1. Yini Pawula kanye nalebekahamba nabo lebebaciniseka ngayo, futsi leni?

 UMKHUMBI lobewuneluphawu lolutsi “Emadvodzana AZeyusi,” lokungenteka ngumkhumbi lomkhulu lolayisha lokutinhlavu, usuka esichingini lesiselwandle iMedithera lokutsiwa yiMaltha uya eTaliyane. Kungenteka bekungumnyaka wa-59 C.E. Kulomkhumbi bekugibele umphostoli Pawula, lebekasiboshwa lesigadziwe, akanye nalamanye emaKhristu, boLukha na-Aristakhusi. (Imis. 27:2) Ngalokungafani nalabanye lebebagibele lomkhumbi, letitfunywa telivangeli atisifuni sivikelo kuCastor naPollux, emaphahla langemadvodzana ankulunkulu wemaGriki, Zeyusi. (Imis. 28:11) Kunaloko, Pawula nalabo lebekahamba nabo bebakhonta Jehova, lowatjela Pawula kutsi bekatawufakaza ngeliciniso eRoma kanye nasembikwaKhesari.​—Imis. 23:11; 27:24.

2, 3. Lomkhumbi boPawula lebebahamba ngawo watsatsa yiphi indlela, futsi ngubani lebekasolo asekela Pawula kulo lonkhe loluhambo?

² Ngemuva kwemalanga lamatsatfu lomkhumbi wabo upake eSirakhusi, lokulidolobha lelihle nalelibalulekile laseSicily lelifana ne-Athene neRoma, lomkhumbi wesuka waya eRigiyumu leseningizimu neTaliyane. Ngemuva kwaloko, basitwa ngumoya lochamuka eningizimu lowenta lomkhumbi wahamba emakhilomitha langu-320 ngesivinini lesikhulu wefika ngelilanga lelilandzelako esichingini lesiseTaliyane lesibitwa ngekutsi yiPhutheyoli (ledvutane neNaples yalamuhla).​—Imis. 28:12, 13.

³ Nyalo Pawula sewutawufika eRoma, lapho atawuma khona phambi kweMbusi Nero. Kusukela ekucaleni kuze kube ngunyalo, Nkukunkulu “wayo yonkhe indvudvuto” bekasolo anaPawula. (2 Khor. 1:3) Njengobe sitawubona, lokusekelwa Pawula lakutfola kuNkulunkulu akuzange kuphele futsi nemdlandla lebekanawo njengesitfunywa selivangeli awuzange uphele.

4, 5. (a) Pawula nalabo lebekamba nabo bemukelwa njani ePhutheyoli, futsi yini lokungenteka yamenta watfola inkhululeko lenkhulu? (b) Ngisho nobe aboshiwe, emaKhristu angazuza njani ngekutiphatsa kwawo lokuhle?

⁴ Nabefika ePhutheyoli, Pawula kanye nalabo lebekahamba nabo ‘batfola bazalwane lababancenga kutsi bahlale nabo emalanga langu-7.’ (Imis. 28:14) Lesi sibonelo lesihle kakhulu semoya wekungenisa tihambi! Asingabati  kutsi labazalwane lababonisa umoya wekungenisa tihambi bazuza kakhulu etikhutsatweni labatitfola kuPawula kanye nalabo lebekahamba nabo. Nobe kunjalo, yini leyenta lesiboshwa lesigadziwe sanikwa inkhululeko lengaka? Kungenteka kutsi Pawula bekatiphatsa ngendlela leyenta bogadzi bametsemba.

⁵ Ngendlela lefanako lamuhla, tikhonti taJehova letiboshiwe kanye naletisetinkambu tekuhlushwa, esikhatsini lesinyenti, tiniketwa inkhululeko lekhetsekile nemalungelo latsite ngenca yekutiphatsa ngendlela yebuKhristu. Sibonelo nje, eRomania, indvodza letsite lebeyidvonsa iminyaka lengu-75 ejele ngenca yebugebengu, yacala kufundza liVi laNkulunkulu futsi buntfu bayo base bushintja kakhulu. Umphumela waloko waba kutsi labo lebebaphetse lijele bebayitfuma edolobheni ingakagadvwa kuze iyotsenga tintfo lebetisetjentiswa kulelijele! Ngetulu kwaloko, kutiphatsa kwetfu lokuhle kukhatimulisa Jehova.​—1 Phet. 2:12.

6, 7. Bazalwane baseRoma balukhombisa njani lutsandvo lolukhulu?

⁶ Nabesuka ePhutheyoli, kungenteka Pawula nalabo lebekahamba nabo bahamba ngetinyawo emakhilomitha langu-50 besuka eCapua baya eRoma, bahamba endleleni lebitwa ngekutsi yi-Appian. Nawuhamba kulendlela lelungiswe kahle naleyatiwako, bewubona tiganga taseTaliyane futsi bewuhle ubona neLwandle iMedithera. Lendlela beyendlula endzaweni lelitete lebitwa ngekutsi yiPontine Marshes, lengaba ngemakhilomitha langu-40 kusuka eRoma, iphindze indlule naseMakethe yase-Aphiyusi. Lukha watsi, “Ngesikhatsi bazalwane baseRoma beva kutsi siyeta, basihlangabeta baze befika kuleMakethe” kantsi labanye basimela endzaweni lokutsiwa Tindlu Letintsatfu, lokuyindzawo yekuphumula lekhashane ngemakhilomitha langu-50 nawusuka eRoma. Ngekwenta njalo, labazalwane babakhombisa lutsandvo lolukhulu kakhulu!​—Imis. 28:15.

⁷ IMakethe yase-Aphiyusi beyingasiyo indzawo lekahle kutsi umuntfu lotsetse luhambo lolutsite angafike aphumule kuyo.  Sonkhondlo nasomahlaya longumRoma lokutsiwa nguHorace uchaza leMakethe ngekutsi “beyigcwele bantfu labanyenti labasebenta emikhunjini kanye nebantfu labasebenta etindzaweni tekulala labete bungani.” Wabhala nekutsi emanti akhona bewamabi futsi wala ngisho nekudlela kulendzawo! Nobe kunjalo, labazalwane labasuka eRoma balindza Pawula kanye nalebekahamba nabo kuze bahambe nabo ngekuphepha baye eRoma.

8. Yini leyenta Pawula wabonga Nkulunkulu ‘nakabona’ bazalwane bakhe?

⁸ Lokulandzisa kutsi: “Ngesikhatsi Pawula ababona [labazalwane], wabonga Nkulunkulu wase uba nesibindzi.” (Imis. 28:15) Ngesikhatsi abona labazalwane labatsandzekako, lokungenteka labanye babo bekabati, watfola emandla futsi wadvudvuteka. Yini leyamenta wabonga Nkulunkulu? Bekati kutsi lutsandvo lolute kutentisa lungulesinye setitselo temoya. (Gal. 5:22) Nalamuhla, umoya longcwele wenta emaKhristu atidzele ngenca yalabanye futsi advudvute labo labeswele.​—1 Thes. 5:11, 14.

9. Singabalingisa njani labazalwane labahlangabeta Pawula?

⁹ Sibonelo nje, umoya longcwele wenta emaKhristu abonise umoya wekungenisa tihambi kubabonisi labajikeletako, kutitfunywa telivangeli letivakashile kanye nakuletinye tisebenti tasikhatsi sonkhe, lokungenteka letinyenti tato titidzele kakhulu kuze tikhonte Jehova ngalokugcwele. Tibute: ‘Ngingenta lokwengetiwe yini kuze ngisekele umbonisi wesigodzi nakavakashile ebandleni, mhlawumbe ngekutsi ngimemukele kami, yena nemkakhe nangabe ashadile? Ngingahlela yini timo tami kuze ngibe nabo emsebentini wekushumayela?’ Nawenta njalo, utawubusiswa ngendlela lenkhulu. Nasi sibonelo, cabanga ngenjabulo labazalwane baseRoma labayitfola nabalalela Pawula kanye nalabo lebekahamba nabo balandzisa ngalokutsite lokukhutsatako lokwenteke ekuphileni kwabo.​—Imis. 15:3, 4.

10. Pawula bekaphila ngaphansi kwetimo letinjani nakaseRoma, futsi yini lomphostoli layenta ngekusheshe nje nakasandza kufika?

¹⁰ Ngesikhatsi boPawula befika eRoma, “Pawula wavunyelwa kutsi ahlale yedvwa agadvwe lisotja.” (Imis. 28:16) Umuntfu lobekavalelwe esitokisini lebekumelula kubaleka kuso, bekaboshwa ngeluketane lebelibese liboshelwa kugadzi wakhe. Nobe kunjalo, Pawula bekangummemeteli weMbuso futsi loluketane lebekaboshwe ngalo belingeke lize limente abindze. Waphumula emalanga lamatsatfu, futsi ngemuva kwaloko wabita baholi bemaJuda lebebaseRoma kuze atetfule futsi afakaze kubo.

11, 12. Ngesikhatsi Pawula akhuluma nemaJuda akubo wetama njani kucedza lubandlululo lokungenteka bewanalo?

¹¹ Pawula watsi: “Banaketfu, nanobe kute lokubi lengikwentile kubantfu futsi kute lokubi lengikwentile lokumelene nemasiko abokhokho betfu, ngasuswa eJerusalema ngisiboshwa nganikelwa etandleni temaRoma. Ngemuva kwekungiphenya, emaRoma bekafuna kungikhulula ngobe bekute sizatfu lebesenta ngifanelwe kubulawa. Kodvwa njengobe emaJuda bekasolo akuphikisa loku, ngabona kukuhle kutsi ngendlulisele licala kuKhesari. Kepha loko angikwentelanga kumangalela sive sakitsi.”​—Imis. 28:17-19.

 ¹² Ngekubita lamadvodza langemaJuda lebekamlalele ngekutsi ‘bomnakabo,’ Pawula bekafuna loko labavumelana ngako kuze bangamubandlululi. (1 Khor. 9:20) Waphindze wakwenta kwacaca kutsi bekangaketeli kutosola emaJuda akubo, kodvwa beketele kutovela embikwaKhesari. Nobe kunjalo, kwendlulisela licala kuKhesari bekuyintfo lensha kulamaJuda. (Imis. 28:21) Yini leyenta lamaJuda aseJudiya angawabikeli emaJuda laseRoma ngalendzaba? Lenye incwadzi yekucwaninga itsi: “Kungenteka umkhumbi Pawula lahamba ngawo bewuwekucala lowafika eTaliyane ngemuva kwebusika futsi lebebamelele tiphatsimandla taseRoma eJerusalema bebasengakefiki, ngako nencwadzi lebeyikhuluma ngalendzaba beyisengakefiki.”

13, 14. Pawula wawetfula njani umlayeto weMbuso, futsi singasilingisa njani sibonelo sakhe?

¹³ Nyalo Pawula wetfula umlayeto weMbuso ngendlela letawenta emaJuda afune kuva kabanti. Utsi: “Kungaleso sizatfu ngicele kunibona kuze ngitokhuluma nani, ngobe ngiboshwe ngenca yelitsemba lema-Israyeli.” (Imis. 28:20) Kuliciniso kutsi lelitsemba belingeke lize libe khona ngaphandle kwaMesiya kanye neMbuso wakhe, njengobe kumemetela libandla lebuKhristu. Lamadvodza lamadzala langemaJuda aphendvula atsi: “Sikubona kukuhle kutsi sikulalele, sive loko lokushoko, ngobe siyati kutsi lelihlelo kukhulunywa kabi ngalo kuyo yonkhe indzawo.”​—Imis. 28:22.

¹⁴ Nangabe sitfola litfuba lekushumayela tindzaba letimnandzi singamlingisa Pawula ngekusebentisa emavi kanye nemibuto letawenta bantfu bafune kusilalela. Indlela lekahle kakhulu yekukwenta loku itfolakala encwadzini letsi Ukubonisana NgemiBhalo, letfolakala ngesiZulu, Zuza Emfundvweni Yesikolwa Semsebenti  WemaKhristu kanye naletsi Timisele Ekufundzeni Nasekufundziseni. Uwasebentisa ngalokugcwele yini lamathulusi ekudadisha liBhayibheli?

15. Ngutiphi tibonelo letine Pawula lasibekela tona ngendlela lafakaza ngayo?

¹⁵ Ngelilanga lelakhetfwa, emaJuda endzawo ‘eta ngebunyenti’ lapho bekuhlala khona Pawula. “Kusukela ekuseni kwaze kwaba nguntsambama, wabachazela letintfo ngekutsi afakaze ngalokuphelele ngeMbuso waNkulunkulu, etama kubenta bakholwe nguJesu, asebentisa loko lokushiwo eMtsetfweni waMosi nasemibhalweni yebaPhrofethi.” (Imis. 28:23) Indlela Pawula lafakaza ngayo isibekela tibonelo letine. Sekucala, wagcila kakhulu uMbusweni waNkulunkulu. Sesibili, wancenga tilaleli takhe etama kutenta kutsi tikholwe. Sesitsatfu, wabonisana nabo ngemiBhalo. Sesine, wakhombisa lutsandvo lwekutidzela kuze afakaze kubo “kusukela ekuseni kwaze kwaba nguntsambama.” Lesi sibonelo lesihle kitsi! Waba yini umphumela? ‘Labanye bakholwa,’ kantsi labanye abazange. Lukha utsi kwaba nekuphikisana futsi labanye base ‘bayahamba.’​—Imis. 28:24, 25a.

16-18. Yini leyenta Pawula yangametfusi indlela emaJuda aseRoma lenta ngayo nakawashumayela, futsi tsine kufanele sitive njani nangabe bantfu bangawulaleli umlayeto wetfu?

¹⁶ Indlela labantfu labasabela ngayo ayizange imetfuse Pawula ngobe beyivumelana naloko siphrofetho seliBhayibheli lebesikusho futsi kwenteka ngendlela Pawula layetayele. (Imis. 13:42-47; 18:5, 6; 19:8, 9) Ngako Pawula watsi kuletimenywa takhe letinetinhlitiyo letilukhuni futsi lebesetihamba: “Umoya longcwele bewucinisile ngesikhatsi ukhuluma nabokhokho benu usebentisa umphrofethi Isaya, utsi: ‘Hamba ufike utsi kulabantfu: “Nitawuva kodvwa ngeke nicondze, futsi nitawubuka kodvwa ngeke nibone. Ngobe tinhlitiyo talabantfu setibe lukhuni.”’” (Imis. 28:25b-27) Umushwana lotsi “tinhlitiyo letilukhuni” lovela elulwimini lwekucala usho inhlitiyo “lecinile” nobe “legcwele emafutsa,” lokwenta kube matima kutsi umlayeto weMbuso ungene kuyo. (Imis. 28:27) Lesi bekusimo lesibuhlungu!

¹⁷ Nakephetsa lenkhulumo yakhe, Pawula watsi ‘bantfu betive nakanjani batawutilalela’ tindzaba letimnandzi, ngalokungafani netilaleli takhe letingemaJuda. (Imis. 28:28; Hla. 67:2; Isa. 11:10) Ecinisweni, lomphostoli bekaciniseka kutsi loku kuliciniso ngobe bekabone Bantfu Betive labanyenti balalela umlayeto weMbuso!​—Imis. 13:48; 14:27.

¹⁸ NjengaPawula, natsi akungasiphatsi kabi nangabe bantfu bangafuni kulalela tindzaba letimnandzi. Liciniso likutsi siyati kutsi bambalwa bantfu labatawutfola indlela leya ekuphileni. (Mat. 7:13, 14) Ngetulu kwaloko, nasitfola bantfu labalungile labafuna kuhlanganyela natsi ekukhonteni kweliciniso, kufanele sijabule futsi sibemukele ngetinhlitiyo letivulekile.​—Luk. 15:7.

19. Pawula wasisebentisa njani kahle sikhatsi lebekanaso ngesikhatsi aboshelwe endlini?

¹⁹ Lukha wephetsa lokulandzisa kwakhe ngendlela lejabulisako nalenelutsandvo, utsi: “Pawula wahlala iminyaka lemibili endlini yakhe lebekayicashile,  futsi bekabemukela ngetandla letifutfumele labo lebebeta kuye, ashumayela kubo ngeMbuso waNkulunkulu, abafundzisa ngesibindzi ngetintfo letimayelana neNkhosi lenguJesu Khristu, futsi kute lobekumphatamisa.” (Imis. 28:30, 31) Pawula waba sibonelo lesihle kakhulu sekungenisa tihambi, sekukholwa kanye nesekuba nemdlandla!

20, 21. Niketa tibonelo tebantfu labazuza emsebentini waPawula wekushumayela eRoma.

²⁰ Lomunye walabo Pawula labemukela ngemusa bekuyindvodza lokutsiwa ngu-Onesimuse, lobekasigcili lesabaleka eKholose. Pawula wasita Onesimuse kutsi abe ngumKhristu, futsi Onesimuse yena waba ngumzalwane “lowetsembekile nalotsandzekako” kuPawula. Ecinisweni, Pawula watsi nga-Onesimuse ‘ungumntfwana wami, lengaba ngubabe wakhe.’ (Khol. 4:9; Flm. 10-12) Kufanele kube Onesimuse wamkhutsata kakhulu Pawula! a

²¹ Kunalabanye labazuza esibonelweni saPawula lesihle. Wabhalela baseFiliphi incwadzi watsi: “Lesimo lengikuso sente kutsi tindzaba letimnandzi tichutjekiselwe embili, ngobe kuboshwa kwami ngenca yaKhristu sekwatiwa ngibo bonkhe Bogadzi Bembusi nalabanye bantfu. Bazalwane labanyenti labaseNkhosini batfole emandla ngekuboshwa kwami, futsi bayachubeka bakhuluma livi laNkulunkulu ngesibindzi.”​—Fil. 1:12-14.

22. Pawula wasisebentisa njani kahle sikhatsi lebekanaso ngesikhatsi aboshiwe eRoma?

²² Pawula wasisebentisa kahle sikhatsi lebekaboshwe ngaso eRoma ngekutsi abhale tincwadzi letibalulekile, nyalo lesetiyincenye yemiBhalo YemaKhristu YesiGriki. b Letincwadzi tawazuzisa emaKhristu angelikhulu lekucala njengobe betibhalelwe wona. Natsi lamuhla siyazuza kuletincwadzi taPawula, ngobe seluleko lesiphefumulelwe lesikuto sisasebenta nalamuhla njengobe besisebenta ngesikhatsi letincwadzi tibhalwa.​—2 Thim. 3:16, 17.

23, 24. NjengaPawula, emaKhristu lamanyenti esikhatsini setfu akhombise njani kuchubeka ajabula ngisho nobe aboshwe ngaphandle kwesizatfu lesivakalako?

²³ Pawula waboshwa iminyaka lemine ngaphambi kwekutsi akhululwe, lokuyintfo lesingatjelwa ngayo encwadzini yeMisebenti​—iminyaka lemibili wayihlala eKhesariya kantsi leleminye lemibili wayihlala eRoma. c (Imis. 23:35; 24:27) Ngetulu kwako konkhe loku, wachubeka ajabula futsi enta konkhe lokusemandleni akhe kuze ente umsebenti waNkulunkulu. Tikhonti taJehova letinyenti lamuhla tiyachubeka tijabula futsi tenta umsebenti wekushumayela, ngisho nobe tiboshwa ngenca yekukholwa kwato. Cabanga ngesibonelo sa-Adolfo, lowaboshwa eSpain ngenca yekutsi bekangafuni kutsatsa luhlangotsi ngobe angumKhristu. Lelinye liphoyisa latsi kuye, “Wena uyasimangalisa. Besisolo senta kuphila kwakho kube lukhuni, futsi nasichubeka sikuphatsa kabi wena bewuchubeka  umoyitela futsi ukhuluma emavi lanemusa.”

²⁴ Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi Adolfo watsenjwa kangangekutsi umnyango wesitokisi lebekavalelwe kuso bewungasavalwa. Emasotja bekavamise kumvakashela kuze ambute imibuto ngeliBhayibheli. Munye walabogadzi bekaya esitokisini lebekuvalelwe kuso Adolfo kuze ayofundza liBhayibheli, futsi Adolfo bekagadza kutsi kute yini labanye bogadzi labachamukako. Ngako lesiboshwa “besesigadza” bogadzi! Shengatsi lesibonelo lesihle saboFakazi labetsembekile singasenta ‘sichubeke sikhuluma livi laNkulunkulu ngesibindzi’ ngisho nangephansi kwetimo letimatima.

25, 26. Ngusiphi siphrofetho lesimangalisako Pawula lasibona sigcwaliseka eminyakeni lecishe ibe ngu-30, futsi loko kuhlobana njani naloko lokwentekako lamuhla?

²⁵ Umphostoli waKhristu loboshelwe endlini ‘ushumayela ngeMbuso waNkulunkulu’ kubo bonkhe labamvakashelako. Lesi siphetfo lesihle nalesitsintsa inhlitiyo sencwadzi yeMisebenti! Esehlukweni sekucala sifundze ngemyalo Jesu lawuniketa balandzeli bakhe nakatsi: “Nitawutfola emandla nawufika kini umoya longcwele, futsi nitawuba bofakazi bami eJerusalema, kuyo yonkhe iJudiya neSamariya, nakuto tonkhe tincenye temhlaba.” (Imis. 1:8) Ngemuva kweminyaka lecishe ibe ngu-30 Jesu asho lamavi, umlayeto weMbuso besewushunyayelwe “kuyo yonkhe indalo lengephansi kwelizulu.” d (Khol. 1:23) Lobu bufakazi bemandla emoya waNkulunkulu!​—Zak. 4:6.

²⁶ Lamuhla, umoya lofanako unikete bomnakaboKhristu labasele kanye ‘naletinye timvu’ emandla ekuchubeka bafakaza “ngalokuphelele ngeMbuso waNkulunkulu” emaveni langetulu kwa-240! (Joh. 10:16; Imis. 28:23) Wena uhlanganyela ngalokugcwele yini kulomsebenti?