1-3. (a) Chaza izinto ezenzekayo ngobusuku bokufa kukaYutiko. (b) Yintoni eyenziwa nguPawulos, yaye esi siganeko sichaza ntoni ngoPawulos?

 UPAWULOS ukwigumbi eliphezulu lendlu ezele ngabantu eTrowa. Uthatha ixesha elide ethetha nabazalwana kuba obu bubusuku bokugqibela enabo. Ngoku kusezinzulwini zobusuku. Kukho izibane eziliqela ezikhanyisileyo kwelo gumbi, nto leyo eyenza kube shushu ngakumbi mhlawumbi kubekho nomsi. Efestileni kuhleli umfana ogama linguYutiko. Njengoko uPawulos ethetha, uYutiko uba nobuthongo aze awe esuka kumgangatho wesithathu.

² Njengogqirha, uLuka umele ukuba waba phakathi kwabantu bokuqala ukuphuma baye kumjonga. Akukho mathandabuzo ngoko kwenzekileyo. UYutiko ‘ufile.’ (IZe. 20:9) Kuthi kusenjalo kwenzeke ummangaliso. UPawulos uziphosa kulo mfana aze athi kweso sihlwele: “Sanukungxola kuba uyaphila.” UPawulos uye wamvusa ekufeni uYutiko!​—IZe. 20:10.

³ Eso siganeko sibonisa ukuba namandla komoya oyingcwele kaThixo. UPawulos wayengenakubekwa tyala ngokufa kukaYutiko. Sekunjalo, akazange afune ukuba ukufa kwalo mfana konakalise eso sihlandlo okanye kukhubekise nabani na ngokomoya. Ngokuvusa uYutiko, uPawulos washiya elo bandla lithuthuzelekile yaye lizimisele ngakumbi ukuqhubeka nobulungiseleli. Kuyacaca ukuba, uPawulos wayeziva enembopheleleko yokusindisa ubomi babanye abantu. Oku kusikhumbuza amazwi akhe athi: “Ndimsulwa egazini labantu bonke.” (IZe. 20:26) Makhe siqwalasele indlela osinceda ngayo lo mzekelo kaPawulos kule nkalo.

4. Yiyiphi intlungu awatyhubela kuyo uPawulos?

⁴ Njengokuba kuchaziwe kwisahluko esandulela esi, uPawulos watyhubela kwintlungu engathandekiyo. Ubulungiseleli bakhe bavusa isiphithiphithi e-Efese. Enyanisweni, abakhandi besilivere ababexhomekeke kolo nqulo luka-Artemis ukuze baphile bafak’ isandla kolo qhushululu. IZenzo  20:1 zithi: “Emva kokuba siphelile eso siphithiphithi, uPawulos wabiza abafundi, wabakhuthaza, waza wacela indlela, waya eMakedoni.”

5, 6. (a) Lingakanani ixesha elisenokuba lachithwa nguPawulos eMakedoni, ibe wabenzela ntoni abazalwana balapho emva koko? (b) Sasinjani isimo sengqondo sikaPawulos kubazalwana bakhe?

⁵ Kuloo ndlela iya eMakedoni, uPawulos wamisa kwizibuko laseTrowa ukuze achithe ixesha elithile apho. Wayenethemba lokudibana noTito owayethunywe eKorinte. (2 Kor. 2:12, 13) Noko ke, kwathi kwakucaca ukuba uTito akafiki, uPawulos waya eMakedoni mhlawumbi wachitha ixesha elingangonyaka ‘ekhuthaza abantu balapho.’ a (IZe. 20:2) UTito wada wadibana noPawulos eMakedoni, emphathele iindaba ezimnandi ngokuphathelele indlela abasabela ngayo abaseKorinte kwincwadi yokuqala eyabhalwa nguPawulos. (2 Kor. 7:5-7) Oku kwabangela ukuba uPawulos ababhalele enye incwadi, ngoku eyaziwa ngokuba yeyesi-2 kwabaseKorinte.

⁶ Ibangel’ umdla into yokuba uLuka esebenzisa igama elithi “wabakhuthaza,” nelithi “ekhuthaze,” xa echaza ngotyelelo lukaPawulos kubazalwana base-Efese nabaseMakedoni. Ukuthi wayekhuthaza kusichaza kakuhle isimo sengqondo sikaPawulos ngabazalwana bakhe! Ngokwahlukileyo kweso sabaFarisi, ababebajongela phantsi abanye, uPawulos wayejonga  izimvu njengabasebenzi abangamadlelane. (Yoh. 7:47-49; 1 Kor. 3:9) UPawulos wayesoloko ebajonga ngaloo ndlela kwanaxa kufuneka abaluleke.​—2 Kor. 2:4.

7. Namhlanje abaveleli abangamaKristu banokumxelisa njani uPawulos?

⁷ Namhlanje, abadala bebandla nabaveleli besiphaluka bazabalazela ukuxelisa umzekelo kaPawulos. Kwanaxa beluleka abazalwana, bazabalazela ukubomeleza abo bafuna uncedo. Ngovelwano abaveleli bazabalazela ukukhuthaza kunokugxeka. Omnye umveleli wesiphaluka onamava uthi: “Inkoliso yabazalwana noodade ifuna ukwenza okulungileyo, kodwa isuke iphazanyiswe ngamaxhala nokungazithembi.” Abaveleli banokuba lukhuthazo kubazalwana abanjalo.​—Heb. 12:12, 13.

8, 9. (a) Yintoni eyaphazamisa uPawulos kuhambo lwakhe ngesikhephe oluya eSiriya? (b) Yintoni esenokuba yabangela ukuba amaYuda amzonde uPawulos?

⁸ Ukusuka kwakhe eMakedoni, uPawulos waya eKorinte. b Emva kokuchitha iinyanga ezintathu apho, wayezimisele ukudlulela eKenkreya, apho wayefuna ukukhwela isikhephe aye eSiriya. Ukusuka apho wayeza kukwazi ukuya eYerusalem ukuze adlulisele iminikelo kubazalwana abasweleyo. c (IZe. 24:17; Roma 15:25, 26) Noko ke, kwenzeka okuthile angazange akulindele kwaza kwanyanzeleka ukuba arhoxe kolo hambo. IZenzo 20:3 zithi: “AmaYuda aceba ukumbulala”!

⁹ Ayimangalisi into yokuba amaYuda abe ayemzonda uPawulos, kuba ayesithi ngumwexuki. Ngaphambilana, ngenxa yobu bulungiseleli bakhe kuye kwaguquka uKrispo​—isikhulu kwindlu akhonzela kuyo amaYuda yaseKorinte. (IZe. 18:7, 8; 1 Kor. 1:14) Ngesinye isihlandlo, amaYuda aseKorinte ammangalela kuGaliyo, ibambela laseAkhaya. Nalapho, uGaliyo wazichitha njengezingenasihlahla ezo zityholo​—nto leyo eyabangela ukuba zibe lugcwabevu ngumsindo iintshaba zikaPawulos. (IZe. 18:12-17) AmaYuda aseKorinte asenokuba eva okanye akrokrela ukuba uPawulos wayesele eza kukhwela isikhephe eKenkreya ekufuphi, aza ke aceba iyelenqe lokumlalela kuloo ndlela. Wayeza kuthini ke ngoku uPawulos?

10. Ngaba bubugwala obabangela ukuba uPawulos ayiphephe indlela eya eKenkreya? Cacisa.

¹⁰ Esenzela ukuzikhusela​—nokukhusela imali awayeyiphathisiwe​—uPawulos wakhetha ukuyiphepha loo ndlela iya eKenkreya, waphinda ngaleyo wayeze ngayo, wahamba ngeMakedoni. Yinyaniso ukuba ukuhamba ngendlela yomhlaba kwakuza kuba nezako iingozi. Iindlela zamandulo zazidla ngokuba nezihange. Nkqu neendawo zokulala zazingakhuselekanga. Sekunjalo,  uPawulos wakhetha ukuchanabeka kwezo ngozi zendlela yomhlaba kunezo zokulalelwa kwakhe eKenkreya. Into evuyisayo kukuba wayengahambi yedwa. Kubantu ababehamba noPawulos kolu hambo lwakhe njengomthunywa wevangeli kwakukho uAristarko, uGayo, uSekundo, uSopatro, uTikiko, uTimoti, noTrofimo.​—IZe. 20:3, 4.

11. Namhlanje amaKristu azikhusela njani, yaye nguwuphi umzekelo owamiselwa nguYesu kule nkalo?

¹¹ NjengoPawulos, amaKristu namhlanje enza konke okusemandleni ukuze azikhusele xa ekubulungiseleli bawo. Kwezinye iindawo, ahamba ngokwamaqela​—okanye ubuncinane emabini​—kunokuba umntu ahambe yedwa. Kuthekani ngokuzikhusela kwintshutshiso? Ayiqonda kakuhle into yokuba akanakukwazi ukuyiphepha intshutshiso. (Yoh. 15:20; 2 Tim. 3:12) Sekunjalo, akazichanabi ngabom engozini. Qwalasela nje lo mzekelo kaYesu. Ngesinye isihlandlo, xa iintshaba zakhe eYerusalem zachola amatye zimgibisela, “uYesu wazimela, wemka etempileni.” (Yoh. 8:59) Kamva, xa amaYuda ayeceba ukumbulala, “uYesu wayeka ukuhamba ekuhleni phakathi kwamaYuda. Wemka waya kummandla ongasentlango.” (Yoh. 11:54) UYesu wenza konke okusemandleni ukuze azikhusele xa oko kwakungangqubani nokuthanda kukaThixo. Nawo amaKristu namhlanje azeka mzekweni.​—Mat. 10:16.

12, 13. (a) Ukuvuswa kukaYutiko ekufeni kwaba nawuphi umphumo ebandleni? (b) Liliphi ithemba eliseBhayibhileni elithuthuzela abo baye bafelwa ngabantu babo namhlanje?

¹² UPawulos noogxa bakhe bahamba kunye ngeMakedoni kodwa kuyabonakala ukuba emva koko bahamba ngeendlela ezahlukeneyo. Kuyacaca ukuba la madoda aphinda adibana eTrowa. d Ingxelo ithi: “Emva kweentsuku ezintlanu sawafumana eTrowa.” e (IZe. 20:6) Kulapha eTrowa apho kwavuswa ekufeni umfana oselula uYutiko, njengokuba kuye kwaxutyushwa ekuqaleni kwesi sahluko. Cinga nje indlela abavakalelwa ngayo abazalwana besakubona umzalwana wabo uYutiko evuswa ekufeni! Njengokuba le ngxelo isitsho, “babethuthuzeleke kakhulu.”​—IZe. 20:12.

¹³ Kakade ke, imimangaliso enjalo ayisenzeki namhlanje. Sekunjalo, abo baye bafelwa ngabantu babo “babethuthuzeleke kakhulu” ngenxa yethemba eliseBhayibhileni lovuko lwabafileyo. (Yoh. 5:28, 29) Phawula oku: Ngenxa yokuba wayengafezekanga, ekugqibeleni uYutiko wafa. (Roma 6:23) Kodwa abo bavuswe kwihlabathi elitsha likaThixo banethemba lokuphila ngonaphakade. Kodwa bona abo bavuswa ukuze balawule noYesu emazulwini  bambethe ukungafi. (1 Kor. 15:51-53) Namhlanje amaKristu​—enoba ngathanjisiweyo okanye ‘ngawezinye izimvu’​—anezizathu ezivakalayo ‘zokuthuthuzeleka kakhulu.’​—Yoh. 10:16.

14. UPawulos wabaxelela ntoni abadala base-Efese ukufika kwabo eMileto?

¹⁴ UPawulos neqela lakhe basuka eTrowa baya eAsos, badlulela eMitilene, eKhiyo, eSamos naseMileto. UPawulos wayezimisele ukufika eYerusalem ngexesha loMthendeleko wePentekoste. Ukungxamela kwakhe ukufika eYerusalem ngePentekoste kwenza sibone isizathu sokuba angayi kudlula e-Efese xa ebuya kolu hambo lwakhe. Ekubeni uPawulos wayefuna ukuthetha nabadala base-Efese, wabacela ukuba baye kudibana naye eMileto. (IZe. 20:13-17) Ukufika kwabo apho, uPawulos wathi kubo: “Niyazi kakuhle indlela endaziphatha ngayo ngokuya ndandikunye nani, ukususela kwimini yokuqala endafika ngayo kwiphondo laseAsiya, ndilikhoboka leNkosi elithobekileyo, ndilila iinyembezi, ndifumana intshutshiso ngenxa yamaYuda awayeceba ukundibulala, kodwa zange ndinifihlele nantoni na enokuninceda. Ndanifundisa phambi kwabantu nakwindlu ngendlu. Ndashumayela ngokucokisekileyo kumaYuda nakumaGrike ndisithi mawaguqukele kuThixo aze akholwe kwiNkosi yethu uYesu.”​—IZe. 20:18-21.

15. Ziziphi ezinye iingenelo zokushumayela kwindlu ngendlu?

 ¹⁵ Zininzi iindlela zokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo ebantwini namhlanje. NjengoPawulos, sizabalazela ukuya apho abantu bakhoyo, kwiindawo zokumisa iibhasi, kwizitrato ezinyakazelayo, okanye ezimarikeni. Nakuba kunjalo, ukuya kwindlu ngendlu kuseyeyona ndlela iphambili yokushumayela esetyenziswa ngamaNgqina kaYehova namhlanje. Kutheni kunjalo nje? Esinye sezizathu kukuba, ukushumayela kwindlu ngendlu kwenza bonke abantu bafumane ithuba lokusoloko besiva isigidimi soBukumkani, nto leyo ebonisa ukungakhethi-buso kukaThixo. Kunceda nabo bantliziyo zinyanisekileyo bafumane ithuba lokuncedwa ngokweemfuno zabo. Ukongezelela koko, ubulungiseleli bendlu ngendlu bakha ukholo nonyamezelo kwabo babandakanyeka kubo. Enyanisweni, eyona nto aziwa ngayo amaKristu okwenyaniso namhlanje yindlela akukhuthalele ngayo ukushumayela “phambi kwabantu nakwindlu ngendlu.”

16, 17. UPawulos wayibonisa njani inkalipho, yaye amaKristu amxelisa njani namhlanje?

¹⁶ UPawulos wacacisela abadala base-Efese ukuba wayengazi ukuba zeziphi iingozi awayeza kudibana nazo emva kokubuyela eYerusalem. Wathi kubo: “Kodwa ke andibujongi njengento ebalulekileyo ubomi bam. Eyona nto ndiyifunayo kukuwugqiba umsebenzi wokushumayela endawuthunywa yiNkosi uYesu, ndizishumayele ngokucokisekileyo iindaba ezilungileyo zobubele bukaThixo.” (IZe. 20:24) Ngenkalipho, uPawulos akazange avumele nantoni na​—enoba yimpilo ebuthathaka okanye inkcaso ekrakra​—imthintele ekufezeni umsebenzi awuthunyiweyo.

¹⁷ Ngokufanayo namhlanje, amaKristu anyamezela iimeko ezahlukahlukeneyo ezinzima. Wambi anyamezela ukuvalwa komsebenzi wawo ngoorhulumente nentshutshiso. Amanye alwa ngesibindi nempilo eya isiba nkenenkene okanye ukudandatheka. Ulutsha olungamaKristu lulwa nengcinezelo yoontanga esikolweni. Enoba akweyiphi na imeko, amaNgqina kaYehova ema eqinile kanye njengoPawulos. Azimisele ‘ukuzishumayela ngokucokisekileyo iindaba ezilungileyo.’

18. UPawulos wazigcina njani engenatyala legazi, ibe bona abadala base-Efese babeza kuzigcina njani?

¹⁸ Ngoku uPawulos ubongoza aba badala base-Efese ngokungqalileyo, esebenzisa umzekelo awabamisela wona. Uqala ngokubaxelela ukuba kwakusenokwenzeka ukuba bambona okokugqibela kweso sihlandlo. Wandula ke athi: “Ndimsulwa egazini labantu bonke, kuba andinifihlelanga nto, ndinixelele yonke injongo kaThixo.” Abadala base-Efese babenokumxelisa njani uPawulos, ukuze nabo bahlale bengenatyala lagazi? Wathi kubo: “Zigadeni, nigade nomhlambi enibekwe ngumoya oyingcwele ukuba nibe ngabadala bawo, ukuze nilaluse ibandla likaThixo awalithenga ngegazi loNyana wakhe.” (IZe. 20:26-28) UPawulos walumkisa ngelithi emhlambini  kwakuya kungena “iingcuka ezikhohlakeleyo” zize ‘zithethe izinto ezigqwethekileyo kuba zifuna abafundi balandele zona.’ Yintoni ababemele bayenze abadala? UPawulos wabalumkisa wathi: “Hlalani nithe qwa, nikhumbule ukuba ndichithe iminyaka emithathu ubusuku nemini, ndinicenga ngeenyembezi.”​—IZe. 20:29-31.

19. Luluphi uwexuko olwavelayo ngasekupheleni kwenkulungwane yokuqala, ibe oku kwakhokelela entwenini kwiinkulungwane ezalandelayo?

¹⁹ “Iingcuka ezikhohlakeleyo” zangena ebandleni malunga neminyaka eyi-60 emva kokufa kukaYesu. Malunga no-98 C.E., umpostile uYohane wabhala wathi: “Sekuvele abachasi-Kristu abaninzi . . . Basishiya, kuba babengengabo abethu kakade; kaloku ukuba babengabethu, ngebeselapha nangoku.” (1 Yoh. 2:18, 19) Malunga nenkulungwane yesithathu, uwexuko lwalusele lukhokelele ekuveleni kodidi lwabefundisi beNgqobhoko, yaye ngenkulungwane yesine uMlawuli uConstantine waluvuma ngokusemthethweni olu hlobo lonakeleyo ‘lobuKristu.’ Ngokwamkela kwazo izithethe zobuhedeni zizenza ‘ezobuKristu,’ ngokwenene iinkokeli zonqulo ziye ‘zathetha izinto ezigqwethekileyo.’ Imiphumo yolo wexuko isabonakala nangoku kwiimfundiso namasiko eNgqobhoko.

20, 21. UPawulos wawubonisa njani umoya wokuzincama, yaye bona abadala abangamaKristu banokuzincama njani namhlanje?

²⁰ Indlela awayephila ngayo uPawulos yayahluke ngokupheleleyo kweyabo babeza kuthi kamva bawuxhaphaze umhlambi. Wasebenza nzima ukuze azixhase ukuze angabi ngumthwalo ebandleni. Izinto awayezenza ngenxa yabazalwana bakhe wayengazenzi ngenjongo yokuzuza ubutyebi. Wabongoza abadala base-Efese ukuba babe nomoya wokuzincama. Wathi kubo: “Nincede abo badinga uncedo, yaye nimele nihlale niwakhumbula amazwi eNkosi uYesu athi: ‘Kuvuyisa kakhulu ukupha kunokuphiwa.’”​—IZe. 20:35.

²¹ NjengoPawulos, abadala abangamaKristu namhlanje bayazincama. Ngokwahlukileyo kubefundisi beNgqobhoko, abaxhaphaza imihlambi yabo, abo baphathiswe imbopheleleko ‘yokwalusa ibandla likaThixo’ benza imisebenzi yabo ngaphandle kokuzingca. Ikratshi namabhongo azifuneki kwaphela kwibandla lamaKristu, kuba abo ‘bazifunela uzuko’ baya kuwa ekugqibeleni. (IMize. 25:27) Ekuphela komvuzo wokukhukhumala lihlazo kuphela.​—IMize. 11:2.

22. Yintoni eyabangela ukuba uPawulos athandwe ngabazalwana base-Efese?

²² Abazalwana babemthanda gqitha uPawulos kuba wayebathanda ngokunyanisekileyo. Enyanisweni, xa kwafika ixesha lokuba abashiye, “balila kakhulu, bamanga uPawulos baza bamphuza.” (IZe. 20:37, 38) AmaKristu abaxabisa ngokwenene yaye ayabathanda abo bathi njengoPawulos bazincame ngenxa yomhlambi. Emva kokuqwalasela lo mzekelo mhle kaPawulos, ngaba akuvumi ukuba wayengaqhayisi yaye engazibaxi izinto xa esithi: “Ndimsulwa egazini labantu bonke”?​—IZe. 20:26.