BEWAZI yini ukuthi umphostoli uPawulu wayenezihlobo ezazingabalandeli bakaJesu? *— Ngokusobala, udadewabo nomshana wakhe babengabalandeli bakaJesu. Lowo mshana wasindisa ukuphila kukaPawulu! Asilazi igama lakhe noma elikanina, kodwa siyazi ukuthi wenzani. Ungathanda ukwazi ngakho?—

UPawulu usanda kubuya ohambweni lwakhe lwesithathu njengesithunywa sevangeli futhi useJerusalema. Kubonakala sengathi unyaka u-56 C.E. Uboshiwe futhi kufanele ayothetha icala enkantolo. Kodwa izitha zakhe azifuni ukuba kuthethwe icala. Zimfuna efile! Ngakho zihlela ukuba amadoda angaba ngu-40 amlalele unyendle ukuze ambulale.

Ngandlela-thize, umshana kaPawulu uyezwa ngalolu zungu. Uyazi ukuthi wenzani?— Uya kuPawulu amtshele ngalo. Ngaso leso sikhathi uPawulu utshela isikhulu sebutho: “Yisa le nsizwa kumlawuli wamabutho, ngoba inokuthile efuna ukumbikela kona.” Isikhulu simyisa kumlawuli, uKlawudiyu Lisiya, sichaze ukuthi le nsizwa inendaba ebalulekile. UKlawudiyu ubizela umshana kaPawulu eceleni, futhi le nsizwa imtshela konke.

UKlawudiyu uxwayisa umshana kaPawulu: “Ungatsheli muntu ukuthi ungivezele lezi zinto.” Ube esebiza izikhulu zamabutho ezimbili azitshele ukuba zilungise amasosha angu-200, izinkweli zamahhashi ezingu-70 nabemikhonto abangu-200 ukuze bamashe baye eKhesariya. Ngehora lesishiyagalolunye ngalobo busuku, amadoda angu-470 aphelezela uPawulu futhi ufika ephephile kuMbusi waseRoma uFeliksi eKhesariya. UKlawudiyu ubhalela uFeliksi incwadi emtshela ngozungu lokubulala uPawulu.

Ngakho, amaJuda aphoqeleka ukuba ahlangane noPawulu enkantolo yomthetho eKhesariya ukuze ammangalele. Kodwa awanabo ubufakazi bokuthi uPawulu wenze okuthile okubi. Noma kunjalo, uPawulu uvalelwa etilongweni  iminyaka emibili engenacala. Ngakho ucela ukuba icala liyothethelwa eRoma, futhi uyiswa khona.—IzEnzo 23:16–24:27; 25:8-12.

Yini esingayifunda kulokhu kulandisa okuphathelene nomshana kaPawulu?—Ukuthi kudinga isibindi ukumelela izinto ezilungile nokuthi uma sizimelela, singasindisa ukuphila. Ngisho nalapho uJesu azi ukuthi izitha “zazifuna ukumbulala,” waqhubeka etshela abantu ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Wasitshela ukuba senze okufanayo. Ingabe sizokwenza? Sizokwenza uma sinesibindi esifana nesomshana kaPawulu.—Johane 7:1; 15:13; Mathewu 24:14; 28:18-20.

UPawulu wanxusa uThimothewu, insizwa eyayingumngane wakhe: “Ziqaphele njalo wena nokufundisa kwakho. Hlala kulezi zinto, ngoba ngokwenza lokhu uyozisindisa wena nabakulalelayo.” (1 Thimothewu 4:16) Ngokuqinisekile, umshana kaPawulu wasisebenzisa lesi sikhuthazo esivela kumalume wakhe. Ingabe wena uzosisebenzisa?