1, 2. Yini eyingqayizivele ngohambo oluzothathwa uBarnaba noSawulu, futhi umsebenzi wabo uzosiza kanjani ekugcwalisekeni kwezEnzo 1:8?

 KUNELIKHULU isasasa ebandleni lase-Antiyokiya. Kubo bonke abaprofethi nabafundisi abalapha, umoya ongcwele uqoke uBarnaba noSawulu ukuba bayise izindaba ezinhle ezindaweni ezikude. a (IzE. 13:1, 2) Yiqiniso, akhona amadoda afanelekayo aye athunywa ngaphambili. Kepha esikhathini esidlule izithunywa zevangeli zaziya ezindaweni ubuKristu obase bukhona kakade kuzo. (IzE. 8:14; 11:22) Manje, uBarnaba noSawulu—kanye noJohane Marku, ozoba isikhonzi—bazothunyelwa lapho iningi labantu lingakaze lizizwe khona izindaba ezinhle.

² Eminyakeni engaba ngu-14 ngaphambili, uJesu wayethe kubalandeli bakhe: “Nizoba ofakazi bami eJerusalema, kulo lonke elaseJudiya naseSamariya, nasezingxenyeni ezikude kakhulu zomhlaba.” (IzE. 1:8) Ukuqokwa kukaBarnaba noSawulu ukuba bakhonze njengezithunywa zevangeli kuzosiza ekugcwalisekeni kwamazwi kaJesu esiprofetho! b

3. Yini eyayenza kube nzima ukuthatha uhambo olude ngekhulu lokuqala?

³ Namuhla, ngenxa yokusungulwa kwezimoto nezindiza, abantu baya kude ngehora elilodwa noma amabili nje kuphela. Kwakungenjalo ngekhulu lokuqala C.E. Ngaleso sikhathi kwakuhanjwa ikakhulukazi ngezinyawo, ngokuvamile ezindaweni ezimbi. Uhambo losuku, mhlawumbe lwamakhilomitha angu-30, lwalukushiya ukhathele uyingcuba! c Ngakho, nakuba ngokungangabazeki uBarnaba noSawulu base bejahe ukuqala isabelo sabo, ngokuqinisekile baqaphela ukuthi kwakuzodingeka umzamo nokuzidela okukhulu.—Math. 16:24.

4. (a) Yini eyaqondisa ukuqokwa kukaBarnaba noSawulu, futhi amanye amakholwa asabela kanjani? (b) Singabasekela kanjani labo abathola izabelo ezingokwasezulwini?

 ⁴ Kungani umoya ongcwele waqondisa ukuthi kube uBarnaba noSawulu ‘abahlukaniselwa . . . umsebenzi’? (IzE. 13:2) IBhayibheli alisho. Siyazi ukuthi umoya ongcwele owaqondisa ukuqokwa kwala madoda. Akukho lutho olubonisa ukuthi abaprofethi nabafundisi e-Antiyokiya baphikisana nalesi sinqumo. Kunalokho, basisekela ngokugcwele. Cabanga nje indlela okumelwe ukuba uBarnaba noSawulu bazizwa ngayo njengoba abafowabo abangokomoya bezila ukudla futhi bethandaza ‘bebabeka izandla bebahambisa.’ (IzE. 13:3) Nathi kufanele sibasekele abantu abathola izabelo ezingokwasezulwini, kuhlanganise namadoda amiswa njengabadala bamabandla. Kunokuba sibafele umona abathola amalungelo anjalo, kufanele ‘sibacabangele kakhulu ngenxa yomsebenzi wabo.’—1 Thes. 5:13.

5. Chaza okwakuhilelekile ekushumayeleni esiqhingini saseKhupro.

⁵ Ngemva kokuya ngezinyawo eSelukiya, itheku eliseduze kwase-Antiyokiya, uBarnaba noSawulu bahamba ngomkhumbi baya esiqhingini saseKhupro, okuyibanga elingaba amakhilomitha angu-160. d Njengowokuzalwa eKhupro, cishe uBarnaba wayesha amashushu ngokuyisa izindaba ezinhle ensimini yakubo. Lapho efika eSalami, idolobha elisogwini olusempumalanga yesiqhingi,  la madoda awachithanga sikhathi. Avele “amemezela izwi likaNkulunkulu emasinagogeni amaJuda.” e (IzE. 13:5) UBarnaba noSawulu basuka ngapha kweKhupro baya ngale, behamba beshumayela emadolobheni ayinhloko. Kuye ngendlela ezahamba ngayo, kungenzeka ukuthi lezi zithunywa zevangeli zahamba amakhilomitha angu-220!

6, 7. (a) Wayengubani uSergiyu Pawulu, futhi kungani uBarjesu azama ukumvimbela ukuba alalele izindaba ezinhle? (b) USawulu wakunqanda kanjani ukuphikisa kukaBarjesu?

⁶ IKhupro yekhulu lokuqala yayingene yagamanxa ekukhulekeleni kwamanga. Kwabonakala kakhulu lokhu lapho uBarnaba noSawulu befika ePhafu, ogwini olusenyakatho yesiqhingi. Batholana “nendoda engumJuda egama layo linguBarjesu, eyayingumthakathi nomprofethi wamanga. Yayikanye nomphathi-sifundazwe uSergiyu Pawulu, indoda ekhaliphile.” f Ngekhulu lokuqala, amaRoma amaningi afundile—ngisho ‘nendoda ekhaliphile,’ njengoSergiyu Pawulu—ayevame ukuya kumthakathi noma kobhula ngezinkanyezi beyofuna usizo ekwenzeni izinqumo ezibalulekile. Yize kunjalo, isigijimi soMbuso savusa ilukuluku kuSergiyu Pawulu futhi ‘wayelangazelela ukuzwa izwi likaNkulunkulu.’ Akakuthandanga neze lokhu uBarjesu, owayaziwa nangesiqu esithi Eluma, esisho ukuthi “Umthakathi.”—IzE. 13:6-8.

⁷ UBarjesu wayengasifuni isigijimi soMbuso. Okuwukuphela kwendlela ayengavikela ngayo isikhundla sakhe esinamandla njengomeluleki kaSergiyu Pawulu kwakuwukuba ‘enze umphathi-sifundazwe afulathele ukholo.’ (IzE. 13:8) Kodwa uSawulu wayengeke amvumele umenzi wemilingo aqede isithakazelo sikaSergiyu Pawulu. Wenzani-ke uSawulu? Ukulandisa kuthi: “USawulu, obizwa nangokuthi uPawulu, egcwala umoya ongcwele, wambukisisa [uBarjesu]  wathi: ‘O muntu ogcwele yonke inhlobo yokukhohlisa nayo yonke inhlobo yobugebengu, wena ndodana kaDeveli, wena sitha sakho konke okulungile, kungani uqhubeka usonta izindlela zikaJehova ezilungile? Bheka! Isandla sikaJehova siphezu kwakho, uzoba yimpumputhe, ungakuboni ukukhanya kwelanga isikhathi esithile.’ Ngaso leso sikhathi kwehlela phezu kwakhe inkungu nobumnyama, wahamba efuna umuntu ozomhola ngesandla.” g Waba yini umphumela walesi simangaliso? “Umphathi-sifundazwe ebona lokho okwakwenzekile, waba yikholwa, ngoba wakhexa ngenxa yemfundiso kaJehova.”—IzE. 13:9-12.

8. Singasilingisa kanjani isibindi sikaPawulu namuhla?

⁸ UPawulu akazange esatshiswe uBarjesu. Ngokufanayo, nathi akufanele sesabe lapho abaphikisi bezama ukuqeda ukholo lwabantu ababonisa isithakazelo esigijimini soMbuso. Kuyavunywa, kufanele ‘amazwi ethu ngaso sonke isikhathi abe nomusa, anongwe ngosawoti.’ (Kol. 4:6) Ngesikhathi esifanayo, ngeke sifune ukufaka inhlalakahle engokomoya yomuntu othakazelayo engozini ngoba nje sifuna ukugwema izingxabano. Kungafanele nokuba sesabe ukudalula inkolo yamanga, eqhubeka ‘isonta izindlela zikaJehova’ njengoba kwenza uBarjesu. (IzE. 13:10) NjengoPawulu, kwangathi singalimemezela ngesibindi iqiniso, sifinyelele izinhliziyo zabaqotho. Ngisho noma ukusekela kukaNkulunkulu kungase kungabi sobala njengasendabeni kaPawulu, singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyosebenzisa umoya wakhe ongcwele ukuze adonsele abafanelekayo eqinisweni.—Joh. 6:44.

9. UPawulu noBarnaba bababekela kanjani isibonelo labo abaholayo ebandleni namuhla?

⁹ Ngokusobala, kwenzeka ushintsho lapho la madoda esuka ePhafu eya ePherga, esogwini lwe-Asia Minor, eqhele olwandle ngamakhilomitha angu-250. Encwadini yezEnzo 13:13, leli qembu libizwa ngokuthi “uPawulu nabangane  bakhe.” Indlela okubekwe ngayo isikisela ukuthi uPawulu manje uyena owayesehola emisebenzini yaleli qembu. Kodwa akukho okubonisa ukuthi uBarnaba waba nomona ngoPawulu. Kunalokho, la madoda amabili aqhubeka esebenza ndawonye ukuze afeze intando kaNkulunkulu. UPawulu noBarnaba bababekela isibonelo esihle labo abaholayo ebandleni namuhla. Kunokuba ancintisane ngokuthola udumo, amaKristu akhumbula amazwi kaJesu: “Nonke nina ningabafowabo bomunye nomunye.” Wanezela: “Noma ubani oziphakamisayo uyothotshiswa, nanoma ubani ozithobayo uyophakanyiswa.”—Math. 23:8, 12.

10. Chaza indlela esuka ePherga iya e-Antiyokiya yasePhisidiya.

¹⁰ Lapho befika ePherga, uJohane Marku wamonyuka kuPawulu noBarnaba waphindela eJerusalema. Asichaziwe isizathu sokuhamba kwakhe isigubhukane. UPawulu noBarnaba baqhubeka nohambo, besuka ePherga baya e-Antiyokiya yasePhisidiya, idolobha elalisesifundazweni saseGalathiya. Lwalungelula lolu hambo ngoba i-Antiyokiya yasePhisidiya iphakeme ngamamitha angu-1 100 ngaphezu kolwandle. Kwakubhoke nezinswelaboya ezindleleni eziyingozi ezisezintabeni. Ngaphezu kwalokho, cishe ngalesi sikhathi uPawulu wayesenezinkinga zempilo. h

11, 12. Lapho uPawulu ekhuluma esinagogeni lase-Antiyokiya yasePhisidiya, wazidonsa kanjani izilaleli?

¹¹ E-Antiyokiya yasePhisidiya, uPawulu noBarnaba bangena esinagogeni ngeSabatha. Ukulandisa kuthi: “Ngemva kokufundwa koMthetho nezincwadi zabaProfethi eningini, izikhulu ezengamele zesinagoge zathumela umyalezo kubo, zathi: ‘Madoda, bafowethu, uma ekhona amazwi akhuthazayo enifuna ukuwasho kubantu, wakhulumeni.’” (IzE. 13:15) UPawulu wasukuma wakhuluma.

 ¹² UPawulu waqala ngokubingelela izilaleli zakhe: “Madoda, ma-Israyeli nani nina abanye enesaba uNkulunkulu.” (IzE. 13:16) Izilaleli zikaPawulu zazingamaJuda namaproselithe. UPawulu wasivusa kanjani isithakazelo salezi zilaleli ezazingayiqapheli indima kaJesu enjongweni kaNkulunkulu? Okokuqala, uPawulu wafingqa umlando wesizwe samaJuda. Wachaza indlela uJehova ‘aphakamisa ngayo lesi sizwe ngesikhathi siphila njengezifiki ezweni laseGibhithe’ nendlela ‘abekezelela ngayo izenzo zaso ehlane’ iminyaka engu-40 ngemva kokukhululwa kwaso. UPawulu walandisa nangendlela ama-Israyeli akwazi ngayo ukudla iZwe Lesithembiso nendlela uJehova ‘alaba ngayo izwe njengefa.’ (IzE. 13:17-19) Kuye kwasikiselwa ukuthi kungenzeka uPawulu wayebhekisela emavesini athile ayesanda kufundwa njengengxenye yokugcina iSabatha. Uma kunjalo, lokhu kungesinye futhi isibonelo esibonisa ukuthi uPawulu wayekwazi ukuba “yizinto zonke kubantu bazo zonke izinhlobo.”—1 Kor. 9:22.

13. Singazishukumisa kanjani izinhliziyo zabasilalele?

¹³ Nathi kufanele senze abantu bafise ukuzwa izindaba ezinhle esizishumayelayo. Ngokwesibonelo, ukwazi isizinda esingokwenkolo somuntu kungasisiza sikhethe izihloko azozijabulela. Singacaphuna namavesi eBhayibheli okungenzeka lowo muntu uwajwayele. Kungase kube usizo ukuba azifundele kwelakhe iBhayibheli. Funa izindlela zokushukumisa izinhliziyo zabakulalele.

14. (a) UPawulu wazethula kanjani izindaba ezinhle ngoJesu, futhi wakhipha siphi isixwayiso? (b) Isixuku sasabela kanjani enkulumweni kaPawulu?

¹⁴ UPawulu wabe esexoxa ngendlela uhlu lwamakhosi akwa-Israyeli olwaholela ngayo ‘kumsindisi, uJesu,’ omanduleli wakhe kwakunguJohane uMbhapathizi. Ngemva kwalokho uPawulu wachaza ukuthi uJesu wabulawa futhi wavuswa kanjani kwabafile. (IzE. 13:20-37) UPawulu wathi: “Ngakho makwazeke kini . . . ukuthi ukuthethelelwa kwezono kumenyezelwa kini ngaye lo . . . Wonke umuntu okholwayo kuthiwa akanacala kukho ngaye lo.” Lo mphostoli wabe esexwayisa izilaleli zakhe: “Qaphelani ukuba lokho okushiwo kubaProfethi kunganehleli: ‘Kubhekeni nina baklolodi, nimangale, nishabalale, ngoba ngenza umsebenzi ezinsukwini zenu, umsebenzi eningasoze nawukholwa ngisho noma umuntu enilandisa wona ngokuningiliziwe.’” Ukusabela kwabantu enkulumweni kaPawulu kwamangaza. “Abantu babancenga ukuba bakhulume ngalezi zindaba ngeSabatha elilandelayo,” kusho iBhayibheli. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngemva kokuba umkhandlu wesinagoge uhlakazekile, “abaningi kumaJuda nakumaproselithe ayekhonza uNkulunkulu balandela uPawulu noBarnaba.”—IzE. 13:38-43.

15. Kwenzekani ngeSabatha elalandela inkulumo kaPawulu?

¹⁵ NgeSabatha elilandelayo, “cishe lonke idolobha” labuthana ndawonye lizolalela uPawulu. AmaJuda athile awakuthandanga lokhu, “aziphikisa ngokuhlambalaza izinto ezazishiwo uPawulu.” Yena noBarnaba bawatshela emakhaleni:  “Kwakudingekile ukuba izwi likaNkulunkulu likhulunywe kini kuqala. Njengoba nilenqaba futhi ningazahluleli njengabafanelwe ukuphila okuphakade, bhekani! siphendukela ezizweni. Ngoba uJehova usiyale ngala mazwi: ‘Ngikumise ukuba ube ukukhanya kwezizwe, ukuba ube yinsindiso kuze kube semaphathelweni omhlaba.’”—IzE. 13:44-47; Isaya 49:6.

16. AmaJuda asabela kanjani emazwini ashubile ezithunywa zevangeli, futhi uPawulu noBarnaba basabela kanjani ekuphikisweni?

¹⁶ Izilaleli ezingabeZizwe zajabula futhi “bonke labo ababenesimo esihle sengqondo esasiyobenza bathole ukuphila okuphakade baba amakholwa.” (IzE. 13:48) Izwi likaJehova lasakazeka ezweni lonke ngokushesha. Ukusabela kwamaJuda kwakuhluke ngokuphawulekayo. Eqinisweni, lezi zithunywa zevangeli zawatshela ukuthi nakuba izwi likaNkulunkulu lalikhulunywe kuwo kuqala, ayekhethe ukulahla uMesiya futhi ngenxa yalokho ayelindelwe isahlulelo esibi sikaNkulunkulu. AmaJuda agqugquzela abesifazane namadoda avelele edolobha, “babangela ukuba uPawulu noBarnaba bashushiswe, babaxoshela ngaphandle kwemingcele yabo.” Basabela kanjani oPawulu noBarnaba? “Babathintithela uthuli lwezinyawo zabo baya e-Ikoniyu.” Ingabe baphelela lapho ubuKristu e-Antiyokiya yasePhisidiya? Lutho neze! Abafundi abasala “baqhubeka begcwala injabulo nomoya ongcwele.”—IzE. 13:50-52.

17-19. Singasilingisa ngaziphi izindlela isibonelo esihle esabekwa uPawulu noBarnaba, futhi lokho kunganikela kanjani enjabulweni yethu?

¹⁷ Indlela laba bantu abathembekile abasabela ngayo lapho bephikiswa isifundisa isifundo esibalulekile. Asiyeki ukushumayela ngisho nalapho abantu abaqavile ezweni bezama ukusiyekisa ukumemezela isigijimi sethu. Phawula nokuthi lapho abantu base-Antiyokiya besenqaba isigijimi sabo, uPawulu noBarnaba ‘bathintitha uthuli lwezinyawo zabo’—isenzo esingabonisi ukuthukuthela kodwa esibonisa ukuthi abanacala ngokuyokwehlela abantu. Lezi zithunywa zevangeli zaqaphela ukuthi zazingeke zikwazi ukulawula indlela abantu abasabela ngayo. Into ezazingayilawula ukuthi zizoqhubeka yini zishumayela noma cha. Futhi yilokho kanye ezakwenza lapho ziya e-Ikoniyu!

¹⁸ Kuthiwani ngabafundi abasala e-Antiyokiya? Yiqiniso, babesensimini enzima. Kodwa intokozo yabo yayingaxhomekile ekwamukelweni kwezindaba ezinhle. UJesu wathi: “Abajabulayo yilabo abezwa izwi likaNkulunkulu baligcine!” (Luka 11:28) Futhi abafundi base-Antiyokiya yasePhisidiya banquma ukwenza lokho kanye.

¹⁹ NjengoPawulu noBarnaba, kwangathi singahlale sikhumbula ukuthi ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle kuyinto ebaluleke kakhulu. Isinqumo sokwamukela noma ukwenqaba isigijimi sethu siyokwenziwa izilaleli zethu. Uma kungathi diki kubantu esibashumayezayo, singafunda isifundo kubafundi bekhulu lokuqala. Uma silazisa iqiniso futhi sivuma ukuholwa umoya ongcwele, nathi singajabula ngisho siphikiswa.—Gal. 5:18, 22.