1. Yintoni abaqiniseke ngayo uPawulos nabazalwana bakhe, yaye ngoba?

 KUMALUNGA nonyaka ka-59 C.E., yaye isikhephe esinembasa ethi, “Oonyana bakaZeyus,” ekusenokwenzeka ukuba sasisikhulu kunezo zithwala ingqolowa, sishiya isiqithi esikwiMeditera iMalta sisiya eItali. Apho kuso kukhwele umpostile uPawulos, olibanjwa eliphelekwe ngabalindi, yaye kukho namanye amaKristu, uLuka noAristarko. (IZe. 27:2) Ngokwahlukileyo kubantu abasebenza kwesi sikhephe, aba bashumayeli bevangeli abafuni kukhuselwa ngoonyana bothixo wamaGrike uZeyus​—amawele uCastor noPollux. (IZe. 28:11) Endaweni yoko, uPawulos nabazalwana bakhe bakhonza uYehova, owachazela uPawulos ukuba wayeza kunikela ubungqina ngenyaniso eRoma aze eme phambi kukaKesare.​—IZe. 23:11; 27:24.

2, 3. Yiyiphi indlela esihamba ngayo isikhephe akhwele kuso uPawulos, ibe yiyiphi inkxaso awayifumana kwasekuqaleni kolo hambo lwakhe?

² Kwiintsuku ezintathu emva kokufika kwabo kwizibuko laseSirakuse, isixeko esihle saseSisili esikhuphisana neAthene neRoma ngobuhle, esi sikhephe senjenjeya ukuya eRegiyo eseluzwaneni losingasiqithi waseItali. Emva koko sincedwa ngumoya ovela emazantsi, eso sikhephe sahamba ngesantya seekhilomitha eziyi-320 ngeyure saya kugaleleka kwizibuko laseItali iPuteyoli (kufuphi nendawo ekuthiwa yiNaples namhlanje) ngexesha nje elifutshane, sifika kusuku lwesibini.​—IZe. 28:12, 13.

³ Ngoku uPawulos sekumbovu agaleleke eRoma, nalapho aza kuvela phambi koMlawuli uNero. Ukususela ekuqaleni kolo hambo ukuza kuthi ga ekugqibeleni, ‘uThixo wayo yonke intuthuzelo’ ebesoloko emxhasa uPawulos. (2 Kor. 1:3) Njengokuba siza kubona, loo nkxaso ayipheli; yaye uPawulos akaphelelwa yinzondelelo anayo njengomthunywa wevangeli.

4, 5. (a) Bububele obunjani obafunyanwa nguPawulos noogxa bakhe ePuteyoli, ibe yintoni esenokuba ngunobangela wokuba afumane inkululeko engako? (b) Kwanaxa esentolongweni, amaKristu anokuzuza njani ngenxa yehambo yawo entle?

⁴ Apho ePuteyoli, uPawulos noogxa bakhe ‘badibana nabazalwana baza babacenga ukuba bahlale nabo iintsuku ezisixhenxe.’ (IZe. 28:14) Onjani ukuba mhle umzekelo wokubuk’ iindwendwe kwamaKristu! Akuthandabuzeki ukuba abo bazalwana banobubele bazuza lukhulu kukhuthazo lokomoya abalufumanayo kuPawulos noogxa bakhe. Kodwa yenzeka njani into yokuba  ibanjwa eliphantsi kwabalindi lifumane inkululeko elolo hlobo? Mhlawumbi kungenxa yokuba lo mpostile wayesele ethenjwa ngabalindi baseRoma.

⁵ Ngokufanayo namhlanje, ngoxa besentolongweni nakwiinkampu zoxinaniso, abakhonzi bakaYehova baye banikwa inkululeko namalungelo akhethekileyo ngenxa yehambo yawo. Ngokomzekelo, eRomania enye indoda eyayigwetywe iminyaka eyi-75 ngenxa yokuphanga yaqalisa ukufunda iLizwi likaThixo yaza yabuguqula ngendlela ephawulekayo ubuntu bayo. Ngenxa yoko, abasemagunyeni entolongo bayivumela ukuba iye edolophini​—ngaphandle kweliso lomlindi—​iye kuthenga izinto zentolongo! Kakade ke, okona kubaluleke ngakumbi kukuba ihambo yethu entle iyamzukisa uYehova.​—1 Pet. 2:12.

6, 7. Abazalwana baseRoma balubonisa njani uthando lwabo olugqithiseleyo?

⁶ Ukusuka ePuteyoli, uPawulos noogxa bakhe bamele ukuba bahamba ngeenyawo umgama weekhilomitha eziyi-50 baya kutsho eCapua kwiNdlela ka-Apiyo, eya eRoma. Xa ukule ndlela idumileyo neyandlalwe ngodaka lwentaba-mlilo, uyakwazi ukubona amaphandle eItali, neendawo ezithile xa uhamba kuyo ugudle uLwandle lweMeditera. Le ndlela idlula nakwiPontine Marshes, umgxobhozo omalunga neekhilomitha eziyi-60 ukusuka eRoma apho ikhoyo iMarike ka-Apiyo. ULuka uthi, xa abazalwana baseRoma ‘beva ukuba siyeza,’ abanye beza de bafikelela kwiMarike ka-Apiyo, ngoxa abanye balinda eTavene-Ntathu, indawo yokuphumla emalunga neekhilomitha eziyi-50 ukusuka eRoma. Olunjani uthando abalubonakalisayo!​—IZe. 28:15.

⁷ IMarike ka-Apiyo yayingeyondawo ifanelekileyo yokuphumla kubahambi abafuna ukuthi vu emva kohambo olude. Imbongi nombhali waseRoma uHorace uchaza le Marike “njengendawo eyayiphithizela ngabahambi ngeenqanawa nabagcini ababengenabubele.” Wathi “amanzi alapho ayemabi ngeyona ndlela,” okanye emdaka. Yena wada akafuna nokuhlala atye kuloo ndawo! Noko ke, phezu kwayo yonke loo nto, abo bazalwana baseRoma babeze kukhawulela uPawulos noogxa  bakhe balinda ngovuyo apho ukuze bampheleke ngokukhuselekileyo kolo hambo lwakhe lokugqibela nabo.

 8. Kwakutheni ukuze uPawulos abulele uThixo ‘akubona’ abazalwana bakhe?

⁸ Le ngxelo ithi: “Wathi akubabona uPawulos wambulela uThixo waza waziva ekhuthazekile.” (IZe. 28:15) Ewe, ngokubabona nje aba bazalwana bathandekayo, abanye kubo asenokuba wayebazi ngokoqobo lo mpostile, waziva omelele yaye wathuthuzeleka. Kwakutheni ukuze uPawulos abulele uThixo? Wayesazi ukuba uthando lokungazingci luyinxalenye yesiqhamo somoya. (Gal. 5:22) Nanamhlanje, umoya oyingcwele wenza amaKristu azincame ngenxa yabanye abantu yaye athuthuzele abo bafuna intuthuzelo.​—1 Tes. 5:11, 14.

 9. Sinokuwubonisa njani umoya owaboniswa ngabo bazalwana babeye kuhlangabeza uPawulos?

⁹ Ngokomzekelo, umoya oyingcwele unyanzela abo bavumayo ukuba bamkele abaveleli abahambahambayo, abathunywa bevangeli abatyeleleyo nabanye abakhonzi bexesha elizeleyo, inkoliso yabo abaye bazincama ukuze bakhonze uYehova ngokuzele ngakumbi. Zibuze oku: ‘Ngaba kukho into engakumbi endinokuyenza ukuze ndixhase utyelelo lomveleli wesiphaluka, mhlawumbi ndamkele yena nomfazi wakhe ngobubele ukuba utshatile? Ngaba ndinokwenza amalungiselelo okusebenza nabo kubulungiseleli?’ Ngokwenjenjalo, nawe unokufumana iintsikelelo ezingathethekiyo. Ngokomzekelo, cinga nje ngovuyo olwafunyanwa ngabazalwana baseRoma njengoko babephulaphule uPawulos noogxa bakhe bebalisa izinto ezininzi ezakha ukholo.​—IZe. 15:3, 4.

10. Yayinjani imeko kaPawulos eRoma, ibe yintoni awakhawuleza wayenza emva kokuba efikile apho?

¹⁰ Xa elo qela labahambi lade lafika eRoma, “uPawulos wavunyelwa ukuba azihlalele yedwa kodwa kubekho ijoni elimgadileyo.” (IZe. 28:16) Ukuze ibanjwa lingabaleki, lalidla ngokudityaniswa ngetyathanga nomlindi walo. Sekunjalo, uPawulos, owayengumvakalisi woBukumkani, wayengenakuthuliswa lelo tyathanga, angashumayeli. Ngenxa yoko, emva kokuchitha iintsuku ezintathu ukuze aphumle kolo hambo lwakhe, wabizela kuye amadoda aziintloko amaYuda aseRoma ukuze azazise nokuze anikele ubungqina kuwo.

11, 12. Xa wayethetha namanye amaYuda, uPawulos wazama njani ukuchitha ikhethe ekusenokwenzeka ukuba ayenalo?

¹¹ UPawulos wathi kuwo: “Madoda, bantakwethu, nangona kungekho nto imbi ndiyenzileyo ebantwini okanye kumasiko ookhokho bethu, ndiye ndabanjwa eYerusalem ndasiwa kumaRoma. Emva kokundipheka endophula ngemibuzo, afuna ukundikhulula, kuba ayengenasizathu sakundibulala. Kodwa xa amaYuda asikhabayo eso sigwebo, kwanyanzeleka ndibhenele kuKesare. Le nto ndandingayenzi kuba ndimangalela isizwe sakowethu.”​—IZe. 28:17-19.

¹² Ngokubiza loo maYuda ngokuthi “bantakwethu,” uPawulos wayezama ukwakha isiseko avumelana ngaso nawo ukuze aphelise naliphi na ikhethe asenokuba ayenalo. (1 Kor. 9:20) Wayenza yacaca nento yokuba wayelapho  eRoma, kungekhona ukuze amangalele amaYuda, kodwa ukuze abhenele kuKesare. Noko ke, loo nto wayezithethelela ngayo uPawulos yayintsha ezindlebeni zaloo maYuda ahlala eRoma. (IZe. 28:21) Kwakutheni ukuze amaYuda akwelo lakwaYuda asilele ngolo hlobo ukunxibelelana namanye? Enye incwadi yabaphengululi ithi: “Isikhephe awayekhwele kuso uPawulos simele ukuba saba phakathi kwezokuqala ezafika eItali emva kobusika, ngoko ke bamele ukuba babengekafiki abameli bamaYuda asemagunyeni eYerusalem, ngokufanayo ke neleta ephathelele lo mcimbi.”

13, 14. UPawulos wasitshayelela njani isigidimi soBukumkani, ibe thina sinokuwuxelisa njani umzekelo wakhe?

¹³ Ngoku uPawulos uqalisa ukutshayelela isigidimi soBukumkani ngentshayelelo eza kuvusa umdla waloo maYuda. Wathi: “Yiloo nto ndiye ndacela ukuba ndithethe nani, kuba ndibotshwe ngeli tsheyini ngenxa yethemba lamaSirayeli.” (IZe. 28:20) Kakade ke, elo themba lalingenakubakho ngaphandle kukaMesiya noBukumkani bakhe njengokuba lalivakaliswa libandla lamaKristu. Bephendula aba badala bamaYuda bathi: “Kodwa kuhle ukuba sive ukuba uthini wena, kuba nyhani ke, le nkonzo intsha igxekwa kuyo yonke indawo.”​—IZe. 28:22.

¹⁴ Xa sifumana ithuba lokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo, sinokuxelisa uPawulos ngokusebenzisa amazwi aza kwenza abantu bacinge okanye imibuzo eza kuvusa umdla. Amacebiso abalaseleyo anokufumaneka kwiimpapasho ezifana nencwadi ethi Ukuqiqa NgeZibhalo, Zuza Kwimfundo YeSikolo Sobulungiseleli Sobuthixo, nethi Zimisele Ukufunda Nokufundisa. Ngaba uyazisebenzisa ezi ncwadi zokufunda iBhayibhile?

15. Ziziphi izinto ezine ezabalaselayo kubungqina bukaPawulos?

¹⁵ Ngomhla abavumelene ngawo, amaYuda ahlala eRoma ‘afika emaninzi kunakuqala’ kwindawo awayehlala kuyo uPawulos. UPawulos wawacacisela le mibandela “ukususela kusasa de kwangokuhlwa . . . ebashumayeza ngokucokisekileyo ngoBukumkani BukaThixo, ezama ukubeyisela ukuba bakholelwe kuYesu, esebenzisa uMthetho kaMoses neencwadi zabaProfeti.” (IZe. 28:23) Zine izinto ezibalaseleyo kubungqina obanikelwa nguPawulos. Eyokuqala, wagxininisa kuBukumkani bukaThixo. Eyesibini, wazama ukufikelela iintliziyo zabo wayethetha nabo ngokusebenzisa ukweyisela. Eyesithathu, waqiqa nabo ngeZibhalo. Eyesine, wabonisa ukungazingci, eshumayela “ukususela kusasa de kwangokuhlwa.” Onjani ukuba mhle umzekelo! Yaba yintoni imiphumo? “Abanye bazikholelwa,” ngoxa abanye bengazange. ULuka uthi, abantu abangazange bavumelane naye “baqalisa ukuhamba.”​—IZe. 28:24, 25a.

16-18. Kwakutheni ukuze uPawulos angamangaliswa yintsabelo engentle yamaYuda aseRoma, yaye thina simele sivakalelwe njani xa abantu bengafuni kuva ngesigidimi sethu?

¹⁶ Le ntsabelo ayizange immangalise uPawulos, kuba ivumelana nesiprofeto seBhayibhile yaye kwakusenzeka into ayiqhelileyo. (IZe. 13:42-47; 18:5, 6; 19:8, 9) Ngenxa yoko, kwabo babesimka wathi: “Umoya oyingcwele wawunyanisile xa wathetha nookhokho benu usebenzisa uIsaya umprofeti, usithi, ‘Yiya kwesi sizwana uze uthi: ‘Ngokuqinisekileyo niza kuva, kodwa anizukuyiqonda loo nto niyivayo, ibe niza kujonga, kodwa akukho kwanto niza kuyibona. Kuba iintliziyo zaba bantu zilukhuni.’” (IZe. 28:25b-27) Igama lantlandlolo eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “zilukhuni” libhekisela kwintliziyo “eqinileyo,” okanye ethe fithi “kukutyeba,” nto leyo esithintelayo isigidimi soBukumkani ukuba singene kuyo. (IZe. 28:27) Enjani ukuba mbi imeko ababekuyo!

¹⁷ Ekuqukumbeleni kwakhe uPawulos wathi, ngokwahlukileyo kumaYuda awayethetha nawo, ‘abantu beentlanga babeza kumamela.’ (IZe. 28:28; INdu. 67:2; Isa. 11:10) Eneneni, lo mpostile wayebazi kakuhle ubunyani boko, kuba wazibonela ngokwakhe abantu beeNtlanga abaninzi besamkela isigidimi soBukumkani.​—IZe. 13:48; 14:27.

¹⁸ NjengoPawulos, simele singakhubeki xa abantu bangafuni kuva ngeendaba ezilungileyo. Siyazi ukuba ngabantu abambalwa kuphela abaya kuyifumana indlela esa ebomini. (Mat. 7:13, 14) Ngapha koko, xa abantu abafanelekayo belwamkela baze balumele unqulo oluyinyaniso, simele sivuye sibamkele ngokufudumeleyo.​—Luka 15:7.

19. UPawulos walisebenzisa njani ixesha lakhe ngoxa wayevalelwe?

¹⁹ ULuka uqukumbela ibali lakhe ngamazwi amnandi nakhuthazayo, uthi: “[UPawulos] wahlala iminyaka emibini kwindlu yakhe awayeyiqeshile, yaye wayebamkela ngobubele bonke abantu ababesiza kuye, eshumayela kubo  ngoBukumkani BukaThixo ngaphandle kwesiphazamiso, yaye ebafundisa ngeNkosi uYesu Kristu, enenkululeko enkulu yokuthetha.” (IZe. 28:30, 31) UPawulos wamisela umzekelo omhle gqitha wokubuk’ iindwendwe, ukholo nenzondelelo.

20, 21. Chaza eminye yemizekelo yabantu abangenelwayo kubulungiseleli bukaPawulos eRoma.

²⁰ Omnye wabo bantu bamkelwa ngobubele nguPawulos yaba nguOnesimo, ikhoboka elabaleka eKolose. UPawulos wanceda uOnesimo waba ngumKristu, ibe naye uOnesimo waba ‘ngumzalwana wakhe othembekileyo namthandayo.’ Enyanisweni, uPawulos wachaza uOnesimo ngokuthi ‘ngumntwana wam, endiye ndangutata kuye.’ (Kol. 4:9; Filem. 10-12) UOnesimo umele ukuba waba lukhuthazo gqitha kuPawulos. a

²¹ Bakho nabanye abangenelwayo kumzekelo omhle kaPawulos. AbaseFilipi wababhalela wathi: “Izinto ezandehlelayo ziye zabangela ukuba iindaba ezilungileyo zihambele phambili, kangangokuba ukubanjwa kwam ngenxa kaKristu kuye kwaziwa lilo lonke iQela Loonogada Bakomkhulu nangabanye abantu. Ngoku ngenxa yokubanjwa kwam, abazalwana abaninzi abazinikele eNkosini banesibindi yaye bazimisele gqitha ukushumayela ilizwi likaThixo bengoyiki.”​—Fil. 1:12-14.

22. UPawulos walisebenzisa njani ithuba lokuvalelwa kwakhe eRoma?

²² UPawulos wasebenzisa ithuba lokuvalelwa kwakhe eRoma ukuze abhale iileta ezibalulekileyo ngoku eziyinxalenye yeZibhalo ZamaKristu ZesiGrike. b Iileta ezazibhalelwe amaKristu awayephila ngexesha labapostile zawanceda. Ezileta ziphefumlelweyo, ziyasinceda nathi namhlanje njengokuba zaziwanceda nawo.​—2 Tim. 3:16, 17.

23, 24. NjengoPawulos, amaKristu amaninzi namhlanje aye ahlala njani evuya yaye eshumayela phezu kwako nje ukubanjwa ngokungekho mthethweni?

²³ Ngexesha lokukhululwa kwakhe, elingachazwanga kwincwadi yeZenzo, uPawulos wayesele echithe malunga neminyaka emine eluvalelweni​—emibini eKesareya eminye eRoma. c (IZe. 23:35; 24:27) Ngalo lonke elo xesha wahlala evuya yaye eshumayela, esenza konke awayenokukwenza enkonzweni kaThixo. Ngokufanayo, nakuba bevalelwe ngokungekho mthethweni ngenxa yokholo lwabo, abakhonzi bakaYehova abaninzi namhlanje baye bahlala bevuya yaye beshumayela. Cinga nje ngomzekelo ka-Adolfo, owayevalelwe eSpeyin ngenxa yobundilele bakhe bobuKristu. Elinye igosa lathi: “Iyasimangalisa into yakho. Kudala sikuphatha kakubi apha entolongweni, yaye okukhona siqinisa  isandla, kokukhona usiba noncumo yaye uthetha ngobubele nathi.”

²⁴ Ethubeni, uAdolfo waye wathenjwa kangangokuba isisele sakhe sasishiywa sivuliwe. Amajoni ayedla ngokumtyelela aze ambuze ngeBhayibhile. Omnye wabalindi wayede aye kufunda iBhayibhile kwisisele sika-Adolfo, ngoxa yena uAdolfo egade amajoni adlulayo. Ngoko ke, yayisiba libanjwa “elilinda” umlindi! Ngamana umzekelo omhle wamaNgqina athembeke ngolo hlobo ungasishukumisela ekubeni sibonise “isibindi ngokungakumbi ekulithetheni ilizwi likaThixo ngokungenaloyiko,” naphantsi kwezona meko zinzima.

25, 26. Ngaphantsi nje kweminyaka eyi-30, sisiphi isiprofeto esimangalisayo esabonwa nguPawulos sizaliseka, ibe oko kufana njani noko kwenzeka namhlanje?

²⁵ Umpostile kaKristu useluvalelweni ‘eshumayela ngoBukumkani BukaThixo’ kubo bonke abo babesiza kumbona​—onjani ukuba namandla umqukumbelo wale ncwadi yeZenzo! Kwisahluko sokuqala, sifunda ngothumo uYesu awalunika abalandeli bakhe xa wathi: “Niza kuba namandla xa nifumana umoya oyingcwele, ibe niza kuba ngamangqina am eYerusalem, kulo lonke elakwaYuda naseSamariya, de niyokufika nakwezona ndawo zikude emhlabeni.” (IZe. 1:8) Ngaphantsi nje kweminyaka eyi-30 kamva, isigidimi soBukumkani sasisele ‘sishunyayelwa kwindalo yonke ephantsi kwezulu.’ d (Kol. 1:23) Obu bubungqina bokwenene bokuba namandla komoya kaThixo.​—Zek. 4:6.

²⁶ Namhlanje, umoya ofanayo uye womeleza abo baseleyo kubazalwana bakaKristu, kuquka amaqabane abo “ezinye izimvu,” ukuba baqhubeke ‘beshumayela ngokucokisekileyo ngoBukumkani BukaThixo’ kumazwe angaphezu kwayi-240! (Yoh. 10:16; IZe. 28:23) Ngaba nawe unenxaxheba ngokupheleleyo kulo msebenzi?