1, 2. (a) Yiyiphi ingozi awajamelana nayo uPawulos nabo babehamba naye e-Efese? (b) Yintoni esiza kuxubusha ngayo kwesi sahluko?

 YINGXOKOZELO nje, kuyankqangazwa yaye izitrato zase-Efese zizaliswe ligquba labantu abanyathelela phezulu bememeza. Abantu abasalawuleki, ibe kukho ihlokondiba esele livuk’ umnyele. Ababini kwabo bahamba nompostile uPawulos bayabanjwa baze barhuqwe. Kwisitrato esikhulu esineevenkile kukhawuleza kuthi nkcwe kuba abantu bayathontelana ukuya kwibala lemiboniso elikhulu leso sixeko ekunokungena abantu abayi-25 000 kulo. Inkoliso yabo bantu ayazi noyena nobangela weso siphithiphithi, kodwa ive nje amarhe okuba kukho nto ithile isongela itempile nesithixokazi abasithanda kunene uArtemis. Ngoko ke, bankqangaza besithi: “Mkhulu uArtemis wamaEfese!”​—IZe. 19:34.

² Nalapha sibona uSathana ezama ukusebenzisa ihlokondiba elinogonyamelo ukuze athintele ukushunyayelwa kweendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo. Kakade ke, izisongelo zogonyamelo asikokuphela kwendlela ayisebenzisayo uSathana. Kwesi sahluko, siza kuxubusha ngamaqhinga aliqela awasetyenziswa nguSathana ukuphazamisa umsebenzi kunye nomanyano lwamaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala. Eyona nto ibaluleke ngakumbi kukuba siza kubona ukuba onke loo maqhinga akhe awa phantsi, kuba “ilizwi likaYehova laqhubeka likhula yaye lisiba namandla.” (IZe. 19:20) Yintoni eyanceda loo maKristu amoyisa uSathana? Zizizathu ezifanayo nezo simoyisa ngazo namhlanje. Kakade ke, nguYehova osinceda siphumelele. Noko ke, njengamaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala, nathi simele sidlale eyethu indima. Umoya kaYehova unokusinceda sibe neempawu ezifunekayo ukuze siphumelele kubulungiseleli bethu. Makhe siqale siqwalasele umzekelo ka-Apolo.

3, 4. Yintoni eyayingaziwa nguApolo eyaphawulwa nguAkwila noPrisila, ibe bayisingatha njani?

³ Ngoxa uPawulos wayesendleleni eya e-Efese kuhambo lwakhe lwesithathu njengomthunywa wevangeli, kwafika umYuda ogama linguApolo kweso sixeko. Wayevela kwisixeko esidumileyo saseAleksandriya, eYiputa. UApolo  lo wayeneempawu ezithile abalasele ngazo. Wayeliciko, yaye “ezazi kakuhle iZibhalo.” Akupheleli apho, ‘wayevutha ngenxa yomoya oyingcwele.’ UApolo wathetha ngenkalipho namaYuda awayekwindlu yesikhungu.​—IZe. 18:24, 25.

⁴ UAkwila noPrisila beva intetho yakhe. Unokuyicingela nawe indlela abamele ukuba bavuya ngayo xa bamva “ezifundisa ngokuchanileyo izinto ezingoYesu.” Into awayeyithetha ngoYesu yayichanile. Noko ke, akuzange kube kudala, eso sibini singamaKristu saphawula ukuba kwakukho nto ithile ibalulekileyo uApolo awayengayazi. ‘Wayeqhelene nobhaptizo lukaYohane kuphela.’ Esi sibini sithobekileyo nesingabenzi beentente, asizange soyikiswe bubuciko nemfundo ka-Apolo. Endaweni yoko, “bambizela ecaleni baza bamcacisela ngokuchane ngakumbi indlela kaThixo.” (IZe. 18:25, 26) Yona le ndoda ikwazi kangaka ukuthetha, nesisifundiswa, yasabela njani? Kuyabonakala ukuba yabonisa olunye lweempawu ezibaluleke gqitha amaKristu amele abe nazo​—ukuthobeka.

5, 6. Yintoni eyanceda uApolo wasetyenziswa ngakumbi nguYehova, ibe yintoni thina esinokuyifunda kumzekelo wakhe?

⁵ Ngenxa yokuba uApolo walwamkela uncedo luka-Akwila noPrisila, waba ngumkhonzi kaYehova ophumelela ngakumbi. Waya eAkhaya, apho wafika “wabanceda kakhulu” abo babengamakholwa. Wanikela ubungqina obunamandla nxamnye namaYuda aloo mmandla awayemi ngelithi uYesu akanguye uMesiya othenjisiweyo. Ingxelo kaLuka ithi: “Wazimisela ebonisa ngokucacileyo . . . ukuba amaYuda awachananga, ewabonisa ngeZibhalo ukuba uYesu nguKristu.” (IZe. 18:27, 28) UApolo waba yintsikelelo gqitha emabandleni. Eneneni, waba negalelo ekubeni “ilizwi likaYehova” liye lisiba namandla. Yintoni esinokuyifunda kumzekelo ka-Apolo?

⁶ AmaKristu amele ahlakulele uphawu lokuthobeka. UThixo uphe ngamnye wethu isiphiwo esahlukileyo​—enoba sinokuthanani nobuchule bemvelo, amava, okanye ulwazi esiye salufumana. Sekunjalo, ukuthobeka kumele kube yeyona nto ibalasele ngaphezu kweziphiwo esinazo. Ukuba akunjalo, ezo ziphiwo sinazo zinokubangela ingxaki. Singazibona sele sikhukhumele likratshi. (1 Kor. 4:7; Yak. 4:6) Ukuba sithobeke ngokwenene, siya kuzabalazela ukujonga abanye njengabongamileyo kunathi. (Fil. 2:3) Asiyi kucaphuka xa silungiswa, singayi kwala naxa sifundiswa ngabanye. Nakanjani na asiyi kuthi ngokuzingca sibambelele kwiimbono zethu nokuba sele sisiva ukuba azihambisani noko umoya oyingcwele ukwalathisayo kwintlangano kaThixo. Siya kuhlala sisetyenziswa nguYehova noNyana wakhe lo gama nje sisathobekile.​—Luka 1:51, 52.

 7. UPawulos noApolo bawumisela njani umzekelo wokuthobeka?

⁷ Kwakhona ukuthobeka kusinceda siphephe iimbambano. Ngaba unokuyicinga indlela amele ukuba uSathana wayekulangazelela ngayo ukubangela iyantlukwano kumaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala? Ngewayevuye gqitha ukuba loo madoda ayekhuthele kangako, uApolo nompostile uPawulos, aye akhetha ukuba ziintshaba, kuba nje emonelana ngenxa  yempembelelo awayenayo emabandleni. Ngekwaba yinto elula gqitha ukuba enjenjalo. EKorinte, amanye amaKristu ayesele esithi, “Mna ndingokaPawulos,” ngoxa amanye esithi, “Mna ndingoka-Apolo.” Ngaba uPawulos noApolo bakukhuthaza oko? Nakanye! Ngokuthobeka uPawulos walivuma igalelo lika-Apolo emsebenzini, emjizeka nangamalungelo angakumbi enkonzo. Kwelakhe icala, uApolo wathobela ulwalathiso lukaPawulos. (1 Kor. 1:10-12; 3:6, 9; Tito 3:12, 13) Onjani umzekelo wentsebenziswano abasimisela wona namhlanje!

 8. Yiyiphi indlela eyasetyenziswa nguPawulos ukubuyela e-Efese, ibe kwakutheni ukuze ahambe ngayo?

⁸ UPawulos wayethembise ukubuyela e-Efese, ibe wenjenjalo. a (IZe. 18:20, 21) Noko ke, phawula indlela awabuyela ngayo. Sigqibele ukuva ngaye ekwa-Antiyokwe yeSiriya. Ukuze aye kufika e-Efese, wayenokuthabatha indlela emfutshane eya eSelukiya, esebenzisa inqanawa. Kodwa wakhetha ukuhamba ‘ngemimandla ephakathi elizweni.’ Olunye uqikelelo lubonisa ukuba uhambo lukaPawulos oluchazwa kwiZenzo 18:23 nese-19:1 lugubungela malunga neekhilomitha eziyi-1 600! Kwakutheni ukuze uPawulos akhethe ukuhamba ngaloo ndlela inde kangako? Kungenxa yokuba wayenenjongo ‘yokomeleza bonke abafundi.’ (IZe. 18:23) Njengakwizihlandlo ezibini ezingaphambili, uhambo lwakhe lwesithathu njengomthunywa wevangeli lwaluza kumenza isinxadanxada, kodwa wakubona kufanelekile oko. Nanamhlanje, abaveleli besiphaluka nabafazi babo banomoya ofanayo. Ngaba asikuxabisi ukuzincama kwabo okuqhutywa luthando?

 9. Kwakutheni ukuze kufuneke ukuba iqela elithile labafundi liphinde libhaptizwe, ibe sifunda ntoni kulo?

⁹ Ukufika kwakhe e-Efese, uPawulos wafumana iqela labafundi bakaYohane uMbhaptizi ababemalunga neshumi elinesibini. Babebhaptizwe ngobhaptizo lukaYohane olwalusele luphelelwe lixesha. Ukongezelela koko, babebonakala bengenalwazi ngomoya oyingcwele. UPawulos wabacacisela ngokubhaptizwa egameni likaYesu, baza nabo njengoApolo banomdla wokufunda. Emva kokubhaptizwa kwabo egameni likaYesu, bamkela umoya oyingcwele nezipho ezithile ezingummangaliso. Kuyacaca ukuba, ukulandela ulwalathiso lwentlangano kaYehova kuzisa iintsikelelo.​—IZe. 19:1-7.

10. Kwakutheni ukuze uPawulos emke kwindlu yesikhungu aye kwiholo ethile, ibe oko kusimisela wuphi umzekelo kubulungiseleli bethu?

¹⁰ Akuzange kube kudala kwenzeka enye inkqubela. UPawulos washumayela ngesibindi kwindlu awayekhonzela kuyo amaYuda kangangeenyanga ezintathu. Nakuba ‘wayecacisa kakuhle ngoBukumkani BukaThixo,’ bambi zaba lukhuni iintliziyo zabo baza bamchasa ngokwenene. Kunokuba achithe ixesha lakhe kwabo bantu ‘babethetha kakubi ngeNdlela YeNkosi,’ uPawulos wenza amalungiselelo  okunikela intetho kwiholo yesikolo. (IZe. 19:8, 9) Abo babefuna ukwenza inkqubela ngokomoya kwafuneka bayishiye indlu yesikhungu baye kuloo holo. NjengoPawulos, kusenokufuneka sirhoxe kwincoko ethile xa sibona ukuba umninimzi akanamdla wakuphulaphula okanye ufuna nje ukuphikisana nathi. Kusekho abantu abaninzi abanjengezimvu abafuna ukuva isigidimi sethu esilukhuthazo.

11, 12. (a) UPawulos wawumisela njani umzekelo wokukhuthala nokuzivumelanisa neemeko? (b) AmaNgqina kaYehova aye akubonisa njani ukukhuthala nokuzivumelanisa neemeko kubulungiseleli bawo?

¹¹ Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uPawulos wayeshumayela kuloo holo yesikolo yonk’ imihla ukususela ngo-11 kusasa ukuya kutsho ngo-4 emva kwemini. (Jonga istudy note kwiZenzo 19:9 kwinwtsty yesiNgesi) Ngelo xesha kwakuzolile, kodwa ilanga ligqats’ ubhobhoyi, ngenxa yoko abantu abaninzi babeyeka ukusebenza ukuze batye yaye baphumle. Ukuba uPawulos wakwenza ngokuzingisileyo oko kangangeminyaka emibini, umele ukuba wachitha ngaphezu kweeyure eziyi-3 000 efundisa. b Kukho esinye isizathu esabangela ukuba ilizwi likaYehova lihlale likhula yaye lisoyisa. UPawulos wayekhuthele yaye ezivumelanisa neemeko. Ucwangciso lwakhe wayeluhlengahlengisa ukuze ubulungiseleli bakhe bukwazi ukwanelisa iintswelo zabantu baloo ndawo. Yaba yintoni imiphumo? “Bonke abo babehlala kwiphondo laseAsiya baliva ilizwi leNkosi, amaYuda namaGrike.” (IZe. 19:10) Washumayela ngokucokisekileyo nyhani!

¹² Nawo amaNgqina kaYehova namhlanje akhuthele yaye azivumelanisa neemeko. Sizabalazela ukufikelela abantu nanini na yaye naphi na apho bafumaneka khona. Sinikela ubungqina ezitratweni, kwiindawo zemarike nezo kumisa iimoto kuzo. Sinokuthetha nabantu ngefowuni okanye ngokubabhalela ileta. Kumsebenzi wendlu ngendlu, senza  imigudu yokufikelela ebantwini ngamaxesha abadla ngokufumaneka ngawo emakhaya.

13, 14. (a) Yintoni uYehova awanceda uPawulos ukuba ayenze? (b) Yiyiphi impazamo eyenziwa ngoonyana bakaSkeva, ibe yenziwa njani namhlanje ngabaninzi kwiicawa zeNgqobhoko?

¹³ ULuka usixelela ukuba ubulungiseleli bukaPawulos bathwala iziqhamo ngendlela engathethekiyo, kuba uYehova wamnceda ngokukhethekileyo wenza “imimangaliso emikhulu.” Abantu abagulayo babenikwa amalaphu neefaskoti ebezinxibile, baze baphile. Ngezo zinto kwakukhutshwa noomoya ababi. c (IZe. 19:11, 12) Oko koyiswa koothunywashe bakaSathana kwamzisela ingqalelo yabaninzi uPawulos, nakuba babengezi nganjongo zintle bonke.

¹⁴ “AmaYuda awayezulazula, ekhupha iidemon” alinga ukwenza loo mimangaliso yayisenziwa nguPawulos. Amanye kuwo azama ukukhupha iidemon esebenzisa igama likaYesu nelikaPawulos. ULuka usichazela ngomzekelo woonyana abasixhenxe bakaSkeva​—ababengamalungu entsapho yababingeleli​—abazama ukwenza oku. Idemon yathi kubo: “Ndiyamazi uYesu, ibe ndimqhelile uPawulos; ningoobani ke nina?” Le ndoda inedemon yawahlasela loo mabhedengu, iwaxhumela oku kwerhamncwa lasendle, atsho asimbela isinqe engxwelerheke kanobom yaye ebetha ngesuti yesele. (IZe. 19:13-16) “Ilizwi likaYehova” laba namandla kakhulu kuba waye wacaca umahluko phakathi kwamandla anikwe uPawulos nalawo ayesetyenziswa ngabo bonqulo lobuxoki. Namhlanje izigidi zabantu zinengcamango ephosakeleyo yokuba ukusuka nje ubize egameni likaYesu okanye uzibize ngokuba “ungumKristu” kwanele. Kodwa njengokuba uYesu wabonisayo, kuphela ngabo benza ukuthanda kukaYise abaya kusinda ngokwenene kwikamva.​—Mat. 7:21-23.

15. Sinokubaxelisa njani abantu base-Efese kwizinto eziphathelele ukusebenzelana nemimoya?

¹⁵ Ukuhlaziswa koonyana bakaSkeva kwakhokelela ekubeni abaninzi bamoyike uThixo, nto leyo eyabangela ukuba babe ngamakholwa baza bayeka ukusebenzelana nemimoya. Ubomi babantu base-Efese babulawulwa ngamandla  luqheliselo lwemilingo. Kwakuxhaphake gqitha ukubona imibhalo enamazwi okugxotha amagqwirha, amakhubalo nezishwabulo. Oku kwabangela ukuba abantu abaninzi base-Efese bazise iincwadi zabo zoqheliselo lwemilingo baza bazitshisa phambi kwabantu​—nakuba zazixabisa amashumi amawaka eedola ngokwexabiso lanamhlanje. d ULuka uthi: “Ngoko ilizwi likaYehova laqhubeka likhula yaye lisiba namandla.” (IZe. 19:17-20) Obo yaba bubungqina bokwenene bokuba inyaniso yongame ngaphezu kobuxoki needemon. Abo bantu bathembekileyo basimisela umzekelo omhle gqitha namhlanje. Nathi siphila kwihlabathi elizaliswe kukusebenzelana nemimoya. Ukuba sifumanisa ukuba sinento ethile enokuthanani nemimoya, simele sixelise abantu base-Efese​—siyitshabalalise ngokukhawuleza! Masiziphephe ezo zinto zilizothe, ingakhathaliseki ilahleko ethethwa koko.

16, 17. (a) Chaza indlela uDemetriyo awavusa ngayo uqhushululu e-Efese. (b) Abantu base-Efese babonisa njani ukuba banenzondelelo yempambano?

¹⁶ Ngoku siza kuthetha ngeqhinga likaSathana elachazwa nguLuka esithi “kwabakho isiphithiphithi esasinento yokwenza neNdlela YeNkosi.” Wayengazibaxi izinto xa esitsho. e (IZe. 19:23) Umkhandi wesilivere ogama linguDemetriyo wavusa uqhushululu. Wakhumbuza oogxa bakhe ngempumelelo abayifumana ngokuthengisa ezi zithixo. Wandula ke wathi isigidimi esishunyayelwa nguPawulos sasiliphanzisa eli shishini, kuba amaKristu ayengazinquli izithixo. Emva koko wabakhuthaza ukuba bazingce ngokuba ngabemi base-Efese nobuzwe babo, ebalumkisa ngento yokuba uthixokazi wabo uArtemis netempile yabo edumileyo iza “kujongwa njengento engenamsebenzi.”​—IZe. 19:24-27.

¹⁷ Intetho kaDemetriyo yaphumela kanye kuloo nto wayeyifuna. Abakhandi besilivere baqalisa ukunkqangaza besithi, “Mkhulu uArtemis wamaEfese!” saza isixeko sazaliswa sisiphithiphithi, nto leyo eyavusa ihlokondiba ekuthethwe ngalo ekuqaleni kwesi sahluko. f Ekubeni uPawulos wayethanda ukuzincama, wafuna ukuya kungena kanye apho phakathi kweso sihlwele ukuze athetha naso, kodwa abafundi bamnqanda ukuze angazibeki esichengeni. UAleksandire othile wema phambi kweso sihlwele ezama  ukuthetha naso, usenokuba wayezimisele ukuchaza umahluko phakathi kwamaYuda namaKristu. Oko kwakungathethi nto kwaphela kweso sihlwele. Sathi sakubona ukuba wayengumYuda samnxwala, sankqangaza ngakumbi kangangeeyure ezimalunga nezimbini sisithi, “Mkhulu uArtemis wamaEfese!” Lusenenzondelelo yempambano enjalo nanamhlanje unqulo. Lusenza abantu benze izinto ezingekho ngqiqweni.​—IZe. 19:28-34.

18, 19. (a) Unongxelo wesixeko walizolisa njani ihlokondiba elalise-Efese? (b) Maxa wambi abantu bakaYehova baye bakhuselwa njani ngabasemagunyeni, ibe yintoni esinokuyenza ukuze sikhuselwe?

¹⁸ Ekugqibeleni, unongxelo wesixeko wasizolisa eso sihlwele. Le ndoda iphilileyo engqondweni yaqinisekisa elo hlokondiba ukuba itempile nothixokazi wayengasongelwa nganto ngaloo maKristu, kwanokuba uPawulos noogxa bakhe babengenzanga naliphi na ityala nxamnye netempile ka-Artemis yaye zazikho iindlela eyayinokuconjululwa ngazo loo mbambano. Mhlawumbi eyona nto layiva kakuhle elo hlokondiba kuxa lo nongxelo walikhumbuza ukuba lalisengozini yokumangalelwa ngokuvusa isiphendu esingekho phantsi komthetho wamaRoma. Oko kwenza eso sihlwele sachithakala. Kanye njengokuba sakhawuleza saba nomsindo, kwaba njalo ke nokuphela kwawo ngenxa yamazwi obulumko alo nongxelo.​—IZe. 19:35-41.

¹⁹ Esi yayingesosihlandlo sokuqala ukuba indoda enengqiqo esemagunyeni ikhusele abalandeli bakaYesu, ibe yayingazi kuba sesokugqibela. Enyanisweni, umpostile uYohane wabona kusengaphambili embonweni ukuba kule mihla yokugqibela, kwakuza kubakho imibutho yabantu, efanekiselwa ngumhlaba, eyayiza kufunxa izikhukula zentshutshiso kaSathana azimisele ukukhukulisa ngazo abalandeli bakaYesu. (ISityhi. 12:15, 16) Oko kuye kwanjalo ngokwenene. Kwiimeko ezininzi, iijaji ezinengqiqo ziye zakhusela amalungelo amaNgqina kaYehova okuhlanganisana kunye ukuze anqule yaye ashumayele iindaba ezilungileyo kwabanye abantu. Kakade ke, indlela esiziphatha ngayo inokuba negalelo kulo lonke olo loyiso. Kuyabonakala ukuba indlela awayeziphatha ngayo uPawulos yamenza wathandwa yaye wahlonelwa ngabasemagunyeni e-Efese, ngoko babezimisele ukumkhusela. (IZe. 19:31) Ngamana ukunyaniseka nentlonipho esinayo ingasenza sithandwe ngabo sidibana nabo. Asiyazi ukuba iya kuba yintoni imiphumo yoko.

20. (a) Uvakalelwa njani ngendlela ilizwi likaYehova elaye loyisa ngayo ngenkulungwane yokuqala nangendlela eloyisa ngayo namhlanje? (b) Sisiphi isigqibo ofikelela kuso ngokuphathele uloyiso lukaYehova namhlanje?

²⁰ Ngaba akuchulumancisi ukucinga ngendlela ‘ilizwi likaYehova elaqhubeka likhula yaye lisiba namandla’ ngayo ngemihla yamaKristu okuqala? Nanamhlanje kuyachulumancisa ukubona indlela uYehova aye wasixhasa ngayo ukuze nathi soyise. Ngaba ungathanda ukuba nenxaxheba kolu loyiso? Umele ufunde kule mizekelo siye sayiqwalasela. Hlala uthobekile, uhambisane nentlangano kaYehova ekhulayo, uzibhokoxe, uphephe ukusebenzelana nemimoya yaye wenze unakonako ukuze unikele ubungqina obucokisekileyo ngokunyaniseka nangentlonelo.