“KO E tangatá ni ko ha ipu kuo fili maʻaku ke ne fataki hoku huafá ki he ngaahi puleʻangá pea pehē ki he ngaahi tuʻi.” (Ngā. 9:15) Naʻe leaʻaki ia ʻe he ʻEiki ko Sīsuú ʻo fekauʻaki mo ha tokotaha ului foʻou ki he lotu faka-Kalisitiané ʻa ia ko e tangata Siu naʻe toki hoko ko e ʻapositolo ko Paulá.

Ko e taha ʻo e ngaahi “tuʻi” ko iá ko e ʻEmipola Loma ko Nelo. ʻE fēfē hoʻo ongoʻí kapau naʻe fiemaʻu ke ke taukapoʻi hoʻo tuí ʻi he ʻao ʻo ha tokotaha-pule pehē? Neongo ia, ʻoku fakalototoʻaʻi ʻa e kau Kalisitiané ke nau faʻifaʻitaki kia Paula. (1 Kol. 11:1) Ko e taha ia e founga ʻe lava ke tau fai pehē aí ʻo hangē ko ia naʻe hokosia ʻe Paulá ʻi he fekauʻaki mo e sisitemi fakalao ʻo e ngaahi ʻaho ko iá.

Ko e Lao ʻa Mōsesé ko e lao ia ʻo e fonua ko ʻIsilelí, pea ko e tuʻunga fakaeʻulungaanga ia naʻe ʻomai ki he kau Siu mamahiʻi lotu ʻi ha feituʻu pē. Hili ʻa e Penitekosi 33 T.S., ko e kau lotu moʻoní naʻe ʻikai te nau kei moʻuaʻaki ke tauhi ʻa e Lao ʻa Mōsesé. (Ngā. 15:28, 29; Kal. 4:9-11) Kae kehe, naʻe ʻikai ke lea taʻefakaʻapaʻapa ʻa Paula mo e kau Kalisitiane kehé ki he Laó; naʻe malava ke nau faifakamoʻoni ki he ngaahi kolo ʻo e kau Siu tokolahi ʻo ʻikai fakahohaʻasi. (1 Kol. 9:20) Ko hono moʻoní, ʻi he ngaahi tuʻunga lahi, naʻe ʻalu ai ʻa Paula ki he sinakoké ʻa ia naʻe lava ke ne faifakamoʻoni ki he kakai naʻa nau ʻilo ki he ʻOtua ʻo ʻĒpalahamé, pea naʻe malava ʻa Paula ke ne fakaʻuhinga ʻo makatuʻunga ʻi he ngaahi konga Tohi Tapu faka-Hepeluú.​—Ngā. 9:19, 20; 13:5, 14-16; 14:1; 17:1, 2.

Naʻe fili ʻe he kau ʻapositoló ʻa Selusalema ko e ʻuluaki senitā ia ke ʻomai mei ai ʻa e fakahinohino ki he ngāue fakamalangá. Naʻa nau faiako maʻu pē ʻi he temipalé. (Ngā. 1:4; 2:46; 5:20) ʻI ha tuʻunga ʻe taha, naʻe fononga ai ʻa Paula ki Selusalema pea naʻe faifai atu pē ʻo fakahū pilīsone ia. Naʻe kamata leva ai ha fekīhiaki fakalao pea faai atu pē ʻo ne iku ai ki Loma.

Naʻe anga-fēfē vakai ʻa e kau maʻu mafai ʻo Lomá ki he tui naʻe malangaʻaki ʻe Paulá? Ke tali iá, ʻoku mahuʻinga ke fakatokangaʻi ʻa e anga ʻo e vakai fakalūkufua ʻa e kau Lomá ki he ngaahi lotú. Naʻe ʻikai ke nau fakamālohiʻi ʻa e ngaahi kulupu lotu kehekehe ʻi honau ʻemipaeá ke taʻofi ʻenau lotú, tuku kehe ka toki hā ngali fakatuʻutāmaki ki he fonuá pe ki he tuʻunga fakaeʻulungāngá.

 Naʻe foaki ʻe Loma ki he kau Siú ha ngaahi totonu lahi ʻi he ʻemipaeá. ʻOku pehē ʻe he tohi Backgrounds of Early Christianity: “Naʻe fiefia ʻa e kau lotu faka-Siú ʻi he ngaahi monū naʻa nau maʻu ʻi he ʻemipaea Lomá. . . . Naʻe tauʻatāina e kau Siú ki heʻenau lotú pea naʻe fakaʻatā ke ʻoua te nau kau ʻi he lotu ki he ngaahi ʻotua ʻo Lomá. Naʻe lava ke fokotuʻutuʻu ʻenau founga moʻui ʻi honau feituʻú ʻo fakatatau ki heʻenau laó.” Naʻe ʻikai fiemaʻu foki ke nau kau ki he ngāue fakakautaú. * Naʻe ngāueʻaki ʻe Paula ʻa e maluʻi naʻe ʻoange ʻe he lao ʻo e kau Lomá ki he tui faka-Siú, ke ne taukapoʻi ʻaki ʻa e lotu faka-Kalisitiané ʻi he ʻao ʻo e kau maʻu mafai ʻo Lomá.

Naʻe feinga ʻa e kau fakafepaki ʻo Paulá ʻi he ngaahi founga kehekehe ke fakatafokiʻi ʻa e kakai lāuvalé mo e kau maʻu mafaí ke nau fakafepaki ki he ʻapositoló. (Ngā. 13:50; 14:2, 19; 18:12, 13) Fakakaukau ki ha meʻa naʻe hoko. Naʻe fanongo ʻa e kau mātuʻa Kalisitiane ʻi he fakatahaʻanga ʻi Selusalemá ki ha lau naʻe mafola holo ʻi he kau Siú ʻo pehē, naʻe malangaʻaki ʻe Paula “ha meʻa ʻoku ʻalu kehe ia meia Mōsese.” Ko e ngaahi talanoa peheé naʻe lava ke taki atu ai ʻa e kau Siu Kalisitiane toki ului foʻou ʻe niʻihi ke nau fakakaukau naʻe ʻikai ke fakaʻapaʻapaʻi ʻe Paula ʻa e ngaahi fokotuʻutuʻu ʻa e ʻOtuá. Pehē foki, naʻe mei lava ke talaki ʻe he Sanetalimí ʻo pehē ko e lotu faka-Kalisitiané ʻoku nau tafoki ʻo fakafepaki ki he lotu faka-Siú. Kapau naʻe hoko ia, naʻe lava ke tauteaʻi ʻa e kau Siu naʻe feohi mo e kau Kalisitiané. ʻE hoko ke fakamavaheʻi fakasōsiale mo taʻofi ai kinautolu mei haʻanau faifakamoʻoni ʻi he temipalé pe ko e sinakoké. Ko ia, naʻe faleʻi ʻe he kau mātuʻa ʻi he fakatahaʻangá ʻa Paula ke fakamoʻoniʻi ko e ngaahi lau kovi ko iá ʻoku loi, ʻaki haʻane ʻalu ki he temipalé mo fai ha meʻa naʻe ʻikai ko ha fiemaʻu ia ʻa e ʻOtuá meiate ia ka naʻe ʻikai ke hala ia.​—Ngā. 21:18-27.

Naʻe fai ia ʻe Paula ʻo taki atu ai ki ha ngaahi faingamālie ke “taukapoʻi mo fokotuʻu fakalao ʻa e ongoongo leleí.” (Fil. 1:7) ʻI he temipalé, naʻe angatuʻu ai ʻa e kau Siú mo nau loto ke tāmateʻi ʻa Paula. Naʻe ʻave ai ʻe he komanitā fakakautau ʻo e kau Lomá ʻa Paula ʻo tuku pōpula. ʻI he taimi naʻe teu ai ke uipi ʻa Paulá, naʻá ne fakahā ange ko e tangataʻifonua Loma ia. Naʻe iku ke ʻave ai ia ki Sesalia, ʻa e feituʻu naʻe puleʻi mei ai ʻe he kau Lomá ʻa Siuteá. Naʻá ne maʻu ai ha ngaahi faingamālie makehe ke faifakamoʻoni loto-toʻa ai ʻi he ʻao ʻo e kau maʻu mafaí. Ngalingali naʻe hoko ia ke ne fakamatalaʻi māʻalaʻala ange ʻa e lotu faka-Kalisitiané ki he kakai naʻe teʻeki ai ke fuʻu lahi ʻenau ʻilo ki aí.

ʻOku fakamatalaʻi ʻi he Ngāue vahe 24 ʻa hono hopoʻi ʻo Paula ʻi he ʻao ʻo e kōvana Loma ʻo Siutea ko Filiké, ʻa ia naʻá ne ʻosi fanongo he ngaahi meʻa ʻoku tui ki ai ʻa e kau Kalisitiané. Naʻe tukuakiʻi ʻe he kau Siú ʻa Paula ʻo pehē naʻá ne maumauʻi ʻa e lao ʻa e kau Lomá ʻi he tafaʻaki ʻe tolu. Naʻa nau pehē naʻá ne fakatupu angatuʻu ʻi he lotolotonga ʻo e kau Siu ʻi he ʻemipaeá; naʻá ne taki ha kiʻi kulupu lotu mavahe fakatuʻutāmaki; pea naʻá ne feinga ke ʻuliʻi ʻa e temipalé ʻi he malumalu ʻo e pule ʻa e kau Lomá. (Ngā. 24:5, 6) Ko e ngaahi tukuakiʻi ko ení naʻe lava ke iku ai ʻo tautea mate ia.

ʻOku mahuʻinga ki he kau Kalisitiané ʻi he ʻahó ni ke nau fakakaukau ki he anga ʻo e fakafeangai ʻa Paula ki he ngaahi tukuakiʻi ko iá. Naʻá ne kei anga-mokomoko mo fakaʻapaʻapa ai pē. Naʻe lave ʻa Paula ki he Laó mo e kau Palōfitá, peá ne taukaveʻi ʻa ʻene totonu ke ne lotu ki he ‘ʻOtua ʻo ʻene fanga kuí.’ Ko ha totonu ia naʻe toe maʻu ʻe he kau Siu kehé ʻi he malumalu ʻo e lao ʻa e kau Lomá. (Ngā. 24:14) ʻI he faai mai ʻa e taimí, naʻe malava ʻa Paula ke ne taukapoʻi mo talaki ʻene tuí ʻi he ʻao ʻo e kōvana hono hoko ko Pōsio Fesito, pea pehē kia Tuʻi Hēlota ʻAkilipa.

Fakaʻosí, koeʻuhí ke ne lava ʻo maʻu ha fakamaau totonú, naʻe pehē ai ʻe Paula: “ʻOku ou tangi au kia Sisa!”​—ʻa e tokotaha-pule māʻolunga taha ʻo e taimi ko iá.​—Ngā. 25:11.

“Kuo pau ke ke tuʻu ʻi he ʻao ʻo Sisá,” ko e tala ange ia ʻe ha ʻāngelo kia Paula. (Ngā. 27:24) ʻI he kamataʻanga pē ʻo e pule ʻa e ʻEmipola Loma ko Neló naʻá ne fakahaaʻi ai heʻikai te ne fakamāuʻi ʻa e ngaahi keisi kotoa pē. Lolotonga ʻa e ʻuluaki taʻu ʻe valu ʻo ʻene pulé, ko e lahi taha ʻo e ngāué naʻá ne tuku atu ia ki he niʻihi kehé. ʻOku līpooti ʻe he tohi The Life and Epistles of Saint Paul ʻo pehē ko e taimi naʻe tali ai ʻe Nelo ha  keisi ke ne fakamāuʻí, naʻá ne fanongo ki ai ʻi hono palasí tonu, pea naʻe tokoni kiate ia ʻa e kulupu ʻo ʻene kau faleʻí, he naʻa nau maʻu ʻa e taukei lahi mo e mafai.

ʻOku ʻikai ke fakahaaʻi mai ʻe he Tohi Tapú pe naʻe fanongo tonu mo fakamāuʻi ʻe Nelo ʻa Paula pe naʻá ne vaheʻi ha taha kehe ke ne fanongo ki he tangi ʻa Paulá pea līpooti kia Nelo. Pe ko e hā pē ʻa e tuʻungá, ngalingali naʻe fakamatalaʻi ʻe Paula ʻokú ne lotu ki he ʻOtua ʻo e kau Siú pea naʻá ne ekinaki ai ki he kakai kotoa pē ke ʻoatu ki he ngaahi founga-pulé ʻa e fakaʻapaʻapa ʻoku totonu ke fai kiate kinautolú. (Loma 13:1-7; Tai. 3:1, 2) ʻOku hā hení naʻe lavameʻa ʻa hono taukapoʻi ʻe Paula ʻa e ongoongo leleí ʻi he ʻao ʻo e kau ʻōfisa māʻolungá​—ʻo fakatauʻatāinaʻi ai ʻa Paula ʻe he fakamaauʻanga ʻo Sisá.​—Fil. 2:24; Flm. 22.

Naʻe tala ʻe Sīsū ki heʻene kau ākongá: “ʻE ʻoatu kimoutolu ki he ʻao ʻo e kau kōvana mo e ngaahi tuʻi koeʻuhí ko au, ko ha fakamoʻoni ia kiate kinautolu mo e ngaahi puleʻangá.” (Māt. 10:18) Ko ha monū ia ke fakafofongaʻi ʻa Sīsū ʻi he founga ko ení. Ko ʻetau feinga ke taukapoʻi ʻa e ongoongo leleí ʻoku iku nai ai ki ha ngaahi ikuna fakalao. Ko e moʻoni, ko e meʻa ʻoku fili ʻe he kau tangata taʻehaohaoá ʻoku ʻikai ke “fokotuʻu fakalao” ai ʻa e ongoongo leleí ʻi ha ʻuhinga fakaʻaufuli. Ko e Puleʻanga pē ʻo e ʻOtuá te ne ʻomi ʻa e fakafiemālie tuʻuloa mei he fakafeʻātungiá mo e fakamaau taʻetotonú.​—Koh. 8:9; Sel. 10:23.

Kae kehe, naʻa mo e ʻahó ni ko e huafa ʻo Sihová ʻoku lava ke fakalāngilangiʻi ia ʻi he taimi ʻoku taukapoʻi ai ʻe he kau Kalisitiané ʻenau tuí. Hangē ko Paulá, ʻoku totonu ke tau feinga ke anga-mokomoko, loto-moʻoni mo tuipau. Naʻe tala ʻe Sīsū ki hono kau muimuí ke ʻoua te nau ‘tomuʻa fakaangaanga pe ʻe anga-fēfē haʻanau fai hanau taukapó, he te ne ʻoatu kiate kinautolu ha ngaahi lea mo ha poto ʻa ia ʻi hono fakatahaʻi kotoa ʻenau kau fakafepakí heʻikai te nau lava ke matatali pe fakakikihiʻi.’​—Luke 21:14, 15; 2 Tīm. 3:12; 1 Pita 3:15.

ʻI he taimi ʻoku taukapoʻi ai ʻe he kau Kalisitiané ʻenau tuí ʻi he ʻao ʻo e ngaahi tuʻí, kōvaná pe kau ʻōfisa kehé, ʻe lava ke nau faifakamoʻoni ai ki he kakai ko iá ʻa ia naʻe mei faingataʻa nai ke aʻu ki ai mo e pōpoaki faka-Kalisitiané. Ko e ngaahi tuʻutuʻuni lelei ʻe niʻihi ʻi he fakamāuʻangá kuo hoko ia ke toe fakaleleiʻi ai ha ngaahi tuʻutuʻuni fakalao, ʻo maluʻi ai ʻa e tauʻatāina ki he leá mo e lotú. Kae tatau ai pē pe ko e hā ʻa e ola ki he ngaahi keisi peheé, ko e loto-toʻa ʻoku fakahāhā ʻe he kau sevāniti ʻa e ʻOtuá ʻi he lolotonga ʻa e hopó ʻoku ʻai ai ʻa e ʻOtuá ke fiefia.