1, 2. (a) Ngebunjani ubomi ukuba iBhayibhile ibingekho? (b) Yintoni enokusinceda silive kakuhle liLizwi LikaThixo?

XA UCINGA, ngebunjani ubomi bakho ukuba iBhayibhile ibingekho? Ubungayi kuba nayo into ekunika amacebiso onokuwathemba ngendlela yokuphila. Ubungayi kuzifumana iimpendulo ezanelisayo kwimibuzo onayo ngoThixo, ubomi, nangekamva. Ibe ubungenakuyazi indlela uYehova ebeqhubana ngayo nabantu.

² Into esivuyisayo kukuba asikho kuloo meko imbi. UYehova usinike iLizwi lakhe, iBhayibhile. Ibe usiqinisekisile ukuba iLizwi lakhe liya kuhlala likho ngonaphakade. Umpostile uPetros wakha wacaphula uIsaya 40:8. Nakuba le vesi ingathethi ngokuthe ngqo ngeBhayibhile, kodwa amazwi ayo aphefumlelweyo ayasebenza nakumyalezo weBhayibhile. (Funda eyoku-1 kaPetros 1:24, 25.) IBhayibhile ingasinceda kakhulu xa siyifunda ngolwimi esiluva kakuhle. Kudala bayibona loo nto abantu abalithandayo iLizwi LikaThixo. Kangangamakhulu eminyaka, kukho abantu abebezama ngandlela zonke ukuguqulela iBhayibhile ukuze bonke abantu babe nayo, nangona bebetshutshiswa. Bebenqwenela kanye oko uThixo akufunayo, ukuba “zonke iintlobo zabantu zisindiswe zize zifikelele elwazini oluchanileyo lwenyaniso.”—1 Tim. 2:3, 4.

3. Siza kuthetha ngantoni kweli nqaku? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

 ³ Kweli nqaku siza kuthetha ngendlela iLizwi LikaThixo eliye lamelana ngayo (1) nokutshintsha kolwimi, (2) neziganeko ezenzeka kwipolitiki ezitshintsha ulwimi oluthethwa ngumntu wonke, okanye ngabantu abaqhelekileyo, kunye (3) nokuchaswa komsebenzi wokuguqulela iBhayibhile. Iza kusinceda ngantoni loo nto? Iza kusinceda siyixabise ngakumbi iBhayibhile. Ibe siza kumthanda ngakumbi uMbhali wayo, oye wasinika yona.—Mika 4:2; Roma 15:4.

4. (a) Ulwimi lutshintsha njani njengoko ixesha lihamba? (b) Yintoni ebonisa ukuba uThixo akathandi ulwimi oluthile ngaphezu kwezinye, ibe loo nto ikwenza uzive njani?

⁴ Ulwimi luyatshintsha njengoko ixesha lihamba. Amany’ amagama asenokuthetha enye into ekuhambeni kwexesha. Mhlawumbi usenokucinga ngendlela oluye lwatshintsha ngayo ulwimi lwakho. Kunjalo ke nangeelwimi eyabhalwa ngazo iBhayibhile, isiHebhere nesiGrike. Indlela ezithethwa ngayo ngoku ayisafani tu nendlela ezazithethwa ngayo ngexesha lokubhalwa kweBhayibhile. Ngoko ukuze umntu ayiqonde kakuhle iBhayibhile kufuneka afunde eguqulelweyo, kwanabo basaziyo isiHebhere nesiGrike sale mihla. Abanye bacinga ukuba kufuneka bafunde isiHebhere nesiGrike sakudala ukuze bakwazi ukufunda iBhayibhile ngeelwimi eyayibhalwe ngazo ekuqaleni. Kodwa ke, loo nto isenokungabancedi. * Okusivuyisayo kukuba ngoku iBhayibhile, okanye iinxalenye zayo, ziye zaguqulelwa ngeelwimi eziphantse zibe yi-3 000. Kucacile ke ukuba uYehova ufuna “zonke iintlanga nezizwe neelwimi nabantu” zincedwe liLizwi lakhe. (Funda iSityhilelo 14:6.) Ngaba le nto ayikwenzi umthande ngakumbi uThixo wethu onothando nongakhethi buso?—IZe. 10:34.

5. Yintoni eyenza iKing James Version yabaluleka?

⁵ Kwaneelwimi eguqulelwe kuzo iBhayibhile nazo ziyatshintsha njengoko ixesha lihamba. Nenguqulelo yeBhayibhile eyayivakala kakuhle kusenokungabi lula ukuyiqonda ekuhambeni kwexesha. Cinga ngomzekelo weBhayibhile eyaguqulelwa kwisiNgesi. IKing James Version yokuqala yeka-1611. Yaba yenye yezona Bhayibhile zithandwayo, ibe yaba nefuthe kakhulu kwisiNgesi. * Kodwa into ephawulekayo ngeKing James Version kukuba igama likaThixo lalivela kwiindawo ezimbalwa. Yasebenzisa igama elithi “Yehova” kwiivesi ezimbalwa, yaza yasebenzisa isibizo esithi “NKOSI” ngoonobumba abakhulu kwiindawo ezazinegama likaThixo kwiZibhalo ZesiHebhere. Iintlelo ezalandelayo zayo zasebenzisa oonobumba abakhulu kwigama elithi “NKOSI” kwiivesi ezithile kwiZibhalo ZamaKristu ZesiGrike. Ngaloo ndlela, iKing James Version yabona ukuba eyona ndawo eyayifanele ibe negama likaThixo koko bakubiza ngokuba yiTestamente Entsha.

6. Kutheni kufuneka siyixabise iNguqulelo Yehlabathi Elitsha?

⁶ Nakuba kunjalo, amanye amagama asetyenziswe kwiKing James Version awasasetyenziswa. Kuyafana nangezinye iinguqulelo zokuqala zeBhayibhile zezinye iilwimi. Ngoko kufuneka siyixabise into yokuba sineNguqulelo Yehlabathi Elitsha YeZibhalo Ezingcwele enesigama  sale mihla. Le nguqulelo okanye inxalenye yayo ifumaneka ngeelwimi ezingaphezu kwe-150, loo nto yenza ukuba ifumaneke kubantu abaninzi. Isigama sayo esilula senza ukuba umyalezo weLizwi LikaThixo ufikelele iintliziyo zethu. (INdu. 119:97) Eyona nto iyenza ikhetheke le Nguqulelo Yehlabathi Elitsha kukuba iye yalibuyisela igama likaThixo kwindawo efanelekileyo.

7, 8. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze amaYuda amaninzi angakwazi ukufunda iZibhalo ZesiHebhere kwiminyaka emalunga ne-300 ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaYesu? (b) Yintoni iSeptuagint YesiGrike?

⁷ Ngamanye amaxesha, iziganeko ezenzeka kwipolitiki ziye zaba nefuthe kulwimi oluthethwa ngumntu wonke, okanye ngabantu abaqhelekileyo. UThixo uye waqiniseka njani ukuba ezi ziganeko azilenzi iLizwi lakhe lingavakali ebantwini? Nanku umzekelo wamandulo osinceda siphenduleke. Iincwadi zokuqala zeBhayibhile eziyi-39 zabhalwa ngamaSirayeli okanye ngamaYuda. Ngawo ‘awayephathiswe izibhengezo ezingcwele zikaThixo.’ (Roma 3:1, 2) Kodwa kwiminyaka emalunga ne-300 ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaYesu, amaYuda amaninzi ayengasazi isiHebhere. Ngoba? Kungenxa yokuba uAleksandire Omkhulu woyisa iindawo ezininzi baza uBukhosi bamaGrike banda. (Dan. 8:5-7, 20, 21) Njengoko obo bukhosi babusiya busanda, isiGrike saba lolona lwimi lwaziwa kakhulu, kuquka nangamaYuda awayesasazeke kobo bukhosi. Kodwa ekubeni amaYuda amaninzi ayethetha isiGrike, kwaba nzima ukuziqonda iZibhalo ZesiHebhere. Kwakuza kuthiwani ke?

⁸ Phakathi naloo minyaka, iincwadi ezintlanu zokuqala zesiHebhere zaziguqulelwe kwisiGrike. Ezinye zona iZibhalo ZesiHebhere zagqitywa ukuguqulelwa kwiminyaka emalunga ne-200 ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaYesu. Ezo ncwadi zeBhayibhile zaziwa ngokuba yiSeptuagint YesiGrike. ISeptuagint yinguqulelo yokuqala epheleleyo yeZibhalo ZesiHebhere eyaziwayo.

9. (a) ISeptuagint kunye nezinye iinguqulelo zokuqala zaba naliphi ifuthe kubafundi beLizwi LikaThixo? (b) Yiyiphi ivesi oyithandayo kwiZibhalo ZesiHebhere?

⁹ ISeptuagint yawanceda amaYuda athetha isiGrike nabanye abantu bakwazi ukufunda iZibhalo ZesiHebhere. Khawuthelekelele indlela ababa nemincili ngayo bakufunda iLizwi LikaThixo ngolwimi lwabo! Ekuhambeni kwexesha, nezinye iinxalenye zeBhayibhile zaye zaguqulelwa kwiilwimi eziqhelekileyo, ezinjengesiSiriya, isiGothic, nesiLatini. Njengoko abantu babefunda iZibhalo Ezingcwele ngolwimi abaluvayo, ngokuqinisekileyo baba neevesi abazithandayo, njengokuba kunjalo nakuthi namhlanje. (Funda iNdumiso 119:162-165.) Ngokwenene, iLizwi LikaThixo liye laqhubeka likho nakubeni kuye kwatshintsha iilwimi.

10. Kwakutheni ukuze abantu abaninzi bangakwazi ukuba neBhayibhile ngexesha likaJohn Wycliffe?

¹⁰ Ngamany’ amaxesha, bekubakho izinto ebezisenza iBhayibhile ingafumaneki kubantu abaqhelekileyo. Kodwa ke, bakho abantu abanyanisekileyo abayilwayo loo nto. Omnye wabo yayingumfundisi owayephila ngeminyaka yoo-1300 ogama linguJohn Wycliffe. Wayekholelwa ukuba wonke umntu umele azuze kwiLizwi LikaThixo. Kodwa ke ngexesha lakhe, abantu abaqhelekileyo eNgilani babengakwazi ukuba nayo iBhayibhile. Ngoba? Phakathi kwezinye izinto, abantu abaninzi babengenayo imali yokuthenga iBhayibhile, kuba iikopi zayo zazibhalwe ngesandla  kwaye zibiza kakhulu. Ukongezelela, abaninzi kubo babengafundanga. Ewe kona, basenokuba babesiva xa kufundwa iivesi zayo ecaweni. Kodwa kuyathandabuzeka ukuba yayingena entloko loo nto babeyiva. Ngoba? Kungokuba iBhayibhile YeCawa (iVulgate) yayibhalwe ngesiLatini. Kodwa phakathi konyaka ka-400 C.E. no-1400 C.E., abantu abaqhelekileyo babengasasazi isiLatini! Babeza kubufumana njani ke ubuncwane obungaphakathi kwayo?—IMize. 2:1-5.

11. IBhayibhile KaWycliffe yaba naliphi ifuthe?

¹¹ Ngo-1382, kwaprintwa iBhayibhile yesiNgesi eyathi kamva yaziwa ngokuba yiBhayibhile KaWycliffe. Yakhawuleza yathandwa ngabalandeli bakaWycliffe. Abashumayeli abaziwa ngokuba ziiLollards babefuna iLizwi LikaThixo laziwe nangabantu abaqhelekileyo, ngoko babehamba ngeenyawo beshumayela kuzo zonke iidolophana zaseNgilani. IiLollards zazidla ngokufundela umntu ezidibana naye iivesi ezithile kwiBhayibhile KaWycliffe, zakugqiba zimshiyele eyakhe ikopi. Yonke loo mizamo yazo yazitshintsha izinto, baza abantu baphinda banomdla kwiLizwi LikaThixo.

12. Benza ntoni abefundisi bakubona uWycliffe nabalandeli bakhe?

¹² Benza ntoni abefundisi bakubona loo nto? Bamcaphukela uWycliffe, iBhayibhile yakhe kunye nabalandeli bakhe. Bazitshutshisa iiLollards, baza bagqogqa iiBhayibhile zikaWycliffe ezininzi kangangoko banako, baza bazitshabalalisa. Nasemva kokuba uWycliffe eswelekile, wayesajongwa njengomwexuki. Kakade ke, babengakwazi ukumohlwaya kuba wayesele eswelekile. Sekunjalo, abefundisi bayalela ukuba amathambo kaWycliffe ambiwe aze atshiswe, luze uthuthu lwawo lulahlwe kumlambo iSwift. Kodwa iCawa ayizange ikwazi ukubanqanda abantu ababefuna ukufunda nokuqonda iLizwi LikaThixo. Kumakhulu eminyaka eyalandelayo, baninzi abantu eYurophu nakwezinye iindawo ehlabathini abakhuthaza ukuguqulelwa nokusasazwa kweBhayibhile ukuze ifumaneke kubantu abaqhelekileyo.

13. Yintoni esiqiniseke ngayo, ibe loo nto iluqinisa njani ukholo lwakho?

¹³ Thina maKristu namhlanje asifanelanga sicinge ukuba umsebenzi wokuguqulela iSeptuagint, iBhayibhile KaWycliffe,  iKing James Version, okanye naziphi na ezinye iiBhayibhile, uphefumlelwe nguThixo. Kodwa ke xa sijonga imbali yezi Bhayibhile nezinye ezininzi eziye zapapashwa, sifumanisa le nto: ILizwi LikaThixo liye lahlala likho, ngokwesithembiso sakhe. Ngaba loo nto ayikwenzi uzithembe zonke izinto uYehova athe ziza kwenzeka?—Yosh. 23:14.

14. ILizwi LikaThixo lisenza njani ukuba simthande ngakumbi?

¹⁴ Ukufunda ngendlela iBhayibhile eye yaqhubeka ikho ngayo ukutyhubela yonke le minyaka kusenza simthande ngakumbi uYehova, kwaye kuqinisa nokholo lwethu. * Ngapha koko, kwakutheni ukuze asibhalele iBhayibhile? Ibe yintoni eyamenza waqiniseka ukuba ayitshabalali? Kungokuba uyasithanda, kwaye ufuna ukusifundisa izinto eziza kusinceda. (Funda uIsaya 48:17, 18.) Yinto elindelekileyo ukuba ekubeni uYehova esithanda, nathi simthande size sithobele imiyalelo yakhe.—1 Yoh. 4:19; 5:3.

15. Siza kuthetha ngantoni kwinqaku elilandelayo?

¹⁵ Ekubeni silijonga njengelibalulekileyo iLizwi LikaThixo, sifanele sifune ukuzuza ngokupheleleyo kulo. Sinokwenza njani ukuze sizuze kangangoko xa sizifundela iBhayibhile? Yintoni enokusinceda sisebenzise iBhayibhile xa sisentsimini? Abo banikela iintetho ebandleni banokwenza njani ukuze iZibhalo zibe ngundoqo kwimfundiso yabo? Inqaku elilandelayo liza kusiphendulela le mibuzo.