Inyaniso kukuba akakho umntu namhlanje owaziyo kanye kanye ukuba wayenjani uPawulos. Imifanekiso kaPawulos ekwiincwadi zethu yimizobo nje, ayizofoto ezithathwe kwizinto zakudala.

Kodwa ke, sinalo ufifana lwendlela awayekhangeleka ngayo uPawulos. Ngokomzekelo, iZion’s Watch Tower kaMatshi 1, 1902, yathi: “Kumba wendlela awayekhangeleka ngayo uPawulos: . . . I-‘Acts of Paul and Thecla,’ . . . eyabhalwa malunga nonyaka ka-150 A. D., ichaza uPawulos ngeyona ndlela ibonakala ngathi yiyo kwaye yamkelekile. Ithi ‘wayemfutshane, enempandla, enezigweqe, enezoso, enamashiya adibeneyo; nempumlo ende.’”

IThe Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (uhlelo luka-1997) ithi xa ithetha ngale ncwadi yakudala: “Kusenokwenzeka ukuba ezinye izinto i-‘Acts’ ezithethayo ngezinto zakudala ziyinyaniso.” IThe Acts of Paul and Thecla yayihlonitshwa kumakhulu eminyaka emva kokuba ibhaliwe, loo nto siyibona kwinto yokuba kukho imibhalo yakudala yayo yesiGrike eyi-80, kwaye ifumaneka nangezinye iilwimi. Ngoko, indlela esimzoba ngayo lo mpostile ayikho kude kwindlela achazwa ngayo kwiincwadi zakudala.

Masikhumbule ukuba kukho izinto ezibaluleke ngaphezu kokwazi ukuba wayenjani uPawulos. Naxa uPawulos wayeshumayela, kukho abantu ababengenaxesha lezinto eziqinisa ukholo, ababemgxeka besithi ‘wayebuthathaka xa ekhona, nentetho yakhe idelekile.’ (2 Kor. 10:10) Kodwa singalibali ukuba waba ngumKristu ngommangaliso owenziwa nguYesu. Masicinge nangezinto uPawulos awazenzayo kuba ‘esisitya esinyuliweyo nguKristu sokuthwala igama lakhe ezintlangeni.’ (IZe. 9:3-5, 15; 22:6-8) Kwakhona khawucinge ngendlela uYehova awaphefumlela ngayo uPawulos ukuba abhale iincwadi ezisinceda kakhulu.

UPawulos zange abe eqhayisa ngezinto awayezenzile ngaphambi kokuba ngumKristu; engazange asixelele nokuba wayenjani. (IZe. 26:4, 5; Fil. 3:4-6) Wathi: “Ndingoyena mncinane kubapostile, yaye andikufanelekelanga ukubizwa ngokuba ngumpostile.” (1 Kor. 15:9) Kamva wathi: “Mna mntu ungaphantsi nakoyena mncinane kubo bonke abo bangcwele, ndanikwa obu bubele bungasifanelanga, ukuze ndivakalise kuzo iintlanga iindaba ezilungileyo ezingobutyebi obungenakuqondwa bukaKristu.” (Efe. 3:8) Ezi ndaba zibaluleke kakhulu kunokuba sixhalatyiswe kukuba wayenjani uPawulos.