1-3. Ngumuphi umbono Phetro lawubona, futsi yini leyenta kudzingeke kutsi siwucondze?

 NGUMNYAKA wa-36 C.E., futsi Phetro utsamele lilanga lasekwindla njengobe athantaza etikwendlu leseceleni kwelwandle edolobheni laseJopha lelinesikhungo semikhumbi. Sekuphele emalanga asivakashi kulomuti, futsi kuvuma kwakhe kuhlala kulomuti, ngandlela tsite, kuveta kutsi ute lubandlululo. Umnikati walelikhaya nguSimoni lebekasebenta kushuka tikhumba kuze ente tintfo letehlukahlukene, futsi akusiwo onkhe emaJuda lebekangavuma kuhlala nendvodza lebeyenta loluhlobo lwemsebenti. a Nobe kunjalo, Phetro usetawufundza sifundvo lesibalulekile ngekungakhetsi kwaJehova.

² Ngesikhatsi asathantaza, Phetro ubona umbono lebewungetfusa nobe ngabe ngumuphi umJuda. Ubona lokutsite lokunjengendvwangu kwehla kuvela ezulwini kunetilwane letingakahlanteki ngekweMtsetfo waMosi. Phetro nakatjelwa kutsi akahlabe futsi adle letilwane, uphendvula atsi: “Angizange sengiyidle intfo lengcolile nobe lengakahlanteki.” Tikhatsi letintsatfu utjelwa kutsi: “Loko Nkulunkulu lakuhlantile ungakubiti ngekutsi kungcolile.” (Imis. 10:14-16) Lombono ushiya Phetro adidekile, kodvwa madvutane utawutfola inchazelo yawo.

³ Bowushoni lombono waPhetro? Kubalulekile kutsi sicondze lokushiwo ngulombono ngobe kuveta liciniso ngendlela Jehova lativa ngayo ngebantfu. NjengemaKhristu eliciniso, angeke sikhone kufakaza ngalokuphelele ngeMbuso waNkulunkulu nasingativa ngendlela Nkulunkulu lativa ngayo ngebantfu. Kuze sembule inchazelo yalombono waPhetro, asesihlole loko lokwenteka ngaphambi nangemuva kwawo.

4, 5. Abengubani Khoneliyuse, futsi yini leyenteka ngesikhatsi athantaza?

⁴ Phetro bekangati kutsi ngayitolo, edolobheni laseKhesariya lelikhashane ngemakhilomitha langu-50 kusuka eJopha, bekunendvodza  lokutsiwa nguKhoneliyuse nayo lebone umbono lovela ezulwini. Khoneliyuse, lebekayindvuna yelibutfo lemaRoma, ‘bekayindvodza lekholwako.’ b Bekaphindze abe sibonelo lesihle sendvodza letinakekela kahle tidzingo temndeni wayo ngobe ‘yena kanye nayo yonkhe indlu yakhe, bebesaba Nkulunkulu.’ Khoneliyuse bekangasuye umuntfu wetive logucukele enkholweni yebuJuda, kodvwa bekanguMuntfu Wetive longakasoki. Nobe kunjalo, bekanemusa kumaJuda leswele futsi awaniketa tintfo latidzingako. Lendvodza lecotfo ‘beyincusa njalo kuNkulunkulu.’​—Imis. 10:2.

⁵ Khoneliyuse bekathantaza nga-3 ntsambama ngesikhatsi abona umbono lapho ingilosi yamtjela khona kutsi: “Nkulunkulu uyivile imithantazo yakho, watibona netipho lebewutipha labanye.” (Imis. 10:4) Alandzela sicondziso sengilosi, Khoneliyuse watfumela emadvodza kutsi ayobita umphostoli Phetro. Njengobe bekanguMuntfu Wetive longakasoki, bekutawenteka lokutsite Khoneliyuse langazange sekakubone. Bekatawutfola umlayeto wensindziso.

6, 7. (a) Shano lokwentekile lokukhombisa kutsi Nkulunkulu uyayiphendvula imithantazo yebantfu labacotfo labafuna kwati liciniso ngaye. (b) Yini lesingaphetsa ngayo ngekwaletintfo letentekile?

⁶ Nkulunkulu uyayiphendvula yini imithantazo yebantfu labacotfo lamuhla labafuna kwati liciniso ngaye? Cabanga nganaku lokwenteka. Lomunye wesifazane wase-Albania wemukela Sicongosekulindza lebesinesihloko lesimayelana nekukhulisa bantfwana. c Watsi kulaboFakazi labefika ekhaya lakhe: “Angeke nikholwe kutsi ngisandza kuthantaza ngicela Nkulunkulu kutsi angisite ngikhulise kahle emadvodzakati ami. Nkulunkulu utfumele nine, futsi ninginike loko kanye lebengikudzinga!” Lowesifazane nemadvodzakati akhe bacala kudadisha liBhayibheli futsi ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, nendvodza yakhe yacala kudadisha.

⁷ Tintfo letinjena tivamile kwenteka, futsi tenteke kanyenti emhlabeni wonkhe.  Angeke sitsi timane nje tenteka ngengoti. Ngako-ke siphetsa ngekutsini? Kwekucala, Jehova uyayiphendvula imithantazo yebantfu labacotfo labafuna kufundza ngaye. (1 Khos. 8:41-43; Hla. 65:2) Kwesibili, umsebenti wetfu wekushumayela usekelwa tingilosi.​—Semb. 14:6, 7.

8, 9. Yini umoya longcwele lowayiveta kuPhetro, futsi yena wenta njani?

⁸ Phetro asesetikwendlu futsi ‘adidwe’ yinchazelo yalombono, kufika emadvodza latfunywe nguKhoneliyuse. (Imis. 10:17) Phetro lowale katsatfu kudla kudla lokutsiwa kungcolile ngekusho kweMtsetfo, utawuvuma yini kuhamba nalamadvodza futsi angene emtini weMuntfu Wetive? Ngandlela tsite umoya longcwele wenta Phetro wati intsandvo yaNkulunkulu kulendzaba. Phetro watjelwa: “Kunemadvodza lamatsatfu lakufunako. Ngako sukuma, futsi wehle uhambe nawo. Ungangabati ngobe atfunywe ngimi.” (Imis. 10:19, 20) Akungabateki kutsi lombono wendvwangu Phetro lawubona wamlungiselela kulandzela sicondziso semoya longcwele.

⁹ Nakatfola kutsi Khoneliyuse bekacondziswe nguNkulunkulu kutsi ambite, Phetro wemukela lamadvodza labetfunyiwe futsi “wawangenisa endlini.” (Imis. 10:23a) Lomphostoli lolalelako besekavele acalile kulungisa simo sakhe sengcondvo kuze sivumelane nentsandvo yaNkulunkulu.

10. Jehova ubacondzisa njani bantfu bakhe, futsi ngumiphi imibuto lokudzingeka sitibute yona?

¹⁰ Kuze kube ngulamuhla, Jehova solo uhola bantfu bakhe kancane kancane. (Taga 4:18) Asebentisa umoya wakhe longcwele, ucondzisa ‘sisebenti lesetsembekile nalesihlakaniphile.’ (Mat. 24:45) Ngaletinye tikhatsi singatfola kucaciswa kwendlela lesicondza ngayo liVi laNkulunkulu nobe kwentiwe lushintjo endleleni tintfo letentiwa ngayo enhlanganweni. Senta kahle kutibuta: ‘Ngenta njani nangabe kwentiwa lushintjo endleleni lebesenta nobe sicondza ngayo tintfo? Ngiyatitfoba yini ekuholeni kwemoya waNkulunkulu kuletimo?’

11, 12. Yini Phetro layenta nakefika eKhesariya, futsi yini layifundza?

¹¹ Ngemuva kwelilanga Phetro abone lombono, yena kanye nalabanye labangu-9, lokungulamadvodza latfunywa nguKhoneliyuse kanye ‘nebazalwane [labangemaJuda] labasitfupha’ baseJopha baya eKhesariya. (Imis. 11:12) Njengobe Khoneliyuse bekalindzele Phetro, wabita “tihlobo takhe nebangani bakhe labakhulu,” lokubonakala ngatsi bonkhe bebaBantfu Betive. (Imis. 10:24) Ngesikhatsi Phetro efika, wenta intfo lebekangacabangi kutsi angayenta: Wangena ekhaya leMuntfu Wetive longakasoki! Phetro wachaza watsi: “Nati kahle kutsi umJuda akakavumeleki kutsi atihlanganise nemuntfu wakulesinye sive nobe aye kuye, kodvwa Nkulunkulu ungikhombisile kutsi akukafaneli ngitsi umuntfu ungcolile nobe akakahlanteki.” (Imis. 10:28) Nyalo Phetro besekacondza kutsi lombono lawubonile bewungamfundzisi nje kuphela ngekudla umuntfu langakudla,  kodvwa bewumfundzisa nekutsi ‘akukafaneli atsi umuntfu ungcolile [ngisho nobe kunguMuntfu Wetive].’

¹² Bonkhe labantfu lebebahlangene ekhaya laKhoneliyuse bebakulangatelela kuva loko Phetro bekatawukusho. Khoneliyuse watsi: “Sonkhe silapha embikwaNkulunkulu, kuze silalele tonkhe tintfo Jehova latsite usitjele tona.” (Imis. 10:33) Cabanga nje kutsi ungativa njani nawungeva emavi lafana nalawa kumuntfu lofuna kufundza liBhayibheli! Phetro wacala kukhuluma, washo nawa emavi lanemandla: “Nyalo sengiyacondza kutsi Nkulunkulu akakhetsi, kodvwa wonkhe umuntfu lomesabako nalowenta lokulungile uyemukeleka kuye ngisho nobe asive sini.” (Imis. 10:34, 35) Phetro wafundza kutsi umbono waNkulunkulu ngebantfu awuyi ngebuve babo, luhlanga nobe letinye tintfo lababonakala ngato ngephandle. Phetro wachubeka wabatjela ngemsebenti waJesu wekushumayela, ngekufa kwakhe nangekuvuswa kwakhe.

13, 14. (a) Yini lebeyibalulekile ngekugucuka kwaKhoneliyuse kanye nalabanye Bantfu Betive nga-36 C.E.? (b) Kubaluleke ngani kutsi singabehluleli bantfu ngendlela lababukeka ngayo?

¹³ Kwabese kwenteka lokutsite lokungakalindzeleki: “Ngesikhatsi Phetro akhuluma,” umoya longcwele wehlela ‘kulabantfu betive.’ (Imis. 10:44, 45) Ngulendzaba lena kuphela emiBhalweni lesitjela kutsi umoya longcwele wehlela kubantfu ngaphambi kwekutsi babhajatiswe. Njengobe Phetro abona loluphawu lolukhombisa kutsi labantfu bemukelwa nguNkulunkulu, ‘watjela [lelicembu leBantfu Betive] kutsi libhajatiswe.’ (Imis. 10:48) Lokugucuka kweBantfu Betive babe ngemaKhristu nga-36 C.E. kwakhombisa kutsi besesiphelile sikhatsi sekutsi Nkulunkulu emukele bantfu labangemaJuda ngekutalwa. (Dan. 9:24-27) Njengobe Phetro bekahola kulombutsano, wasebentisa ‘sikhiya seMbuso’ sesitsatfu lesisekugcina. (Mat. 16:19) Lesikhiya savulela Bantfu Betive labangakasoki litfuba lekuba ngemaKhristu lagcotjwe ngemoya.

¹⁴ Njengobe sibamemeteli beMbuso lamuhla, siyati kutsi “Nkulunkulu akakhetsi.” (Rom. 2:11) Kuyintsandvo yakhe kutsi “tonkhe tinhlobo tebantfu tisindziswe.” (1 Thim. 2:4) Ngako akukafaneli sehlulele bantfu ngendlela lababukeka ngayo. Umsebenti wetfu kufakaza ngalokuphelele ngeMbuso waNkulunkulu, futsi loko kusho kushumayela bonkhe bantfu, ngisho nobe babeluhlanga lolwehlukile kulwetfu, banebuve lobehlukile, babukeka ngendlela leyehlukile nobe babetinkholo letehlukile.

15, 16. Yini leyenta lamanye emaKhristu langemaJuda aphikisana naPhetro, futsi yini layisho kuze awachazele sizatfu lesamenta wenta loko?

¹⁵ Siyaciniseka kutsi Phetro bekakulangatelela kuya eJerusalema ayobika ngaloku bekwentekile. Kodvwa kubonakala shengatsi letindzaba tekutsi Bantfu Betive labangakasoki “balemukele livi laNkulunkulu” tefika kucala kunaye. Ngemuva nje kwekutsi Phetro sekafikile, “labo lebebasekela kusoka baphikisana naye.” Bebakhatsatekile ngobe bekangene “ekhaya lebantfu labangakasoki, futsi wadla nabo.” (Imis. 11:1-3) Inkinga yabo beyingasiko kutsi Bantfu Betive bangaba ngemaKhristu. Kunaloko, labafundzi labangemaJuda bebagcizelela kutsi Bantfu Betive  kufanele bagcine uMtsetfo, lokufaka ekhatsi kusoka, kuze bakhonte Jehova ngendlela layemukelako. Kuyacaca kutsi labanye bafundzi labangemaJuda bebakutfola kumatima kwemukela kutsi bewungasasebenti uMtsetfo waMosi.

¹⁶ Phetro wabaphendvula njani? Ngekusho kweMisebenti 11:4-16, wabatjela ngebufakazi lobune lobukhombisa kutsi loku bekakwentile bekusicondziso lesivela kuNkulunkulu, wabatjela: (1) ngembono lovela kuNkulunkulu lawubona (Vesi 4-10); (2) ngesicondziso semoya longcwele (Vesi 11, 12); (3) ngengilosi leyaya kuKhoneliyusi (Vesi 13, 14); (4) nangekutfululelwa kwemoya longcwele kuBantfu Betive. (Vesi 15, 16) Phetro wephetsa nganangu umbuto lobalulekile: “Ngako nangabe Nkulunkulu abaphe sipho [semoya longcwele Bantfu Betive labanekukholwa] lesifana naleso lasipha sona natsi [emaJuda] lesikholwe yiNkhosi Jesu Khristu, bengingubani-ke mine kutsi ngingavimba Nkulunkulu?”​—Imis. 11:17.

17, 18. (a) Loko Phetro lakusho kwawavivinya njani emaKhristu langemaJuda? (b) Yini lengenta kube matima kugcina bunye ebandleni, futsi ngumiphi imibuto lokufanele sitibute yona?

¹⁷ Loko Phetro lakusho kwaphocelela emaKhristu langemaJuda kutsi ente sincumo sekutsi ataluyekela yini lubandlululo futsi emukele laBantfu Betive labasandza kuba ngemaKhristu labakanye nawo? Lokulandzisa kutsi: “Ngesikhatsi beva loku bayekela kumphikisa, base bakhatimulisa Nkulunkulu batsi: ‘Nembala Nkulunkulu unike nebantfu betive litfuba lekuphendvuka kuze nabo batfole kuphila.’” (Imis. 11:18) Lesimo sengcondvo lesihle sasita libandla kutsi lihlale linebunye.

¹⁸ Nalamuhla kungaba matima kutsi emaKhristu eliciniso ahlale anebunye ngobe ‘aphuma kuto tonkhe tive, tinhlanga, bantfu, kanye netilwimi.’ (Semb. 7:9) Emabandleni lamanyenti, kunebantfu bebuhlanga lobungafani, emasiko langafani futsi labavela etindzaweni letingafani. Ngako senta kahle kutibuta nayi imibuto: ‘Ngiyisuse ngalokuphelele yini yonkhe imikhuba lekhombisa lubandlululo enhlitiyweni yami? Ngitimisele yini kungavumeli imikhuba yalelive lefaka ekhatsi kutigcabha ngebuve, luhlanga, lisiko nelibala lesikhumba kutsi kutsintse indlela lengibaphatsa ngayo bazalwane bami?’ Khumbula loko lokwenteka kuPhetro (Khefasi) ngemuva kweminyaka Bantfu Betive bekucala bagucukele enkholweni  yebuKhristu. Wavumela imikhuba yalabanye yekubandlulula yamenta ‘watehlukanisa’ neBantfu Betive labangemaKhristu, futsi kwadzingeka kutsi Pawula amekhute. (Gal. 2:11-14) Ngako kufanele sihlale sitigadzile kuze singabi nelubandlululo.

19. Bafundzi labangemaJuda bacala kushumayela bobani, futsi waba yini umphumela?

¹⁹ Balandzeli baJesu babese bacala kubashumayela yini Bantfu Betive labangakasoki? Naka loko lokwenteka ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi e-Antiyokhi leseSiriya. d Bekuhlala emaJuda lamanyenti kulelidolobha, kodvwa bekukuncane kungevani emkhatsini wawo neBantfu Betive. Ngako i-Antiyokhi beyiyindzawo lekahle lebekungashunyayelwa kuyo Bantfu Betive. Kukulelidolobha lapho bafundzi labangemaJuda bacala khona kushumayela tindzaba letimnandzi ‘kubantfu lebebakhuluma siGriki.’ (Imis. 11:20) Bebangashumayeli kuphela emaJuda lakhuluma siGriki, kodvwa bebaphindze bashumayele neBantfu Betive labangakasoki. Jehova wawubusisa lomsebenti, futsi “bantfu labanyenti baba ngemakholwa.”​—Imis. 11:21.

20, 21. Bhanabasi wakhombisa njani kutsi utfobekile, futsi singakhombisa njani kutsi natsi sitfobekile nasenta umsebenti wekushumayela?

²⁰ Kuze libandla laseJerusalema lishumayele labantfu lebebakulungele kulalela, latfumela Bhanabasi e-Antiyokhi. Bebabanyenti kakhulu bantfu lebebalalela tindzaba letimnandzi kangangekutsi umuntfu munye bekangeke awukhone lomsebenti. Kute lomunye lebekumfanela kuwenta ngaphandle kwaSawula, lebekatawuba ngumphostoli kubantfu betive. (Imis. 9:15; Rom. 1:5) Bhanabasi bekatawubona ngatsi Sawula uyambangisa yini? Kunekutsi amtsatse kanjalo, Bhanabasi wakhombisa kutitfoba lokufanele. Nguye lowaya e-Thasusi wayofuna Sawula futsi waya naye e-Antiyokhi kuze amsite. Bobabili basebenta umnyaka wonkhe bakhutsata bafundzi kulelibandla.​—Imis. 11:22-26a.

²¹ Singakhombisa njani kutsi sitfobekile nasenta umsebenti wetfu wekushumayela? Kutfobeka kufaka ekhatsi kuvuma kutsi kunetintfo lesingakhoni kutenta. Sonkhe sinemandla nemakhono lehlukahlukene. Sibonelo nje, kungenteka labanye bayaphumelela ekushumayeleni bangakahleli nobe ekushumayeleni emtini ngemuti, kodvwa bakutfola kumatima kubuyela kulabacoce nabo nobe kucalisa tifundvo teliBhayibheli. Nawufuna kutfutfukisa kuloko lokwentako emsebentini wekushumayela, ungacela lusito? Nawenta njalo, utawutfola imiphumela lemihle futsi ujabule kakhulu emsebentini wekushumayela.​—1 Khor. 9:26.

22, 23. Yini bazalwane base Antiyokhi labayenta lekhombisa lutsandvo lwebuzalwane, futsi yini bantfu baNkulunkulu labayentako lamuhla kuze bakhombise lutsandvo lolufanako?

²² “Ngekucondziswa nguNkulunkulu, bafundzi babitwa kwekucala ngekutsi ngemaKhristu” e-Antiyokhi. (Imis. 11:26b) Leligama lelavunywa nguNkulunkulu  beliwachaza kahle emaKhristu. Lwacala kwakheka yini lutsandvo lwebuzalwane emkhatsini wemaJuda neBantfu Betive njengobe bebaba ngemaKhristu? Cabanga ngaloko lokwenteka ngesikhatsi kunendlala lenkhulu nga-46 C.E. e Etikhatsini tasendvulo, indlala beyitsintsa kakhulu bantfu labaphuyile lebebete imali labatibekele yona nobe kudla. Ngesikhatsi kunalendlala, emaKhristu lamanyenti langemaJuda lebekahlala eJudiya bekaphuyile futsi bekadzinga naletinye tintfo. Ngesikhatsi bazalwane base-Antiyokhi, lokufaka ekhatsi Bantfu Betive labangemaKhristu beva ngalesidzingo, batfumela tintfo ‘tekusita’ kubazalwane baseJudiya. (Imis. 11:29) Loku kwaluveta kahle lutsandvo lwabo lwebuzalwane!

²³ Kwenteka lokufanako nakubantfu baNkulunkulu lamuhla. Nasiva kutsi bazalwane betfu labakulelinye live nobe lapho sihlala khona beswele, sifuna tindlela tekubasita. Ngekushesha emaKomidi emaGatja akha emakomidi ekusita bazalwane betfu nabodzadze labatsintfwe tehlakalo temvelo letifaka ekhatsi tiphepho, kutamatama kwemhlaba nema-tsunami. Yonkhe lemetamo yekusita iluveta kahle lutsandvo lwetfu lwebuzalwane.​—Joh. 13:34, 35; 1 Joh. 3:17.

24. Singakhombisa njani kutsi sikutsatsa njengalokubalulekile lokushiwo ngulombono Phetro lawubona?

²⁴ Njengobe singemaKhristu eliciniso, siwutsatsa njengalobalulekile umbono lowabonwa nguPhetro nakaseluphahleni lwendlu eJopha, eminyakeni lengetulu kwalengu-1 900 leyendlulile. Sikhonta Nkulunkulu longakhetsi. Kuyintsadvo yakhe kutsi sifakaze ngalokuphelele ngeMbuso wakhe, lokufaka ekhatsi kushumayela bantfu labanebuve lobungafani, luhlanga, labanjingile kanye nalabeswele. Ngako asitimiseleni kunika bonkhe labasilalelako litfuba lekuva tindzaba letimnandzi.​—Rom. 10:11-13.