1. ʻI heʻetau fakakaukau ki he tui ʻa ʻĒpalahamé, ko e hā ʻa e fehuʻi te tau ʻeke hifo nai?

 NEONGO ko e kakai tokolahi kuo nau fanongo fekauʻaki mo ʻĒpalahame, ko e tokolahi tahá ʻoku siʻi ʻenau ʻilo fekauʻaki mo iá. Kae kehe, ʻokú ke ʻilo lahi fekauʻaki mo ʻĒpalahame. Ko e fakatātaá, ʻokú ke ʻiloʻi naʻe ui ʻa ʻĒpalahame “ko e tamai ʻa e faʻahinga kotoa ʻoku tui.” (Loma 4:11) Ka te ke fifili nai, ʻʻE lava ke u ʻaʻeva ʻo molomolo muivaʻe ʻia ʻĒpalahame pea maʻu ʻa e faʻahinga tui naʻá ne maʻú?’ ʻIo, te ke lava.

2. Ko e hā ʻoku mahuʻinga ai ke ako ʻa e faʻifaʻitakiʻanga ʻa ʻĒpalahamé? (Sēmisi 2:​22, 23)

² Ko e founga ʻe taha ʻe lava ke tau fakatupulekina ai ʻa e tui hangē ko ʻĒpalahamé ko hono ako ʻene faʻifaʻitakiʻangá. ʻI he fekau ʻa e ʻOtuá, naʻe hiki ʻa ʻĒpalahame ki ha fonua mamaʻo, nofo tēniti ʻi he laui hongofuluʻi taʻu, pea loto-lelei ke feilaulauʻi hono foha ʻofeina ko ʻAisaké. Naʻe tapua atu ʻi he ngaahi ngāue ko iá ʻa e tui mālohi. Ko e tui mo e ngaahi ngāue ʻa ʻĒpalahamé naʻe iku atu ai ki heʻene maʻu ʻa e hōifua ʻa e ʻOtuá pea hoko ai ko hono kaumeʻa. (Lau ʻa e Sēmisi 2:​22, 23.) Ko e finangalo ʻo Sihova kiate kitautolú—kiate koé—ke maʻu ʻa e ngaahi tāpuaki tatau. ʻI he ʻuhinga ko iá, naʻá ne fakamānavaʻi ai ʻa e ongo hiki Tohi Tapu ko Paula mo Sēmisí ke na lave ki he faʻifaʻitakiʻanga ʻa ʻĒpalahamé. Tau tokangataha angé ki heʻene faʻifaʻitakiʻangá, hangē ko ia ʻoku fakamatalaʻi ʻi he Loma vahe 4 mo e Sēmisi vahe 2. ʻOku lave ʻa e ongo vahé fakatouʻosi ki ha fakamatala fakatupu tokanga naʻe fai fekauʻaki mo ʻĒpalahame.

3. Ko e hā ʻa e konga Tohi Tapu tefito naʻe fakatou toʻo-lea mei ai ʻa Paula mo Sēmisí?

³ Naʻe fakatou toʻo-lea ʻa Paula mo Sēmisi mei he Sēnesi 15:​6, ʻa ia ʻoku pehē ai: “[Ko ʻĒpalahame] naʻá ne tui kia Sihova, pea naʻá Ne lau ia ʻokú ne māʻoniʻoni.” Ko e māʻoniʻoní ʻoku ʻuhinga tefito ia ki he tuʻunga ʻoku vakai ai ʻa e ʻOtuá ki ha tokotaha ʻoku  fakahōifua kiate ia, naʻa mo taʻehalaia. He fakaofo ē ko e malava ke vakai ʻa e ʻOtuá ki ha tangata taʻehaohaoa mo angahalaʻia ʻokú ne taʻehalaia! Ngalingali ʻokú ke loto ke hoko moʻoni ia ʻi ho tuʻungá, pea ʻoku malava ia. ʻI he taimi ní te tau ako ki he ʻuhinga naʻe ui ai ʻe Sihova ʻa ʻĒpalahame ʻokú ne māʻoniʻoní, pea mo e meʻa kuo pau ke tau fai koeʻuhi ke ui ai kitautolu ʻoku tau māʻoniʻoni.

4. Ko e hā ʻokú ne taʻofi ʻa e faʻahinga ʻo e tangatá mei he hoko ʻo māʻoniʻoní?

⁴ ʻI he tohi ʻa Paula ki he kau Lomá, naʻá ne pehē ai ko e kotoa ʻo e faʻahinga ʻo e tangatá ko e kau faiangahala. (Loma 3:23) ʻE lava fēfē leva ke lau ha taha ʻoku māʻoniʻoni pe taʻemele pea maʻu ʻa e hōifua ʻa e ʻOtuá? Ke tokoni ki he kotoa ʻo e kau Kalisitiane loto-moʻoní ke tali ʻa e fehuʻi ko iá, naʻe fakahanga ʻe Paula ʻa e tokangá kia ʻĒpalahame.

5. Naʻe makatuʻunga ʻi he hā hono lau ʻe Sihova ʻoku māʻoniʻoni ʻa ʻĒpalahamé? (Loma 4:​2-4)

⁵ Naʻe lau ʻe Sihova ʻoku māʻoniʻoni ʻa ʻĒpalahame lolotonga ʻene nofo ʻi he fonua ko Kēnaní. Ko e hā naʻe lau ai ʻe Sihova ʻoku māʻoniʻoni ʻa ʻĒpalahamé? Koeʻuhí naʻe tauhi kakato ʻe ʻĒpalahame ʻa e Lao ʻa Mōsesé? ʻIkai ʻaupito. (Loma 4:13) Ko e lao ko iá naʻe toki ʻoange ia ki he puleʻanga ʻo ʻIsilelí ʻi ha taʻu ʻe 400 tupu ki mui ange hili hono lau ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻoku māʻoniʻoni ʻa ʻĒpalahamé. Ko hono moʻoní leva, naʻe makatuʻunga ʻi he hā hono lau ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻoku māʻoniʻoni ʻa ʻĒpalahamé? ʻI he ʻofa maʻataʻatā ʻa Sihová, naʻá ne lau ai ʻa ʻĒpalahame ʻokú ne māʻoniʻoni koeʻuhí ko ʻene tuí.—Lau ʻa e Loma 4:​2-4.

6. ʻE anga-fēfē hono lau ʻe Sihova ʻoku māʻoniʻoni ha tokotaha faiangahala?

⁶ Naʻe toe fakaʻuhinga ʻa Paula, ʻi he taimi ʻoku tui ai ha tokotaha ki he ʻOtuá, “ʻoku lau ia ʻokú ne māʻoniʻoni ʻi heʻene tuí.” (Loma 4:5) Naʻe toe pehē ʻe Paula: “Hangē pē foki ko e lea ʻa Tēvita ʻo kau ki he fiefia ʻa e tangata ʻa ia ʻoku lau ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻoku māʻoniʻoni ʻo taʻekau ai ʻa e ngaahi ngāué: ‘Fiefia ē ko e faʻahinga kuo fakamolemoleʻi ʻenau ngaahi ngāue maumau-laó pea kuo ʻufiʻufi ʻenau ngaahi angahalá; fiefia ē ko e tangata ʻa ia ʻe ʻikai ʻaupito lau ʻe Sihova ʻa ʻene angahalá.’” (Loma 4:​6-8; Saame 32:​1, 2) ʻOku fakamolemoleʻi pe ʻufiʻufi ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻa e ngaahi angahala ʻa e faʻahinga ʻoku tui kiate iá. ʻOkú ne fakamolemoleʻi fakaʻaufuli kinautolu pea ʻikai ʻaupito ke toe lau ʻenau ngaahi angahalá. ʻOkú ne vakai ki he faʻahinga tāutaha ko iá ʻoku nau taʻehalaia mo māʻoniʻoni ʻo makatuʻunga ʻi heʻenau tuí.

7. ʻI he ʻuhinga fē naʻe māʻoniʻoni ai ʻa e kau lotu faitōnungá?

⁷ Neongo naʻe lau ʻa ʻĒpalahame, Tēvita mo e kau lotu faitōnunga kehe ʻa e ʻOtuá naʻa nau māʻoniʻoni, naʻa nau kei hoko pē ko e kau faiangahala taʻehaohaoa. Ka koeʻuhí ko ʻenau tuí, naʻe vakai ʻa e ʻOtuá kiate kinautolu naʻa nau taʻemele, tautefito ʻi hono fakahoa kinautolu ki he faʻahinga naʻe ʻikai haʻanau tuʻunga lelei ʻi heʻene vakaí. (ʻEf. 2:12) Hangē ko ia ʻoku fakamāʻalaʻala ʻe Paula ʻi heʻene tohí, ʻoku mātuʻaki mahuʻinga ʻa e tuí ki hono maʻu ha vahaʻangatae fakafoʻituitui mo e ʻOtuá. Naʻe hoko moʻoni ia ʻi he tuʻunga ʻo ʻĒpalahame mo Tēvitá, pea ʻe pehē foki mo kitautolu.

8-9. Ko e hā kuo fakamulituku hala ʻaki ʻe he niʻihi mei he tohi ʻa Paula mo Sēmisí, pea ko e hā hono ʻuhingá?

⁸ ʻI he laui senituli, ko e felāveʻi ʻi he tuí mo e ngaahi ngāué kuo tālangaʻi lahi ʻi he Puleʻanga-Haʻa-Kalisitiané. ʻOku akoʻi ʻe he haʻa faifekau ʻe niʻihi ko e meʻa pē ke ke fai ke fakahaofi ai koé ko e tui ki he ʻEiki ko Sīsū Kalaisí. Kuó ke fanongo nai ʻi haʻanau pehē, “Tali ʻa Sīsū pea ʻe fakahaofi koe.” ʻOku aʻu nai ʻo toʻo-lea ʻa e haʻa faifekaú mei he ngaahi lea ʻa Paulá: “ʻOku lau ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻoku māʻoniʻoni ʻo taʻekau ai  ʻa e ngaahi ngāué.” (Loma 4:6) Kae kehe, ʻoku taukaveʻi ʻe he niʻihi ʻe lava ke ke “fakahaofi pē koe” ʻaki hono fai ʻa e ngaahi fononga pilikimi fakalotu pea ʻaki hono fakahoko ʻa e ngaahi fatongia kehe ʻi he lotú. Mahalo ʻoku nau toʻo-lea mei he Sēmisi 2:24: “ʻE lau ha tangata ʻoku māʻoniʻoni ko e meʻa ʻi he ngāué ʻo ʻikai ʻi he tuí ʻataʻatā pē.”

⁹ Ko hono olá leva, kuo fakamulitukuʻaki ʻe he kau hiki-tohi fakalotu ʻe niʻihi naʻe ʻikai ke felotoi ʻa Paula mo Sēmisi ʻi he kaveinga fekauʻaki mo e tuí mo e ngāué. ʻOku taukaveʻi nai ʻe he haʻa faifekaú lolotonga naʻe tui ʻa Paula ʻoku lau ha tangata ʻoku māʻoniʻoni ʻi he tuí ʻo taʻekau ai ʻa e ngaahi ngāué, naʻe akoʻi ʻe Sēmisi ia ko e ngaahi ngāué ko ha fiemaʻu tefito ia ke maʻu ai ʻa e hōifua ʻa e ʻOtuá. Ko ha palōfesa ʻi ha akoʻanga fakafaifekau naʻá ne fakamatalaʻi eni ʻo pehē: “Naʻe ʻikai ke mahinoʻi ʻe Sēmisi ʻa e fakaueʻiloto ʻa Paula ʻi heʻene fakamatematē ʻoku [lau ha tangata ʻoku māʻoniʻoni] ʻi he tuí ʻataʻatā pē ʻo taʻekau ai ʻa e ngaahi ngāué.” Ka naʻe fakamānavaʻi ʻe Sihova fakatouʻosi ʻa Paula mo Sēmisi ke hiki ʻa e meʻa naʻá na faí. (2 Tīm. 3:16) Ko ia kuo pau pē ʻoku ʻi ai ha founga faingofua ke fakafehoanaki ai ʻena fakamatalá. Ko e founga ko iá ko ʻetau lāulea ki he potutohi ʻo ʻena tohí.

10. Ko e hā ʻa e “ngaahi ngāue” naʻe fakamatalaʻi tefito ʻe Paulá? (Loma 3:​21, 28) (Sio foki ki he fakatātaá.)

¹⁰ Ko e hā ʻa e “ngaahi ngāue” naʻe fakahanga ʻe Paula ki ai ʻa e tokangá ʻi he Loma 3 mo e 4? Naʻá ne lave tefito ki he “ngaahi ngāue ʻo e laó,” ʻa e lao ʻa Mōsesé, naʻe ʻoange ki he kau ʻIsilelí ʻi Moʻunga Sainaí. (Lau ʻa e Loma 3:​21, 28.) ʻOku hā ngali ʻi he ʻaho ʻo Paulá ko e kau Kalisitiane Siu ʻe niʻihi naʻe faingataʻa ke nau tali ko e Lao ʻa Mōsesé mo e ngaahi ngāue naʻe fiemaʻu ʻe he Laó kuo ʻosi atu ia. Ko ia ai, naʻe fakahanga ʻe Paula ʻa e tokangá ki he faʻifaʻitakiʻanga ʻa ʻĒpalahamé ke fakamoʻoniʻi ko ha tuʻunga māʻoniʻoni ʻi he ʻao ʻo e ʻOtuá ʻoku ʻikai tupu ia mei he “ngaahi ngāue ʻo e laó.” ʻOku tupu ia mei he tuí. ʻOku fakalototoʻa  ke ʻiloʻi ia koeʻuhí ʻoku ʻomai ai kiate kitautolu ʻa e tuipau ko ha tuʻunga lelei ʻi he ʻao ʻo e ʻOtuá ʻoku malava ke tau aʻusia. ʻOku ʻuhinga iá ʻe lava ke tau fakatupulekina ʻa e tui ki he ʻOtuá pea kia Kalaisi, ʻa ia ko hono moʻoní ʻe lava ke taki atu ia ki he hōifua fakaʻotua.

11. Ko e hā ʻa e faʻahinga ‘ngāue’ naʻe fakamamafaʻi ʻe Sēmisí?

¹¹ ʻI he tafaʻaki ʻe tahá, ko e ‘ngāue’ naʻe fakamatalaʻi ʻi he Sēmisi vahe 2 ʻoku ʻikai ko e “ngaahi ngāue [ia] ʻo e laó” naʻe lave ki ai ʻa Paulá. ʻOku ʻuhinga ʻa Sēmisi ia ki he ngaahi ngāue, ʻa ia ʻoku fai ʻe he kau Kalisitiané ʻi heʻenau moʻui fakaʻahó. Ko e ngaahi ngāue ko iá ʻoku fakahaaʻi ai pe ʻoku maʻu ʻe ha Kalisitiane ʻa e tui moʻoni ki he ʻOtuá pe ʻikai. Tau lāulea angé ki ha fakatātā ʻe ua naʻe ngāueʻaki ʻe Sēmisi.

12. Naʻe anga-fēfē hono fakamatalaʻi ʻe Sēmisi ʻa e felāveʻi ʻa e tuí mo e ngāué? (Sio foki ki he fakatātaá.)

¹² ʻI he ʻuluaki fakatātaá, naʻe lea ʻa Sēmisi fekauʻaki mo e fiemaʻu ki he kau Kalisitiané ke nau taʻefilifilimānako ʻi heʻenau fakafeangai ki he niʻihi kehé. Naʻá ne fakatātaaʻi ʻa e poini ko ení ʻaki ʻene lave ki ha tangata naʻá ne fakahāhā ʻa e leleiʻia ʻi ha tangata koloaʻia kae siolalo ki ha tokotaha masiva. Naʻe fakahaaʻi ʻe Sēmisi ko ha tangata pehē ʻokú ne taukaveʻi nai ʻokú ne maʻu ʻa e tuí, ka ko fē ʻene ngaahi ngāue ke fehoanaki mo iá? (Sēm. 2:​1-5, 9) ʻI he fakatātā hono uá, naʻe lave ʻa Sēmisi ki ha tokotaha naʻá ne sio ‘ki ha tokoua pe ko ha tuofefine ʻoku masiva vala pe ʻikai haʻane meʻakai’ ka naʻe ʻikai ke ne tokonaki ha tokoni ʻaonga. Neongo kapau naʻe taukaveʻi ʻe he tokotaha ko iá ʻokú ne maʻu ʻa e tuí, naʻe ʻikai ke poupouʻi ia ʻaki ʻa e ngaahi ngāue; ko ia ai, naʻe taʻeʻaonga ia. Hangē ko ia naʻe tohi ʻe Sēmisí, “ko e tuí ʻiate ia pē, ʻo taʻekau ai ʻa e ngāué, ʻoku mate ia.”—Sēm. 2:​14-17.

13. Naʻe anga-fēfē hono fakatātaaʻi ʻe Sēmisi ʻene poini fekauʻaki mo hono ngāueʻi ʻo e tuí? (Sēmisi 2:​25, 26)

¹³ Naʻe lave ʻa Sēmisi ki he faʻifaʻitakiʻanga lelei ʻa Lēhapi ʻi hono ngāueʻi ʻo e tuí. (Lau ʻa e  Sēmisi 2:​25, 26.) Naʻá ne fanongo fekauʻaki mo Sihova pea ʻiloʻi naʻá Ne poupouʻi ʻa e kau ʻIsilelí. (Sios. 2:​9-11) Naʻá ne fakahaaʻi ʻene tuí ʻaki ʻene ngaahi ngāué—naʻá ne maluʻi ha ongo asiasi ʻIsileli ʻi he taimi naʻe ʻi he tuʻunga fakatuʻutāmaki ai ʻena moʻuí. Ko hono olá, naʻe lau ʻa e fefine taʻehaohaoa ʻikai ko ha ʻIsileli ko ení ʻokú ne māʻoniʻoni, ʻo hangē tofu pē ko ʻĒpalahamé. Ko e faʻifaʻitakiʻanga naʻá ne fokotuʻú ʻokú ne fakamamafaʻi ʻa e mahuʻinga ʻo hono poupouʻi ʻe he ngaahi ngāué ʻa ʻetau tuí.

14. ʻOku anga-fēfē ʻa e fehoanaki ʻa e tohi ʻa Paulá pea mo Sēmisí?

¹⁴ Ko e ongo hiki Tohi Tapu ko Paula mo Sēmisí naʻá na lave ki he kaveinga fekauʻaki mo e tuí mo e ngāué mei ha ongo tafaʻaki kehekehe. Naʻe tala ange ʻe Paula ki he kau Kalisitiane Siú heʻikai ʻaupito malava ke nau maʻu ʻa e hōifua ʻa Sihová ʻaki hono fakahoko pē ʻa e ngaahi ngāue ʻi he Lao ʻa Mōsesé. Naʻe fakamamafaʻi ʻe Sēmisi ʻa e fiemaʻu ki he kotoa ʻo e kau Kalisitiané ke nau fakahāhā ʻenau tuí ʻaki hono fai ʻa e ngāue lelei ki he niʻihi kehé.

15. Ko e hā ʻa e ngaahi founga ʻe niʻihi ʻe lava ke tau fakahāhā ai ʻetau tuí ʻaki ʻetau ngaahi ngāué? (Sio foki ki he fakatātaá.)

¹⁵ ʻOku ʻikai ke pehē ʻe Sihova ia kapau ʻoku tau loto ke lau ʻoku tau māʻoniʻoni kuo pau ke tau fai ʻa e meʻa tofu pē naʻe fai ʻe ʻĒpalahamé. Ko hono moʻoní, ʻoku lahi ʻa e ngaahi founga ʻe lava ke tau fakahāhā ai ʻetau tuí fakafou ʻi heʻetau ngaahi ngāué. ʻE lava ke tau talitali lelei ʻa e faʻahinga foʻou ʻi he fakatahaʻangá, tokoniʻi ʻa e fanga tokoua mo e fanga tuofāfine ʻoku ʻi ai ʻenau fiemaʻu moʻoní, pea fai ʻa e ngāue lelei maʻá e ngaahi mēmipa hotau fāmilí, ʻa ia ko e kotoa ʻo e ngaahi meʻa ko iá ʻe fakahōifua ki he ʻOtuá pea te ne tāpuakiʻi. (Loma 15:7; 1 Tīm. 5:​4, 8; 1 Sio. 3:18) Ko ha ngāue lelei ʻoku tautefito ʻene fakamoʻoniʻi ʻetau tuí ko ʻetau vahevahe faivelenga  atu ʻa e ongoongo leleí ki he niʻihi kehé. (1 Tīm. 4:16) Ko kitautolu kotoa ʻe lava ke tau fakahāhā ʻi heʻetau ngaahi ngāué ʻoku tau maʻu ʻa e tui ʻe fakahoko moʻoni ʻa e ngaahi talaʻofa ʻa Sihová pea ko ʻene ngaahi foungá ʻa e lelei tahá. Pea kapau te tau fai pehē, ʻoku tau fakapapauʻi moʻoni ai ʻe lau ʻe he ʻOtua kitautolu ʻoku tau māʻoniʻoni pea te ne ui kitautolu ko hono ngaahi kaumeʻa.

16. Naʻe anga-fēfē fekauʻaki ʻa e ʻamanakí mo e tui ʻa ʻĒpalahamé?

¹⁶ ʻI he Loma vahe 4 ʻoku fakamamafaʻi ai ha toe lēsoni mātuʻaki mahuʻinga ʻe lava ke tau ako meia ʻĒpalahame: Ko e mahuʻinga ʻo e ʻamanakí. Naʻe talaʻofa ʻe Sihova ʻe tāpuakiʻi ʻa e “ngaahi puleʻanga lahi” fakafou ʻia ʻĒpalahame. Sioloto atu he ʻamanaki fakaofo ē naʻe maʻu ʻe ʻĒpalahamé! (Sēn. 12:3; 15:5; 17:4; Loma 4:17) Kae kehe, neongo naʻe taʻu 100 ʻa ʻĒpalahame pea taʻu 90 ʻa Sela, ko e foha naʻe talaʻofá naʻe teʻeki ke fanauʻi. Mei he vakai ʻa e tangatá, naʻe hā ngali taʻemalava ia kia ʻĒpalahame mo Sela ke na maʻu ha foha. Ko ha ʻahiʻahi moʻoni ia kia ʻĒpalahame. “Naʻá ne ʻamanaki pea naʻá ne maʻu ʻa e tui te ne hoko ko e tamai ʻa ha ngaahi puleʻanga lahi.” (Loma 4:​18, 19) Pea ko hono moʻoní, naʻe fakahoko ʻa e ʻamanaki ko iá. Naʻá ne hoko ko e tamai kia ʻAisake, ʻa e foha naʻe fuoloa ʻa e ʻamanaki ki aí.—Loma 4:​20-22.

17. ʻOku anga-fēfē ʻetau ʻilo ʻe lava ke lau kitautolu ʻoku tau māʻoniʻoni ko e ngaahi kaumeʻa ʻo e ʻOtuá?

¹⁷ ʻE lava ke tau maʻu ʻa e hōifua ʻa e ʻOtuá pea lau ʻoku tau māʻoniʻoni ko e ngaahi kaumeʻa ʻo e ʻOtuá, ʻo hangē ko ʻĒpalahamé. Ko hono moʻoní, naʻe lave ki ai ʻa Paula ʻi heʻene tohi: “Ko e lea ko ia, ‘naʻe lau ai ia ʻokú ne māʻoniʻoni,’ naʻe ʻikai hiki ia [kia ʻĒpalahame] tokotaha pē, ka naʻe toe pehē foki kiate kitautolu, ʻa e faʻahinga ʻoku lau ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻoku māʻoniʻoní, koeʻuhí ʻoku tau tui kiate Ia ʻa ia naʻá ne fokotuʻu hake ʻa Sīsū.” (Loma 4:​23, 24) Hangē ko ʻĒpalahamé, ʻoku fiemaʻu ke tau fakatou maʻu ʻa e tuí mo e ngāué pehē foki ki he ʻamanakí. ʻOku hoko atu ʻa Paula ke lāulea ki heʻetau ʻamanakí ʻi he Loma vahe 5, ʻa ia te tau lāulea ki ai ʻi he kupu hono hokó.