1, 2. Kwenzeka ntoni xa uPawulos noBharnabhas babeseListra?

 KUKHO isiphithiphithi eListra. Indoda eyazalwa isisiqhwala iyaxhuma-xhuma luvuyo emva kokuphiliswa ngabantu ababini engabaziyo. Abantu bamangalisiwe futhi bakholelwa ukuba la madoda mabini angoothixo. Ngoko umbingeleli kaZeyus uphathela la madoda izithsaba. Kuvakala ukufutha nokubhonga kweenkunzi zeenkomo njengoko umbingeleli kaZeyus elungiselela ukubingelela ngazo. UPawulos noBharnabhas bazama ukuyinqanda yonke le nto yenzekayo. Bakrazula izambatho zabo, baye kweso sihlwele besicenga ukuba singabanquli, kodwa iba ngumzamo omkhulu ukusenza singabanquli.

² Kusenjalo, kufika amaYuda achasayo evela kwi-Antiyokwe yasePisidiya naseIkoniyo. Athetha izinto ezingcolisa igama likaPawulos noBharnabhas, esenza ukuba abantu baseListra babazonde. Isihlwele ebesikade sifuna ukumnqula uPawulos ngoku simvela macala onke size simbethe ngamatye de angabikho zingqondweni. Emva koko sirhuqa umzimba kaPawulos ogcwele igazi nogruzukileyo siwusa ngaphandle kwesixeko, sicinga ukuba ufile.

 3. Yeyiphi imibuzo esiza kuthetha ngayo kwesi sahluko?

³ Izinto zafikelela njani kule meko embi? Yintoni enokufundwa ngabavakalisi beendaba ezilungileyo namhlanje kwizinto ezenzeka kuBharnabhas, uPawulos nakubantu baseListra ababengenamqolo? Abadala abangamaKristu banokumlinganisa njani uBharnabhas noPawulos abangazange baphele mandla, abaqhubeka “beshumayela, benesibindi negunya ababelinikwe nguYehova”?​—IZe. 14:3.

4, 5. Kwakutheni ukuze uPawulos noBharnabhas baye eIkoniyo, ibe kwenzeka ntoni apho?

⁴ Kwiintsuku ezimbalwa ngaphambili, uPawulos noBharnabhas babelahlelwe ngaphandle kwesixeko samaRoma, iAntiyokwe yasePisidiya, emva kokuba amaYuda achasayo ebavusele uqhushululu. Noko ke, kunokuba adimazeke la madoda asuka ‘awavuthululela uthuli ezinyaweni zawo’ abemi abachasayo beso sixeko. (IZe. 13:50-52; Mat. 10:14) UPawulos noBharnabhas  babashiya ngoxolo abo bachasi ukuze baziphendulele kuThixo ngezenzo zabo. (IZe. 18:5, 6; 20:26) Bengapheli mandla aba bathunywa bevangeli batyhalela phambili nokhenketho lwabo lokushumayela. Behamba umgama omalunga neekhilomitha eziyi-150 ukusa kumzantsi-mpuma, baya kugaleleka kwithafa elinomhlaba otyebileyo phakathi kweentaba zeTaurus neSultan.

⁵ Ekuqaleni, uPawulos noBharnabhas bathi xhaa eIkoniyo, eyayigquba izithethe zamaGrike yaye yayisesinye sezixeko eziphambili zephondo laseRoma iGalati. a Kwesi sixeko kwakukho amaYuda anempembelelo neqela elikhulu labangeni ebuYudeni. Ngokwesiqhelo, uPawulos noBharnabhas bangena kwindlu yesikhungu baza baqalisa ukushumayela. (IZe. 13:5, 14) “Abantu abaninzi abangamaYuda nabangamaGrike baba ngamakholwa ngenxa yendlela ababethetha ngayo.”​—IZe. 14:1.

 6. Yintoni eyanceda uPawulos noBharnabhas baphumelela ekufundiseni, ibe thina sinokubaxelisa njani?

⁶ Yintoni eyayibangela ukuba uPawulos noBharnabhas baphumelele kangaka kwindlela ababethetha ngayo? UPawulos wayenovimba wobulumko beZibhalo. Wayenobuchule bokudibanisa imbali, iziprofeto noMthetho kaMoses ukuze angqine ukuba uYesu wayenguMesiya othenjisiweyo. (IZe. 13:15-31; 26:22, 23) Indlela uBharnabhas awayethetha ngayo nabantu yayisenza babone ukuba ubakhathalele. (IZe. 4:36, 37; 9:27; 11:23, 24) Babengathembeli kulwazi lwabo kunoko babethetha ‘ngegunya ababelinikwe nguYehova.’ Unokubaxelisa njani wena abo bathunywa bevangeli xa ushumayela? Ngokwenza oku kulandelayo: Lazi kakuhle iLizwi likaThixo. Khetha iZibhalo eziya kubangela umdla kubantu othetha nabo. Khangela iindlela eziluncedo zokuthuthuzela abo ushumayela kubo. Lonke ixesha iimfundiso zakho zisekele kwigunya leLizwi likaYehova, kungekhona kubulumko bakho.

 7. (a) Yiyiphi imiphumo eveliswa ziindaba ezilungileyo? (b) Ukuba intsapho yakho ayiboni ngasonye ngenxa yokuthobela kwakho iindaba ezilungileyo, yintoni omele uyikhumbule?

⁷ Asingabo bonke abantu baseIkoniyo abakuvuyelayo ukuva oko kwakuza kuthethwa nguPawulos noBharnabhas. ULuka uhlabela mgama athi: “AmaYuda awayengazange akholwe antyontyela abantu beentlanga, abafaka umoya ombi ukuba bajikele abazalwana.” UPawulos noBharnabhas babona kuyimfuneko ukuba bakhe bahlale apho ukuze bakhusele iindaba ezilungileyo, ibe “kwaqengqeleka iintsuku beshumayela, benesibindi.” Ngenxa yoko, “abantu beso sixeko baqhekeka phakathi, abanye bakwicala lamaYuda, abanye bakwelabapostile.” (IZe. 14:2-4) Nanamhlanje, abantu basasabela ngendlela efanayo kwiindaba ezilungileyo. Abanye iindaba ezilungileyo ziyabamanyanisa; zize abanye zibahlukanise. (Mat. 10:34-36) Ukuba intsapho yakho yahlulelene ngenxa yokuthobela kwakho iindaba ezilungileyo, khumbula ukuba into edla ngokubangela ukuba ichase ngolo hlobo ngamarhe angachananga okanye intlebendwane. Ihambo yakho entle ingawangqina ebubuvuvu loo marhe zize ekugqibeleni zinyibilike iintliziyo zabo bebechasa.​—1 Pet. 2:12; 3:1, 2.

 8. Kwakutheni ukuze uPawulos noBharnabhas bemke eIkoniyo, ibe sisiphi isifundo esisifumanayo kumzekelo wabo?

 ⁸ Emva kwexesha elithile, abachasi baseIkoniyo baqulunqa iqhinga lokubaxuluba ngamatye uPawulos noBharnabhas. Bathi aba bathunywa bevangeli bakulunywa indlebe ngeli gumgedle, bemka baya kushumayela kwenye indawo. (IZe. 14:5-7) Abavakalisi boBukumkani basenza okufanayo nanamhlanje. Xa sithukwa, sithetha ngenkalipho. (Fil. 1:7; 1 Pet. 3:13-15) Kodwa xa sisongelwa ngogonyamelo, siyayiphepha into eza kusifaka engozini okanye ifake abazalwana bethu ngokungeyomfuneko.​—IMize. 22:3.

9, 10. Yayiphi iListra, ibe yintoni esiyaziyo ngabemi balapho?

⁹ UPawulos noBharnabhas badlulela eListra, ithanga laseRoma elimalunga neekhilomitha eziyi-30 ukusa kumzantsi-ntshona weIkoniyo. IListra yayinobudlelwane obuhle gqitha neAntiyokwe yasePisidiya kodwa, ngokwahlukileyo kweso sixeko, kuyo kwakungekho ndawo ikhethekileyo ihlala amaYuda. Nakuba kusenokwenzeka ukuba abantu balapho babethetha isiGrike, ulwimi lwabo lweenkobe yayisisiLikawoniya. Mhlawumbi ngenxa yokuba kwakungekho ndlu yasikhungu kweso sixeko, uPawulos noBharnabhas baqalisa ukushumayela esidlangalaleni. Ngoxa wayeseYerusalem, uPetros waphilisa indoda eyazalwa inesiphene. EListra uPawulos waphilisa indoda eyazalwa isisiqhwala. (IZe. 14:8-10) Ngenxa yaloo mmangaliso wenziwa nguPetros, isihlwele esikhulu saba ngamakholwa. (IZe. 3:1-10) Lo kaPawulos ummangaliso wenza abantu basabela ngeendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo.

¹⁰ Njengokuba kuchazwe ekuqaleni kwesi sahluko, yathi le ndoda isisiqhwala yakuhamba, ngoko nangoko isihlwele sabahedeni baseListra safikelela kwisigqibo esiphosakeleyo. Sabiza uBharnabhas ngokuthi nguZeyus, inkosi yoothixo, saza yena uPawulos sathi nguHermes, unyana kaZeyus nesithethi  soothixo. (Funda ibhokisi enomxholo othi, “ IListra Nonqulo LukaZeyus NoHermes.”) Noko ke, uBharnabhas noPawulos babezimisele ukwenza eso sihlwele siqonde ukuba babethetha yaye besenza izinto kungekhona ngegunya loothixo bobuhedeni kodwa ngegunya likaYehova, uThixo oyinyaniso.​—IZe. 14:11-14.

11-13. (a) Yintoni eyathethwa nguPawulos noBharnabhas kubantu baseListra? (b) Sisiphi isifundo esinokusifunda kumazwi kaPawulos noBharnabhas?

¹¹ Phezu kwazo nje ezo ziganeko, uPawulos noBharnabhas babesazama ukufikelela iintliziyo zabantu balapho kangangoko banako. Kwesi isiganeko, uLuka wabhala ngendlela ephumelelayo yokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo kubahedeni. Phawula indlela uPawulos noBharnabhas abatshayelela ngayo intshumayelo yabo: “Madoda, kutheni nisenza le nto nje? Nathi singabantu abanezigulo zabo njengani. Sishumayela iindaba ezilungileyo kuni ukuze niyeke ukukhonza ezi zinto zingancedi nganto, nikhonze uThixo ophilayo, owadala izulu, umhlaba, ulwandle nazo zonke izinto ezikuzo. Kumaxesha agqithileyo uye wazivumela iintlanga ukuba zenze unothanda, kodwa uye wanibonisa ukuba unjani ngokwenza izinto ezintle, eninika iimvula ezivela ezulwini nezivuno, eninika ukutya okwaneleyo aze aqinisekise ukuba niyonwaba.”​—IZe. 14:15-17.

¹² Yintoni esinokuyifunda kula mazwi abo? Okokuqala kukuba, uPawulos noBharnabhas abazange bazigqale njengabongamileyo kubantu ababethetha nabo. Abazange bazenze into abangeyiyo. Kunoko, ngokuzithoba bavuma ukuba banobuthathaka obufanayo nobo babo bantu. Yinyaniso ukuba, bona uPawulos noBharnabhas babefumene umoya oyingcwele yaye babekhululekile kwiimfundiso zobuxoki. Babenalo nethemba lokulawula kunye noKristu. Sekunjalo babesazi ukuba nabo abemi baseListra babenokuzifumana ezo zipho ngokuthobela uKristu.

 ¹³ Sibajonga njani abantu esishumayela kubo? Ngaba sibagqala njengabalinganayo nathi? Njengoko sinceda abanye bafunde inyaniso yeLizwi likaThixo, ngaba nathi njengoPawulos noBharnabhas siyakuphepha ukuzifunela uzuko? UCharles Taze Russell, umshumayeli obalaseleyo owayekhokela kumsebenzi wokushumayela ukususela pha koo-1870 ukuya ku-1916, wamisela umzekelo omhle gqitha kule nkalo. Wabhala wathi: “Asifuni kuzukiswa, thina kwanezinto esizibhalileyo; singanqweneli kwanokubizwa ngokuthi Mfundisi okanye Rabhi.” Isimo sengqondo sokuthobeka sikaMzalwan’ uRussell sasifana neso sikaPawulos noBharnabhas. Ngokufanayo ke, injongo yokushumayela kwethu asikokuzifunela uzuko kodwa kukunceda abantu baguqukele ‘kuThixo ophilayo.’

14-16. Sisiphi isifundo sesibini nesesithathu esinokusifunda koko kwathethwa nguPawulos noBharnabhas kubantu baseListra?

¹⁴ Qwalasela isifundo sesibini esinokusifumana kule ntetho. UPawulos noBharnabhas babekwazi ukuzivisisanisa neemeko. Ngokwahlukileyo kumaYuda nabangeni ebuYudeni baseIkoniyo, abemi baseListra babenolwazi oluncinane okanye bengenalo kwaphela ngeZibhalo okanye iindlela uThixo awaluphatha ngayo uhlanga lakwaSirayeli. Sekunjalo, abo babephulaphule uPawulos noBharnabhas babephila ngokulima. IListra yayinemozulu efumileyo nomhlaba ochumileyo. Abo bantu babenokububona ubungqina obuninzi beempawu zoMdali njengoko zazibonakala kwizinto ezifana namaxesha esivuno esichumileyo, ibe ooPawulos basebenzisa loo nkalo babefana ngayo ukuze bakwazi ukuqiqa nabo.​—Roma 1:19, 20.

¹⁵ Ngaba nathi singakwazi ukuzivumelanisa neemeko? Nakuba umfama enokuhlwayela imbewu enye kwiqela lamasimi akhe, umele asebenzise iindlela ezahlukahlukeneyo ukulungisa umhlaba lowo. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba amanye amasimi sele ethambile elungele ukutyalwa. Amanye asenokufuna ukulungiswa. Ngokufanayo ke, imbewu esiyihlwayelayo iyafana​—sisigidimi soBukumkani esifumaneka kwiLizwi likaThixo. Noko ke, ukuba sifana noPawulos noBharnabhas siya kuzama ukuziqonda iimeko nemvelaphi yonqulo lwabantu esishumayela kubo. Olu lwazi luya kusinceda kwindlela esisibeka ngayo isigidimi soBukumkani.​—Luka 8:11, 15.

¹⁶ Sikho nesifundo sesithathu esinokusifunda kule ngxelo iphathelele uPawulos, uBharnabhas nabantu baseListra. Phezu kwayo nje imigudu yethu, maxa wambi imbewu esiyihlwayelayo iyaxhwilwa iphume emhlabeni okanye iwele ematyeni. (Mat. 13:18-21) Ukuba kunjalo, ungalahli ithemba. Njengokuba uPawulos wakhumbuza abafundi abaseRoma kamva, “ngamnye wethu [kuquka umntu ngamnye esixubusha naye ngeLizwi likaThixo] uza kuziphendulela kuThixo.”​—Roma 14:12.

17. Emva kokushiya kwabo iDerbhe, yiyiphi indawo abaya kuyo uPawulos noBharnabhas, yaye ngoba?

¹⁷ Emva kokuba uPawulos erhuqelwe ngaphandle kweListra waza washiywa kucingwa ukuba ufile, abafundi bamngqonga ibe wavuka waza wafumana  indawo yokufihla intloko ngobo busuku. Kusuku olulandelayo, uPawulos noBharnabhas baqalisa uhambo lweekhilomitha eziyi-100 besiya eDerbhe. Olo hambo lumele ukuba lwalunzima gqitha kuPawulos owayetyiwa ziintlungu zokuxulutywa ngamatye kwiiyure nje ezimbalwa ngaphambi koko. Sekunjalo, yena noBharnabhas banyamezela ibe ukufika kwabo eDerbhe benza “abantu abaninzi bangabafundi.” Kunokuba bathabathe indlela emfutshane ebuyela ekhaya kwa-Antiyokwe yaseSiriya, “babuyela eListra, eIkoniyo nakwa-Antiyokwe [yasePisidiya].” Ngayiphi injongo? Ukuze bomeleze “abafundi, bebakhuthaza ukuba bahlale benokholo.” (IZe. 14:20-22) La madoda amisela umzekelo kakhulu! Babeka izilangazelelo zebandla ngaphambi kwezabo. Nabaveleli abahambahambayo nabathunywa bevangeli banamhlanje bazeka mzekweni.

18. Yintoni ebandakanyekileyo xa kumiselwa abadala?

¹⁸ Ukongezelela ekomelezeni abafundi ngamazwi nomzekelo wabo, uPawulos noBharnabhas bamisela ‘abadala kwibandla ngalinye.’ Nakuba ‘babethunyelwa ngumoya oyingcwele’ kolu hambo lobuthunywa bevangeli, uPawulos noBharnabhas babethandaza yaye bezila xa ‘benikela [abadala] kuYehova.’ (IZe. 13:1-4; 14:23) Kwenziwa ngendlela efanayo nanamhanje. Ngaphambi kokuba lincomele abo baza kumiselwa, iqumrhu labadala lebandla liyathandaza ukuze lihlolisise enoba umzalwana unazo kusini na iimfaneleko ezifunwa ziZibhalo. (1 Tim. 3:1-10, 12, 13; Tito 1:5-9; Yak. 3:17, 18; 1 Pet. 5:2, 3) Asibobude bexesha analo engumKristu eyona nto igqibayo ngokufaneleka kwakhe. Kodwa, yindlela athetha ngayo, aziphethe ngayo negama azenzele lona ezinikela ubungqina bokuba umoya oyingcwele uyasebenza kuye. Imilinganiselo yabaveleli efunwa ziZibhalo yiyo egqibayo enoba uyakufanelekela kusini na ukuba ngumalusi womhlambi. (Gal. 5:22, 23) Ngumsebenzi womveleli wesiphaluka ukubamisela.​—Thelekisa eyoku-1 kuTimoti 5:22.

19. Yintoni abaziyo ukuba baya kuphendula ngayo abadala, yaye bamxelisa njani uPawulos noBharnabhas?

¹⁹ Abadala abamiselweyo bayazi ukuba bayaphendula kuThixo ngendlela abaphatha ngayo ibandla. (Heb. 13:17) NjengoPawulos noBharnabhas, abadala bayakhokela kumsebenzi wokushumayela. Bomeleza abazalwana babo ngamazwi abo. Bakulungele ukubeka izilangazelelo zebandla ngaphambi kwezabo.​—Fil. 2:3, 4.

20. Yiyiphi indlela esizuza ngayo ngokufunda iingxelo zomsebenzi wokuthembeka kwabazalwana bethu?

²⁰ Xa uPawulos noBharnabhas bade babuyela kwisigqubu sabo sabathunywa bevangeli kwa-Antiyokwe yaseSiriya, babalisa “izinto uThixo awayezenzile esebenzisa bona, nokuba wayevulele abantu beentlanga ithuba lokuba babe ngamakholwa.” (IZe. 14:27) Njengoko sifunda ngomsebenzi wokuthembeka wabazalwana bethu abangamaKristu size sibone indlela uYehova ayisikelela ngayo imigudu yabo, siya kukhuthazeka size sihlale ‘sishumayela, sinesibindi negunya esilinikwa nguYehova.’