1-3. Yintoni ezelwe ngumpostile uPawulos eKorinte, ibe luluphi ucelomngeni ajamelene nalo?

 KUNGASEKUPHELENI kuka-50 C.E. Umpostile uPawulos useKorinte, isixeko esifumileyo neziko lorhwebo esihlala inkumbula yamaGrike, amaRoma namaYuda. a Apha uPawulos akezanga kuthenga, kuthengisa, okanye ukufuna umsebenzi. Uzele eyona nto ibaluleke ngakumbi​—ukunikela ubungqina ngoBukumkani bukaThixo. Noko ke, uPawulos akakabi nayo indawo yokuhlala, ibe akazimiselanga ukuxhomekeka ebantwini ngemali. Akafuni kubekho nabani na ocinga ukuba umele anyanyekelwe ukuze aqhubeke nobulungiseleli bakhe. Uza kuthini ke ngoku?

² UPawulos unobuchule bokwenza iintente. Ukwenza iintente akuyonto ilula, kodwa uzimisele ukusebenza ngezandla zakhe ukuze azixhase. Ngaba uza kuwufumana umsebenzi kwesi sixeko simaxhaphetshu kangaka? Ngaba uza kukwazi ukufumana indawo efanelekileyo yokuhlala? Nakuba ejamelene nezi zinto zilucelomngeni kangaka, uPawulos akawulibali owona msebenzi azele wona, ubulungiseleli.

³ Wahlala apho eKorinte kangangethuba elithile, ibe oko kwamnceda waphumelela gqitha kubulungiseleli bakhe. Yintoni thina esinokuyifunda kwizinto ezazisenziwa nguPawulos eKorinte ukuze isincede sinikele ubungqina obucokisekileyo ngoBukumkani bukaThixo kwintsimi yethu?

4, 5. (a) UPawulos wayehlala phi ngoxa wayeseKorinte, ibe nguwuphi umsebenzi awawenzayo ukuze azixhase? (b) UPawulos wakufunda njani ukwenza iintente?

⁴ Emva kwexesha elithile efikile eKorinte, uPawulos wadibana nesibini esinobubele​—inzalelwane yomYuda uAkwila nomfazi wakhe uPrisila, okanye uPriska. Esi sibini saya kuhlala eKorinte ngenxa yomyalelo woMlawuli uKlawudiyo wokuba “onke amaYuda emke eRoma.” (IZe. 18:1, 2) UAkwila noPrisila bamamkela uPawulos, kungekuphela nje emzini wabo, kodwa nakwishishini labo. Sifunda oku: ‘Kuba wayenobuchule [uPawulosi] obufanayo bokwenza iintente, wahlala emzini wabo, basebenza kunye.’ (IZe. 18:3) Ngexesha lobulungiseleli bakhe apho eKorinte, uPawulos wayehlala kwikhaya lesi sibini sinobubele.  Iincwadi ezithile ezaba yinxalenye yeBhayibhile umele ukuba wazibhala ngoxa wayehlala nesi sibini. b

⁵ Kwenzeka njani ukuba uPawulos, indoda eyayifundiswe “ezinyaweni zikaGamaliyeli,” ibe ngumenzi weentente? (IZe. 22:3) Kuyabonakala ukuba amaYuda enkulungwane yokuqala ayengayijongeli phantsi into yokufundisa abantwana bawo ubugcisa anabo, kwanokuba abo bantwana baye bafumana imfundo engakumbi. Ekubeni wayevela eTarso yaseKilikiya, indawo eyayidume ngelaphu elibizwa ngokuba yicilicium ekwakusenziwa ngalo iintente, kuyabonakala ukuba obu buchule uPawulos wabufunda kwasebutsheni bakhe. Yintoni eyayibandakanyekile ekwenzeni iintente? Lo msebenzi wawubandakanya ukuluka ilaphu lazo okanye ukulisika nokuthunga ukuze lidityaniswe, lomiswe ukuze lilungele ukwenza iintente. Enoba yintoni na eyayibandakanyekile, yayingumsebenzi onzima.

6, 7. (a) UPawulos wayewujonga njani umsebenzi wokwenz’ iintente, ibe yintoni ebonisa ukuba uAkwila noPrisila babewujonga ngendlela efanayo? (b) AmaKristu awuxelisa njani namhlanje umzekelo kaPawulos, uAkwila noPrisila?

⁶ UPawulos akazange agqale umsebenzi wakhe wokwenza iintente njengeyona nto ingundoqo kuye. Loo msebenzi wawenzela nje ukuze akwazi ukuzixhasa ngoxa eqhubeka nobulungiseleli, evakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo ‘ebanika imbeko.’ (2 Kor. 11:7) Bona uAkwila noPrisila wawubaluleke kangakanani umsebenzi wabo kubo? NjengamaKristu, akuthandabuzeki ukuba nabo babewujonga ngendlela efanayo noPawulos. Eneneni, xa uPawulos wayeshiya iKorinte ngo-52 C.E., uAkwila noPrisila batyath’ imigodlwana yabo bahamba noPawulos ukuya e-Efese, umzi wabo wasala usetyenziswa njengendawo yeentlanganiso zebandla lalapho. (1 Kor. 16:19) Kamva, babuyela eRoma, baza emva koko baphindela  e-Efese. Esi sibini sinenzondelelo sasibeka izilangazelelo zoBukumkani kwindawo yokuqala yaye sasikulungele ukuzincama ukuze sincede abanye, yaye “onke amabandla eentlanga” asibulela ngenxa yoko.​—Roma 16:3-5; 2 Tim. 4:19.

⁷ AmaKristu anamhlanje axelisa lo mzekelo kaPawulos, uAkwila noPrisila. Abalungiseleli abanenzondelelo basebenza nzima ukuze ‘bangabi luxanduva oluziindleko’ kwabanye abantu. (1 Tes. 2:9) Okuncomekayo kukuba, abavakalisi boBukumkani bexesha elizeleyo abaninzi benza imisebenzi ethile yesingxungxo ukuze bazixhase kowona msebenzi wabo ubalulekileyo, ubulungiseleli bamaKristu. NjengoAkwila noPrisila, ngobubele abakhonzi bakaYehova abaninzi baye bavula amakhaya abo ukuze bamkele abaveleli abahambahambayo. Abo ‘balandela eli khondo lokubuk’ iindwendwe’ bazi kakuhle ukuba kukhuthaza njani ukwenjenjalo.​—Roma 12:13.

8, 9. Yintoni awayenzayo uPawulos xa ukuzibhokoxa kwakhe ekushumayeleni kumaYuda kwabangela inkcaso, ibe yiyiphi indawo awaya kushumayela kuyo?

⁸ Into yokuba uPawulos wajonga umsebenzi wempangelo njengento yokumnceda aphumeze ubulungiseleli bakhe yacaca xa uSilas noTimoti bafika eMakedoni nezipho zesisa. (2 Kor. 11:9) Engaphozisanga maseko, uPawulos “waxineka lilizwi [“lonke ixesha lakhe walichitha ekushumayeleni,” ngokweThe Jerusalem Bible].” (IZe. 18:5) Noko ke, amaYuda amchasa gqitha kuloo msebenzi wakhe wokunikela ubungqina. Engafuni kubekwa tyala ngokwala kwawo ukwamkela isigidimi esisindis’ ubomi esiphathelele uKristu, uPawulos wavuthulula izambatho zakhe waza wathi kuloo maYuda ayemchasa: “Igazi lenu malibe phezu kweentloko zenu. Mna ndimsulwa. Ukususela ngoku ndiza kuya kubantu beentlanga.”​—IZe. 18:6; Hez. 3:18, 19.

⁹ Wayeza kushumayela phi ke ngoku uPawulos? Wamkelwa ngezandla ezishushu yindoda egama linguTitiyo Yusto, esenokuba yayingumngeni ebuYudeni, nendlu yayo eyayayame kwindlu yesikhungu. Ngoko uPawulos wesuka apho kwindlu yesikhungu waya kwindlu kaYusto. (IZe. 18:7) Ngoxa wayeselapho eKorinte uPawulos waqhubeka ehlala emzini ka-Akwila noPrisila, kodwa esebenzisa umzi kaYusto njengesazulu somsebenzi wakhe wokushumayela.

10. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba uPawulos wayengazimiselanga kushumayela kubantu beentlanga kuphela?

¹⁰ Ngaba amazwi kaPawulos okuba wayeza kuphethukela kubantu beentlanga athetha ukuba wayeza kuyeka ngokupheleleyo ukunikela ingqalelo kuwo onke amaYuda nabangeni ebuYudeni, kuquka lawo azamkelayo iindaba ezilungileyo? Wayengathethi loo nto. Ngokomzekelo, “uKrispo igosa elongamelayo kwindlu yesikhungu waba likholwa eNkosini, ngokunjalo nabo bonke abendlu yakhe.” Kuyacaca ukuba kukho iqela lamanye awayelapho kwindlu yesikhungu awathelela uKrispo, kuba iBhayibhile ithi: “Abaninzi eKorinte abevayo bakholwa baza babhaptizwa.” (IZe. 18:8) Indlu kaTitiyo Yusto yaba yindawo entsha elingenela kuyo elo bandla lamaKristu lalisandul’ ukusekwa eKorinte. Ukuba ingxelo yeZenzo ibhalwe ngesimbo sikaLuka​—eso sokulandelelanisa iziganeko ngokwenzeka kwazo​—oko kuthetha ukuba loo maYuda okanye abangeni ebuYudeni baguquka emva kokuba uPawulos evuthulule izambatho zakhe. Oko bekuya kubonisa ngokucacileyo ukuba lo mpostile wayebhetyebhetye.

11. Namhlanje amaNgqina kaYehova amxelisa njani uPawulos njengoko eshumayela kubantu beecawa zeNgqobhoko?

¹¹ Kumazwe amaninzi namhlanje, kuzinze iicawa zeNgqobhoko ibe zinempembelelo enamandla kumalungu azo. Kwamanye amazwe nakwiziqithi zolwandle, abathunywa bevangeli beNgqobhoko baye baguqula abantu abaninzi. Abantu abathi bangamaKristu badla ngokubambelela kwizithethe, njengokuba ayenjalo amaYuda enkulungwane yokuqala eKorinte. Sekunjalo, njengoPawulos, thina maNgqina kaYehova sishumayela ngenzondelelo kubantu abanjalo, sisakhela phezu kwalo naluphi na ulwazi lweZibhalo abasenokuba banalo. Kwanokuba bayasichasa okanye iinkokeli zonqulo  zabo ziyasitshutshisa, asilahli themba. Phakathi kwabo “banenzondelelo kuThixo; kodwa kungekhona ngokolwazi oluchanileyo,” basenokuba baninzi abalulamileyo esimele sibafune size sibafumane.​—Roma 10:2.

12. Sisiphi isiqinisekiso esifunyanwa nguPawulos embonweni?

¹² Ukuba uPawulos wayenamathandabuzo athile ngokuqhubeka eshumayela eKorinte, amele ukuba aphela ngobusuku iNkosi uYesu eyabonakala ngabo kuye embonweni yaza yathi: “Musa ukuba noloyiko, kodwa qhubeka uthetha uze ungathi cwaka, ngenxa yokuba ndinawe yaye akukho mntu uya kukuhlasela aze akwenze okubi; kuba ndinabantu abaninzi kwesi sixeko.” (IZe. 18:9, 10) Onjani ukuba lukhuthazo umbono! INkosi yamqinisekisa uPawulos ukuba yayiza kumkhusela ekonzakalisweni yaye kwakusekho abantu abaninzi abafanelekayo kweso sixeko. Yintoni awayenzayo uPawulos emva koko? Sifunda oku: “Wahlala apho unyaka neenyanga ezintandathu, efundisa phakathi kwabo ilizwi likaThixo.”​—IZe. 18:11.

13. Sisiphi isiganeko esisenokuba sathi qatha kuPawulos njengoko wayesondela kwisihlalo sokugweba, kodwa yintoni esenokuba yamnceda waqonda ukuba kwakungenakwenzeka into efanayo nakuye?

¹³ Emva kokuchitha ixesha elimalunga nonyaka eKorinte, uPawulos wafumana ubungqina obungakumbi bokuba iNkosi yayinaye. “AmaYuda amvukela ngamxhelo mnye uPawulos aza amsa kwisihlalo sokugweba,” esasibizwa ngokuba yibeʹma. (IZe. 18:12) Le beʹma ekucingelwa ukuba yayiliqonga eliphakamileyo elimbala uzuba nomhlophe lelitye lebhastile nelalihonjiswe ngemikrolo, yayikufuphi nombindi wemarike yaseKorinte. Ibala elingaphambi kwayo lalilikhulu ngokwaneleyo ukuhlala isihlwele sabantu. Izinto ezifunyaniswe ngabembi bezinto zakudala zibonisa ukuba esi sihlalo sokugweba sisenokuba sasikufuphi kwindlu yesikhungu, ngokunjalo ke nakwindlu kaYusto. Njengokuba uPawulos wayesondela kwibeʹma, kumele ukuba kwathi qatha ukuxulutywa kukaStefano ekudla ngokubhekiselwa kuye njengomfeli-nkolo wokuqala ongumKristu. UPawulos, owayesaziwa ngokuba nguSawule ngoko wayekholisiwe  “kukubulawa kwakhe.” (IZe. 8:1) Ngaba ngoku kwakuza kwenzeka into efanayo nakuye? Nakanye, kuba wayethenjiswe oku: ‘Akukho mntu uya kukwenza okubi.’​—IZe. 18:10.

14, 15. (a) Sisiphi isityholo esatyatyekwa uPawulos ngamaYuda, ibe kwakutheni ukuze uGaliyo alichithe elo tyala? (b) Kwenzeka ntoni kuSosithene, ibe yiyiphi imiphumo ekumele ukuba kwaba nayo oko kuye?

¹⁴ Kwenzeka ntoni kuPawulos akufika kwisihlalo sokugweba? Umantyi owayehleli kuso yayilibamba laseAkhaya, uGaliyo​—umkhuluwa wesithandi sobulumko samaRoma uSeneca. AmaYuda amtyabeka ngesi sityholo uPawulos: “Lo mntu weyisela abantu ukuba bamnqule uThixo ngendlela enxamnye nomthetho.” (IZe. 18:13) Eyona nto yayithethwa ngala maYuda kukuba uPawulos wayeguqula abantu ngendlela engekho mthethweni. Noko ke, uGaliyo wabona ukuba kwakungekho “bubi” okanye nasiphi na “isenzo esingendawo sobutshijolo” esenziwe nguPawulos. (IZe. 18:14) UGaliyo wayengazimiselanga nakancinane ukungena kwiingxwabangxwaba zamaYuda. Wathi uPawulos engekakhuphi nelimdaka lokuzithethelela, uGaliyo walichitha elo tyala! Loo maYuda ayemmangalela aba lugcwabevu. Akhuphela umsindo kuSosithene, omele ukuba wangena ezihlangwini zikaKrispo ukuze abe ligosa elongamelayo kwindlu yesikhungu. Ambamba uSosithene “aza ambetha phambi kwesihlalo sokugweba.”​—IZe. 18:17.

¹⁵ Kwakutheni ukuze uGaliyo angasinqandi eso sihlwele sasibetha uSosithene? Kusenokwenzeka ukuba wayevakalelwa kukuba uSosithene nguye owayephembelele elo hlokondiba nxamnye noPawulos ngoko ke wayefumana okumfaneleyo. Enoba sasiyintoni na isizathu, eso siganeko simele ukuba saba nemiphumo emihle. Kwincwadi yakhe yokuqala kwibandla laseKorinte, awayibhala emva kweminyaka eliqela kamva, uPawulos wabhekisela kuSosithene ngokuthi ngumzalwana wakhe. (1 Kor. 1:1, 2) Ngaba lo yayikwanguloo Sosithene wayebethwe eKorinte? Ukuba kunjalo, loo ntlungu yokubethwa imele ukuba yamnceda waba ngumKristu.

16. Aba naliphi igalelo kubulungiseleli bethu amazwi eNkosi athi, “Qhubeka uthetha uze ungathi cwaka, ngenxa yokuba ndinawe”?

¹⁶ Khumbula ukuba emva kokuba amaYuda echase intshumayelo kaPawulos, iNkosi uYesu yamqinisekisa isithi: “Musa ukuba noloyiko, kodwa qhubeka uthetha uze ungathi cwaka, ngenxa yokuba ndinawe.” (IZe. 18:9, 10) Siya kuba senza kakuhle ukuhlala siwakhumbula loo mazwi, ngakumbi xa isigidimi sethu sichaswa. Ungaze ulibale ukuba uYehova uyakwazi ukubona iintliziyo aze abatsalele kuye abo bantliziyo zinyanisekileyo. (1 Sam. 16:7; Yoh. 6:44) Oko kusikhuthaza gqitha ukuze sihlale sixakekile kubulungiseleli. Nyaka ngamnye kubhaptizwa amakhulu amawaka​—kubhaptizwa amakhulu mihla le. Abo bathobela umyalelo wokubenza “abafundi abantu beentlanga zonke,” uYesu ubaqinisekisa athi: “Ndinani yonke imihla de kube sekuphelisweni kwenkqubo yezinto.”​—Mat. 28:19, 20.

17, 18. Ziintoni asenokuba wayecinga ngazo uPawulos njengoko wayekhwele isikhephe esiya e-Efese?

¹⁷ Asazi enoba isimo sengqondo sikaGaliyo kwabo babesilwa noPawulos sabangela ukuba elo bandla lamaKristu lalisandul’ ukusekwa libe seluxolweni kusini na. Kodwa yena uPawulos wahlala “iintsuku eziliqela” ngaphambi kokuba aye kuthi ndlela-ntle kubazalwana bakhe baseKorinte. Ngentwasahlobo ka-52 C.E., waceba ukuhamba ngolwandle aye eSiriya esuka kwizibuko laseKenkreya, elimalunga neekhilomitha eziyi-11 kwimpuma yaseKorinte. Noko ke, ngaphambi kokuba emke eKenkreya uPawulos ‘wacheba iinwele zentloko yakhe zaba mfutshane, kuba wayenze isifungo.’ c (IZe. 18:18) Emva koko, wathabatha uAkwila noPrisila baza banqumla kuLwandle lweAgean beya e-Efese, eAsia Minor.

¹⁸ Njengoko uPawulos wayeshiya iKenkreya ngesikhephe, umele ukuba wayecinga ngexesha alichithe apho eKorinte. Zininzi izinto ezintle awayenokucinga ngazo ukuze zimncede azive anelisekile. Ubulungiseleli bakhe beenyanga eziyi-18 apho bathwala iziqhamo ezihle. Kwakusele kusekwe ibandla lokuqala eKorinte, yaye lingenela endlwini kaYusto. Phakathi kwabo baguqukayo kwakukho uYusto, uKrispo nendlu yakhe, kunye nabanye abaninzi. Babethandwa gqitha nguPawulos, kuba wabanceda baba ngamaKristu. Kamva wawabhalela waza wawachaza ngokuthi ayincwadi yoncomelo ebhalwe entliziyweni yakhe. Nathi sinokuziva sisondele kwabo siye sanelungelo lokubanceda bamkele unqulo oluyinyaniso. Kuvuyisa gqitha ukubona ezo “ncwadi zoncomelo” ziphilayo!​—2 Kor. 3:1-3.

19, 20. Yintoni awayenzayo uPawulos ukufika kwakhe e-Efese, ibe yintoni thina esiyifundayo ngokusukela kwakhe izinto zokomoya?

¹⁹ Ukufika kwakhe e-Efese, uPawulos akazange aphozise maseko, waqhubeka nomsebenzi wakhe wokushumayela. “Wangena kwindlu yesikhungu waza waqiqa namaYuda.” (IZe. 18:19) UPawulos wahlala e-Efese ixeshana nje elifutshane ngoko. Nakuba wayecelwa ukuba ahlale ixesha elidana, “wayengavumi.” Xa wayesithi ndlela-ntle, wathi kwabase-Efese: “Ndiza kubuyela kuni kwakhona, ukuba uYehova uyathanda.” (IZe. 18:20, 21) Akuthandabuzeki ukuba uPawulos wayeqonda ukuba kwakusekho umsebenzi omninzi wokushumayela e-Efese. Lo mpostile wayeceba ukubuyela apho, kodwa wakhetha ukuyiyekela ezandleni zikaYehova imicimbi. Ngaba asingomzekelo omhle esimele siwukhumbule lowo? Simele sithabathe inyathelo lokuqala ukuze sisukele izinto zokomoya. Noko ke, simele sihlale sithembela kulwalathiso lukaYehova size sizabalazele ukwenza ngokuvisisana nentando yakhe.​—Yak. 4:15.

²⁰ Eshiya uAkwila noPrisila e-Efese, uPawulos wehlisa ulwandle waya eKesareya. Kuyacaca ukuba “wenyuka” waya eYerusalem esiya kubulisa ibandla elilapho. (IZe. 18:22) Emva koko waya kowabo​—kwa-Antiyokwe yaseSiriya. Uhambo lwakhe lwesibini njengomthunywa wevangeli lwafikelela esiphelweni ngempumelelo. Lwaluza kuba njani uhambo lwakhe lokugqibela njengomvangeli?