1-3. (a) Kungani imicabango kaNkulunkulu nolimi lwakhe kuphakeme kunokwabantu? (b) Yini esizoyifunda kulesi sihloko?

UJEHOVA wayefuna ukuhlanganyela ukuphila nenjabulo nabanye, ngakho wadala izingelosi, kwathi kamuva wadala abantu. (IHubo 36:9; 1 Thimothewu 1:11) UJehova waqale wadala lowo umphostoli uJohane ambiza ngokuthi “uLizwi.” (Johane 1:1; IsAmbulo 3:14) UJehova wayekhulumisana noLizwi, okunguJesu, eveza imicabango nemizwa yakhe. (Johane 1:​14, 17; Kolose 1:15) Umphostoli uPawulu uthi izingelosi nazo ziyakhulumisana futhi zinolimi lwazo, kodwa luhluke kakhulu kolwabantu.​—1 Korinte 13:1.

² UJehova wazi konke ngezigidigidi zezingelosi nangabantu abadalile. Uyakwazi ukulalela imithandazo yezigidi zabantu eyenziwa ngesikhathi esifanayo, futhi uyayiqonda imithandazo yabo kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ishiwo ngaluphi ulimi. Njengoba esuke elalele yonke leyo mithandazo, uJehova usuke futhi ekhuluma nezingelosi ezinikeza iziqondiso. Ukuze uJehova akwazi ukwenza konke lokho, imicabango yakhe nolimi lwakhe kumelwe kube sezingeni eliphakeme kunemicabango nolimi olukhulunywa abantu. (Funda  u-Isaya 55:​8, 9.) Ngakho lapho ekhuluma nabantu, usebenzisa ulimi olulula ukuze sikuqonde akushoyo.

³ Kulesi sihloko sizofunda ngendlela uJehova akhuluma ngayo nabantu ngendlela ecacile. Sizobona nokuthi uyishintsha kanjani indlela akhuluma ngayo, kuye ngezimo.

4. (a) Yiluphi ulimi uJehova alusebenzisa lapho ekhuluma noMose, uSamuweli noDavide? (b) Yini equkethwe iBhayibheli?

⁴ Lapho uJehova ekhuluma nomuntu wokuqala, u-Adamu, ensimini yase-Edene, cishe wasebenzisa isiHebheru sasendulo. Kamuva, uJehova wakhuluma namadoda anjengoMose, uSamuweli noDavide. Nakuba babhala amazwi abo ngesiHebheru nangendlela yabo, empeleni babebhala imicabango kaNkulunkulu. Babhala amazwi avela kuJehova ngokuqondile, baphinde babhala umlando wokusebenzelana kukaNkulunkulu nabantu bakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, iBhayibheli lilandisa ngokholo nangothando lwabo ngoNkulunkulu, libuye lilandise nangamaphutha nokungathembeki kwabo. Konke lokhu kwalotshelwa ukuba kuzuze thina.​—Roma 15:4.

5. Ingabe isiHebheru siwukuphela kolimi uNkulunkulu alusebenzisa ukuze akhulume nabantu? Chaza.

⁵ UJehova wayengasebenzisi isiHebheru ngaso sonke isikhathi lapho ekhuluma nabantu. Ngesikhathi ama-Israyeli ekhululwa eBhabhiloni, amanye awo ayekhuluma isi-Aramu ekuphileni kwawo kwansuku zonke. Mhlawumbe yingakho uDaniyeli, uJeremiya no-Ezra babhala izingxenye ezithile zeBhayibheli ngesi-Aramu. *

6. Kungani imiBhalo YesiHebheru yahunyushelwa olimini lwesiGreki?

⁶ Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi u-Alexander Omkhulu wanqoba ingxenye enkulu yomhlaba, futhi isiGreki esivamile, noma isiKoine, saba ulimi olusetshenziswa kakhulu emazweni amaningi. AmaJuda amaningi aqala ukukhuluma isiGreki, futhi imiBhalo YesiHebheru yagcina ihunyushelwe olimini lwesiGreki. Le nguqulo ibizwa ngokuthi i-Septuagint. Kwakuyinguqulo yeBhayibheli yokuqala nebaluleke kakhulu. Ochwepheshe bakholelwa ukuthi i-Septuagint yaphothulwa abahumushi abangu-72. * Abanye babo bahumusha imiBhalo YesiHebheru izwi nezwi, kanti abanye abenzanga kanjalo. Noma kunjalo, amaJuda namaKristu ayekhuluma isiGreki ayekholelwa ukuthi i-Septuagint iyiZwi likaNkulunkulu.

7. UJesu wasebenzisa luphi ulimi ukuze afundise abalandeli bakhe?

 ⁷ Ngesikhathi uJesu esemhlabeni, cishe wayekhuluma isiHebheru. (Johane 19:20; 20:16; IzEnzo 26:14) Kungenzeka wasebenzisa nezinkulumo zesi-Aramu ezazijwayelekile ngaleso sikhathi. Kodwa wayesazi nesiHebheru sasendulo esasikhulunywa uMose nabaprofethi, abamibhalo yabo yayifundwa esinagogeni isonto ngalinye. (Luka 4:​17-19; 24:​44, 45; IzEnzo 15:21) Kanti nakuba isiGreki nesiLatini sasikhulunywa ngesikhathi sikaJesu, iBhayibheli alisho ukuthi uJesu wayezikhuluma yini nalezi zilimi noma cha.

8, 9. Kungani amaKristu amaningi ayekhuluma isiGreki, futhi lokhu kusifundisani ngoJehova?

⁸ Abalandeni bakaJesu bokuqala babekhuluma isiHebheru, kodwa ngemva kokufa kwakhe, abafundi bakhe babekhuluma nezinye izilimi. (Funda izEnzo 6:1.) Njengoba izindaba ezinhle zazisakazeka, amaKristu amaningi ayekhuluma isiGreki esikhundleni sesiHebheru. Ngenxa yokuthi isiGreki sasiwulimi olujwayelekile, incwadi kaMathewu, ekaMarku, ekaLuka nekaJohane zasakazwa ngesiGreki. * Kanti nezincwadi zomphostoli uPawulu nezinye izincwadi zeBhayibheli zabhalwa ngesiGreki.

⁹ Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi lapho abalobi bemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki becaphuna emiBhalweni YesiHebheru, babevame ukusebenzisa i-Septuagint. Ngezinye izikhathi, lezo zingcaphuno zazithe ukwehluka kancane endleleni isiHebheru sokuqala esasibekwe ngayo. Ngakho umsebenzi wabahumushi abangaphelele waba yingxenye yeBhayibheli esinalo namuhla. Lokhu kusifundisa ukuthi uJehova akabheki olunye ulimi noma isiko njengelingcono kunelinye.​—Funda izEnzo 10:34.

10. Sifundeni endleleni uJehova akhulumisana ngayo nabantu?

¹⁰ Sifunde ukuthi uJehova ukhuluma nabantu ngokuvumelana nezimo. Akalindele ukuba sikhulume ulimi oluthile ukuze simazi noma sazi izinjongo zakhe. (Funda uZakariya 8:23; isAmbulo 7:​9, 10.) Sifunde nokuthi uJehova waphefumulela abalobi beBhayibheli, kodwa wabavumela ukuba babhale imicabango yakhe ngamazwi abo.

11. Kungani kungeyona inkinga kuJehova ukuthi abantu basebenzisa izilimi ezihlukahlukene?

¹¹ Abantu basebenzisa izilimi ezihlukahlukene, kodwa lokhu akuyona inkinga kuJehova. Sazi kanjani? IBhayibheli liqukethe amazwi kaJesu ambalwa kakhulu ngolimi lokuqala ayelusebenzisa. (Mathewu 27:46; Marku 5:41; 7:34; 14:36) Kodwa uJehova waqinisekisa ukuthi umyalezo kaJesu ubhalwa ngesiGreki futhi  uhunyushelwa kuso, nokuthi kamuva, uhunyushelwa nakwezinye izilimi. Kanti ngenxa yokuthi amaJuda namaKristu enza amakhophi amaningi eZwi likaNkulunkulu, umyalezo kaNkulunkulu walondolozwa. Lawo makhophi abe esehunyushelwa kwezinye izilimi ezengeziwe. Eminyakeni engaba ngu-400 ngemva kokuzalwa kukaKristu, uJohn Chrysostom wathi izimfundiso zikaJesu zase zihunyushelwe ezilimini zabantu baseSiriya, baseGibhithe, baseNdiya, basePheresiya, baseTopiya nakwezabanye abaningi.

12. IBhayibheli liye lahlaselwa kanjani?

¹² Kuwo wonke umlando, iBhayibheli liye lahlaselwa kakhulu, kanjalo nabahumushi balo nalabo ababelisakaza. Eminyakeni engaba-300 ngemva kokuzalwa kukaJesu, uMbusi waseRoma uDiocletian wayala ukuba wonke amakhophi eBhayibheli ashiswe. Eminyakeni engaba ngu-1 200 kamuva, uWilliam Tyndale waqala ukuhumushela iBhayibheli olimini lwesiNgisi. Wathi uma uNkulunkulu engamvumela ukuba aphile isikhathi eside ngokwanele, uzoqinisekisa ukuthi ngisho nomfana owelusayo ulazi kangcono iBhayibheli kunompristi. Ngenxa yoshushiso, uTyndale kwadingeka ukuba abaleke eNgilandi ukuze akwazi ukuhumusha iBhayibheli lakhe futhi alinyathelise. Nakuba abefundisi bazama ukuwashisa wonke amakhophi ababewathola, inguqulo kaTyndale yasakazwa kubantu abaningi. Ekugcineni, uTyndale waklinywa wabe eseshiswa esigxotsheni. Kodwa inguqulo yakhe yasinda, futhi yasetshenziswa ukuze kulungiselelwe inguqulo yeBhayibheli ebizwa ngokuthi i-King James Version.​—Funda eyesi-2 Thimothewu 2:9.

13. Ucwaningo olwenziwe emibhalweni yesandla yeBhayibheli yasendulo lwembuleni?

¹³ Kuyiqiniso ukuthi kwamanye amakhophi eBhayibheli amadala kakhulu, kunamaphutha amancane nomehluko othile. Noma kunjalo, izazi zeBhayibheli zacwaninga ngokucophelela izinkulungwane zemibhalo yesandla, izingxenye zayo nezinguqulo ezindala zeBhayibheli. Ngemva kokuqhathanisa, zathola ukuthi ayembalwa amavesi anomehluko, futhi lowo mehluko wawungatheni. Kodwa umyalezo weBhayibheli awushintshanga. Ucwaningo olunjengalolu lubenza baqiniseke abafundi beBhayibheli abaqotho ukuthi lokhu abanakho namuhla  kuyiZwi likaJehova eliphefumulelwe.​—Isaya 40:8. *

14. Litholakala kabanzi kangakanani iBhayibheli namuhla?

¹⁴ Naphezu kokuhlaselwa kweBhayibheli izikhathi eziningi, liye lahunyushelwa ezilimini ezingaphezu kuka-2 800. Lokhu kungaphezu kwanoma iyiphi enye incwadi etholakalayo namuhla. Nakuba abantu abaningi bengenalo ukholo kuNkulunkulu, iZwi lakhe lilokhu liyincwadi esakazwa kabanzi ukuzedlula zonke emlandweni. Nakuba ezinye izinguqulo zeBhayibheli zingafundeki kalula noma zinganembile kangako, cishe zonke zinikeza umyalezo olula wethemba nokuphila okuphakade.

15. (a) Izincwadi zethu ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini zishintshe kanjani kusukela ngo-1919? (b) Kungani izincwadi zethu ziqale zibhalwe ngesiNgisi?

¹⁵ Ngo-1919, iqembu elincane labafundi beBhayibheli lamiswa ‘njengenceku ethembekile neqondayo.’ Ngaleso sikhathi, inceku ethembekile yayixhumana nabantu bakaNkulunkulu ikakhulu ngesiNgisi. (Mathewu 24:45) Kodwa namuhla, izincwadi ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini zitholakala ngezilimi ezingaphezu kuka-700. Njengoba kwakunjalo ngesiGreki esikhathini esidlule, isiNgisi manje siwulimi olujwayelekile kwezamabhizinisi nakwezemfundo futhi saziwa abantu abaningi. Ngakho izincwadi zethu ziqale zibhalwe ngesiNgisi bese zihunyushelwa kwezinye izilimi.

16, 17. (a) Yini abantu bakaNkulunkulu ababeyidinga? (b) Sanakekelwa kanjani leso sidingo? (c) Sasiyini isifiso sikaMfoweth’ uKnorr?

¹⁶ Zonke izincwadi zethu zisekelwe eBhayibhelini. Ekuqaleni, abantu bakaNkulunkulu babesebenzisa i-King James Version, eyaphothulwa ngo-1611. Nokho, yayisebenzisa ulimi lwakudala nokwakunzima ukuluqonda. Igama likaNkulunkulu lalitholakala izikhathi ezimbalwa kuphela, nakuba emibhalweni yesandla emidala kakhulu lalitholakala izikhathi eziyizinkulungwane. Le nguqulo yayiphinde ibe namaphutha abahumushi namanye amavesi ayengekho emibhalweni yesandla emidala kakhulu. Nezinye izinguqulo zeBhayibheli zesiNgisi zazinezinkinga ezithi azifane.

¹⁷ Ngokusobala, abantu bakaNkulunkulu  babedinga inguqulo yeBhayibheli enembile neqondakala kalula. Ngakho kwasungulwa iKomiti Yokuhumusha INguqulo Yezwe Elisha, futhi abafowethu abakuleli komiti bakhulula izingxenye ezithile zeBhayibheli kusukela ngo-1950 kuya ku-1960. Umqulu wokuqala kweyisithupha wakhululwa emhlanganweni omkhulu ngo-August 2, 1950. Kulowo mhlangano, uMfoweth’ uKnorr wathi abantu bakaNkulunkulu babedinga inguqulo yeBhayibheli yesimanje eyayinembile neqondakala kalula futhi eyayizobasiza bawaqonde ngokucacile amaqiniso ababewafunda. Babedinga inguqulo okwakuzoba lula ukuyifunda nokuyiqonda njengoba kwakunjalo ngemibhalo yokuqala yabafundi bakaKristu. Isifiso sikaMfoweth’ uKnorr sasiwukuba i-Nguqulo Yezwe Elisha isize izigidi zabantu zazi uJehova.

18. Yini eyasiza ekuhunyushweni kweBhayibheli?

¹⁸ Ngo-1963, isifiso sikaMfoweth’ uKnorr sase sigcwalisekile. INguqulo Yezwe Elisha YemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki yayisitholakala ngesiDashi, isiFulentshi, isiJalimane, isiNtaliyane, isiPutukezi neSpanishi. Ngo-1989, iNdikimba Ebusayo yoFakazi BakaJehova yasungula umnyango omusha endlunkulu yomhlaba wonke ukuba usize abahumushi beBhayibheli. Kwathi ngo-2005, kwakhishwa imvume yokuba iBhayibheli lihunyushelwe ezilimini INqabayokulinda eyase ihunyushelwa kuzo. Ngenxa yalokho, INguqulo Yezwe Elisha manje itholakala, iphelele noma ingxenye yayo, ngezilimi ezingaphezu kuka-130.

19. Yisiphi isenzakalo esibalulekile esenzeka ngo-2013, futhi yini esizoyifunda esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁹ Ulimi lwesiNgisi luye lwashintsha kusukela esikhathini okwakhululwa ngaso INguqulo Yezwe Elisha yokuqala, ngakho kuye kwadingeka ukuba kuthuthukiswe ulimi olusetshenzisiwe. Ngempelasonto ka-October 5 no-6, 2013, izilaleli ezingu-1 413 676 emazweni angu-31 zaba khona noma zaxhunywa ngocingo emhlanganweni waminyaka yonke ka-129 we-Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. Ilungu leNdikimba Ebusayo lamemezela ukukhululwa kwe-Nguqulo Yezwe Elisha yesiNgisi ebukeziwe. Izilaleli zajabula kakhulu futhi iningi lazo lakhala lapho lithola ikhophi yazo yale nguqulo entsha. Lapho izikhulumi zifunda amavesi enguqulweni ebukeziwe, kwaba sobala kubo bonke ukuthi le nguqulo ebukeziwe ifundeka kalula futhi iyaqondakala. Esihlokweni esilandelayo, sizofunda okwengeziwe ngale nguqulo, kuhlanganise nokuthi ihunyushelwa kanjani kwezinye izilimi.