ Ngesikhatsi Pawula asahleti endlini yaFiliphu kwase kufika lesinye sivakashi, lesingu-Agabusi. Labo lebebahlangene endlini yaFiliphu bebati kutsi Agabusi ungumphrofethi ngobe bekake wabiketela ngendlala lenkhulu ngesikhatsi kusabusa Klawudiyuse. (Imis. 11:27, 28) Kungenteka bebatibuta: ‘Ute leni Agabusi? Uletse muphi umlayeto?’ Batsi nabasabukisisile, Agabusi watsatsa libhande laPawula, lokuyindvwangu lendze lebeyiboshwa elukhalo lokungafakwa kuyo imali kanye naletinye tintfo. Agabusi watibopha ngalo tandla netinyawo wase uyakhuluma, futsi umlayeto wakhe bewushubile, watsi: “Naku lokushiwo ngumoya longcwele: ‘EJerusalema, emaJuda atambopha ngalendlela umnikati walelibhande, futsi atamnikela kubantfu betive.’”​—Imis. 21:11.

¹⁶ Lesiphrofetho sacinisekisa kutsi Pawula bekatakuya eJerusalema. Saphindze saveta kutsi kushumayela kwakhe emaJuda lapho bekutawuholela ekutseni ‘anikelwe  kubantfu betive.’ Lesiphrofetho sabatsintsa kakhulu labantfu lebebalalele. Lukha wabhala: “Senela kuva loku, tsine kanye nebantfu lebebakhona sancenga Pawula kutsi angayi eJerusalema. Kodvwa yena watsi: ‘Nikhalelani, futsi nifunelani kungicedza emandla? Cinisekani kutsi angikalungeli kuboshwa nje kuphela, kodvwa ngikulungele ngisho nekufa eJerusalema ngenca yelibito leNkhosi Jesu.’”​—Imis. 21:12, 13.

17, 18. Pawula wakhombisa njani kutsi utimisele kwenta intsandvo yaNkulunkulu, futsi labazalwane benta njani?

¹⁷ Cabanga ngaloko lebekwenteka: Labazalwane, lokufaka ekhatsi Lukha, bebancenga Pawula kutsi angahambi, futsi labanye bebakhala. Atsintfwe yindlela labamkhatsalela ngayo, Pawula, ngemusa watsi ‘bamcedza emandla’ nobe ‘badzabukisa inhlitiyo yakhe,’ ngekusho kwalamanye emahumusho. Nobe kunjalo, Pawula solo utimisele kuhamba futsi angeke avumele lokuncengwa nobe letinyembeti kutsi kumvimbe, njengobe angazange avume nakubazalwane baseThire. Esikhundleni saloko, wabachazela kutsi bekubaluleke ngani kutsi ahambe. Pawula wakhombisa sibindzi kanye nekutimisela lokukhulu! Njengobe Jesu enta, naPawula bekatimisele kuya eJerusalema. (Heb. 12:2) Pawula bekangafuni kuba ngumuntfu lobulawelwa kukholwa kwakhe, kodvwa loko nakungenteka, bekatakutsatsa njengelilungelo kufa ngenca yekuba ngumlandzeli waKhristu Jesu.

¹⁸ Benta njani labazalwane? Basihlonipha sincumo sakhe. LiBhayibheli litsi: “Satsi nasehluleka kumvimba, samyekela sase sitsi: ‘Akwenteke intsandvo yaJehova.’” (Imis. 21:14) Labo lebebafuna Pawula angayi eJerusalema abazange baphikelele kuloko. Bamlalela futsi bamyekela ngobe bebabona futsi bemukela intsandvo yaJehova ngisho nobe loko bekumatima kubo. Kuya kwaPawula eJerusalema, ekugcineni bekutamholela ekufeni. Lesimo besitawuba melula kuPawula kube labazalwane labamtsandzako abazange bamncenge kutsi angayi.

19. Ngusiphi sifundvo lesibalulekile lesisifundzako kuloko lokwenteka kuPawula?

¹⁹ Sifundza nasi sifundvo lesibalulekile kuloko lokwenteka kuPawula: Asifuni kubacedza emandla labo labafuna kutidzela kuze bakhonte Nkulunkulu. Lesifundvo singasisebentisa etimeni letehlukahlukene, hhayi nje kuphela nangabe indzaba ifaka kufa nekuphila. Sibonelo nje, ngisho nobe kumatima ngebatali labanyenti labangemaKhristu kubona bantfwana babo bahamba ekhaya baya etabelweni letikhashane kuze bayokhonta Jehova, batimisele kungabacedzi emandla. Phyllis, lohlala eNgilandi, ukhumbula ngesikhatsi indvodzakati yakhe, lekuphela kwayo, ihamba iyoba sitfunywa selivangeli e-Afrika. Phyllis utsi: “Bekusikhatsi lesibuhlungu futsi bekumatima kwemukela kutsi indvodzakati yami seyitawuhlala khashane. Ngeva buhlungu, kodvwa ngesikhatsi lesifanako bengitigcaba ngayo. Ngathantaza kanyenti ngako, kodvwa angizange ngetame kumvimba ngobe lesi bekusincumo sayo. Bengihlale ngiyifundzisa indvodzakati yami kutsi ibeke tintfo letiphatselene neMbuso kucala ekuphileni kwayo! Sekuphele iminyaka lengu-30 ikhonta kulamanye emave, futsi ngihlale ngimbonga Jehova ngekwetsembeka kwayo.” Kuba kuhle kakhulu nasikhutsata bazalwane betfu labatidzelako!

20, 21. Yini lekhombisa kutsi Pawula bekanesifiso sekuba nebazalwane, futsi yini leyamenta wafuna kuba nalabo lebekakholwa nabo?

²⁰ Kwentiwa emalungiselelo ekutsi Pawula aphekeletelwe bazalwane labakhombisa kutsi bamsekela ngenhlitiyo yonkhe. Kulo lonkhe loluhambo lwakhe loluya eJerusalema, Pawula kanye nalabo lebekahamba nabo, bebahamba bavakashela bazalwane nabodzadze labangemaKhristu. EThire batfola bafundzi labafike bahlala nabo emalanga langu-7. EPhitolemayisi, bavusela bazalwane nabodzadze futsi bahlala nabo lilanga linye. EKhesariya, bahlala emalanga lamanyenti endlini yaFiliphu. Ngemuva kwaloko, labanye bafundzi baseKhesariya baphekeletela Pawula kanye nalabo lebekahamba nabo eJerusalema, lapho bafike bemukelwa khona nguMnasoni, lobesekanesikhatsi lesidze angumfundzi. Ekugcineni, boPawula befika eJerusalema, futsi Lukha utsi: “Bazalwane basemukela ngemusa.”​—Imis. 21:17.

²¹ Kuyacaca kutsi Pawula bekahlale afuna kutihlanganisa nalabo lebekakholwa nabo. Bazalwane nabodzadze bamkhutsata kakhulu lomphostoli, njengobe kwenteka intfo lefanako nakitsi lamuhla. Asingabati kutsi lesikhutsato sacinisa Pawula njengobe bekatawubhekana nalabaphikisi labatfukutsele lebebatawufuna kumbulala.