1, 2. Yintoni le yayahlukile ngohambo olwaluza kuthathwa nguBharnabhas noSawule, futhi loo nto yayiza kuwazalisekisa njani amazwi akwiZenzo 1:8?

 LUSUKU lokuvuya kwibandla lakwa-Antiyokwe. Kubo bonke abaprofeti nabafundisi abakhoyo, umoya oyingcwele uye wakhetha uBharnabhas noSawule ukuba baye kushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo kwiindawo ezikude. a (IZe. 13:1, 2) Yinyaniso kona ukuba, akho amadoda afanelekayo aye athunyelwa ngaphambili. Kodwa, abo bathunywa bevangeli bebekade bethunyelwa kwiindawo esele zinawo amaKristu. (IZe. 8:14; 11:22) KweIi ixesha, uBharnabhas noSawule, bekunye noYohane Marko, oza kuba ngumncedisi wabo, baza kuthunyelwa kwiindawo apho abantu abaninzi bengazange beva kwanto ngeendaba ezilungileyo.

² Malunga neminyaka eyi-14 ngaphambili, uYesu wathi kubalandeli bakhe: “Niza kuba ngamangqina am eYerusalem, kulo lonke elakwaYuda naseSamariya, de niyokufika nakwezona ndawo zikude emhlabeni.” (IZe. 1:8) Ukuthunyelwa kukaBharnabhas noSawule kwamanye amazwe kuza kuzalisekisa loo mazwi kaYesu! b

3. Yintoni eyayisenza ukuba ukuhamba imigama emide kube nzima ngexesha lamaKristu okuqala?

³ Kule mihla, abantu bayakwazi ukuhamba imigama emide ngeyure nje enye okanye ezimbini kuba kukho iimoto neenqwelo-moya. Yayingekho yonke loo nto ngexesha lamaKristu okuqala. Ngelo xesha, abantu babehamba ngeenyawo, amaxesha amaninzi behamba kwiindlela ezimbi. Abantu babenokuba sendleleni imini yonke kodwa bahambe iikhilomitha eziyi-30 nje kuphela, umntu adinwe aphele! c Ngoko, nangona ngokuqinisekileyo uBharnabhas noSawule babenomdla kuloo msebenzi babewuthunyiwe, nakanjani baqonda ukuba olo hambo lwaluza kuba ngumsebenzi futhi lwaluza kufuna nokuzincama.​—Mat. 16:24.

4. (a) Yintoni eyakhomba ukuba kukhethwe uBharnabhas noSawule, futhi abazalwana bathini ngokumiselwa kwabo? (b) Sinokubaxhasa njani abo bafumana imisebenzi yentlangano?

 ⁴ Kwakutheni ukuze umoya oyingcwele ukhombe kuBharnabhas noSawule ukuba ‘bakhethelwe ukwenza umsebenzi’? (IZe. 13:2) IBhayibhile ayisichazeli. Siyazi ukuba ngumoya oyingcwele owenza ukuba kukhethwe la madoda. Akukho nto ebonisa ukuba abaprofeti nabafundisi bakwa-Antiyokwe baphikisana neso sigqibo. Into abayenzayo kukusixhasa. Yiba nombono wendlela abamele ukuba bavakalelwa ngayo uBharnabhas noSawule xa abazalwana babo bengazange babamonele, kodwa banca ma ukutya baza bathandaza, “bababeka izandla, baza babayeka bahamba.” (IZe. 13:3) Nathi sifanele sibancede kangangoko abo banikwa imisebenzi ebandleni. Asifanelanga sibamonele abo banikwa loo misebenzi, kodwa sifanele ‘sibahloniphe kakhulu yaye sibathande ngenxa yokusebenza kwabo nzima.’​—1 Tes. 5:13.

5. Balisa ukuba kwakunjani ukushumayela kwisiqithi saseSipro.

⁵ Emva kokuba behambe ngeenyawo baya eSelukiya, izibuko elikufuphi kwa-Antiyokwe, uBharnabhas noSawule bakhwela isikhephe baya kwisiqithi saseSipro, uhambo olumalunga neekhilomitha eziyi-200. d Njengenzalelwane yaseSipro, uBharnabhas umele ukuba wayenomdla nyhani wokushumayela  iindaba ezilungileyo kubantu bendawo yakowabo. Ukufika kwabo eSalami, isixeko esikunxweme lwempuma yeso siqithi, abazange balibazise. Ngoko nangoko, ‘baqalisa ukushumayela ilizwi likaThixo kwizindlu zamaYuda ekukhonzelwa kuzo.’ e (IZe. 13:5) Baqala kwelinye icala leso siqithi saseSipro baya kuphuma kwelinye, beshumayela kwizixeko eziphambili abadlula kuzo. Kuxhomekeka kwindlela abahamba ngayo, aba bathunywa bevangeli basenokuba bahamba ngeenyawo iikhilomitha ezimalunga neziyi-220.

6, 7. (a) Wayengubani uSergiyo Pawulos, futhi kwakutheni ukuze uBhar-Yesu azame ukumnqanda ekwamkeleni iindaba ezilungileyo? (b) Yintoni awayenzayo uSawule ukuze anqande uBhar-Yesu?

⁶ Ngexesha lamaKristu okuqala, abantu baseSipro babenqula oothixo bobuxoki. Indlela eyayimbi ngayo imeko yalapho yacaca xa uBharnabhas noSawule bafika ePafo, ekunxweme olusentshona kweso siqithi. Apho badibana ‘noBhar-Yesu indoda engumthakathi nomprofeti wobuxoki.’ “Yayisebenzela umlawuli wephondo uSergiyo Pawulos owayekrelekrele.” f Ngexesha lamaKristu okuqala, amaRoma amaninzi adumileyo, ‘nawayekrelekrele’ njengoSergiyo Pawulos, ayedla ngokuyocela uncedo kubathakathi okanye kubavumisi ngeenkwenkwezi xa eza kwenza izigqibo ezibalulekileyo. Kodwa uSergiyo Pawulos waba nomdla kwiindaba zoBukumkani futhi “wayefuna nyhani ukuva ilizwi likaThixo.” Le nto ayizange ihle kamnandi kuBhar-Yesu, owayekwabizwa ngokuba nguElimas, igama elithetha ‘umthakathi.’​—IZe. 13:6-8.

⁷ UBhar-Yesu wazichasa iindaba zoBukumkani. Ekuphela kwendlela awayenokwenza ngayo ukuze ahlale emphethe uSergiyo Pawulos ‘yayikukunqanda lo umlawuli wephondo ukuba angabi likholwa.’ (IZe. 13:8) Kodwa uSawule zange ayivumele into yokuba umdla kaSergiyo Pawulos uphazanyiswe ngumthakathi. Yintoni ke awayenzayo? Ingxelo ithi: “USawule okwabizwa ngokuba nguPawulos, wafumana umoya oyingcwele waza wayijonga le ndoda [uBhar-Yesu] wathi: ‘Wena somaqhingashendini okhohlakeleyo, nyana kaMtyholi, olutshaba  lwayo yonke into elungileyo, uza kuyeka nini ukugqwetha iindlela ezilungileyo zikaYehova? Jonga! uYehova uza kukohlwaya, yaye uza kuba yimfama, ungakuboni ukukhanya kwelanga okwexeshana.’ Ngokukhawuleza yonke into yaba nkungu kuye, kwaba mnyama, ngoko wajikeleza efuna umntu aza kubambelela kuye.” g Yabangela ntoni loo nto? “Umlawuli wephondo akubona into eyenzekileyo, waba likholwa, kuba wamangaliswa zizinto awazifunda ngoYehova.”​—IZe. 13:9-12.

8. Sinokuyilinganisa njani indlela awayenesibindi ngayo uPawulos namhlanje?

⁸ UPawulos akazange oyikiswe nguBhar-Yesu. Nathi asifanelanga soyikiswe ngabachasi xa bezama ukuphazamisa ukholo lwabantu abanomdla kwiindaba zoBukumkani. Ewe kona, sifanele sizame ‘ukuhlala sithetha kakuhle, amazwi ethu enongwe ngetyiwa.’ (Kol. 4:6) Kodwa soze singamncedi umntu onomdla wokufunda ngoYehova kuba nje sifuna ukuphepha ingxabano. Asifanelanga soyike ukuthetha ngezinto ezirongo ezenziwa nezithethwa ziinkonzo zobuxoki, eziqhubeka ‘zigqwetha iindlela ezilungileyo zikaYehova’ njengoBhar-Yesu. (IZe. 13:10) NjengoPawulos, sifuna ukuyishumayela ngesibindi inyaniso, size sincede nabantu abafuna ukwazi. Kule mihla, uThixo akasinikanga amandla okwenza imimangaliso njengoPawulos, kodwa siqinisekile ukuba ngomoya wakhe oyingcwele unceda abantu abafanelekayo bazi inyaniso.​—Yoh. 6:44.

9. UPawulos noBharnabhas baba ngumzekelo omhle njani kumadoda akhokelayo ebandleni namhlanje?

⁹ Kuyacaca ukuba kwabakho utshintsho olwenzekayo xa la madoda ashiya iPafo akhwela isikhephe aya ePerga, ekunxweme lweAsia Minor malunga neekhilomitha eziyi-250 xa uhamba ngolwandle. KwiZenzo 13:13, eli qela lichazwa ngokuthi, “uPawulos nabantu awayehamba nabo.” Le nto isenokuthetha ukuba ngoku yaba nguPawulos okhokela eli qela. Kodwa akukho nto ibonisa  ukuba uBharnabhas wammonela uPawulos ngaloo nto. Endaweni yaloo nto, la madoda mabini aqhubeka esebenzisana ukuze afeze ukuthanda kukaThixo. UPawulos noBharnabhas bangumzekelo omhle kumadoda akhokelayo ebandleni namhlanje. Kunokuba abe efuna ukubaluleka ngaphezu kwabanye, amaKristu akhumbula amazwi kaYesu athi: “Nonke nina ningabazalwana.” Wongeza wathi: “Nabani na oziphakamisayo uza kuthotywa, kodwa yena ozithobayo uza kuphakanyiswa.”​—Mat. 23:8, 12.

10. Chaza ukuba lwalunjani uhambo olusuka ePerga ukuya kwa-Antiyokwe ePisidiya.

¹⁰ Ukufika kwabo ePerga, uYohane Marko wabashiya uPawulos noBharnabhas wabuyela eYerusalem. Asichazwa isizathu sokubashiya kwakhe ngequbuliso. UPawulos noBharnabhas baqhubeka nohambo, besuka ePerga besiya kwa-Antiyokwe yasePisidiya, isixeko esikwiphondo laseGalati. Olu yayingelohambo lulula, kuba iAntiyokwe yasePisidiya yayiphezulu ezintabeni. Kwakuyingozi ukuhamba kwezo ntaba kuba kwakukho ootsotsi ababedla ngokuhlasela abahambi. Ukongeza kuyo yonke loo nto, kubonakala ukuba ngelo xesha uPawulos wayesele ekhathazwa yimpilo. h

11, 12. Xa wayethetha kwindlu awayekhonzela kuyo amaYuda eAntiyokwe yasePisidiya, uPawulos wazama njani ukuwenza ubangele umdla umyalezo wakhe?

¹¹ KwiAntiyokwe yasePisidiya, uPawulos noBharnabhas bangena kwindlu awayekhonzela kuyo amaYuda ngeSabatha. Ingxelo ithi: “Emva kokuba abantu befundelwe uMthetho neencwadi zabaProfeti, amagosa akhokelayo kwindlu akhonzela kuyo amaYuda athumela umyalezo kubo, esithi: ‘Madoda, bazalwana, ukuba kukho naliphi na ilizwi elinokukhuthaza abantu, lithetheni.’” (IZe. 13:15) UPawulos waphakama wathetha.

¹² UPawulos waqalisa ngala mazwi: “Madoda, maSirayeli nani bantu boyika uThixo,  mamelani.” (IZe. 13:16) Abo bantu wayethetha nabo yayingamaYuda nabantu abaguqukele kubuYuda. Abantu awayethetha nabo babengekamamkeli uYesu njengoMesiya. Ngoko uPawulos wathetha nabo njani ngendlela evakalayo kubo? Okokuqala, wabalisa ngembali yesizwe samaYuda. Wacacisa indlela uYehova ‘awabenza baba namandla ngayo ngoxa babengabantu basemzini eYiputa’ nendlela awabakhulula ngayo, waza “wabanyamezela entlango “ iminyaka eyi-40. Wabalisa nangendlela amaSirayeli awalithatha ngayo iLizwe Lesithembiso nawathi uYehova ‘wabahlulela ngayo loo mhlaba ukuba ube lilifa labo.’ (IZe. 13:17-19) Abanye bathi uPawulos wayethetha ngezinto abantu ababesanda kuziva zifundwa eZibhalweni ngeSabatha ngaloo mini. Ukuba kunjalo, lowo ngomnye umzekelo obonisa ukuba uPawulos wayekwazi kakuhle ukuba “zizinto zonke kuzo zonke iintlobo zabantu.”​—1 Kor. 9:22.

13. Yintoni esinokuyenza ukuze abantu abasimameleyo babe nomdla?

¹³ Nathi sifanele sizame ukuthetha ngendlela eza kwenza abantu babe nomdla. Ngokomzekelo, xa sizazi izinto akholelwa kuzo umntu, sinokuthetha izinto eziza kubangela umdla kuye. Kanti sinokucaphula neevesi zeBhayibhile ekusenokwenzeka ukuba uqhelene nazo. Ngamany’ amaxesha kuba bhetele ukumcela azifundele kweyakhe iBhayibhile. Cinga iindlela zokwenza abantu othetha nabo babe nomdla.

14. (a) UPawulos wazitshayelela njani iindaba ezilungileyo ezingoYesu, futhi yintoni awayithethayo ukwenza abantu bawamamele amazwi akhe? (b) Bathini abantu emva kokuva intetho kaPawulos?

¹⁴ UPawulos walandelisa ngokucacisa ukuba ookumkani bakwaSirayeli babengookhokho ‘bakaYesu ongumsindisi.’ Wacacisa nendlela uYohane uMbhaptizi awabalungiselela ngayo abantu ukuba bamkele lo ‘Yesu ongumsindisi.’ Emva koko wacacisa indlela uYesu awabulawa nawavuswa ngayo. (IZe. 13:20-37) Wathi: “Ngoko bazalwana yazini ukuba ngenxa yakhe kushunyayelwa kuni ukuba uThixo uza kuzixolela izono zenu . . . Wonke umntu okholwayo wenziwa msulwa ngenxa kaYesu.” Lo mpostile walandelisa ngokubaxelela ukuba kutheni befanele bawamamele loo mazwi ngokuthi: “Lumkani ukuba ingenzeki kuni le nto yathethwa ngabaProfeti besithi: ‘Nina bagxekayo, jongani umsebenzi endiza kuwenza ngemihla yenu. Beningazukuwukholelwa nokuba umntu ebenokunibalisela ngawo ngokweenkcukacha. Kodwa niza kumangaliswa nguwo nize nitshabalale.’” Kungenzeka ukuba uPawulos wayengayilindelanga into abayenzayo abantu emva kokuba ethethile. IBhayibhile ithi: “Abantu babacenga ukuba baphinde bazokuthetha ngezi zinto ngeSabatha elandelayo.” Ukuphuma kwawo kwindlu awayekhonzela kuyo, “amaYuda amaninzi nabantu ababeguqukele kubuYuda, ababekhonza uThixo, balandela uPawulos noBharnabhas.”​—IZe. 13:38-43.

15. Yintoni eyenzekayo ngeSabatha elandelayo?

¹⁵ KwiSabatha elandelayo “phantse sonke isixeko” sadibana ukuze sive uPawulos. Awazange ayithande amanye amaYuda loo nto, futhi “athetha kakubi, ephikisa izinto ezazithethwa nguPawulos.” Yena noBharnabas baba nesibindi  bathi kuwo: “Bekufanelekile ukuba ilizwi likaThixo lithethwe kuni kuqala. Kodwa ekubeni ningalifuni yaye ningaziboni nifanelwe bubomi obungunaphakade, siza kushumayela ezintlangeni. Kuba uYehova wasiyalela wathi: ‘Ndikukhethile ukuba ukhanyisele iintlanga, ukuze usindise abantu nakwezona ndawo zikude zomhlaba.’”​—IZe. 13:44-47; Isa. 49:6.

16. Enza ntoni amaYuda ngenxa yamazwi awathethwa ngesibindi nguPawulos noBharnabhas, futhi aba bashumayeli benza ntoni xa babechaswa?

¹⁶ Bavuya kakhulu abantu beentlanga ababemamele, futhi “bonke abo babezimisele ukufumana ubomi obungunaphakade baba ngamakholwa.” (IZe. 13:48) Ilizwi likaYehova lasasazeka ngokukhawuleza kulo lonke ilizwe. Kodwa wona amaYuda zange athande. UPawulos noBharnabhas babewaxelele ukuba ayengawokuqala ukuva iindaba ezilungileyo ezingoMesiya kodwa awazange amamkele. Yiloo nto uThixo wayeza kuwagweba. AmaYuda antyontyela abafazi besixeko abaziwayo namadoda akhokelayo, ‘atshutshisa uPawulos noBharnabhas, aza abaphosela ngaphandle kwesixeko.’ UPawulos noBharnabhas benza ntoni? “Bavuthulula uthuli ezinyaweni zabo baza baya eIkoniyo.” Ngaba loo nto yayithetha ukuba kuphelile ngobuKristu kwiAntiyokwe yasePisidiya? Tu ke khona! Abafundi abashiyekayo “baqhubeka bevuya yaye befumana umoya oyingcwele.”​—IZe. 13:50-52.

17-19. Zeziphi iindlela esinokubalinganisa ngazo uPawulos noBharnabhas, futhi loo nto ingasinceda njani sihlale sivuya?

¹⁷ Sinokufunda into ebalulekileyo kwaba bafundi bathembekileyo abaqhubeka bevuya nangona babetshutshiswa. Asiyeki ukushumayela, naxa abantu abaziwayo behlabathi bezama ukusiyekisa ukushumayela ngoBukumkani BukaThixo. Phawula nokuba xa abantu bakwa-Antiyokwe bengazange bawamkele umyalezo wabo, uPawulos noBharnabhas “bavuthulula uthuli ezinyaweni zabo.” Ukwenza loo nto kwakungathethi kuthi banomsindo kwabo bantu, kodwa yayibonisa ukuba bayenzile into uYehova ebebathume yona futhi abanakubekwa tyala ngento eza kwenzeka kwabo bantu. Aba bashumayeli babeqonda ukuba abanakubanyanzela abantu ukuba bakholelwe kuYesu. Ekuphela kwento ababenokukwazi ukuyenza kukuqhubeka beshumayela. Yiloo nto baya eIkoniyo!

¹⁸ Abafundi abatsha kwa-Antiyokwe babeshiyeke ngaphandle koPawulos noBharnabhas. Kwafuneka bahlale nabantu ababebatshutshisa. Kodwa uvuyo lwabo lwalungaxhomekekanga kwinto yokuba baninzi kangakanani abantu ababeza kuwamkela umyalezo wabo. UYesu wathi: “Bonwabe kakhulu abo balivayo ilizwi likaThixo baze balithobele!” (Luka 11:28) Yiloo nto kanye ababezimisele ukuyenza abafundi baseAntiyokwe yasePisidiya.

¹⁹ NjengoPawulos noBharnabhas, akwaba singahlala sikhumbula ukuba umsebenzi wethu kukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo. Kodwa ngabantu abaza kuzikhethela ukuba bayasimamela na okanye abasimameli. Xa bengenamdla, sinokulinganisa amaKristu okuqala. Nokuba siyatshutshiswa, nathi sinokuhlala sivuya xa sicinga ngendlela ezixabiseke ngayo iindaba ezilungileyo size sivumele uThixo asikhokele ngomoya wakhe.​—Gal. 5:18, 22.