1, 2. (a) Bekungaba njani ukuphila ngaphandle kweBhayibheli? (b) Yini engasenza sizuze ngokugcwele lapho sifunda iBhayibheli?

UCABANGA ukuthi bekungaba njani ukuphila kwakho ngaphandle kweBhayibheli? Ubungeke ube nayo incwadi engakweluleka ekuphileni. Ubungeke uzithole izimpendulo ezanelisayo zemibuzo emayelana noNkulunkulu, ukuphila nesikhathi esizayo. Ubungeke wazi ngisho nangendlela uJehova asebenzelana ngayo nabantu endulo.

² Kuyajabulisa ukuthi asikho kuleso simo esidabukisayo. UJehova uye wasipha iZwi lakhe iBhayibheli. Usiqinisekise ngokuthi umyalezo walo uzoma kuze kube phakade. Umphostoli uPetru wacaphuna incwadi ka-Isaya 40:8. Lelo vesi alibhekiseli nje eBhayibhelini​—incwadi​—kunalokho libhekisela emyalezweni walo. (Funda eyoku-1 Petru 1:24, 25.) Singazuza ngokugcwele emyalezweni weBhayibheli ikakhulukazi uma silifunda ngolimi esiluqonda kahle. Labo abalithandayo iZwi likaNkulunkulu sebeye bakuqaphela lokhu. Nakuba bekungelula ngaso sonke isikhathi, emakhulwini eminyaka abantu abaqotho baye balihumusha balisakaza naphezu kobunzima. Isifiso sabo sasihambisana nentando kaNkulunkulu ewukuba “zonke izinhlobo zabantu zisindiswe futhi zifinyelele olwazini olunembile lweqiniso.”​—1 Thim. 2:​3, 4.

3. Sizoxoxa ngani kulesi sihloko? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

³ Kulesi sihloko sizoxoxa ngezibonelo zendlela iZwi likaNkulunkulu eliye lama ngayo naphezu (1) kokushintsha kolimi, (2) kokushintsha kwezombusazwe okuba nethonya olimini olukhulunywayo, nalapho (3) ukuhunyushwa kweBhayibheli kuphikiswa. Ukuxoxa ngalokhu kuzosizuzisa kanjani? Kuzokwenza silithande nakakhulu iZwi likaNkulunkulu. Kuzojulisa ukuthanda kwethu uJehova uNkulunkulu osiphe lona ukuze sizuze.​—Mika 4:2; Roma 15:4.

4. (a) Izilimi zishintsha kanjani ngokuhamba kwesikhathi? (b) Yini ebonisa ukuthi kuNkulunkulu wethu alukho ulimi olubaluleke kunolunye futhi lokhu kukwenza uzizwe kanjani ngaye?

⁴ Ulimi luyashintsha ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Amagama nendlela yokukhuluma kungase kushintshe ngokuphelele. Mhlawumbe ungase ucabange ngolimi olukhulumayo ukuthi selushintshe kanjani. Lokhu kwenzeka nasolimini lwesiHebheru nolwesiGreki, izilimi okwabhalwa ngazo ingxenye enkulu yeBhayibheli. Ulimi lwesiHebheru nolwesiGreki lwanamuhla luhluke ngokuphelele kulezo ezazisetshenziswa ngesikhathi kubhalwa iBhayibheli. Empeleni wonke umuntu ofuna ukuliqonda iBhayibheli kumelwe afunde elihunyushiwe. Abanye bacabanga ukuthi kufanele bafunde isiHebheru nesiGreki sasendulo ukuze bafunde iBhayibheli ngolimi elabhalwa ngalo ekuqaleni. Noma kunjalo, lokho kungase kungabazuzisi. * Kuyajabulisa ukuthi iBhayibheli noma ingxenye yalo iye yahunyushelwa ezilimini ezingaba ngu-3 000. Kusobala ukuthi uJehova ufuna abantu bazo “zonke izizwe nezinhlanga nezilimi” bazuze eZwini lakhe. (Funda isAmbulo 14:6.) Lokho akukwenzi yini umthande uNkulunkulu wethu onothando nongakhethi?​—IzE. 10:34.

5. Yini eyenza i-King James Version yabaluleka?

⁵ Njengoba izilimi zishintsha ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, luyashintsha nolimi olwalusetshenziswe ezinguqulweni zokuqala zeBhayibheli. IBhayibheli lingase liqondwe kalula lapho lisanda kuhunyushwa kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ulimi olusetshenzisiwe lungaphelelwa isikhathi. Ngokwesibonelo cabanga ngokuhunyushelwa kweBhayibheli esiNgisini. I-King James Version yanyatheliswa okokuqala ngo-1611. Yaba iBhayibheli lesiNgisi elithandwa kakhulu futhi yaba nendima ebalulekile olimini lwesiNgisi. * Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi i-King James Version ayigxilanga kakhulu egameni likaNkulunkulu. Isebenzisa igama elithi “uJehova” emavesini ambalwa bese isebenzisa elithi “NKOSI” ngosonhlamvukazi kwamanye amavesi emiBhalweni YesiHebheru lapho kufanele kube negama elithi Jehova. Izinguqulo ezanyatheliswa kamuva zisebenzisa igama elithi “NKOSI” ngosonhlamvukazi emavesini asemiBhalweni YamaKristu YesiGreki. Ngalowo mqondo i-King James Version yayiziqaphela izindawo lapho igama likaNkulunkulu okwakufanele livele kuzo kulokho okubizwa ngokuthi iTestamente Elisha.

6. Kungani sibonga ngokuba ne-Nguqulo Yezwe Elisha?

⁶ Noma kunjalo, ngemva kwamakhulu eminyaka ulimi olusetshenziswe kuyi-King James Version lwagcina lusiyisidala. Kwenzeka okufanayo nangezinguqulo zokuqala zezinye izilimi. Ave sija­bula ngokuthi sine-Nguqulo Yezwe Elisha YemiBhalo Engcwele ebhalwe ngolimi lwanamuhla. Le nguqulo itholakala ngezilimi ezingaphezu kuka-150 iphelele noma iyingxenye, ngakho abantu abaningi banayo namuhla. Ulimi olulula olusetshenziswe kuyo lwenza umyalezo weZwi likaNkulunkulu ufinyelele izinhliziyo zethu. (IHu. 119:97) Kuyaphawuleka nokuthi INguqulo Yezwe Elisha ibuyisela igama likaNkulunkulu endaweni yalo emiBhalweni.

7, 8. (a) Kungani amaJuda amaningi angekhulu lesithathu B.C.E. ayengakwazi ukuqonda imiBhalo YesiHebheru? (b) Iyini i-Septuagint yesiGreki?

⁷ Ukushintsha kwezombusazwe ngezinye izikhathi kuye kwathonya ulimi olusetshenziswa iningi. UNkulunkulu uye waqikelela kanjani ukuthi ushintsho olunjalo alwenzi iZwi lakhe lingaqondakali kubantu? Isibonelo sasendulo sisisiza sithole impendulo. Izincwadi zokuqala ezingu-39 zeBhayibheli zabhalwa ama-Israyeli noma amaJuda. Babengabantu ‘ababephathiswe amazwi angcwele kaNkulunkulu.’ (Roma 3:1, 2) Nokho ngekhulu lesithathu B.C.E. amaJuda amaningi ayengasasiqondi isiHebheru. Kungani? Ngoba u-Alexander Omkhulu wandisa umbuso waseGrisi ngokunqoba izindawo ezengeziwe. (Dan. 8:5-7, 20, 21) Njengoba lowo mbuso ukhula, isiGreki saba ulimi olukhulunywa abantu abaningi embusweni, kuhlanganise namaJuda. Njengoba amaJuda amaningi ayesekhuluma isiGreki kwaba nzima ukuqonda imiBhalo yesiHebheru. Le nkinga yayizoxazululwa kanjani?

⁸ Cishe phakathi nekhulu lesithathu B.C.E., izincwadi zokuqala zeBhayibheli zahunyushwa zisuselwa olimini lwesiHebheru zayiswa kolwesiGreki. Zonke ezinye izincwadi zemiBhalo YesiHebheru zaqedwa ukuhunyushwa ngekhulu lesibili B.C.E. Sezihunyushwe zonke izincwadi zesiHebheru, zabizwa ngokuthi i-Septuagint yesiGreki. I-Septuagint iyinguqulo yokuqala yayo yonke imiBhalo yesiHebheru.

9. (a) I-Septuagint nezinye izinguqulo zokuqala kwabathinta kanjani abafundi beZwi likaNkulunkulu? (b) Yimaphi amavesi noma izahluko ozithandayo emiBhalweni yesiHebheru?

⁹ I-Septuagint yenza lukhulu ekusizeni amaJuda akhuluma isiGreki nabanye abantu ukuba bakwazi ukufunda imiBhalo yesiHebheru. Cabanga nje ukuthi kwabajabulisa kanjani ukufunda nokuzwa iZwi likaNkulunkulu ngolimi lwabo lwebele! Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, izingxenye zeBhayibheli zahunyushelwa nakwezinye izilimi, njengesiSyriac, isiGothic, nesiLatini. Njengoba abafundi befunda imiBhalo eNgcwele ngolimi abaluqondayo, akungabazeki ukuthi abaningi baba namavesi abawathandayo njengoba kunjalo nangathi. (Funda iHubo 119:162-165.) Ngempela, iZwi likaNkulunkulu liye laqhubeka limile naphezu kokushintsha kolimi.

10. Kungani kwakunzima ngabantu ukuba bathole iBhayibheli ngesikhathi sikaJohn Wycliffe?

¹⁰ Ngezinye izikhathi, abaholi abanamandla baye bazama ukunqabela abantu abavamile ukuba bafunde iBhayibheli. Noma kunjalo, abantu abaqotho baye bamelana nalokho. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngoJohn Wycliffe, isazi senkolo sangekhulu le-14. Wayekholelwa ngokuqinile ukuthi wonke umuntu kufanele akwazi ukuzuza eZwini likaNkulunkulu. Kodwa ngesikhathi sakhe, kwakunzima ngabantu abavamile eNgilandi ukuthola iBhayibheli. Kungani? Ngenxa yokuthi lalikopishwa ngesandla futhi libiza kakhulu, ngakho abaningi babengakwazi ukuba nalo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, iningi labantu lalingafundile. Kungenzeka abantu babewezwa amavesi alo efundwa esontweni. Nokho, mancane amathuba okuthi babekuqonda ababekuzwa. Kungani? Ngoba iBhayibheli eliyinhloko elalisetshenziswa yiSonto (i-Vulgate) lalibhalwe ngesiLatini. Nokho, phakathi neNkathi Ephakathi isiLatini sasiwulimi olwalungasasetshenziswa. Pho, abantu babezophinde bakwazi kanjani ukuthola ingcebo eseBhayibhelini?​—IzAga 2:​1-5.

11. IBhayibheli likaWycliffe lasiza ngani?

¹¹ Ngo-1382, iBhayibheli lahunyushelwa esiNgisini, kamuva leyo nguqulo yaziwa ngokuthi iBhayibheli likaWycliffe. Ngokushesha abalandeli bakaWycliffe balithanda. Benesifiso sokuba abantu abavamile bazi iZwi likaNkulunkulu, abashumayeli abaziwa ngokuthi amaLollards babehamba ngezinyawo beya kuzo zonke izindawo eNgilandi. AmaLollards ayevame ukufundela abantu iBhayibheli likaWycliffe bese ebashiyela amakhophi alo abhalwe ngesandla. Umzamo wawo wenza ushintsho ngokuvuselela kubantu uthando lweZwi likaNkulunkulu.

12. Abefundisi babezizwa kanjani ngoWycliffe nabalandeli bakhe futhi yini abayenza?

¹² Basabela kanjani abefundisi? Bazonda uWycliffe, iBhayibheli lakhe nabalandeli bakhe. Abaholi benkolo bashushisa amaLollards futhi bafuna amaBhayibheli kaWycliffe bashisha wonke ababewathola. Ngisho noma esefile uWycliffe wayebhekwa njengesihlubuki. Yiqiniso kwakungenakwenzeka ukuba bajezise umuntu owayesefile. Noma kunjalo, abefundisi bagubha amathambo kaWycliffe bawashisa, umlotha bawuphonsa emfuleni. Kodwa iSonto alikwazanga ukuvimba abantu abafisa ukufunda nokuqonda iZwi likaNkulunkulu. Emakhulwini eminyaka alandela abantu abaningi eYurophu nakwezinye izingxenye zomhlaba baqala ukuhumusha nokusakaza iBhayibheli ukuze kuzuze abantu abavamile.

13. Yini esiqiniseka ngayo futhi lokhu kuluqinisa kanjani ukholo lwethu?

¹³ AmaKristu namuhla akufanele acabange ukuthi ukuhunyushwa kweSeptuagint, iBhayibheli likaWycliffe, i-King James Version noma ezinye izinguqulo kwakuphefumulelwe uNkulunkulu. Noma kunjalo, lapho sibheka umlando walezi zinguqulo nezinye eziningi ezanyatheliswa, konke kufakazela iqiniso lokuthi iZwi likaNkulunkulu liye lama njengoba nje uNkulunkulu athembisa. Ingabe lokhu akuluqinisi ukholo lwakho ukuthi konke okunye uJehova akuthembisile nakho kuzogcwaliseka?​—Josh. 23:14.

14. IZwi likaNkulunkulu likujulisa kanjani ukumthanda kwethu?

¹⁴ Ngaphandle kokuqinisa ukholo lwethu, ukuhlola indlela iBhayibheli eliye lama ngayo phakathi neminyaka kwenza simthande nakakhulu uJehova. * Kungani asinika iZwi lakhe? Kungani aqinisekisa ukuthi liyohlala likhona? Ngoba uyasithanda, ufuna ukusifundisa ukuze sizuze. (Funda u-Isaya 48:17, 18.) Kuyafaneleka ukuba sisabele othandweni lukaJehova ngokuthi nathi simthande futhi silalele imiyalo yakhe.​—1 Joh. 4:19; 5:3.

15. Sizoxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁵ Kunengqondo ukuphetha ngokuthi ngenxa yokuthi siyalithanda iZwi likaNkulunkulu sifuna ukuzuza ngokugcwele kulo. Singazuza kanjani ngokugcwele lapho silifunda? Yini engasisiza senze abantu balinake iBhayibheli lapho sibashumayeza? Yini engenziwa yilabo abafundisa besendaweni yesikhulumi ukuze ukufundisa kwabo kugxile eBhayibhelini? Sizoxoxa ngezimpendulo zale mibuzo esihlokweni esilandelayo.