1-4. Kutheni uPawulos esiya eYerusalem, ibe yintoni emlindeleyo apho?

 KWABA buhlungu gqitha xa babehamba eMileto. Kwakunzima gqitha kuPawulos noLuka ukushiya abadala base-Efese ababebathanda ngokwenene. Aba bathunywa bevangeli bema esikhepheni. Kwimpahla yabo kwakukho ezo zinto babeza kuzisebenzisa endleleni. Babephethe nezinto zoncedo abaziqokelelela amaKristu akwelakwaYuda yaye bezimisele ukubona ezi zipho zifika apho ziya khona.

² Kuphephezela umoya zitsho ziphakame iiseyile, yaye isikhephe siyasuka sishiya loo ngxokozelo isezibukweni. La madoda mabini, kunye namanye asixhenxe awayehamba nawo, ayekhangele kobo buso budakumbileyo babazalwana ababemi elunxwemeni. (IZe. 20:4, 14, 15) Baqhubeka bewangawangisa izandla de baya kusithela.

³ Malunga neminyaka emithathu, uPawulos wasebenza ngokusondeleyo nabadala base-Efese. Kodwa ngoku, esalathiswa ngumoya oyingcwele usendleleni eya eYerusalem. Unofifi ngoko kuza kwenzeka kuye. Ngaphambilana, wathi kwabo badala: “Umoya kaThixo uthi mandiye eYerusalem, nangona ndingazi ukuba kuza kwenzeka ntoni kum apho. Into endiyaziyo kukuba kuzo zonke izixeko ebendihamba kuzo, umoya oyingcwele ubusoloko undixelela ukuba ndilindelwe yijele nazizinto ezibuhlungu.” (IZe. 20:22, 23) Phezu kwayo nje loo ngozi, uPawulos uziva enyanzelekile ukuba athobele ulwalathiso ‘lomoya kaThixo’ lokuba aye eYerusalem, futhi uzimisele ukwenza njalo. Ubuxabisa gqitha ubomi bakhe, kodwa ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo yeyona nto ibalulekileyo kuye.

⁴ Ngaba nawe uvakalelwa ngaloo ndlela? Xa sizahlulela kuYehova, simthembisa ukuba ukwenza ukuthanda kwakhe kuza kuba yeyona nto ibalulekileyo kubomi bethu. Kungasinceda gqitha ukuqwalasela umzekelo wokuthembeka kampostile uPawulos.

5. Yiyiphi indlela abahamba ngayo ooPawulos ukuze baye kugaleleka eTire?

⁵ Isikhephe ababekhwele kuso ooPawulos “saya ngqo.” Oko kuthetha ukuba saqhutywa ngumoya de saya kufika eKosi kwangolo suku. (IZe. 21:1)  Kubonakala ukuba eso sikhephe samisa apho ebusuku ngaphambi kokuba sinduluke siye eRodo nasePatara. Apho ePatara, ekunxweme olukumazantsi eAsia Minor, abazalwana bakhwela isikhephe esikhulu esilayisha imithwalo, esabathwala sabasa ngqo eTire, eFenike. Kuloo ndlela, badlula ‘isiqithi saseSipro kwicala lasekhohlo’ lezibuko. (IZe. 21:3) Yintoni eyabangela ukuba uLuka umbhali wencwadi yeZenzo akhankanye loo nto yokudlula kwabo eso siqithi?

6. (a) Yintoni ekusenokuba kwamkhuthaza ngayo uPawulos ukubona iSipro? (b) Njengoko ucingisisa ngendlela uYehova aye wakusikelela waza wakunceda ngayo, sisiphi isigqibo ofikelela kuso?

⁶ Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uPawulos wababonisa eso siqithi ebalisa ngezinto ezamehlelayo apho. Kuhambo lwakhe lokuqala njengomthunywa wevangeli malunga neminyaka esithoba ngaphambili, uPawulos ekunye noBharnabhas noYohane Marko badibana apho nomkhafuli uElimas, owakuchasayo ukushumayela kwabo. (IZe. 13:4-12) Ukubona eso siqithi nokukhumbula oko kwenzeka kuso kusenokuba kwamkhuthaza uPawulos, kwamnika namandla okujamelana nezinto ezaziseza kumehlela ngaphambili. Nathi sinokungenelwa gqitha kukucamngca ngendlela uThixo aye wasisikelela  ngayo waza wasinceda sanyamezela izilingo. Oko kucamngca kunokusinceda sitsho amazwi afanayo nakaDavide owathi: “Zininzi iingxaki zelungisa, kodwa uYehova ulisindisa kuzo zonke.”​—INdu. 34:19.

7. Yintoni abayenzayo ooPawulos ukufika kwabo eTire?

⁷ UPawulos wayekuqonda ukubaluleka kobudlelwane nabazalwana abangamaKristu, ngoko wayelangazelela ukuba kunye nabo. ULuka ubhala athi, ukufika kwabo eTire, “sabakhangela sabafumana abafundi.” (IZe. 21:4) Ekubeni babesazi ukuba kwakukho abazalwana babo abangamaKristu eTire, ooPawulos babafuna yaye kusenokwenzeka ukuba bahlala kunye nabo. Enye yezona ntsikelelo zingathethekiyo zokwazi inyaniso kukuba kungakhathaliseki ukuba siya phi, sinokubafumana abazalwana bethu abangamaKristu abanokholo olufana nolwethu abaya kusamkela. Abo bathanda uThixo nabaqhelisela unqulo oluyinyaniso banabahlobo kulo lonke ihlabathi.

8. Sifanele siyiqonde njani incwadi yeZenzo 21:4?

⁸ Xa echaza iintsuku ezisixhenxe abazichitha eTire, uLuka ukhankanya nto ithile esenokukumangalisa ekuqaleni, uthi: “Bamxelela kaninzi [abazalwana baseTire] uPawulos ukuba angalubeki unyawo eYerusalem ngenxa yento ababeyixelelwe ngumoya oyingcwele.” (IZe. 21:4) Ngaba uYehova wayefuna uPawulos aye kwenye indawo? Ngaba ngoku wayemxelela ukuba angabi saya eYerusalem? Akunjalo. Umoya wawungamalathisi kwenye indawo uPawulos, kodwa wawubonisa ukuba uza kuphathwa kakubi eYerusalem. Kubonakala ukuba besalathiswa ngumoya oyingcwele, abazalwana baseTire babona ukuba kwakuza kuba nzima kuPawulos eYerusalem. Ngoko ke, ngenxa yokumxhalabela, bambongoza ukuba angalubeki kweso sixeko. Kuyabonakala ukuba babefuna ukumkhusela kuloo ngozi yayimlindele. Sekunjalo, ekubeni wayezimisele ukwenza ukuthanda kukaYehova, uPawulos waya eYerusalem.​—IZe. 21:12.

9, 10. (a) Emva kokuva ngenkxalabo yabazalwana baseTire, sisiphi isiganeko esifana neso esisenokuba sathi qatha engqondweni kuPawulos? (b) Yiyiphi ingcamango exhaphakileyo namhlanje, ibe yahluke njani kumazwi kaYesu?

⁹ Emva kokuva inkxalabo yabazalwana, kusenokwenzeka ukuba uPawulos wakhumbula ukuba noYesu wakha wakwimeko efanayo emva kokuxelela abafundi bakhe ukuba wayeza kuya eYerusalem, abandezeleke kwizinto ezininzi aze abulawe. Eqhutywa ziimvakalelo, uPetros wathi kuYesu: “Zicingele Nkosi; soze zenzeke kuwe ezi zinto.” Ephendula uYesu wathi: “Yiya emva kwam, Sathana! Uyandiphazamisa, kuba awucingi njengoThixo, kodwa ucinga njengabantu.” (Mat. 16:21-23) UYesu wayezimisele ukuzincama kanye ngendlela uThixo awayefuna ngayo. NoPawulos wavakalelwa ngaloo ndlela. Njengompostile uPetros, akuthandabuzeki ukuba abazalwana baseTire babeneenjongo ezintle, kodwa bengaqondi ukuba oku kukuthanda kukaThixo.

¹⁰ Ingcamango yokuba nobubele kuwe okanye ukukhetha eyona ndlela ilula ithandwa gqitha namhlanje. Ngokuqhelekileyo abantu bafuna unqulo  oluza kubenzela izinto lula lingafuni nto kangako kumalungu alo. Ngokwahlukileyo, uYesu wabongoza ukuba sibe nesimo sengqondo esahlukileyo kweso. Wathi kubafundi bakhe: “Nabani na ofuna ukundilandela, makazincame, athwale isibonda sakhe sokungcungcutheka aze aqhubeke endilandela.” (Mat. 16:24) Ukulandela uYesu likhondo lobulumko, ikhondo elifanelekileyo, kodwa elingelula.

11. Abafundi baseTire balubonisa njani uthando nenkxaso yabo kuPawulos?

¹¹ Lade lafika ixesha lokuba uPawulos, uLuka nabanye baqhubeke nohambo lwabo. Indlela ekuchazwa ngayo ukumka kwabo apho ichukumisa gqitha. Iyibonisa kakuhle indlela abazalwana baseTire ababemthanda ngayo uPawulos nendlela ababebuxhasa ngayo ubulungiseleli bakhe. Ngoxa babesiya elunxwemeni, uPawulos noogxa bakhe baphelekwa ngamadoda, abafazi nabantwana. Bonke baguqa ngamadolo bathandaza kunye baze bathi ndlela-ntle. Emva koko, uPawulos, uLuka noogxa babo bakhwela kwesinye isikhephe benjenjeya ukuya eTolemayi, apho badibana nabazalwana baza bahlala nabo usuku olunye.​—IZe. 21:5-7.

12, 13. (a) Yayinjani imbali kaFilipu yokuthembeka enkonzweni? (b) Kutshiwo njani ukuba uFilipu ungumzekelo omhle kootata abangamaKristu namhlanje?

¹² ULuka ubalisa ukuba emva koko uPawulos nabo wayehamba nabo baya eKesareya. Ukufika kwabo apho, ‘bafikela endlini kaFilipu umshumayeli.’ a (IZe. 21:8) Bamele ukuba bavuya gqitha bakubona uFilipu. Malunga neminyaka eyi-20 ngaphambi koko, wayemiselwe ngabapostile ukuba ancedise ekwabeni ukutya kwelo bandla lalisandul’ ukusekwa laseYerusalem. UFilipu wayesele engumshumayeli weendaba ezilungileyo kangangexesha elide. Khumbula ukuba xa abafundi bathi saa ngenxa yentshutshiso, uFilipu waya kushumayela eSamariya. Kamva, washumayeza waza wabhaptiza ithenwa elingumTiyopiya. (IZe. 6:2-6; 8:4-13, 26-38) Le yimbali engumzekelo yokuthembeka enkonzweni.

¹³ UFilipu wayesenenzondelelo ngobulungiseleli. Nangoku sele ehlala eKesareya, wayesaxakeke kukushumayela, njengokuba oko kuboniswa nguLuka ngokumbiza ngokuba ‘ngumshumayeli.’ Siva nento yokuba ngoku wayesele eneentombi ezine ezaziprofeta, nto leyo ebonisa ukuba zalandela ekhondweni  likayise. b (IZe. 21:9) Oku kubonisa ukuba uFilipu wazibhokoxa esakha intsapho yakhe ngokomoya. Ootata abangamaKristu namhlanje benza kakuhle xa bexelisa umzekelo wakhe, bakhokele kubulungiseleli baze bancede abantwana babo bawuthande umsebenzi wobuvangeli.

14. Yintoni esiqinisekileyo ukuba yayisenzeka xa uPawulos etyelele abazalwana bakhe, ibe ngawaphi amathuba avulekileyo namhlanje?

¹⁴ Kuzo zonk’ iindawo aya kuzo, uPawulos wayefuna abazalwana aze achithe ixesha kunye nabo. Akuthandabuzeki ukuba abazalwana abahlala kwezo ndawo babekulungele ukwamkela lo mthunywa wevangeli uhambahambayo noogxa bakhe. Kuloo matyelelo bamele ukuba ‘babekhuthazana.’ (Roma 1:11, 12) Nanamhlanje asekho amathuba anjalo. Umntu uzuza lukhulu xa esamkela umveleli wesiphaluka nomfazi wakhe kwikhaya lakhe, kungakhathaliseki ukuba likumgangatho ophantsi kangakanani na.​—Roma 12:13.

15, 16. Sisiphi isigidimi eseza noAgabho, ibe sabachaphazela njani abo babesiva?

¹⁵ Ngoxa uPawulos wayeselapho kwaFilipu, kwafika olunye undwendwe oluhloniphekileyo​—uAgabho. Abo babelapho endlwini kaFilipu babemazi kakuhle uAgabho ukuba ungumprofeti owayexele kwangaphambili ngendlala enkulu eyayiza kufika ngexesha lolawulo lukaKlawudiyo. (IZe. 11:27, 28) Mhlawumbi babezibuza oku: ‘Uze kwenza ntoni bethu uAgabho? Sisiphi isigidimi aza naso?’ Njengoko babekhangele ngenyameko, wathabatha ibhanti likaPawulos​—ilaphu elide ekwakuqhinelwa kulo imali nezinye izinto lize libhinqwe esinqeni. UAgabho wazibopha iinyawo nezandla zakhe ngelo laphu. Emva koko wathetha. Wathi: “Umoya oyingcwele uthi, ‘Indoda engumnikazi weli bhanti iza kubotshwa ngolu hlobo ngamaYuda eYerusalem yaye aza kuyinikela kubantu beentlanga.’”​—IZe. 21:11.

¹⁶ Esi siprofeto saqinisekisa ukuba uPawulos wayeza kuya eYerusalem. Sabonisa nokuba ukushumayela kwakhe kumaYuda kwakuza kuphumela ekubeni ‘anikelwe kubantu beentlanga.’ Esi siprofeto  sabachaphazela gqitha abo babelapho. ULuka uthi: “Sathi sakuyiva loo nto, thina nabanye ababelapho samcenga ukuba angenyuki aye eYerusalem. UPawulos wathi: ‘Kutheni nilila, nizama ukundityhafisa kwisigqibo sam? Kufuneka niyazi into yokuba andilungelanga ukubanjwa kuphela eYerusalem, kodwa ndilungele nokulifela igama leNkosi uYesu.’”​—IZe. 21:12, 13.

17, 18. UPawulos wakubonisa njani ukuzimisela kwakhe ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo, ibe basabela njani abazalwana?

¹⁷ Khawube nalo mfanekiso-ngqondweni. Abazalwana, kuquka uLuka, babongoza uPawulos ukuba angayi eYerusalem. Abanye bayalila. Ngenxa yendlela ababemthanda ngayo, ngobubele uPawulos ubaxelela ukuba ‘bazama ukumtyhafisa kwisigqibo sakhe,’ okanye njengokuba ezinye iinguqulelo ziguqulela esi siGrike, “bamaphula intliziyo.” Sekunjalo, usazimisele ngakumbi, ibe njengokuba kwakunjalo xa wayedibana nabazalwana baseTire, akayi kuvumela oku kubongozwa neenyembezi zimenze anikezele. Kunoko, ubacacisela isizathu sokuba aye. Wabonisa inkalipho nokuzimisela okungathethekiyo. Njengokuba uYesu wenzayo, uPawulos wayezimisele ukuya eYerusalem. (Heb. 12:2) UPawulos wayengafuni ukuba ngumfeli-nkolo, kodwa ukuba kuyenzeka oko, wayeya kukugqala njengelungelo ukufa njengomlandeli kaKristu Yesu.

¹⁸ Basabela njani abazalwana? Ngelizwi elinye singathi, ngentlonelo. Sifunda oku: “Xa sabona ukuba akajiki, sayeka ukumnqanda saza sathi: ‘Mayenzeke intando kaYehova.’” (IZe. 21:14) Abo babezama ukweyisela uPawulos ukuba angayi eYerusalem abazange babambelele kwiingcamango zabo. Bamphulaphula uPawulos baza bayekelela, bakuhlonela yaye bakwamkela ukuthanda kukaYehova, nakuba kwakunzima gqitha kubo ukwenjenjalo. UPawulos wayeqalise ikhondo elaliza kukhokelela ekufeni kwakhe ekugqibeleni. Ngekwaba lula oko kuPawulos ukuba abo babemthanda babengazamanga ukumnqanda.

19. Sisiphi isifundo esibalulekileyo esisifunda koko kwenzeka kuPawulos?

¹⁹ Nasi isifundo esibalulekileyo esisifumana koko kwenzeka kuPawulos: Singaze sizame ukunqanda abanye ekubeni bazincame ekukhonzeni uThixo. Esi sifundo sinokucinga ngaso kwiimeko ezininzi, kungekuphela nje kwezo zithetha ubomi nokufa. Ngokomzekelo, ngoxa abazali abaninzi abangamaKristu beye bakufumanisa kunzima ukubona abantwana babo beshiya ikhaya ukuze baye kukhonza uYehova kwiindawo ezikude, bazabalazela ukungabadimazi. UPhyllis, ohlala eNgilani, ukhumbula indlela awayevakalelwa ngayo xa intombi yakhe ekuphela kwayo yayisiya kuba ngumthunywa wevangeli eAfrika. Uthi: “Kwakubuhlungu gqitha. Kwakusiba nzima gqitha xa ndicinga ukuba uza kuhlala kude kangako. Ndaba buhlungu, kodwa kwangaxeshanye ndandinelunda. Ndayithandazela loo meko. Kodwa, yayisisigqibo sakhe ibe andizange ndizame ukumnqanda. Eneneni ke, ndim owayesoloko emfundisa ukubeka izilangazelelo zoBukumkani kuqala! Kule minyaka iyi-30 idluleyo, uye wakhonza kumazwe asemzini, ibe uYehova ndimbulela yonk’ imihla ngenxa yokuthembeka kwentombi yam.” Simele sikhuthaze umoya wokuzincama kubazalwana bethu.

20, 21. Yintoni eboniswa ngumnqweno kaPawulos wokuba kunye nabazalwana bakhe, ibe kwakutheni ukuze afune ukuba kunye nabo banokholo olufana nolwakhe?

²⁰ Kwenziwa amalungiselelo, yaye uPawulos waqhubeka nohambo lwakhe ephelekwa ngabazalwana, ngokwenjenjalo benikela ubungqina bokuba babemxhasa ngokusuk’ entliziyweni. Lonk’ ixesha kuloo ndlela iya eYerusalem, uPawulos nabo wayehamba nabo babesoloko befuna abazalwana noodade wabo abangamaKristu. ETire, bafumana abafundi baza bahlala nabo iintsuku ezisixhenxe. ETolemayi, baya kubulisa koodade nabazalwana babo baza bachitha usuku nabo. EKesareya, bahlala iintsuku eziliqela kwikhaya likaFilipu. Ukusuka apho, abanye abafundi baseKesareya bapheleka uPawulos noogxa bakhe ukuya eYerusalem, apho bafika baphathwa ngobubele nguMnason, umfundi wangaphambili. Ekugqibeleni, ekufikeni kwabo eYerusalem, uLuka uthi: “Abazalwana bakuvuyela ukusibona.”​—IZe. 21:17.

²¹ Kuyacaca ukuba, uPawulos wayefuna ukuba kunye nabo banokholo olufana nolwakhe. Lo mpostile wakhuthazwa ngabazalwana noodadewabo, njengokuba kunjalo nakuthi namhlanje. Akuthandabuzeki ukuba, olo khuthazo lwamomeleza watsho wakwazi ukujamelana nabachasi ababelugcwabevu befuna ukumbulala.