1, 2. Imetamo yekucedza kushunyayelwa kwetindzaba letimnandzi ngelikhulu lekucala yaba namuphi umphumela lowehlukile?

 KUHLUSHWA kuyandza njengobe Sawula acala “kulihlasela kabuhlungu” libandla. Ngekwelulwimi lwekucala, lamavi asho kutsi walihlasela ngelunya. (Imis. 8:3) Bafundzi bayabaleka futsi kulabanye kubonakala shengatsi umgomo waSawula wekucedza buKhristu utawufezeka. Nobe kunjalo, kwenteka lokutsite lokungakalindzeleki ngalokusakateka kwalamaKhristu. Kwentekani?

² Labo lababaleka bacala ‘kushumayela tindzaba letimnandzi telivi’ etindzaweni lababalekela kuto. (Imis. 8:4) Cabanga nje! Kuhlushwa akuzange kubayekelise bantfu baNkulunkulu kushumayela tindzaba letimnandzi kodvwa ecinisweni kwasita ekusakateni lomlayeto! Ngekuphocelela labafundzi kutsi babaleke, labantfu lebebabahlupha, bangakacondzi benta kutsi umsebenti wekushumayela wandze ufike nasetindzaweni letikhashane. Kwenteka intfo lefanako nasesikhatsini salamuhla, njengobe sitawubona.

3. (a) Abengubani Filiphu? (b) Yini leyenta kutsi kungashunyayelwa eSamariya, futsi yini Jesu latsi itawukwenteka kulelidolobha ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi?

³ Lomunye ‘walabo lebebasakatekile’ bekunguFiliphu. a (Imis. 8:4; buka libhokisi lelitsi “ Filiphu ‘UmVangeli.’”) Waya eSamariya, lidolobha lebelingakase lashunyayelwa ngobe Jesu bekake wayala baphostoli bakhe watsi: “Ningangeni kunobe nguliphi lidolobha laseSamariya kodvwa yanini kubantfu baka-Israyeli labanjengetimvu letilahlekile.” (Mat. 10:5, 6) Nobe kunjalo, Jesu bekati kutsi ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi iSamariya beyitawushunyayelwa ngalokuphelele ngobe  ngaphambi kwekutsi enyukele ezulwini watsi: “Nitawuba bofakazi bami eJerusalema, kuyo yonkhe iJudiya neSamariya, nakuto tonkhe tincenye temhlaba.”​—Imis. 1:8.

4. Bantfu baseSamariya benta njani ngesikhatsi Filiphu abashumayela, futsi yini leyabakhutsata kutsi bente kanjalo?

⁴ Filiphu watfola kutsi iSamariya ‘beseyimhlophe ilungele kuvunwa.’ (Joh. 4:35) Umlayeto wakhe wabacabula bantfu baseSamariya futsi kumelula kubona kutsi bekwentiwa yini. EmaJuda bekangevani nemaSamariya, lamanyenti awo aze awazonda ngisho nekuwazonda. Ngalokwehlukile, emaSamariya atfola kutsi lomlayeto wetindzaba letimnandzi bewungakhetsi futsi bewehluke kakhulu endleleni baFarisi labanelubandlululo lebebacabanga ngayo. Ngekushumayela bantfu baseSamariya ngemdlandla nangekungakhetsi, Filiphu wakhombisa kutsi bekete lubandlululo njengalabanye lebebawabukela phansi. Ngako akumangalisi kutsi sicumbi semaSamariya ‘besikunaka loko lebekakusho.’​—Imis. 8:6.

5-7. Niketa tibonelo letikhombisa kutsi kusakateka kwemaKhristu kutandzise njani tindzaba letimnandzi.

⁵ Njengasekhulwini lekucala, nalamuhla labo labahlupha bantfu baNkulunkulu abakakhoni kubayekelisa kushumayela. Esikhatsini lesinyenti, lapho emaKhristu aphocelelwa kutsi asuke kulenye indzawo aye kulenye, kungaba  kusejele nobe kulelinye live, asakata umlayeto weMbuso kuleyondzawo laphocelelwe kutsi aye kuyo. Sibonelo nje, Ngemphi Yelive Yesibili, BoFakazi BaJehova bakhona kuniketa bufakazi ngendlela lephumelelako etinkambu tekuhlushwa temaNazi. UmJuda lowahlangana naboFakazi kulenkambu utsi: “Sibindzi setiboshwa letiBoFakazi BaJehova sangicinisekisa kutsi kukholwa kwabo kusekelwe emiBhalweni futsi loko kwangenta kutsi nami ngibe nguFakazi.”

⁶ Kuletinye timo, nalabo labahlupha boFakazi bashunyayelwe, futsi batemukela tindzaba letimnandzi. Sibonelo nje, ngesikhatsi Fakazi lokutsiwa nguFranz Desch ayiswa enkambu yekuhlushwa i-Gusen lese-Austria, wakhona kutadisha liBhayibheli neliphoyisa lema-SS. Cabanga indlela lamadvodza lamabili lajabula ngayo nawahlangana emhlanganweni wesifundza waBoFakazi BaJehova, futsi omabili bese abamemeteli betindzaba letimnandzi!

⁷ Kwenteka intfo lefanako ngesikhatsi kuhlushwa kubangela emaKhristu kutsi abaleke eveni lawo aye kulelinye live. Sibonelo nje, ngabo-1970, ngesikhatsi boFakazi baseMalawi baphocelelwa kutsi babalekele eMozambique, befike bashumayela bantfu labanyenti kulelolive. Lomsebenti wekushumayela wachubeka ngisho nalapho boFakazi sebacale kuphikiswa eMozambique. Francisco Coana utsi, “Labanye betfu babanjwa futsi baboshwa tikhatsi letinyenti ngenca yekushumayela, kodvwa lapho labanyenti bawemukela umlayeto weMbuso besiciniseka kutsi Nkulunkulu uyasisita njengobe bekasita emaKhristu angelikhulu lekucala.”

8. Kushintja kwetepolitiki kanye nesimo semnotfo kuwutsintse njani umsebenti wekushumayela?

⁸ Kuliciniso kutsi akusiko kuhlushwa kuphela lokwente emaKhristu andza kulamanye emave. Eminyakeni yakamuva, kushintja kwetepolitiki kanye nesimo semnotfo nako kuvule ematfuba ekutsi umlayeto weMbuso usakateleke kubantfu labakhuluma letinye tilwimi nakulababuya kulamanye emave. Labanye basuka emaveni lanetimphi nesimo semnotfo lesibi babalekele kuletinye tindzawo, futsi bacale kufundza liBhayibheli naboFakazi kuletindzawo lababalekele kuto. Kufika kwebabaleki kwente kutsi kube nalenye insimu, insimu yebantfu labakhuluma letinye tilwimi. Wena wenta konkhe lokusemandleni akho yini kuze ushumayele bantfu ‘labaphuma kuto tonkhe tive, tinhlanga, bantfu, kanye netilwimi’ ensimini lokuyo?​—Semb. 7:9.

9. Abengubani Simoni, futsi yini leyamenta wasondzela kuFiliphu?

⁹ Filiphu wenta tibonakaliso letinyenti eSamariya. Sibonelo nje, welapha labakhubatekile waphindze wakhipha nemadimoni. (Imis. 8:6-8) Kunendvodza leyamangala kakhulu ngalesipho saFiliphu sekwenta timangaliso. Ligama layo bekunguSimoni, umenti wemilingo lebekatiwa kakhulu futsi bantfu bebaze batsi ngaye: “Lomuntfu ungeMandla aNkulunkulu.” Simoni besekatibonela ngewakhe emandla mbamba aNkulunkulu kuletimangaliso letentiwa  nguFiliphu futsi naye waba likholwa. (Imis. 8:9-13) Nobe kunjalo, ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, tisusa taSimoni tavivinyeka. Kanjani?

10. (a) Yini leyentiwa boPhetro naJohane eSamariya? (b) Yini Simoni layenta nakabona labafundzi labasha bagcwala umoya longcwele ngesikhatsi Phetro naJohane bababeka tandla?

¹⁰ Ngesikhatsi baphostoli beva ngekwandza lebekukhona eSamariya, batfumela boPhetro naJohane. (Buka libhokisi lelitsi “ Phetro Usebentisa ‘Tikhiya TeMbuso.’”) Labaphostoli batsi nabefika lapho babeka labafundzi labasha tandla futsi ngamunye walabafundzi wagcwala umoya longcwele. b Nakabona loku, Simoni wamangala kakhulu. Wase utsi kulabaphostoli, “Nami nginikeni lamandla, kuze kutsi nobe ngubani lengimbeka tandla atfole umoya longcwele.” Simoni waze wetsembisa nekubaniketa imali kuze atsenge lamandla lavela kuNkulunkulu!​—Imis. 8:14-19.

11. Phetro umecwayisa ngani Simoni futsi Simoni wenta njani?

¹¹ Phetro waphendvula Simoni ngemavi lacinile watsi, “Shengatsi imali yakho ingabhubha nawe ngobe ucabanga kutsi ungatfola sipho saNkulunkulu ngemali, wena awungeni ndzawo kulomsebenti, ngobe inhlitiyo yakho ayisicotfo emehlweni aNkulunkulu.” Phetro wase ukhutsata Simoni kutsi aphendvuke futsi athantaze acele kutsetselelwa, watsi, ‘ncusa Jehova futsi ushintje imicabango yakho lemibi kuze akutsetselele nakungenteka.’ Kuyacaca kutsi Simoni bekangesuye umuntfu lomubi, bekafuna kwenta lokulungile, kodvwa waba nembono lomubi nje kwesikhashana. Ngako wancenga baphostoli: “Ngicela ningincusele kuJehova kuze letintfo lenitishito tingangehleli.”​—Imis. 8:20-24.

12. Buyini “busimoni” futsi bube njani lugibe etinkholweni letitsi tebuKhristu?

 ¹² Secwayiso Phetro lasiniketa Simoni sisasebenta nakumaKhristu lamuhla. Ecinisweni, ligama lelitsi “busimoni” lakhiwa lisuselwa kuloku lokwentiwa nguSimoni. “Busimoni” bubhekisela ekutsengeni nobe ekutsengiseni sikhundla, ikakhulukati etindzabeni letiphatselene nenkholo. Umlandvo wetinkholo letitsi tebuKhristu ugcwele tibonelo talomkhuba webusimoni. Ecinisweni, umcuIu wesi-9 we-The Encyclopædia Britannica (1878) watsi: “Lucwaningo lwemlandvo wekukhetfwa kwaboPapa lukuveta ngalokusebaleni kutsi akukase kwaba nelukhetfo lolungazange selungcoliswe busimoni. Etimeni letinyenti lomkhuba webusimoni nakukhetfwa boPapa bewuba sento lesibi kakhulu kutendlula tonkhe.”

13. Ngutiphi tindlela tebusimoni emaKhristu lokufanele aticaphele?

¹³ EmaKhristu kufanele asicaphele sono sekwenta busimoni. Sibonelo nje, akukafaneli kutsi setame kutfola emalungelo ngekutsi siphe bazalwane labanemalungelo lakhetsekile tipho nobe sibadvumise ngalokwendlulele. Ngakulokunye, labo labanemalungelo lakhetsekile kufanele bakubalekele kuphatsa labanjingile ngendlela lekhetsekile. Totimbili letindlela tikhombisa busimoni. Ecinisweni, tonkhe tikhonti taNkulunkulu kufanele titiphatse ‘njengaletincane’ emkhatsini waletinye futsi tilindzele umoya waNkulunkulu kutsi kube ngiwo lotiniketa emalungelo latsite. (Luk. 9:48) Enhlanganweni yaJehova kute indzawo yalabo ‘labatifunela ludvumo.’​—Taga 25:27.

14, 15. (a) Bekangubani ‘umtsenwa longumTopiya’ futsi Filiphu wamtfola njani? (b) Lendvodza lengumTopiya yenta njani nayiva umlayeto waFiliphu futsi yini leyenta kubhajatiswa kwayo kwangabi sento sekutsatseka? (Buka umbhalo longentasi.)

¹⁴ Ingilosi yaJehova yase iyala Filiphu kutsi aye emgwacweni losuka eJerusalema uye eGaza. Nobe ngumuphi umbuto lokungenteka Filiphu bekanawo mayelana nekutsi kungani bekufanele aye kulomgwaco, bewutawuphendvuleka madvutane nakahlangana nemtsenwa longumTopiya “lobekafundza incwadzi yemphrofethi Isaya ngalokuvakalako.” (Buka libhokisi lelitsi “ ‘Umtsenwa’ Ngamuphi Umcondvo?”) Umoya longcwele waJehova wenta  Filiphu wasondzela kulencola yalendvodza. Wagijima eceleni kwalencola wabuta lomTopiya watsi: “Uyakucondza yini loku lokufundzako?” LomTopiya waphendvula watsi: “Ngingakucondza njani nangabe kute umuntfu longichazelako?”​—Imis. 8:26-31.

¹⁵ LomTopiya wagibelisa Filiphu kulencola yakhe. Cabanga ngencociswano lejabulisako lababa nayo! Bese kuphele sikhatsi lesidze bantfu solo bangati kutsi “imvu,” nobe “inceku,” lokukhulunywa ngayo esiphrofethweni sa-Isaya ingubani. (Isa. 53:1-12) Nobe kunjalo, njengobe bahamba, Filiphu wachazela lomtsenwa longumTopiya kutsi lesiphrofetho sagcwaliseka ngaJesu Khristu. Njengalabo lababhajatiswa ngeliPhentekhoste langa-33 C.E., lomTopiya besekavele agucukele enkholweni yebuJuda, ngako ngekushesha wavele wabona kutsi kufanele enteni. Watsi kuFiliphu: “Nankha emanti yini lengivimba kutsi ngibhajatiswe?” Ngekushesha Filiphu wabhabhatisa lomTopiya! c (Buka libhokisi lelitsi “ Kubhajatiswa ‘Emantini.’”) Ngemuva kwaloko, umoya waJehova waholela Filiphu esabelweni lesisha e-Ashidodi, lapho khona wefike wachubeka nekumemetela tindzaba letimnandzi.​—Imis. 8:32-40.

16, 17. Tingilosi tisita njani emsebentini wekushumayela lamuhla?

¹⁶ EmaKhristu lamuhla anelitfuba lelingakavami lekwenta umsebenti lebewentiwa nguFiliphu. Ngalokuvamile, ashumayela umlayeto weMbuso kubantfu angakahleli njenganawavakashile. Etikhatsini letinyenti, kuyacaca kutsi kuhlangana kwawo nemuntfu lonenhlitiyo lecotfo akwenteki ngengoti. Loku kulindzelekile ngobe liBhayibheli likwenta kucace kutsi tingilosi leticondzisa lomsebenti wekushumayela kuze umlayeto wawo ufike ‘kuto tonkhe tive, tinhlanga, tilwimi kanye nebantfu.’ (Semb. 14:6) Jesu waphrofetha kutsi tingilosi betitawucondzisa  umsebenti wekushumayela. Emfanekisweni wakhe wakolo kanye nelukhula, Jesu watsi ngesikhatsi sekuvuna, lokusikhatsi sekuphela kwalelive, ‘bavuni bekutawuba tingilosi.’ Wengeta watsi letidalwa temoya ‘betitawukhipha eMbusweni wakhe tonkhe tintfo letibangela bantfu kutsi bone, tikhiphe nalabo labenta lokubi.’ (Mat. 13:37-41) Ngesikhatsi lesifanako, tingilosi betitawubutsela ndzawonye tindlalifa teMbuso wasezulwini futsi kamuva tibutsele ndzawonye “sicumbi lesikhulu” ‘saletinye timvu’ leto Jehova latidvonsela enhlanganweni yakhe.​—Semb. 7:9; Joh 6:44, 65; 10:16.

¹⁷ Bufakazi baloku kutsi labanye lesihlangana nabo nasishumayela batsi bebathantazele lusito lwaNkulunkulu. Cabanga ngalokwenteka kubamemeteli beMbuso lababili lebebahamba nemntfwana lomncane nabayoshumayela. Emini, laboFakazi nabatsi sebacedzile kushumayela lomntfwana waba nesifiso lesingakavami sekuchubekela emtini lolandzelako. Ecinisweni, lomntfwana waya emtini lolandzelako wefike wanconcotsa emnyango! Ngesikhatsi wesifazane losemusha avula umnyango, laboFakazi lababili beta batokhuluma naye. Bamangala nakabatjela kutsi bekasandza kuthantaza acela kutsi lotsite amane ete atomsita acondze liBhayibheli. Kwacaliswa sifundvo seliBhayibheli!

18. Kubaluleke ngani kutsi singawutsatseli phansi umsebenti wetfu wekushumayela?

¹⁸ Njengelilunga lelibandla lebuKhristu, unelilungelo lekusebenta kanye netingilosi kulesikhatsi salamuhla njengobe umsebenti wekushumayela wentiwa ngelizinga longakaze wentiwa ngalo ngaphambili. Ungalibukeli phansi lelilungelo. Ngekuchubeka wenta imetamo futsi ungaphelelwa ngemandla, utawutfola injabulo lenkhulu ngekuchubeka umemetela “tindzaba letimnandzi letimayelana naJesu.”​—Imis. 8:35.