1-3. (a) Ngubani eli tyendyana litsha lihamba noPawulos, ibe singathini ngalo? (b) Yintoni esiza kuyifunda kwesi sahluko?

 NJENGOKO benqumla kummandla osemagqagaleni ophakathi kweedolophu, umpostile uPawulos ucinga ngoko liza kuhlangabezana nako ityendyana lomfana ahamba nalo. Eli tyendyana nguTimoti. Eselula yaye enamandla, kusenokwenzeka ukuba uTimoti lo sele eza kuyigqiba iminyaka eyi-20 ubudala ukuba akasele eyigqibile. Nyathelo ngalinye alithabathayo lithetha ukuba uya esiba kude nekhaya lakhe. Njengoko imini iqina, baya besithela kummandla weListra neIkoniyo. Into angayaziyo uTimoti kukuba kuza kwenzeka ntoni ngaphambili. Noko ke yena uPawulos uyazi, kuba olu luhambo lwakhe lwesibini njengomthunywa wevangeli. Wazi kakuhle ukuba balindelwe ziingozi neengxaki ezininzi. Lona eli tyendyana liza kujamelana njani nazo?

² UPawulos umthembe gqitha uTimoti, mhlawumbi nangaphezu kokuba lo mfana uthobekileyo ezithemba. Iziganeko zakutshanje zenze uPawulos waqiniseka ngakumbi ukuba umele afumane umntu ofanelekileyo aza kuhamba naye. UPawulos uyazi ukuba umsebenzi abaza kuwenza​—ukutyelela amabandla nokuwomeleza—​uza kufuna ukuba bazimisele yaye bacinge ntonye njengabalungiseleli abahambahambayo. Yintoni enokubangela ukuba uPawulos avakalelwe ngolu hlobo? Esinye sezizathu isenokuba kukungaboni ngasonye akhe wanako noBharnabhas.

³ Kwesi sahluko siza kufunda okuninzi ngeyona ndlela yokusingatha ukungaboni ngasonye. Siza kuva nesizathu sokuba uPawulos akhethe ukuhamba noTimoti, ibe siza kufunda nangendima ebalulekileyo yabo bakhonza njengabaveleli besiphaluka namhlanje.

4. Yintoni awayezimisele ukuyenza uPawulos kuhambo lwakhe lwesibini njengomthunywa wevangeli?

⁴ Kwisahluko esandulela esi, siye seva ngendlela abazalwana abane ababethunyiwe​—uPawulos, uBharnabhas, uYudas noSilas—​abaye balomeleza ngayo ibandla lakwa-Antiyokwe xa babeliphathele isigqibo sequmrhu elilawulayo ngombandela wolwaluko. Yintoni awayenzayo uPawulos emva koko? Waya kuBharnabhas waza wathetha naye ngotyelelo alucebayo,  wathi: “Ngoku makhe sibuyele kubazalwana abakuzo zonke izixeko esashumayela kuzo ilizwi likaYehova ukuze sibone ukuba banjani.” (IZe. 15:36) Apha uPawulos wayengathethi ngotyelelo nje lobuhlobo kuloo maKristu matsha. Incwadi yeZenzo iyichaza kakuhle eyona njongo yohambo lukaPawulos lwesibini njengomthunywa wevangeli. Okokuqala, wayeza kudlulisela imimiselo ekhutshwa liqumrhu elilawulayo. (IZe. 16:4) Okwesibini, njengomveleli ohambahambayo, uPawulos wayezimisele ukwakha amabandla ngokomoya, ewanceda omelele elukholweni. (Roma 1:11, 12) Intlangano yamaNgqina kaYehova iwuxelisa njani loo mzekelo wabapostile namhlanje?

5. IQumrhu Elilawulayo lanamhlanje liludlulisela njani ulwalathiso nokhuthazo emabandleni?

⁵ Namhlanje, uKristu usebenzisa iQumrhu Elilawulayo lamaNgqina kaYehova ukwalathisa ibandla lakhe. La madoda athembekileyo nathanjiswe ngomoya asebenzisa iileta, iimpapasho ezikwi-intanethi neziprintiweyo, iintlanganiso nezinye iindlela zonxibelelwano ukwalathisa nokukhuthaza onke amabandla asehlabathini. Kwakhona iQumrhu Elilawulayo lizabalazela ukunxibelelana nebandla ngalinye kangangoko kunokwenzeka. Ukuze liphumeze oko, lisebenzisa abaveleli abahambahambayo. IQumrhu Elilawulayo liye lamisela amawaka abadala abafanelekayo ehlabathini lonke ukuba babe ngabaveleli besiphaluka.

6, 7. Ziziphi iimbopheleleko abanazo abaveleli besiphaluka?

⁶ Abaveleli abahambahambayo banamhlanje bazabalazela ukunceda nokukhuthaza wonk’ ubani osebandleni abatyelela kulo. Bakwenza njani oko? Baxelisa umzekelo owamiselwa ngamaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala anjengoPawulos. Wabongoza omnye umveleli wathi: “Lishumayele ilizwi ngokungxamisekileyo, xa iimeko zivuma naxa zinzima. Baluleke abantu, ubangxolise, ubacenge, ubafundise ngobuchule nangomonde. . . . Yenza umsebenzi womvangeli.”​—2 Tim. 4:2, 5.

⁷ Ngokuvisisana naloo mazwi, umveleli wesiphaluka​—ekunye nenkosikazi yakhe ukuba utshatile—​usebenza nabavakalisi bebandla kwiinkalo ezahlukahlukeneyo zobulungiseleli basentsimini. Aba bashumayeli bahambahambayo banenzondelelo kubulungiseleli yaye banobuchule bokufundisa​—iimpawu ezinempembelelo entle emhlambini. (Roma 12:11; 2 Tim. 2:15) Abo benza umsebenzi wesiphaluka baziwa ngothando lwabo lokuzincama. Ngokuzithandela benza unako nako ukuze bancede abazalwana, bahamba kwiindawo ezinemozulu embi nakwimimandla eyingozi. (Fil. 2:3, 4) Kwakhona abaveleli besiphaluka bayakhuthaza, bafundise baze babongoze ibandla ngalinye ngeentetho ezisekelwe eBhayibhileni. Bonke ebandleni bayangenelwa xa bebona indlela abaziphatha ngayo abalungiseleli abahambahambayo yaye baxelisa ukholo lwabo.​—Heb. 13:7.

8. UBharnabhas wasabela njani kwisicelo sikaPawulos?

⁸ UBharnabhas wasamkela isicelo sikaPawulos sokuba ‘babuyele  kubazalwana.’ (IZe. 15:36) Aba bazalwana babesebenze kakuhle ekutyeleleni amabandla yaye bobabini babesele beqhelene naloo mimandla babesiya kuyo nabantu balapho. (IZe. 13:2–14:28) Ngoko ke, ukuba kunye kolu hambo kwakubonakala kusengqiqweni yaye kuza kubanceda. Kodwa kwavela ingxaki. IZenzo 15:37 zithi: “UBharnabhas wafuna kuhanjwe noYohane, owayebizwa ngokuba nguMarko.” UBharnabhas wayengacebisi nje ukuba kuhanjwe naye. “Wafuna” ukuba umzala wakhe uMarko abapheleke kolo hambo lwabo njengabathunywa bevangeli.

9. Kwakutheni ukuze uPawulos angavumelani noBharnabhas?

⁹ UPawulos wakhaba ngawo omane. Kwakutheni? Ingxelo ithi: “Kodwa uPawulos wayengafuni bahambe naye [uMarko], kuba wayebashiyile xa babesePamfiliya akaya kushumayela nabo.” (IZe. 15:38) UMarko wayehambe noPawulos noBharnabhas kuhambo lwabo lokuqala njengabathunywa bevangeli, kodwa wabashiya phakathi. (IZe. 12:25; 13:13) Ekuqaleni kolo hambo, ngoxa babesePamfiliya, uMarko wasishiya isabelo sakhe wagoduka esiya eYerusalem. IBhayibhile ayisixeleli ngesizathu sokuhamba kwakhe, kodwa kuyabonakala ukuba oko kwabangela ukuba umpostile uPawulos amjonge njengomntu ekungenakuthenjelwa kuye. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uPawulos wayengenantembelo kuMarko.

10. Ukungaboni ngasonye kukaPawulos noBharnabhas kwaphumela entwenini, ibe yaba yintoni imiphumo?

¹⁰ Kuyo yonke loo nto, uBharnabhas wayesazimisele ukuhamba noMarko. Naye uPawulos wayengazimiselanga kugob’ uphondo. IZenzo 15:39 zithi: “Ngoko baxambulisana benomsindo, kangangokuba bohlukana.” UBharnabhas wagodukela kwisiqithi saseSipro kunye noMarko, behamba ngolwandle. UPawulos watyhalela phambili nohambo lwakhe. Le ngxelo ithi: “UPawulos wakhetha uSilas wahamba naye, emva kokuba abazalwana bethandazile bacela uYehova ukuba amenzele ububele uPawulos.” (IZe. 15:40) Ekunye noSilas, bayityhutyha ‘iSiriya neKilikiya, bekhuthaza amabandla.’​—IZe. 15:41.

11. Ziziphi iimpawu ezifunekayo ukuze kungabikho ntanda zihlala ixesha elide phakathi kwethu nabo baye basona?

¹¹ Le ngxelo isenokusikhumbuza ngokwethu ukungafezeki. UPawulos noBharnabhas babemiselwe ngokukhethekileyo njengabameli bequmrhu elilawulayo. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba naye uPawulos waba lilungu lelo qumrhu. Sekunjalo, kwesi isihlandlo ukungafezeki kwabongamela uPawulos noBharnabhas. Ngaba bavumela loo meko yavula ithanda elingavalekiyo phakathi kwabo? Nakuba babengafezekanga, babethobekile, benengqondo kaKristu. Akuthandabuzeki ukuba ethubeni babonakalisa umoya wabazalwana abangamaKristu nowokuxolela. (Efe. 4:1-3) Kamva, uPawulos noMarko basebenza kunye kwezinye izabelo zobuthixo. a​—Kol. 4:10.

12. Ziziphi iimpawu abamele babe nazo abaveleli banamhlanje ukuze baxelise uPawulos noBharnabhas?

 ¹² Oku kugqajukelwa ngumsindo kwakungafani kwaphela noBharnabhas okanye uPawulos. UBharnabhas wayesaziwa njengomntu onobubele nonesisa​—kangangokuba kunokuba bambize ngegama lakhe elinguYosefu, abapostile bamthiya ifani enguBharnabhas, ethetha “uNyana Wentuthuzelo.” (IZe. 4:36) Naye uPawulos wayesaziwa ngokuba nomsa nokuthantamisa. (1 Tes. 2:7, 8) Bexelisa uPawulos noBharnabhas, bonke abaveleli abangamaKristu namhlanje, kuquka abaveleli besiphaluka, bamele bahlale bezabalazela ukuthobeka nokubaphatha ngomsa abanye abadala nomhlambi xa uwonke.​—1 Pet. 5:2, 3.

13, 14. (a) Wayengubani uTimoti, ibe wadibana njani noPawulos? (b) Yintoni eyabangela ukuba uPawulos anikele ingqalelo ekhethekileyo kuTimoti? (c) Sisiphi isabelo esafunyanwa nguTimoti?

¹³ Uhambo lwesibini lukaPawulos njengomthunywa wevangeli lwaya kumbeka kwiphondo laseGalati, apho kwakusele kukho iqela lamabandla amiselweyo. Ekugqibeleni, “wafika eDerbhe naseListra.” Le ngxelo ithi: “Apho kwakukho umfundi ogama linguTimoti, unyana womfazi ongumYuda olikholwa nendoda engumGrike.”​—IZe. 16:1. b

¹⁴ Kuyabonakala ukuba, uPawulos wadibana nentsapho yakuloTimoti xa wayeqala ukutyelela loo mmandla malunga no-47 C.E. Kweli tyeli lesibini kwiminyaka emibini okanye emithathu kamva, uPawulos wanikela ingqalelo ekhethekileyo kweli tyendyana linguTimoti. Kwakutheni? Kaloku uTimoti ‘kwakuthethwa kakuhle ngaye.’ Wayengathandwa ngabazalwana bedolophu yakowabo nje kuphela, kodwa wayedume kakuhle nakwamanye amabandla. Ingxelo ithi abazalwana baseListra nabaseIkoniyo, ekummandla okumgama oziikhilomitha eziyi-30, babethetha kakuhle gqitha ngaye. (IZe. 16:2) Bekhokelwa ngumoya oyingcwele, abadala baphathisa uTimoti imbopheleleko ebalulekileyo​—yokuba ngumlungiseleli ohambahambayo encedisa uPawulos noSilas.​—IZe. 16:3.

15, 16. Yintoni le ingaka yabangela ukuba uTimoti adume kakuhle?

¹⁵ Kwakutheni ukuze uTimoti adume kakuhle esemncinane kangako? Ngaba yayikukuba krelekrele kwakhe, imbonakalo yomzimba okanye ubuchule awayenabo? Abantu badla ngokuchukunyiswa zezo zinto. Kwanomprofeti uSamuweli wakha wathabatheka ngokugqithiseleyo yimbonakalo yangaphandle. Kodwa ke, uYehova wamkhumbuza oku: “Umntu ubona nje okubonakalayo emehlweni, kodwa uYehova ubona okusentliziyweni.” (1 Sam. 16:7) Kunokuba ibe yiyo nayiphi na imbonakalo awayenayo, uTimoti wayeneempawu ezamenza wanegama elihle kubazalwana bakhe abangamaKristu.

 ¹⁶ Kwiminyaka ethile kamva, umpostile uPawulos wabhekisela kwezinye zeempawu zokomoya zikaTimoti. UPawulos wachaza ubuntu bukaTimoti, uthando lokuzincama awayenalo, nendlela awayezikhuthalele ngayo izabelo zobuthixo. (Fil. 2:20-22) UTimoti wayesaziwa ‘nangokholo lwakhe olunyanisekileyo.’​—2 Tim. 1:5.

17. Abaselula namhlanje banokumxelisa njani uTimoti?

¹⁷ Namhlanje, abaselula abaninzi baxelisa uTimoti ngokuzabalazela ukuba neempawu ezifunwa nguThixo. Xa besenjenjalo bazenzela igama elihle noYehova kunye nabantu bakhe, kwasebutsheni babo. (IMize. 22:1; 1 Tim. 4:15) Banokholo olunyanisekileyo, bephepha ukuphila ubomi obumbaxa. (INdu. 26:4) Ngenxa yoko, njengoTimoti, abaninzi abaselula badlala indima ebalulekileyo ebandleni. Bakhuthazeka gqitha bonke abo bathanda uYehova xa bebabona befanelekela ukuba ngabavakalisi beendaba ezilungileyo baze ekuhambeni kwexesha bazahlulele kuYehova babhaptizwe!

18. (a) Ngawaphi amalungelo awayenanditshwa nguPawulos noTimoti xa babengabalungiseleli abahambahambayo? (b) Ayesikelelwa njani amabandla?

¹⁸ UPawulos noTimoti basebenza kunye kangangeminyaka. Njengabalungiseleli abahambahambayo, baqhubeka nemisebenzi eyahlukahlukeneyo ababeyithunywa liqumrhu elilawulayo. IBhayibhile ithi: “Njengoko babehamba kwezo zixeko, babedlulisela izigqibo emazithotyelwe, ezo babegqibe kuzo abapostile nabadala ababeseYerusalem.” (IZe. 16:4) Kuyacaca ukuba amabandla aluthobela ulwalathiso oluvela kubapostile nakubadala baseYerusalem. Ngenxa yoko kuthobela kwawo, “amabandla aqhubeka esiba nokholo olomeleleyo yaye esanda yonke imihla.”​—IZe. 16:5.

19, 20. Kutheni amaKristu emele azithobe nje ‘kwabo bakhokelayo’?

¹⁹ Ngokufanayo, amaNgqina kaYehova namhlanje axhamla iintsikelelo ezifumaneka ngokuthobela ulwalathiso ‘lwabo bakhokelayo.’ (Heb. 13:17) Ekubeni imeko yehlabathi isoloko itshintsha, kubalulekile ukuba amaKristu ahlale ezondla ngokutya kokomoya okulungiselelwa ‘likhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi.’ (Mat. 24:45; 1 Kor. 7:29-31) Ukwenjenjalo kunokusikhusela kwintlekele yokomoya kuze kusincede sihlale singenabala kulo ihlabathi.​—Yak. 1:27.

²⁰ Yinyaniso ukuba, abaveleli abangamaKristu namhlanje, kuquka amalungu eQumrhu Elilawulayo, abafezekanga, kanye njengokuba wayenjalo uPawulos, uBharnabhas, uMarko nabanye abadala ababethanjisiwe benkulungwane yokuqala. (Roma 5:12; Yak. 3:2) Kodwa ngenxa yokuba iQumrhu Elilawulayo libambelela ngokuqinileyo kwiLizwi likaThixo lize linamathele kumzekelo wabapostile, liye lazingqina lithembekile. (2 Tim. 1:13, 14) Ngenxa yoko, amabandla ayaqhubeka esomelezwa yaye eqiniswa elukholweni.