1-3. (a) UPawulos neqela lakhe balufumana njani ulwalathiso lomoya oyingcwele? (b) Ziziphi iziganeko esiza kuzihlolisisa?

 IQELA elithile labafazi lishiya isixeko saseFilipi eMakedoni. Kuthi kungekudala lifike kumlambo omxinwa iGangites. Njengesiqhelo, lihlala phantsi kwiindonga zomlambo lize lithandaze kuThixo kaSirayeli. UYehova uyawuva umthandazo walo.​—2 Kron. 16:9; INdu. 65:2.

² Ngalo kanye elo xesha, kwiikhilomitha ezingaphezu kweyi-800 kwimpuma yeFilipi, kukho iqela lamadoda elishiya iListra ekumazantsi eGalati. Kwiintsuku ezithile kamva, lifika kuhola wendlela egangathiweyo yaseRoma ekhokelela kwintshona, lisinge kowona mmandla unabemi abaninzi, isithili saseAsiya. La madoda​—uPawulos, uSilas, noTimoti​—azimisele ukuhla ngaloo ndlela ukuze aye e-Efese nakwezinye izixeko ezinamawaka abantu ekufuneka beve ngoKristu. Noko ke, athi engekahambi, umoya oyingcwele uwamise ngendlela engachazwanga. Uwathintela ukuba angayi kushumayela eAsiya. Ngoba? Esebenzisa umoya kaThixo, uYesu ufuna ukwalathisa uPawulos neqela lakhe kwindlela eya eAsia Minor, enqumla kuLwandle lweAegean, isinge kwiindonga zomlanjana iGangites.

³ Zininzi izinto esizifundayo namhlanje kwindlela uYesu awamalathisa ngayo uPawulos neqela lakhe kolo hambo lungaqhelekanga luya eMakedoni. Ngoko ke, makhe sihlolisise ezinye zeziganeko ezenzeka kolo hambo lwesibini lukaPawulos njengomthunywa wevangeli, nolwaqalisa malunga no-49 C.E.

4, 5. (a) Yintoni eyenzakayo kuPawulos neqela lakhe xa babesondele eBhithiniya? (b) Sisiphi isigqibo abasenzayo aba bafundi, ibe oko kwaba nayiphi imiphumo?

⁴ Emva kokuba bethintelwe ukuya kushumayela eAsiya, uPawulos neqela lakhe basinga emantla baya kushumayela kwizixeko zaseBhithiniya. Ukuze baye kufika apho, kusenokwenzeka ukuba bahamba iintsuku eziliqela kwiindledlana zomhlaba eziphakathi kwemimandla enabemi abagqagqeneyo yaseFrigiya naseGalati. Noko ke, bathi xa babesondele eBhithiniya, uYesu wabathintela esebenzisa umoya oyingcwele. (IZe. 16:6, 7) La madoda amele ukuba abhideka xa kulapho. Ayekwazi oko amele akushumayele nendlela amele akushumayele ngayo, kodwa ayengazi ukuba amele ashumayele phi. Ayezamile ukuya kushumayela eAsiya​—kodwa athintelwa. Azama nokuya eBhithiniya​—nalapho kwenzeka okufanayo. Sekunjalo, uPawulos  wayezimisele ukuqhubeka efuna indawo abaza kushumayela kuyo, de wayifumana. Kwathi xa kulapho, la madoda enza isigqibo esisenokubonakala singekho ngqiqweni. Asinga entshona aza ahamba umgama oziikhilomitha eziyi-550, edlula kwizixeko ngezixeko de aya kugaleleka kwizibuko laseTrowa, isango elingena eMakedoni. (IZe. 16:8) Ngesi sihlandlo sesithathu, akazange athintelwe, aqhubeka eshumayela.

⁵ Umbhali weVangeli uLuka, owathelela elo qela likaPawulos eTrowa, usichazela oko kwenzekayo esithi: “Ebusuku uPawulos wabona embonweni kumi indoda yaseMakedoni imcenga isithi: ‘Yiza ngapha eMakedoni usincede.’ Wathi akubona loo mbono, sazama ukuya eMakedoni, siqonda ukuba sithunywe nguThixo ukuba siyokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo apho.” a (IZe. 16:9, 10) Ekugqibeleni, uPawulos wade wazi apho amele ashumayele khona. Imele ukuba yamvuyisa gqitha uPawulos into yokuba engazange anikezele kolo hambo lwakhe! Engaphozisanga maseko, la madoda mane ahamba ngesikhephe aya eMakedoni.

6, 7. (a) Yintoni esinokuyifunda kwizinto ezenzekayo kuhambo lukaPawulos? (b) Sisiphi isiqinisekiso esisifumanayo kumava kaPawulos?

⁶ Sifunda ntoni kule ngxelo? Phawula: Umoya kaThixo wangenelela kuphela emva kokuba uPawulos eye eAsiya, yena uYesu wangenelela kuphela akuba kufuphi neBhithiniya, yaye kwaba semva kokuba efike eTrowa kuphela apho wamalathisa khona ukuba aye eMakedoni. NjengeNtloko yebandla, uYesu unokusalathisa ngendlela efanayo nathi namhlanje. (Kol. 1:18) Ngokomzekelo, kusenokwenzeka ukuba kudala sicinga ngokuba ngoovulindlela okanye ukuya kweminye imimandla abafuneka ngakumbi kuyo abavakalisi boBukumkani.  Kodwa, kusenokuba semva kokuba sithabathe loo manyathelo kuphela apho uYesu enokusebenzisa umoya kaThixo ukusikhokela. Ngoba? Cinga ngalo mzekelo: Umqhubi unokuyijika imoto yakhe iye ngasekunene okanye ngasekhohlo kuphela xa ihamba. Naye ke uYesu walathisa indlela esinokubandisa ngayo ubulungiseleli bethu, kodwa kuphela xa sikubo​—xa sisenza imigudu yokwenene ukuze sibandise.

⁷ Kuthekani ke ukuba imigudu yethu ayithwali ziqhamo ngokukhawuleza? Ngaba simele sinikezele, sisithi umoya kaThixo awusalathisi? Nakanye. Masikhumbule ukuba kwakukhe kube nzima nakuPawulos. Kodwa sekunjalo, waqhubeka efuna de wayifumana indawo aza kushumayela kuyo. Nathi simele siqiniseke ukuba ukuzingisa kwethu ekufuneni ‘umnyango omkhulu ukuze senze umsebenzi weNkosi’ kuya kuvuzwa ngendlela efanayo.​—1 Kor. 16:9.

8. (a) Khawuchaze isixeko saseFilipi. (b) Sisiphi isiganeko esivuyisayo esabangelwa kukushumayela kukaPawulos ‘apho abantu babedibana khona ukuze bathandaze’?

⁸ Emva kokuba befike kwisithili saseMakedoni, uPawulos neqela lakhe baya eFilipi​—isixeko esasinabemi ababezingca ngokuba ngabaseRoma. Ekubeni amajoni aseRoma afumene umhlala-phantsi ayehlala apho, elo thanga laseFilipi lalifana neItali​—iRoma encinane phakathi eMakedoni. Ngaphandle kwesango lesixeko, ecaleni komlambo omncinane, abathunywa bevangeli bafumana indawo ababecinga ukuba “abantu baza kudibana khona ukuze bathandaze.” b NgeSabatha, behla baya kuloo ndawo baza bafumana iqela labafazi ababehlanganisene ukuze banqule uThixo. Bahlala phantsi baza bathetha nabo. Umfazi othile ogama linguLidiya “wayemamele, yaye uYehova wayivula ngokupheleleyo intliziyo yakhe” ULidiya wayechukumiseke gqitha koko wayekuva kwabo bathunywa bevangeli kangangokuba yena nendlu yakhe babhaptizwa. Emva koko wabacenga ukuba bahlale endlwini yakhe. c​—IZe. 16:13-15.

9. Abaninzi namhlanje baye bawuxelisa njani umzekelo kaPawulos, ibe oko kubazisele ziphi iintsikelelo?

⁹ Cinga nje uvuyo olwabangelwa kukubhaptizwa kukaLidiya! UPawulos umele ukuba wavuya gqitha akwamkela isicelo esithi “yiza ngapha eMakedoni” nakukuba uYehova wakubona kufanelekile ukusebenzisa yena neqela lakhe ukuphendula imithandazo yabo bafazi boyika uThixo! Ngokufanayo namhlanje, kukho iqela labazalwana noodade​—abaselula nabakhulileyo, abangatshatanga nabatshatileyo​—abaye bafudukela kwimimandla efuna abavakalisi boBukumkani abangakumbi. Yinyaniso ukuba bukho ubunzima abajamelana nabo, kodwa buye bungabonakali xa buthelekiswa nolwaneliseko abalufumanayo njengoko befumana abantu abafana noLidiya, abamkela inyaniso yeBhayibhile baze baphile ngayo. Ngaba alukho uhlengahlengiso onokulenza ukuze ukwazi ‘ukuya’ kummandla ekukho intswelo engakumbi kuwo? Uya kufumana iintsikelelo ezingathethekiyo. Ngokomzekelo, cinga nje  ngomzekelo ka-Aaron, umzalwana oneminyaka engaphezu kweyi-20, owafudukela kwilizwe elikuMbindi Merika. Naye ucula ingoma eculwa ngabaninzi njengoko esithi: “Ukuya kukhonza kwelinye ilizwe kuye kwandinceda ndakhula ngokomoya ndaza ndasondela ngakumbi kuYehova. Inkonzo yasentsimini imnandi ngendlela engathethekiyo​—ndiqhuba izifundo zeBhayibhile ezisibhozo!”

10. Yintoni eyenziwa yidemon ukuphazamisana noPawulos neqela lakhe?

¹⁰ Ngokuqinisekileyo uSathana waba lugcwabevu ukubona iindaba ezilungileyo zintshula kuloo ndawo ekusenokwenzeka ukuba yena needemon zakhe babengekaze baphazanyiswe. Siyaqondakala ke isizathu sokuba idemon yenza okuthile ukuze kuvuke inkcaso kumsebenzi wokushumayela owawusenziwa nguPawulos neqela lakhe! Njengoko babeqhubeka betyelela kwindawo yomthandazo, balandelwa yintombazana ethile enedemon, eyayingenisela iinkosi zayo imali ngokuvumisa, imemeza isithi: “La madoda ngamakhoboka Oyena Thixo Uphakamileyo yaye ashumayela kuni indlela eninokusindiswa ngayo.” Le demon isenokuba yenza le ntombazana yathetha la mazwi ngenjongo yokuba kubonakale ngathi oko kuvumisa kwayo kuphuma kumthombo omnye neemfundiso zikaPawulos. Oko kwakuya kwenza abantu abevayo bayeke ukunikela ingqalelo kubalandeli bokwenene bakaKristu. Kodwa uPawulos wayival’ umlomo le ntombazana ngokukhupha idemon.​—IZe. 16:16-18.

11. Emva kokuba idemon ikhutshiwe kwintombazana, kwenzeka ntoni kuPawulos noSilas?

¹¹ Xa abanikazi besi sicakazana bafumanisa ukuba umthombo wabo wemali eza lula womile, baba nomsindo. Barhuqela uPawulos noSilas kwindawo yemarike, apho yayikhona inkundla yoomantyi​—amagosa awayemela iRoma. Basebenzisa ikhethe nokuthanda izwe kwezo jaji besithi: ‘La maYuda asiphazamisa ngokukhulu ngokuvakalisa amasiko angamkelekanga kuthi maRoma.’ Loo mazwi abo avakala ngokukhawuleza. “Abantu [emarikeni] bathukisa benomsindo [kuPawulos noSilas],” baza oomantyi banikela umyalelo wokuba “babethwe ngeentonga.” Emva koko, uPawulos noSilas barhuqelwa entolongweni. Umgcini-ntolongo wabaphosa kwintolongo engaphakathi waza waziqinisa iinyawo zabo ezitokisini. (IZe. 16:19-24) Emva kokuba evale isango, kwaba mnyama kangangokuba kwakunzima ukuba uPawulos noSilas bangabonana. Sekunjalo, uYehova wayebajongile.​—INdu. 139:12.

12. (a) Abafundi bakaKristu babeyijonga njani intshutshiso, yaye ngoba? (b) Ziziphi iindlela zokutshutshisa asazisebenzisayo uSathana nabaxhasi bakhe?

¹² Kwiminyaka ethile ngaphambili, uYesu wathi kubalandeli bakhe: “Baza kunitshutshisa.” (Yoh. 15:20) Ngoko ke, xa uPawulos neqela lakhe babewelela eMakedoni, babekulungele ukujamelana nentshutshiso. Xa batshutshiswayo, abazange bacinge ukuba uYehova akaneliseki, kodwa baqonda ukuba uSathana unomsindo. Nanamhlanje, abo basetyenziswa nguSathana basasebenzisa iindlela ezifanayo nezo zasetyenziswa eFilipi. Iintshaba  ezinenkohliso zithetha kakubi ngathi esikolweni nasemsebenzini, ziphembelela inkcaso. Kwamanye amazwe, abachasi bonqulo basityabeka amabala enkundleni besithi: ‘AmaNgqina ayasiphazamisa ngokufundisa kwawo amasiko esingawamkeliyo thina “bakholelwa kwizithethe.”’ Kwezinye iindawo, abazalwana bethu bayabethwa baze baphoswe entolongweni. Nakuba kunjalo, uYehova uwajongile.​—1 Pet. 3:12.

13. Yintoni eyabangela ukuba umgcini-ntolongo abuze oku: “Ndimele ndenze ntoni ukuze ndisindiswe?”

¹³ UPawulos noSilas bamele ukuba babefuna ukufumana ixesha lokuphumla yaye balibale ngeziganeko zaloo mini. Kodwa, ezinzulwini zobusuku zazisele zidambile ezo ntlungu zokubethwa kangangokuba “babethandaza, bedumisa uThixo ngengoma.” Ngequbuliso kwabakho inyikima yaza yagungqisa intolongo! Umgcini-ntolongo wavuka, wabona iingcango zivulekile, waza woyika ecinga ukuba amabanjwa abalekile. Esazi mhlophe ukuba wayeza kohlwaywa ngokuwayeka abaleke, “wakhupha ikrele lakhe efuna ukuzibulala.” Kodwa uPawulos wamemeza wathi: “Sukuzenzakalisa kuba sonke silapha!” Ecinezelekile wabuza: “Bahlekazi, ndimele ndenze ntoni ukuze ndisindiswe?” UPawulos noSilas babengenako ukumsindisa; nguYesu kuphela owayenokwenjenjalo. Ngoko bamphendula bathi: “Kholwa kwiNkosi uYesu yaye uza kusindiswa.”​—IZe. 16:25-31.

14. (a) Luluphi uncedo olwafunyanwa ngumgcini-ntolongo kuPawulos noSilas? (b) Ziziphi iintsikelelo ezafunyanwa nguPawulos noSilas ngenxa yokunyamezela kwabo intshutshiso ngovuyo?

¹⁴ Ngaba wawusuka entliziyweni loo mbuzo womgcini-ntolongo? UPawulos akazange akuthandabuze ukunyaniseka kwakhe. Loo mgcini-ntolongo wayengumntu weeNtlanga, engazazi iZibhalo. Ngaphambi kokuba abe ngumKristu, kwakufuneka afunde iinyaniso zeZibhalo ezisisiseko aze azamkele. Ngoko ke, uPawulos noSilas bazipha ixesha lokuthetha “ilizwi likaYehova kuye.” Ngoxa ayebambeke ngamandla kukufundisa iZibhalo, la madoda amele ukuba ayesele elibele ngeentlungu zokubethwa. Noko ke, umgcini-ntolongo waphawula ukuba anamanxeba anzulu emqolo, waza ke wawahlamba. Emva koko, “yena nendlu yakhe babhaptizwa ngaphandle kokulibazisa.” Ukunyamezela intshutshiso ngovuyo kwabazisela iintsikelelo ezingathethekiyo uPawulos noSilas!​—IZe. 16:32-34.

15. (a) AmaNgqina amaninzi namhlanje aye awuxelisa njani umzekelo kaPawulos noSilas? (b) Kutheni simele siphindele ngokufuthi kwimizi yabo bahlala kwintsimi yethu?

¹⁵ NjengoPawulos noSilas, namhlanje amaNgqina aye afumana imiphumo emihle ngokushumayela kwawo iindaba ezilungileyo ngoxa evalelwe entolongweni ngenxa yokholo lwawo. Ngokomzekelo, ngasihlandlo sithile kwelinye ilizwe owawuvaliwe kulo umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela, ayi-40 ekhulwini kumaNgqina awayehlala apho ayefumene inyaniso ngoYehova ngoxa esentolongweni! (Isa. 54:17) Phawula ukuba, lo mgcini-ntolongo wacela uncedo kuphela emva kwenyikima. Ngokufanayo nanamhlanje, abanye abangazange  baziphulaphule iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani basenokuzamkela emva kokothuswa ziziganeko ezibehlela bengalindelanga. Ngokuphindela ngokuthembeka kubantu abahlala kwintsimi yethu, siyabaqinisekisa ukuba sikulungele ukubafundisa nanini na befuna uncedo lwethu.

16. Kusuku olusemva kokuba uPawulos noSilas bekatsiwe, isikhuni sabuya njani nomkhwezeli?

¹⁶ Kwintsasa elandelayo emva kokubakatsa, oomantyi bayalela ukuba uPawulos noSilas bakhululwe. Kodwa uPawulos wathi: “Basikatse phambi kwabantu singakhange sigwetywe nangona singamaRoma, emva koko basifaka ejele. Kutheni ngoku beza kusizimelisa xa besikhupha? Hayi khona! Mabeze kusikhupha ngokwabo.” Bathi oomantyi bakuva ukuba la madoda mabini ayengabemi baseRoma, “boyika,” kuba abazange bawahlonele amalungelo awo. d Ngoku isikhuni sabuya nomkhwezeli. Abafundi babekatswe esidlangalaleni; ngoko noomantyi babeza kuxolisa esidlangalaleni. Bacenga uPawulos noSilas ukuba bemke eFilipi. Aba bafundi babini babathobela, kodwa baqala bachitha ixesha bekhuthaza elo qela lalikhula labafundi abatsha. Bemka kuphela emva kokuba bebakhuthazile.

17. Sisiphi isifundo esibalulekileyo esasiza kufundwa ngabafundi abatsha ababona indlela abanyamezela ngayo uPawulos noSilas?

¹⁷ Ukuba amalungelo abo ayehlonelwe njengabemi baseRoma, uPawulos noSilas ngebabengakatswanga. (IZe. 22:25, 26) Kodwa oko kwakuya kwenza abafundi baseFilipi bacinge ukuba ooPawulos basebenzise ilungelo labo ukuze bazikhusele ekubandezelekeni ngenxa kaKristu. Oko ngekwakulichaphazele njani ukholo lwabafundi abangengabo abemi baseRoma? Kaloku bona kwakungekho mthetho wawuya kubakhusela ekukatsweni? Ngoko ke, ngomzekelo wokunyamezela kwabo isohlwayo, uPawulos neqabane lakhe babonisa abafundi abatsha ukuba abalandeli bakaKristu bangakwazi ukuma ngokuqinileyo xa betshutshiswa. Ukongezelela, ngokugunyazisa ukuba kuhlonelwe ilungelo labo lokuba ngamaRoma, banyazelisa oomantyi ukuba baye kuvuma esidlangalaleni ukuba benze into engekho mthethweni. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba oko kwabenza bakuphepha ukuphatha kakubi abazalwana bakaPawulos kwaza kwabakhusela ngandlel’ ithile ngokusemthethweni ukuze bangaphathwa kakubi.

18. (a) Abaveleli abangamaKristu bawuxelisa njani umzekelo kaPawulos namhlanje? (b) ‘Sizithethelela njani iindaba ezilungileyo size sizame ukuba zibe semthethweni’ namhlanje?

¹⁸ Nanamhlanje, abaveleli bebandla lamaKristu bakhokela ngokumisela umzekelo omhle. Enoba yintoni abalindele ukuba yenziwe ngabazalwana babo, abalusi abangamaKristu bayayenza. Ukongezelela koko, njengoPawulos, baqala bacingisise nzulu ngendlela nexesha abamele bawasebenzise ngayo  amalungelo okusikhusela asemthethweni. Xa kuyimfuneko, sibhenela kwiinkundla zasekuhlaleni, ezelizwe, nkqu nezamazwe ngamazwe xa sifuna ukukhuselwa ngokusemthethweni ukuze sityhalele phambili nonqulo lwethu. Injongo yethu asikokutshintsha indlela esiphathwa ngayo, kodwa ‘kukuthethelela iindaba ezilungileyo, sizama ukuba zibe semthethweni’ njengokuba uPawulos watshoyo kwibandla laseFilipi malunga neminyaka elishumi emva kokuvalelwa kwakhe apho. (Fil. 1:7) Sekunjalo, kungakhathaliseki ukuba injani na imiphumo yaloo matyala asenkundleni, njengoPawulos neqela lakhe, sizimisele ukuqhubeka ‘sishumayela iindaba ezilungileyo’ naphi na apho umoya kaThixo usikhokelela khona.​—IZe. 16:10.