1, 2. Luhlobo olunjani lohambo ngolwandle oluza kuthatyathwa nguPawulos, ibe ziziphi izinto ezisenokuba zimxhalabisile?

 UPAWULOS ujikajikana namazwi kaFesto kuba athetha lukhulu ngekamva lakhe. IRhuluneli uFesto yathi: “Uza kuya kuKesare ke.” UPawulos sele echithe iminyaka emibini entolongweni, ngoko ke olo hambo lude luya eRoma luya kwenza umahluko nokuba mncinane. (IZe. 25:12) Noko ke, ukuhamba ngolwandle kuPawulos akuthethi kubethwa yimpepho etsho kamnandi nokubona iindawo ezintle nje kuphela. Olu hambo lokuya kuma phambi koKesare lunokuvusa imibuzo emininzi kuPawulos.

² UPawulos ukhe wagaxeleka ‘ezingozini elwandle’ izihlandlo ezininzi, wasinda ekwaphukelweni ziinqanawa, de wachitha ubusuku nemini kwimpenge-mpenge yolwandle. (2 Kor. 11:25, 26) Ukongezelela koko, olu hambo alufani ncam nolo ebemane esiya kulo ekhululekile njengomthunywa wevangeli. Ngoku uza kube ehamba umgama omde elibanjwa​—ongaphezu kweekhilomitha ezingama-3 000 ukusuka eKesareya ukuya eRoma. Ngaba uza kufika ekhuselekileyo apho? Khona ukuba uye kufika, ngaba akazukugwetyelwa ukufa apho? Khumbula ukuba, ngelo xesha wayeza kuma phambi kwesihlalo sokugweba selona gunya liphakamileyo lehlabathi likaSathana.

3. Yintoni awayezimisele kuyo uPawulos, ibe yintoni esiza kuxubusha ngayo kwesi sahluko?

³ Emva kwazo zonke izinto ozifunde ngoPawulos, ucinga ukuba wayenokuyenza into yokuphelelwa lithemba ngenxa yezinto ezaziza kumehlela? Nakanye! Kaloku wayesazi kakuhle ukuba wayelindelwe bubunzima, nto nje engazi ukuba luhlobo luni lobunzima. Yintoni ke eyayiza kubangela ukuba aziphulukanise noyolo lobulungiseleli bakhe ngokuzixhalabisa ngezinto ezingaphaya kwamandla akhe? (Mat. 6:27, 34) UPawulos wayesazi ukuba ukuthanda kukaYehova yayikukuba asebenzise lonk’ ithuba elivelayo ukuze ashumayele iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo, nkqu nakwabo basemagunyeni. (IZe. 9:15) Wayezimisele ukuphila ngokuvumelana nolo thumo, kungakhathaliseki ukuba kwenzeka ntoni. Ngaba asiyonto sizimisele ukuyenza nathi leyo? Ngoko ke, masithi chu noPawulos kolu hambo lwakhe ngolwandle luyimbali, njengoko siqwalasela ukuxabiseka komzekelo wakhe.

4. Luhlobo olunjani lwesikhephe sokuqala awakhwela kuso uPawulos, ibe ngoobani abazalwana ababehamba naye?

⁴ UPawulos namanye amabanjwa anikelwa phantsi kwesandla segosa laseRoma uYuliyo, owakhetha ukukhwela isikhephe esithutha iimpahla zabarhwebi nesaya eKesareya. Sasivela eAdramitiyami, izibuko elikwintshona yonxweme lwaseAsia Minor, ngaphaya kwesixeko saseMitilene kwisiqithi saseLesbos. Esi sikhephe sasiza kuya emntla size emva koko siguguthe ukuya ngasentshona, size sothule apho, sibe sesilayisha omnye umthwalo. Kwakunzima gqitha ukukhwela kwezi zikhephe kuba zazingenzelwanga kuthwala bantu, ngakumbi amabanjwa. (Funda ibhokisi enomxholo othi, “ Ukuhamba Elwandle Ngeenqanawa Zabarhwebi.”) Okuvuyisayo kukuba, uPawulos yayingazukuba kuphela komKristu okhwele phakathi kwezo zaphuli-mthetho. Wayehamba nabazalwana bakhe ababini​—uAristarko noLuka. Kakade ke, nguLuka owabhala le ngxelo. Asazi ke enoba aba bazalwana banyanisekileyo bazihlawula ngokwabo kusini na iindleko zolo hambo okanye bahamba njengezicaka zikaPawulos.​—IZe. 27:1, 2.

5. Luluphi unxulumano lobuzalwana olwananditshwa nguPawulos eSidon, ibe yintoni esinokuyifunda koku?

⁵ Emva kosuku lokuqala beselwandle yaye bemalunga neekhilomitha ezili-110 emantla, esi sikhephe samisa eSidon, ekunxweme lwaseSiriya. Kuyabonakala ukuba uYuliyo akazange amphathe njengebanjwa eliqhelekileyo uPawulos, mhlawumbi ngenxa yokuba uPawulos wayengummi waseRoma ongekagwetywa. (IZe. 22:27, 28; 26:31, 32) UYuliyo wamyeka ukuba ahambe aye kubona abazalwana bakhe abangamaKristu. Abazalwana noodade bamele ukuba bakuvuyela gqitha ukunyamekela lo mpostile emva kwethuba elide esentolongweni. Ngaba wena unokulifumana ithuba lokubonisa obo bubele bothando utsho ke wakheke?​—IZe. 27:3.

6-8. Uhambo lukaPawulos lwaba njani ukusuka kwakhe eSidon ukuya eKinido, ibe ngawaphi amathuba okushumayela awawaxhakamfulayo?

⁶ Ukusuka eSidon, esi sikhephe saphinda sagudla unxweme sadlula eKilikiya, kufuphi nedolophu yakuloPawulos, iTarso. ULuka akasichazeli ngenye indawo abamisa kuyo, nakuba esichazela ukuba ‘umoya wawubhudla ngamandla.’  (IZe. 27:4, 5) Sekunjalo, sinokumbona uPawulos esebenzisa lonke ithuba alifumanayo ukuze ashumayele iindaba ezilungileyo. Ngokuqinisekileyo umele ukuba washumayela kwamanye amabanjwa nakwabanye ababekhwele apho, kuquka abasebenzi beso sikhephe namajoni, nakwabanye abantu abadibana nabo kulo naliphi na izibuko abamisa kulo. Ngaba nathi namhlanje siwasebenzisa kakuhle amathuba avelayo okushumayela?

⁷ Ethubeni, eso sikhephe saya kugaleleka eMira, izibuko elikunxweme olusemazantsi eAsia Minor. Apho uPawulos nabanye kwafuneka bakhwele kwesinye isikhephe esasiza kubasa eRoma, eyona ndawo babesiya kuyo. (IZe. 27:6) Ngaloo mihla, iRoma yayifumana ukutya okuziinkozo eYiputa, ibe izikhephe zaseYiputa zazimisa eMira. UYuliyo waxelela amajoni namabanjwa ukuba aye kukhwela kwesinye sezo zikhephe. Esi sikhephe simele ukuba sasisikhulu kakhulu kuneso sokuqala. Sasinomthwalo oxabisekileyo wengqolowa kunye nabantu abangama-276​—abantu abasebenza kuso, amajoni, amabanjwa, mhlawumbi nabanye ababesiya eRoma. Kuyacaca ukuba, ngoku kutshintsha inqanawa, yatsho yanda ngakumbi intsimi kaPawulos, ibe walixhakamfula elo thuba livelayo.

⁸ Emva koko baya kumisa eKinido, kwimbombo ekumzantsi-ntshona weAsia Minor. Xa umoya ubetha kakuhle, isikhephe singahamba usuku ukuya kuloo mmandla. Noko ke, uLuka usixelela ukuba “emva kokuba sihambe nzima iintsuku eziliqela, sada saya kufika eKinido.” (IZe. 27:7a) Imozulu yayingekho ntle ukuba iinqanawa zibe sendleleni. (Funda ibhokisi enomxholo othi, “ Imimoya Eza Ngaphambili KwiMeditera.”) Cinga nje ngabantu ababekhwele kweso sikhephe njengoko sasibhudlwa yimimoya namaza alatyuzayo.

9, 10. Ziziphi iingxaki ezavelayo kufuphi neKrete?

⁹ Umphathi weso sikhephe wayecebe ukutyhalela phambili aye ngasentshona esuka eKinido, kodwa uLuka owayelapho uthi “umoya wawungasivumeli sihambe ngqo.” (IZe. 27:7b) Njengokuba esi sikhephe sasingena phakathi elwandle, umhlaba wanyamalala kubonakala ulwandle kuphela yabe ke nemimoya enamandla evela emntla-ntshona isityhalela ngasemazantsi, mhlawumbi ngesantya esiphezulu. Njengokuba ngaphambili babesithwe sisiqithi saseSipro kwimimoya eza ngaphambili, kwesi isihlandlo babesithwa sisiqithi saseKrete. Eso sikhephe sathi sakudlula kwinduli yeSalmone esekupheleni kwempuma yeKrete, zatsho izinto zabhetele. Kwakubangelwa yintoni oko? Esi sikhephe safika kwindawo engenamoya, okanye kwicala elingezantsi leso siqithi, satsho sabhungca kwimimoya ebhudla ngamandla. Cinga nje indlela ezehla ngayo izibilini zabo babekhwele apho​—okwesihlandlo sokuqala. Kodwa logama nje esi sikhephe sasiseselwandle, abasebenzi baso babengalibalanga ukuba ubusika buseza. Oko kwakufanele kubaxhalabise.

¹⁰ ULuka usichazela ngeenkcukacha athi: “Sagudla unxweme [lwaseKrete] ngobunzima saya kwindawo ethile ebizwa ngokuthi amaChweba Amahle.” Kwalapho kwelo khusi babengene kulo, kwaba nzima ukulawula esi sikhephe. Kodwa ke, ekugqibeleni bada bayifumana indawo yokuphosa iiankile kwitheku elincinane ekucingelwa ukuba likuloo mmandla ngaphambi nje konxweme oluya emantla. Bahlala ixesha elide kangakanani apho? ULuka uthi, ‘kangangexesha elide,’ kodwa ngelo xesha kwakunzima. NgoSeptemba  okanye ngo-Oktobha, kwakuyingozi gqitha ukuhamba ngolwandle.​—IZe. 27:8, 9.

11. Lalisithini icebiso likaPawulos kwabo wayekhwele nabo, kodwa igosa lomkhosi lagqiba ekubeni benze ntoni?

¹¹ Bambi ababekhwele apho basenokuba bafuna icebiso kuPawulos ngenxa yamava akhe okuhamba kwiMeditera. Wacebisa ukuba bangaqhubeki nolo hambo lwabo. Ukuba bayaqhubeka, kwakuza kubakho ‘umonakalo nelahleko enkulu,’ mhlawumbi baphulukane nobomi babo. Noko ke, yena umqhubi nomnini-nqanawa babefuna ukuqhubeka nolo hambo, mhlawumbi bevakalelwa kukuba babemele bakhawuleze bafumane indawo ekhuselekileyo. Beyisela uYuliyo, baza nabanye abaninzi bavakalelwa kukuba babemele bazame ukuya kufika eFinikisi, izibuko elimgama apho elunxwemeni. Lisenokuba lalilikhudlwana yaye linendawo efanelekileyo yokuchitha ubusika. Yathi imozulu yakubonakala ngathi intle ngenxa yempepho etsho kamnandi eyayivela emazantsi, eso sikhephe sanduluka.​—IZe. 27:10-13.

12. Emva kokushiya iKrete, ziziphi iingozi esangena kuzo isikhephe, ibe abaqhubi baso bazama njani ukuphepha intlekele?

¹² Kwathi kusenjalo kwavela ingxaki engakumbi: “Kwagaleleka isivuthuvuthu somoya” ovela ngasemntla-mpuma. Okwethutyana elithile, bafumana ikhusi ‘ngakwisiqithana esithile esibizwa ngokuthi yiKawuda,’ kumgama weekhilomitha eziyi-65 ukusuka kumaChweba Amahle. Nalapho, esi sikhephe sasingekaphumi enkathazweni yokududulelwa emazantsi de siye kwaphuka kwisanti ekufuphi nonxweme lwaseAfrika. Bezama ukuphepha loo nkathazo, bathabatha iphenyane ababelitsala ngasemva balifaka ngaphakathi esikhepheni. Kwaba nzima gqitha ukwenza oko, mhlawumbi ngenxa yokuba eli phenyane lalizele ngamanzi. Emva koko bazama ukubopha eso sikhephe sikhulu, basiqamangela ngeentambo okanye amatyathanga ukuze singophuki. Bathoba iintambo zokulawula iiseyile ukuze eso sikhephe siqhutywe nguloo moya. Cinga nje indlela abamele ukuba babesoyika ngayo. Nako oku babekwenza akuzange kwanele, njengoko esi sikhephe sasiqhubeka “siphoswa ngapha nangapha seso saqhwithi.” Kusuku lwesithathu, bakhupha impahla eyayisesikhepheni, mhlawumbi befuna isikhephe sibe khaphukhaphu.​—IZe. 27:14-19.

13. Yiyiphi indlela abamele ukuba babevakalelwa ngayo abantu ababekhwele noPawulos esikhepheni xa sasibhudlwa ngumoya?

¹³ Abantu ababekhwele apho bamele ukuba babetyhwatyhwa gqitha. Kodwa uPawulos nabazalwana bakhe babomeleza gqitha. Ngaphambili iNkosi yaqinisekisa uPawulos ukuba wayeza kunikela ubungqina eRoma, yaye nengelosi yakungqina oko. (IZe. 19:21; 23:11) Sekunjalo, kwaphela iiveki ezimbini bephoswa ngapha nangapha ngumoya imini nobusuku. Ngenxa yemvula engayekiyo neengqimba zamafu ezazisithe ilanga neenkwenkwezi, umqhubi wayengakwazi ukubona eyona ndawo akuyo. Babengasakwazi nokutya oku. Akukho mntu wayenokukwazi ukucinga ngokutya kuloo ngqele, imvula, ukuguliswa lulwandle noloyiko.

14, 15. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze uPawulos akhankanye isilumkiso awayesenze ngaphambili xa wayethetha nabo babekhwele naye esikhepheni? (b) Yintoni esinokuyifunda kwisigidimi sethemba esanikelwa nguPawulos?

 ¹⁴ Wandula ke uPawulos wema phakathi kwabo. Wakhankanya isilumkiso ebesenze ngaphambili, kodwa engathethi ngokungathi uthi, “bendinixelele.” Kodwa iziganeko ezisandul’ ukwenzeka zazibubungqina bamazwi akhe ababemele bawathobele. Emva koko wathi: “Ningoyiki, kuba akukho nomnye kuni oza kufa, yinqanawa nje eza kophuka.” (IZe. 27:21, 22) Bonke abo bamele ukuba bathuthuzelwa gqitha ngaloo mazwi. Naye uPawulos umele ukuba wavuyiswa gqitha seso sigidimi wasinikwa nguYehova sokuba omeleze abo babelapho. Kubalulekile ukukhumbula ukuba uYehova ukhathalele bonke abantu. Mntu ngamnye ubalulekile kuye. Umpostile uPetros wathi: “UYehova . . . akafuni kutshabalale nabani na kuni, kodwa angathanda ukuba wonke umntu aguquke.” (2 Pet. 3:9) Kungxamiseke gqitha ukuba sizimisele ukwabelana nabantu abaninzi kangangoko sinako ngesigidimi sikaYehova sethemba. Ubomi babantu busesichengeni nakuba bexabisekile kuYehova.

¹⁵ UPawulos umele ukuba wanikela ubungqina kubantu abaninzi ababekhwele apho ngokuba “nethemba kwisithembiso uThixo awasenzayo” (IZe. 26:6; Kol. 1:5) Ekubeni ngoku babekule ngxaki yokwaphukelwa yinqanawa, laliza kuvakala ngakumbi eli themba linikelwa nguPawulos. Wathi: “Ebusuku ingelosi kaThixo endimkhonzayo . . . , yafika kum, yathi, ‘Ungoyiki Pawulos. Uza kuma phambi kukaKesare, ibe jonga! uThixo uza kubasindisa bonke abo bahamba nawe.’”  UPawulos wababongoza wathi: “Ngoko qinani madoda, kuba ndimthembile uThixo ukuba uza kuyenza yonke le nto ndiyixelelweyo. Kodwa ke, simele siye kubetheka kwisiqithi esithile.”​—IZe. 27:23-26.

16, 17. (a) Liliphi ithuba elasetyenziswa nguPawulos ukuze athandaze, ibe kwaba nayiphi imiphumo oko? (b) Kwazaliseka njani oko kwakuchazwe kwangaphambili nguPawulos?

¹⁶ Emva kweeveki ezimbini betyhwatyhwa luloyiko, nalapho isikhephe sabo sasikhukuliswe ngumoya kangangeekhilomitha ezingama-870, ngoku kwabo baqhubi zehla izibilini, mhlawumbi ngenxa yokuva ingxolo kumhlaba okufutshane. Bathobela elwandle iiankile zangasemva besenzela ukuba isikhephe siye ngqo emhlabeni xa benokugaxeleka elunxwemeni. Kwathi kusenjalo, bazama ukusishiya isikhephe kodwa amajoni abathintela ekwenzeni oko. UPawulos wathi kumajoni: “Ukuba la madoda ayayishiya le nqanawa, anizukusinda.” Ekubeni ngoku esi sikhephe sasingathi siyazola, uPawulos wabacela bonke abantu ukuba batye, ebaqinisekisa ukuba babeza kusinda. Emva koko uPawulos “wabulela kuThixo phambi kwabo bonke.” (IZe. 27:31, 35) Ngokwenza lo mthandazo wokubulela, wamisela uLuka, uAristarko, namaKristu anamhlanje umzekelo omhle. Ngaba imithandazo oyenza phambi kwabanye iyabakhuthaza ize ibathuthuzele?

¹⁷ Emva kwaloo mthandazo kaPawulos, “baba nesibindi, batya.” (IZe. 27:36) Baphinda basenza khaphukhaphu isikhephe sabo ngokulahla ingqolowa ababeyithwele elwandle, khon’ ukuze senyuke emanzini njengoko babesondela elunxwemeni. Yathi yakufika imini, abaqhubi baziqhawula iiankile, bekhulula nezibophelelo zamaphini okubhexa ezingasemva baza baphakamisela iiseyile zangaphambili emoyeni besenzela ukulawula isikhephe njengoko sasibalekela emhlabeni. Emva koko umphambili weso sikhephe waxinga, mhlawumbi esantini okanye edakeni, waza ke umva wayo waqalisa ukuqhekeka ngenxa yokuntlithwa ngamaza. Amanye amajoni afuna ukuwabulala amabanjwa ukuze kungabikho nalinye elinokubaleka, kodwa uYuliyo wawanqanda. Wacela wonk’ ubani olapho ukuba adadele elunxwemeni. Kwaba njalo ngokwenene oko kwakuthethwe nguPawulos​—bonke abo babengama-276 basinda. Ewe, “bonke bafika bekhuselekile elunxwemeni.” Yiyiphi ke le ndawo babefikele kuyo?​—IZe. 27:44.

18-20. Abantu baseMalta babubonisa njani “ubuntu obungaqhelekanga,” ibe nguwuphi ummangaliso owenziwa nguThixo esebenzisa uPawulos?

¹⁸ Kwathi kanti loo ndawo sisiqithi saseMalta, kumazantsi eSisili. (Funda ibhokisi enomxholo othi, “ Iphi IMalta”) Abantu abathetha ulwimi lwasemzini beso siqithi bababonisa ‘ububele kakhulu.’ (IZe. 28:2) Bababasela umlilo wokotha abo bantu basemzini nabafika kunxweme lwabo bemanzi tixi yaye beqhaqhazela yingqele. Batsho bafudumala phezu kwayo nje loo ngqele nemvula. Ubukho baloo mlilo babangela ukuba kwenzeke nomnye ummangaliso.

¹⁹ UPawulos wancedisa. Waqokelela iinkuni, waza wazifaka emlilweni. Njengoko wayezifaka, kwaphuma irhamba elinobuhlungu lamluma esandleni. Abantu baseMalta bacinga ukuba esi yayisisibetho esivela kuThixo. a

²⁰ Xa abantu balapho babona irhamba liluma uPawulos bacinga ukuba “wayeza kudumba.” Ngokutsho kwenye incwadi, kulwimi lwantlandlolo eli gama lisetyenziswe apho “libinzana lezamayeza.” Ayimangalisi into yokuba amazwi anjalo akhawuleza athi qatha engqondweni ‘kaLuka ugqirha othandekayo.’ (IZe. 28:6; Kol. 4:14) Kuyo yonke loo nto, uPawulos wayivuthulula loo nyoka inobuhlungu wasala engenzakalanga.

21. (a) Yiyiphi eminye yemizekelo yokuchaza izinto ngokuthe ngqo okanye ngokuchanileyo esiyifumana kule ngxelo kaLuka? (b) Yiyiphi imimangaliso awayenzayo uPawulos, ibe yaba nayiphi imiphumo kubantu baseMalta?

²¹ Apho kwakuhlala isinhanha esinemihlaba ekuthiwa nguPubliyo. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba wayeligosa laseRoma eliphambili apho eMalta. ULuka umchaza ‘njengendoda eyintloko yesiqithi,’ esebenzisa kanye isibizo esifumaneka kwimibhalo emibini yolwimi lwaseMalta. Ngobubele wamkela uPawulos noogxa bakhe kangangeentsuku ezintathu. Noko ke, uyise wayegula. Kwakhona uLuka uyichaza ngokuchanileyo ngokweenkcukacha imeko yakhe. Wabhala echaza ukuba uyise kaPubliyo “wayelele ebhedini, egula ngumkhuhlane yaye etsheqwa sisisu,” echaza ngokuthe ngqo eyona nto wayegula yiyo. UPawulos wathandaza,wambek’ izandla, waza wamphilisa. Bechukumisekile ngulo mmangaliso, abantu balapho bazisa abantu babo abagulayo ukuze baphiliswe, yaye beza nezipho ukuze banyamekele iintswelo zikaPawulos nabazalwana bakhe.​—IZe. 28:7-10.

22. (a) Omnye unjingalwazi uyichaza njani ingxelo kaLuka ngohambo ngolwandle besiya eRoma? (b) Yintoni esiza kuyiqwalasela kwisahluko esilandelayo?

²² Le nxalenye yohambo lukaPawulos ngolwandle esiye sayiqwalasela ukuza kuthi ga ngoku ivakala ichanileyo yaye iyinyaniso. Omnye unjingalwazi wathi: “Ingxelo kaLuka . . . ibalasele njengeyona nkcazelo ichazwe ngokweenkcukacha kuyo yonke iBhayibhile. Iinkcukacha zayo ngokuphathelele oomatiloshe benkulungwane yokuqala zichanile yaye ukuchazwa kwemeko yasempuma kwiMeditera ichane” kangangokuba imele ukuba yayisekelwe kwidayari ebhalwa ngexesha ezenzeka ngalo iziganeko. ULuka umele ukuba loo dayari wayeyibhala kanye ngelo xesha wayehamba ngalo nompostile uPawulos. Ukuba kunjalo, inxalenye elandelayo yohambo lwakhe yamnceda wafumana izinto ezininzi anokubhala ngazo. Yintoni eyayiza kwenzeka ukufika kukaPawulos eRoma? Makhe sibone.