1, 2. Yini leyenta umphostoli Pawula aye eJerusalema, futsi ngutiphi tinkinga lahlangabetana nato lapho?

 PAWULA sewuphindze useJerusalema, futsi uhambahamba etitaladini takhona letincane naletiphitsitelako. Kute lelinye lidolobha emhlabeni lelinemlandvo lobalulekile wekusebentelana kwaJehova nebantfu bakhe njengaleli. Bantfu bakhona labanyenti basabambelele kulowo mlandvo. Pawula uyati kutsi emaKhristu lamanyenti kulendzawo abambelele kakhulu emlandvweni wawo, futsi loku kuwenta ahluleke kuhambisana netinjongo taJehova letitfutfukako. Ngetulu kwesizatfu lesimsuse e-Efesu sekutsi bazalwane baseJerusalema beswele, Pawula uphindze ubona nekutsi labazalwane labangemaJuda bebangacondzi kutsi Jehova akasawusebentisi uMtsetfo waMosi. (Imis. 19:21) Ngisho nangetulu kwekutsi bekabeka kuphila kwakhe engotini, akazange asishintje sincumo sakhe sekubuyela kulelidolobha.

² Yini nyalo Pawula lebekatawuhlangabetana nayo eJerusalema? Lenye inkinga beyitawuchamuka ngebalandzeli baKhristu, njengobe labanye bebakhatsatwa ngemahemuhemu lebebawavile ngaPawula. Tinkinga letinkulu betitawuchamuka etitseni taKhristu. Betitammangalela ngemanga, timshaye futsi timsongele ngekumbulala, kodvwa konkhe loku bekutawuniketa Pawula litfuba lekutsi ativikele. Kutfobeka kwakhe, sibindzi kanye nekukholwa lakukhombisa, kusibonelo lesihle kumaKhristu lamuhla. Asesibone kutsi kanjani.

3-5. (a) Ngumuphi umhlangano Pawula laba nawo eJerusalema, futsi kwacocwa ngani? (b) Yini lesingayifundza kulomhlangano Pawula lebekanawo nemadvodza lamadzala eJerusalema?

³ Ngemuva kwelilanga labefika ngalo eJerusalema, Pawula nalebekahamba nabo bahlangana nemadvodza lamadzala elibandla laseJerusalema. Kulendzaba akukhulunywa ngebaphostoli, lokungenteka kutsi bonkhe bebahambile bayoshumayela kuletinye tindzawo. Nobe kunjalo, Jakobe umnakaboJesu bekasesekhona. (Gal. 2:9) Kungenteka Jakobe bekahola kulomhlangano ngesikhatsi “bonkhe labadzala” bahlangene naPawula.​—Imis. 21:18.

⁴ Pawula wabingelela lalabadzala “wase ubachazela tonkhe tintfo  Nkulunkulu lebekatente ngaye etiveni.” (Imis. 21:19) Asingabati kutsi loko kwabakhutsata kakhulu labazalwane. Ngendlela lefanako, natsi kusijabulisa kakhulu kuva ngentfutfuko leyenteka kulamanye emave.​—Taga 25:25.

⁵ Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, kungenteka Pawula wakhuluma ngeminikelo levela emabandleni aseYurophu lebekayiletsile. Kungenteka indlela labazalwane basetindzaweni letikhashane labakhombise ngayo lutsandvo yabatsintsa tinhlitiyo labo lebebalalele Pawula. Lokulandzisa kutsi, nakeva loko lokwashiwo nguPawula lamadvodza lamadzala ‘advumisa Nkulunkulu’! (Imis. 21:20a) Nalamuhla, bantfu labanyenti labehlelwe tehlakalo nobe lababeketelela kugula lokumatima, batsintseka tinhlitiyo nababona labo labakholwa nabo babaniketa lusito lolufike ngesikhatsi kanye nemavi lakhutsatako.

6. Nguyiphi inkinga Pawula labikelwa yona?

⁶ Lamadvodza lamadzala atjela Pawula inkinga lebeyitsintsa yena matfupha lebeyikhona eJudiya. Atsi: “Mzalwane, uyabona kutsi tingakanani tinkhulungwane tebantfu labakholwako kumaJuda, futsi bonkhe babambelele kakhulu eMtsetfweni. Kodvwa beve emahemuhemu ngawe latsi bewufundzisa onkhe emaJuda lahlala emkhatsini waletinye tive kutsi ahlubuke eMtsetfweni waMosi, nekutsi utsi akukafaneli asoke bantfwana bawo nobe alandzele emasiko awo.” a​—Imis. 21:20b, 21.

7, 8. (a) Ngumuphi umbono loliphutsa emaKhristu lamanyenti aseJudiya lebekanawo? (b) Yini lesenta sitsi umbono loliphutsa emaKhristu langemaJuda lebekanawo bewungakhombisi kutsi atihlubuki?

⁷ Yini lebeyenta emaKhristu lamanyenti ashisekele uMtsetfo waMosi ngisho nobe besekuphele iminyaka lengetulu kwa-20 ungasasebenti? (Khol. 2:14) Nga-49 C.E.,  baphostoli kanye nemadvodza lamadzala lebekahlangene eJerusalema batfumela incwadzi leya emabandleni lechaza kutsi emaKhristu labantfu betive bekungakafaneli asoke futsi abe ngephansi kweMtsetfo waMosi. (Imis. 15:23-29) Nobe kunjalo, kute lencwadzi lebeyikusho ngemaKhristu langemaJuda, lamanyenti awo lebekangacondzi kutsi uMtsetfo waMosi bewungasasebenti.

⁸ Lombono loliphutsa bewenta emakholwa langemaJuda angafaneleki yini kuba ngemaKhristu? Cha. Bekungesiko kutsi bekake akhonta bonkulunkulu bemacaba futsi nyalo besekachubeka nekulandzela imikhuba yaleyonkholo. LoMtsetfo lebewubaluleke kangaka kulamaKhristu langemaJuda bewuvela kuJehova. Bekute lokubi kuwo nobe lokuhambisana nebudimoni. LoMtsetfo bewungephansi kwesivumelwane lesidzala kantsi emaKhristu wona besekangephansi kwesivumelwane lesisha. Ngekuvumelana nekukhonta kweliciniso, kugcinwa kwesivumelwane seMtsetfo besekuphelelwe sikhatsi. EmaKhristu langemaHebheru lebekashisekela uMtsetfo bekangacondzi kutsi besekufanele angasasigcini sivumelwane seMtsetfo ngenca yekutsi besewangaphansi kwesivumelwane lesisha. Bekudzingeka alungise indlela lebekacabanga ngayo kuze ivumelane nendlela Nkulunkulu lebekembula ngayo emaciniso. b​—Jer. 31:31-34; Luk. 22:20.

9. Yini Pawula layifundzisa mayelana neMtsetfo waMosi?

⁹ Kutsiwani ngalamahemuhemu lebekatsi Pawula bekafundzisa emaJuda lebekahlala nebantfu betive kutsi “akukafaneli asoke bantfwana bawo nobe alandzele  emasiko awo”? Pawula bekangumphostoli kuBantfu Betive, futsi bekalandzela sincumo sekutsi Bantfu Betive akukafaneli bagcine uMtsetfo. Waphindze waliveta ebaleni liphutsa lekutsi Bantfu Betive baphocelelwe kutsi basoke kuze bakhombise kutsi bahlonipha uMtsetfo waMosi. (Gal. 5:1-7) Pawula waphindze washumayela tindzaba letimnandzi kumaJuda lebekasemadolobheni lebekawavakashela. Kungenteka bekachazela labo lebebamlalela kutsi kufa kwaJesu kwenta uMtsetfo waMosi waphelelwa sikhatsi nekutsi kulunga bekungatfolakala kuphela ngekuba nekukholwa, hhayi ngekwenta loko lokufunwa nguMtsetfo.​—Rom. 2:28, 29; 3:21-26.

10. Pawula wakhombisa njani kutsi uyayicabangela indlela labanye labativa ngayo endzabeni lemayelana neMtsetfo kanye nekusoka?

¹⁰ Nobe kunjalo, Pawula wakhombisa kucondza nakasebentelana nalabo lebebatsandza kugcina emasiko emaJuda, lanjengekungasebenti ngeliSabatha nobe kungadli kudla lokutsite. (Rom. 14:1-6) Kute umtsetfo lawushaya mayelana nekusoka. Ecinisweni, kwadzingeka kutsi Pawula asoke Thimothi kuze emaJuda angamsoli Thimothi, njengobe babe wakhe abengumGriki. (Imis. 16:3) Kusoka besekusincumo umuntfu lebekatitsatsela sona. Pawula watjela baseGalathiya kutsi: “Kusoka nobe kungasoki akukabaluleki, kodvwa kukholwa lokusebenta ngelutsandvo ngiko lokubalulekile.” (Gal. 5:6) Nobe kunjalo, nangabe umuntfu asoka ngenca yekutsi ufuna kuba ngephansi kweMtsetfo nobe ufuna kwemukelwa nguJehova, loko bekutawukhombisa kutsi ute kukholwa.

11. Ngusiphi sicondziso emadvodza lamadzala lasiniketa Pawula, futsi bekutawufaka ekhatsi ini kusilandzela? (Buka nembhalo longentasi.)

¹¹ Ngisho nobe lamahemuhemu bekangesilo liciniso, emaKhristu langemaJuda bekaphazamisekile ngenca yawo. Ngenca yaloko, emadvodza lamdzala aniketa Pawula nasi sicondziso: “Lapha kunemadvodza lamane lente sifungo. Watsatse utihlambulule kanye nawo, uwakhokhele tindleko, kuze ahhule  etinhloko. Bonkhe bantfu batawubese bayati kutsi lamahemuhemu lebebaweva ngawe awasilo liciniso, batawati nekutsi wena uphila ngekuvumelana neMtsetfo.” c​—Imis. 21:23, 24.

12. Ngesikhatsi analabadzala baseJerusalema, Pawula wakukhombisa njani kuvumelana netimo kanye nekubambisana nabo?

¹² Pawula bekangaphikisana nalamadvodza lamadzala ngekutsi inkinga mbamba bekungesiwo lamahemuhemu ngaye, kodvwa beyikutsi lamaKhristu langemaJuda bekashisekela uMtsetfo waMosi. Pawula bekatimisele kuvumelana netimo, kuphela nje nakungeke kwephule timiso taNkulunkulu. Bekake wabhala kutsi: “Kulabangephansi kwemtsetfo ngaba njengalongephansi kwemtsetfo, ngisho nobe ngingekho ngephansi kwemtsetfo, kuze ngizuze labangephansi kwemtsetfo.” (1 Khor. 9:20) Kulesimo, Pawula wabambisana nalabadzala baseJerusalema futsi waba “njengalongephansi kwemtsetfo.” Ngekwenta kanjalo, wasibekela sibonelo lesihle lamuhla sekutsi sibambisane nalabadzala futsi singaphikeleli emibonweni yetfu yekufuna kwenta tintfo ngendlela lefunwa ngitsi.​—Heb. 13:17.

13. (a) Yini leyenta lamanye emaJuda abanga siphitsiphitsi ethempelini? (b) Kwasindziswa njani kuphila kwaPawula?

¹³ Tintfo atizange tihambe kahle ethempelini. Njengobe bekusondzela emalanga ekuphela kwaletifungo, emaJuda lavela e-Asiya abona Pawula, ase amsola ngekutsi uletse Bantfu Betive ethempelini, futsi asusa siphitsiphitsi. Kube indvuna yelibutfo laseRoma ayizange ingenele, Pawula ngabe washaywa waze wafa. Njengobe bekuvamise kwenteka, lendvuna yelibutfo laseRoma yamvalela ejele. Kusukela ngalelolanga, kwatsatsa iminyaka lemine kutsi Pawula aphindze akhululwe ejele. Ingoti Pawula labelengela kuyo beyingakengci. Ngesikhatsi lendvuna yelibutfo ibuta lamaJuda kutsi amhlaselelani Pawula, amemeta asho tintfo letehlukahlukene. Kute lendvuna leyakhona kukuva kulesiphitsiphitsi. Ekugcineni, kwadzingeka kutsi Pawula atsatfwe asuswe kuleyondzawo. Ngesikhatsi sebayofika enkambu yemasotja langemaRoma, Pawula watsi kulendvuna: “Ngiyakuncenga kutsi ungivumele ngikhulume nalabantfu.” (Imis. 21:39) Lendvuna yavuma, futsi Pawula wase uvikela kukholwa kwakhe ngesibindzi.

14, 15. (a) Yini Pawula layichazela emaJuda? (b) Indvuna yemasotja aseRoma yatsatsa tiphi tinyatselo kuze itfole lebekwenta emaJuda atfutselele Pawula?

¹⁴ Pawula wacala ngemavi latsi, “Ngicela ningilalele njengobe ngichaza.” (Imis. 22:1) Wakhuluma nalesicumbi ngesiHebheru, lokwasenta sathula. Wasiniketa  inchazelo lecondzile yekutsi yini lementa abe ngumlandzeli waKhristu. Ngekwenta njalo, ngekuhlakanipha Pawula waveta emaphuzu lamaJuda lebekangawahlola kuze acinisekise kutsi loko lebekakusho bekuliciniso, nangabe bekafuna kwenta njalo. Pawula bekafundziswe nguGamaliyeli lowatiwako, futsi bekake wahlupha balandzeli baKhristu, njengobe kungenteka labanye bebati. Nobe kunjalo, nakasendleleni leya eDamaseku, wabona umbono waKhristu lovusiwe, futsi wakhuluma naye. Labo lebebahamba naPawula babona kukhanya lokukhulu futsi beva nelivi, kodvwa abazange bakucondze loko lebelikusho. (Imis. 9:7; 22:9) Ngemuva kwaloko, labo lebekahamba nabo, bamtsatsa njengobe bekangasaboni emehlweni ngenca yalokukhanya, bamyisa eDamaseku. Nabefika lapho batfola Ananiyase, indvodza lebeyatiwa ngemaJuda akulesifundza. Ngalokusimangaliso, Ananiyase wenta Pawula waphindze wabona.

¹⁵ Pawula walandzisa kutsi ngemuva kwekubuyela kwakhe eJerusalema, Jesu wabonakala kuye ethempelini. Loku kwawatfukutselisa kakhulu lamaJuda, kangangekutsi aze amemeta atsi: “Mbulaleni lomuntfu, ngobe ufanelwe kufa!” (Imis. 22:22) Kuze ivikele Pawula, lendvuna yemasotja yatsi akatsatfwe amikiswe enkambu yemasotja. Itimisele kutfola sizatfu lesenta lamaJuda atfukutselele Pawula, lendvuna yatsi kuye akakulungele kubutwa imibuto kanye nekushaywa. Nobe kunjalo, Pawula wakhetsa kusebentisa umtsetfo kuze ativikele, futsi waveta kutsi unebuve baseRoma. Tikhonti taJehova lamuhla tisebentise umtsetfo kuze tivikele kukholwa kwato. (Buka libhokisi lelitsi “ Umtsetfo WaseRoma Kanye Nebantfu BaseRoma,” kanye nalelitsi “ Emacala Langekwemtsetfo Esikhatsini Salamuhla.”) Yatsi ngekuva kutsi Pawula unebuve baseRoma, lendvuna yemasotja  yabona kutsi bekufanele itfole lenye indlela yekumphenya. Ngelilanga lelilandzelako, yamikisa Pawula embikweNkantolo YemaJuda leyahlangana ngekushesha kuze iteke lelicala lakhe.

16, 17. (a) Chaza loko lokwenteka ngesikhatsi Pawula akhuluma embikweNkantolo YemaJuda. (b)  Pawula wasibeka njani sibonelo sekutfobeka ngesikhatsi ashaywa?

¹⁶ Nakacala kutivikela embikweNkantolo YemaJuda kulamacala lebekabekwe wona, Pawula watsi: “Banaketfu, mine bengisolo nginanembeza lomsulwa embikwaNkulunkulu kuze kube ngulamuhla.” (Imis. 23:1) Akakhulumanga lokuyaphi. Lokulandzisa kutsi: “Ngesikhatsi Ananiyase umphristi lophakeme eva loku, watjela labo lebebeme ngakuPawula kutsi bamshaye emlonyeni.” (Imis. 23:2) Loko kwaba yinhlamba lenkhulu, futsi bekuveta lubandlululo, kubita Pawula ngemcambimanga bungakevakali bonkhe bufakazi! Akumangalisi-ke kutsi Pawula waphendvula watsi: “Nkulunkulu utakushaya wena mtentisi. Ufuna kungehlulela ngekuvumelana neMtsetfo, kodvwa ngesikhatsi lesifanako ube uwephula ngekutsi utjele labantfu kutsi bangishaye?”​—Imis. 23:3.

¹⁷ Labanye lebebeme eceleni kwaPawula bamangala, bangamangaliswa ngulona loshaye Pawula, kodvwa bamangaliswa yindlela Pawula laphendvule ngayo! Bambuta: “Umetfukelani umphristi lophakeme waNkulunkulu?” Emphendvulweni yakhe, Pawula wabafundzisa sifundvo sekutfobeka nesekuhlonipha uMtsetfo. Watsi: “Banaketfu, bengingati kutsi ungumphristi lophakeme. Ngobe kubhaliwe kutsi: ‘Ungakhulumi kabi ngemholi webantfu bakini.’” d (Imis. 23:4, 5; Eks. 22:28) Watsi nakabona kutsi leNkantolo YemaJuda yakhiwa baFarisi nebaSadusi, Pawula wase usebentisa lenye indlela, watsi: “Banaketfu, mine ngingumFarisi, indvodzana yebaFarisi. Sizatfu lesenta kutsi ngehlulelwe kutsi ngikholelwa ekuvusweni kwalabafile.”​—Imis. 23:6.

18. Yini leyenta Pawula watibita ngekutsi ungumFarisi, futsi tsine singayisebentisa njani indlela lefanako etimeni letitsite?

¹⁸ Yini leyenta Pawula watibita ngemFarisi? Kungobe ‘bekayindvodzana yebaFarisi’ labavela emndenini lobewukulelihlelo. Kungako bantfu labanyenti bebamtsatsa  njengemFarisi. e Loko kusho kutsi Pawula bekavumelana yini netimfundziso tebaFarisi letimayelana nekuvuswa kwebantfu ekufeni? Kutsiwa baFarisi bebakholelwa kutsi imiphefumulo yalabalungile nalabangakalungi beyichubeka iphila, kodvwa imiphefumulo yalabalungile beyitawuphindze ibuyele emitimbeni ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi. Pawula bekangakholelwa kulemibono. Bekakholelwa eluvukweni Jesu labefundzisa ngalo. (Joh. 5:25-29) Nobe kunjalo, Pawula bekavumelana nebaFarisi ngekutsi kunelitsemba ngemuva kwekufa, ngalokungafani nebaSadusi lebebakholelwa kutsi kute litsemba ngemuva kwekufa. Natsi singayisebentisa indlela lefanako nasicoca nebantfu labangemaKatolika nobe emaPhrothestani. Singase sitsi, njengabo natsi siyakholelwa kuNkulunkulu. Kuyavunywa kutsi kungenteka bona bakholelwa kuNkulunkulu longuMtsatfu Amunye, kantsi tsine sikholelwa kuNkulunkulu lokukhulunywa ngaye eBhayibhelini. Nobe kunjalo, sikholelwa intfo lefanako lekutsi Nkulunkulu ukhona.

19. Yini leyenta kutsi umhlangano weNkantolo YemaJuda uphele sekunemsindvo?

¹⁹ Emavi aPawula ayehlukanisa ekhatsi leNkantolo YemaJuda. Lokulandzisa kutsi: “Ngako kwaba nemsindvo lomkhulu, futsi letinye tati temtsetfo telicembu lebaFarisi tasukuma taphikisa ngelulaka, tatsi: ‘Asitfoli lutfo lolubi kulomuntfu, ngobe kungenteka kutsi kunesidalwa semoya nobe ingilosi lekhulume naye.’” (Imis. 23:9) Kwakona nje lokusikisela kutsi kungenteka ingilosi beyikhulume naPawula, baSadusi bebangafuni nekukuva, ngobe bebangakholelwa kutsi tingilosi tikhona! (Buka libhokisi lelitsi “ BaSadusi NebaFarisi.”) Lesiphitsiphitsi saba sikhulu kangangekutsi lendvuna yelibutfo laseRoma kwadzingeka kutsi iphindze isindzise lomphostoli. (Imis. 23:10) Nobe kunjalo, Pawula bekangakaphumi engotini. Besekutakwentekani nyalo kulomphostoli? Sitawufundza lokunyenti kulesehluko lesilandzelako.