Bible Reading Plan – Day 311

₂₄E-Efese kwafika umJuda, ogama linguApolo, owazalelwa eAlesandriya. Wayeliciko lokuthetha, futhi ezazi ngokucokisekileyo *iziBhalo. ₂₅Wayeqeqeshiwe ngeNdlela yeNkosi, ngokunjalo wayethetha ngokutshiseka ezifundisa iinyaniso ezingoYesu ngentembeko. Nangona kunjalo wayesazi ubhaptizo lukaYohane kuphela. ₂₆Wayethetha ngesibindi *endlwini yesikhungo. Bathi ke bakumva ooPrisila noAkwila, bammemela emzini wabo, bamcacisela kakuhle ngokuzeleyo iNdlela yeNkosi. ₂₇UApolo wagqiba ukuba aye kwelaseAkaya, aza amakholwa ase-Efese amkhuthaza amphathisa neleta emazisayo kumakholwa alapho. Akufika khona waba luncedo olukhulu kwabo babethe ngesisa sikaThixo baguquka, ₂₈kuba ngenxa yobuciko bakhe wayewoyisa amaJuda ezingxoxweni. Kaloku wayecaphula eziBhalweni, ebonisa ukuba uYesu *unguKrestu.

₁Ngexesha uApolo wayeseKorinte, uPawulos yena wacanda phakathi kuloo mimandla, waya kufika e-Efese. Apho wafumana iqela labalandeli bakaYohane, ₂wababuza wathi: “Namamkela na uMoya oyiNgcwele ukuzinikela kwenu?”

Baphendula bathi: “Asizange sive nokuva ukuba kukho uMoya oyiNgcwele.”

₃UPawulos wababuza wathi: “Phofu lubhaptizo luni enabhaptizwa ngalo?”

Bona bathi: “Lubhaptizo lukaYohane.”

₄UPawulos wabachazela wathi: “Ubhaptizo lukaYohane lona lwalusalatha inguquko. Yena wayebaxelela abantu ukuba bazinikele kulowo wayesiza emva kwakhe; nguYesu ke lowo.”

₅Bakuyiva le ntetho, babhaptizwa egameni leNkosi uYesu. ₆UPawulos wababeka izandla, batsho bamamkela uMoya oyiNgcwele, baza bathetha iilwimi, belithetha ilizwi likaThixo. ₇Babengamadoda amalunga neshumi elinambini.

₈Ngesithuba seenyanga ezintathu uPawulos wayesiya *endlwini yesikhungo yamaJuda, ethetha, exoxa nabo abantu ngesibindi, ezama ukuboyisela ekulawulweni nguThixo. ₉Kodwa abanye babo baba neenkani, abavuma ukuzinikela, basuka bayingcikiva iNdlela yeNkosi esidlangalaleni. Ngoko ke uPawulos wabashiya, wathatha abalandeli bakaYesu, waza wafundisa imihla ngemihla esikolweni sikaTirano. ₁₀Le nto ke wayiqhuba isithuba seminyaka emibini, bada bonke abantu ababehlala kwelo phondo laseAsiya, amaJuda kwanamaGrike, baliva ilizwi leNkosi.

₁₁Amandla kaThixo âbonakala ngezinto ezingaqhelekanga ezazisenziwa nguPawulos. ₁₂Neetshefu ezi kwaneefaskoti ezichukumise umzimba kaPawulos zazibaphilisa abagulayo, kude kuphume neendimoni. ₁₃AmaJuda athile awayejikeleza ekhupha iindimoni, nawo akhe azama ukusebenzisa igama leNkosi uYesu. Ayesithi kwiindimoni: “Ndikuyala ngegama likaYesu, lo ushunyayelwa nguPawulos.” ₁₄Aba babesenza le nto yayingoonyana abasixhenxe bombingeleli oyintloko womJuda owayenguSkeva igama.

₁₅Kodwa indimoni yathi kubo: “Ndiyamazi uYesu, noPawulos ndiyamazi; nina ke ningoobani?”

₁₆Ke kaloku indoda leyo yayinendimoni yabahlasela yabongamela, ibadlakazelisa kangangokuba baphuma apho kuloo ndlu bagqotsa bengxwelerhekile, neempahla zabo zivukuvuku. ₁₇Onke amaJuda neentlanga ezazihlala apho e-Efese zasiva esi siganeko, zaza zoyika kakhulu; laza igama leNkosi uYesu lanikwa imbeko ladunyiswa. ₁₈Amakholwa amaninzi azinikezela, ezivuma ezixela esidlangalaleni izinto azenzileyo. ₁₉Uninzi lwâbo babesenza imilingo lwaziqokelela lwazitshisela esidlangalaleni iincwadi zalo. Bawabala bawadibanisa amaxabiso ezo ncwadi, bazifumana zikwisithuba samashumi amahlanu amawaka eerandi. ₂₀Ngamandla eNkosi ilizwi leNkosi lanwenwezela, lakhula, laya lisomelela ngokomelela ngale ndlela.

₂₁Emva koko uPawulos wazimisela ukucanda kwelaseMakedoni nelaseAkaya, aze agqithele eJerusalem. “Ndakuba ndiyile khona, kufuneka ndiyibone neRoma,” wakha watsho. ₂₂Ke kaloku wathumela eMakedoni uTimoti noErasto abancedisi bakhe, lo gama athe yena wolula ukuhlala kwiphondo laseAsiya.

₂₃Kungeli xesha ke apho kwavumbuluka udushe e-Efese ngenxa yeNdlela yeNkosi. ₂₄UDemetriyo umfo owayebumba imifanekiso yendlu yesithixokazi *uArtemis ngesiliva, wayewenzela ingeniso enkulu ngolu shishino amagcisa aqeshwe nguye. ₂₅Wenza imbizo ke ekwabakho kuyo abaqeshwa kwakunye nabanye ababesenza umsebenzi okwanjengowakhe, wathi kubo: “Madoda, niyazi ukuba impumelelo yethu ixhomekeke kolu shishino. ₂₆Niyabona nizivela ngokwenu into eyenziwa yile nkewu uPawulos. Uthi *oothixo abenziwe ngabantu àbangabo konke, yaye uphumelele ekuboyiseni abantu abaninzi jikelele kule Efese, phantse wawugqiba ummandla waseAsiya uphela. ₂₇Ilapha ke ingozi, kule ndawo yokuba ushishino olu lwethu lufumane igama elibi. Kanti asikokuphela kwaloo nto, ikwakho nale ndawo yokuba nendlu yesithixokazi uArtemis ayiyi kwazelwa nto, ukanti nesidima sesithixokazi saseAsiya – nditsho esinqulwa lihlabathi liphela – siya kuphanza.”

₂₈Iwaphulaphule la mazwi indimbane leyo, yakhathazeka kakhulu, yadanduluka yathi: “Mkhulu uArtemis wamaEfese!” ₂₉Le ntshukumo yatyhutyha yonke idolophu. Bahlasela uGayo noAristarko baseMakedoni ababehamba kunye noPawulos, babaqweqwedisela kwiqonga lemidlalo. ₃₀UPawulos wafuna ukungena phakathi kwesihlwele eso, ukuze athethe naso, kodwa amakholwa akamvumelanga. ₃₁Abathile kumagosa ephondo laseAsiya, ababenobuhlobo noPawulos, nabo bamthumela umyalezo, bemcebisa ukuba angayi phaya eqongeni lemidlalo. ₃₂Kwangeli xesha ke intlanganiso xa iyonke yayisisiphithi-phithi nje. Kaloku abanye babekhwaza bethetha le, bambi bekhwaza bethetha leya; kuba kaloku uninzi lwaluhamba nje nezihlwele, lungazi nokuba indibano le yeyantoni na. ₃₃Abanye abantu bamchazela ngale nto yenzekayo uAlesandire, kuba amaJuda ayegqatse yena phambili. UAlesandire wawangawangisa ngesandla ukuba kuthi cwaka, efuna ukulamla. ₃₄Kodwa bathi bakumqonda ukuba ungumJuda, batsho ngazwinye, besenza intswahla, bekhwaza, bephinda-phinda besithi: “Mkhulu uArtemis wamaEfese!” Kwada kwaphela iiyure ezimbini besenza loo nto.

₃₅Kwathi ngelikade unobhala wedolophu wada wanako ukusithomalalisa isihlwele. Wathi: “MaEfese, wonke ubani uyazi ukuba le dolophu yase-Efese ngumgcini wendlu yesikhulukazi uArtemis, nowomfanekiso oqingqiweyo owavela ezulwini. ₃₆Akukho bani unako ukuziphikisa ezi zinto. Ngoko ke zolani, ningenzi nto ngokungakhathali. ₃₇La madoda nize nawo apha, nangona angebanga zinto zingcwele zendlu yonqulo okanye anyelise isithixokazi sethu. ₃₈Ukuba uDemetriyo nezicaka zakhe banesityholo ngakubani, ikho imihla eyaziwayo yenkundla, neziphathamandla zikhona; bangamangalelana khona. ₃₉Kodwa ukuba kukho enye into, inokulungiswa yintlanganiso esemthethweni yabemi. ₄₀Kaloku ngenxa yale nto yehle namhlanje, sisengozini yokutyholwa ngokwenza ingxushungxushu. Asinandlela yakuziphendulela ngolu dushe, singenaso nesizathu esibambekayo.” ₄₁Akuba etshilo, wayichitha intlanganiso.

₁Lwakuba ludambile udushe olo, uPawulos wawahlanganisa amakholwa, wawanika amazwi enkuthazo nawokwahlukana. Waza wasuka apho wasinga kwelaseMakedoni. ₂Watyhutyha loo mimandla, ehamba ethetha amazwi enkuthazo ebantwini. Wafika nakwelamaGrike, ₃apho wahlala iinyanga ezintathu. Wathi xa alungiselela ukuya eSiriya, wabhaqa ukuba amaJuda amenzela iyelenqe, waza wabona ukuba makaphindele emva, acande kwelaseMakedoni. ₄Nâba abâmkhapháyo: uSopatro unyana kaPiro waseBheriya, uAristarko noSekundo baseTesalonika, uGayo waseDerbhe noTimoti, kwanoTikiko noTrofimo baseAsiya. ₅Basandulela baya kusilinda eTrowa. ₆Emva kweSidlo seZonka ezingenaGwele sanduluka eFilipi ngesikhephe, saza emva kweentsuku ezintlanu sadibana nabo eTrowa, apho sachitha iveki khona.

₇Ngokuhlwa koMgqibelo sahlanganisana kwisidlo sobudlelwana. UPawulos wathetha nabo abantu, wolula kwada kwaphakathi kobusuku, kuba kaloku wayeza kuhamba ngomhla olandelayo. ₈Intlanganiso leyo yayisegumbini eliphezulu apho kwakukho izibane ezininzi. ₉Umfana ogama linguYutiko wayehleli efestileni, wada wozela walala, kuba uPawulos engayeki ukuthetha. Wothuleka apho kumngangatho wesithathu, waya kuwa emhlabeni, bamchola apho efile. ₁₀UPawulos wehla waya kuye, wafika waziphosa phezu kwakhe, wamgona, wathi: “Sanukothuka, kuba akafanga, uhleli!” ₁₁Waza ke uPawulos wenyuka waya egumbini eliphezulu, wafika wathatha isonka watya. UPawulos wathetha nabo kwada kwaphuma ilanga, waza ke wemka. ₁₂Umfana lowo bagoduka naye ephilile, nabo bethuthuzelekile.

₁₃Thina sahlabela mgama, sihamba ngenqanawa, saya kutsho eAso, apho sasiza kuthatha uPawulos khona, kuba lo yayingumyalelo wakhe, njengoko yena wayehamba emhlabeni. ₁₄Wathi akudibana nathi eAso, sahamba naye saya kufika eMitilene. ₁₅Sasuka apho, saya kudlula malunga neKiyo ngosuku olulandelayo. Kwakhona ngemini elandelayo safika eSamo, saza ngengomso saya kufika eMileto. ₁₆UPawulos wayegqibe ukuba angagqithi e-Efese, ukuze angachithi xesha kwiphondo laseAsiya. Wayengxamele ukuba usuku *lwePentekoste lumfikele eseJerusalem xa kunokwenzeka.

₁₇Sathi xa siseMileto, uPawulos wathumela e-Efese, ukuba abadala bebandla baye kuye. ₁₈Bakufika wathi kubo: “Nina ngokwenu niyayazi kakuhle indlela endahlala nani ngayo, ukusuka kwimini yokuqala endathi ndafika ngayo kweli phondo laseAsiya. ₁₉Njengesicaka seNkosi, umsebenzi wam ndawenza ngentobeko ndisezinyembezini, nakumaxesha anzima ândifikeláyo ngenxa yamayelenqe amaJuda. ₂₀Niyazi ukuba andinifihlelanga nto ebinokuba luncedo kuni, xa bendishumayela ndinifundisa esidlangalaleni nasemakhayeni enu. ₂₁KumaJuda nasezintlangeni ndazingisa ukubalumkisa abantu ukuba baguqukele kuThixo beyivuma iNkosi yethu uYesu. ₂₂Ngoku ke ngokuthundezwa nguMoya oyiNgcwele ndiya eJerusalem, ndingayazi into eya kundihlela khona. ₂₃Ndazi nto-nye, le yokuba kuzo zonke iidolophu uMoya oyiNgcwele undilumkisile ukuba ndilindelwe yintolongo neenkxwaleko. ₂₄Kodwa kum ukuphila akubalulekanga ngaphezu kokuba ndilufeze ubizo lwam, ndiwugqibe umsebenzi endawunikwa yiNkosi wokuvakalisa iindaba ezimnandi zesisa sikaThixo.

₂₅“Ndijikelezile phakathi kwenu, ndivakalisa ngolawulo lukaThixo kuni. Ibe ngoku ndazi kakuhle ukuba akukho bani kuni uya kuphinda andibone. ₂₆Ngokunjalo ndingqina ndiqinisekile ngayo le mini ukuba xa kuthe kwakho umntu olahlekayo apha kuni, ndimsulwa mna, ₂₇kuba andizange ndifihle nto – ndalivakalisa njengoko linjalo icebo likaThixo kuni. ₂₈Zilumkeleni nina ngokwenu, niwulumkele nawo umhlambi athe uMoya oyiNgcwele wanibeka phezu kwawo. Yibani ngabelúsi bebandla likaThixo, athe walizuza ngegazi lowakhe uNyana. ₂₉Kuba ndiyazi ukuba ndakumka, kuya kuvela kwalapha kuni iingcuka eziqwengayo, ezingayi kuba nanceba ngomhlambi lo. ₃₀Kwalapha kuni kuya kubakho amadoda agqwetha inyaniso, enenjongo yokuwalahlekisa amakholwa. ₃₁Lumkani ngoko, nikhumbule ukuba imini nobusuku ndaniluleka nonke ngabanye, ndisezinyembezini, ithuba leminyaka emithathu.

₃₂“Ngoko ke ndiyambongoza uThixo ukuba makanikhusele. Uya kunakha ngodaba lwesisa sakhe, olunamandla okunenza nilixhamle ilifa kunye nabo bonke abantu bakhe. ₃₃Andizange ndinqwenele mali nampahla yamntu. ₃₄Kaloku nazi mhlophe ukuba ndasebenza ngezi zandla zam, ndizixhasa kuzo zonke iintswelo zam kwanezamahlakani am. ₃₅Ndinibonisile ngeendlela zonke ukuba sifanele ukusebenza nzima, ukuze sincede nabo bahluphekileyo, siwakhumbula amazwi eNkosi athi: ‘Kuluyolo ukupha ngaphezu kokuphiwa.’ ”

₃₆Akuwagqiba la mazwi uPawulos, waguqa nabo bonke, wathandaza. ₃₇Bathi besithi ndlela-ntle kuye, baye bengenakuzibamba bengqukruleka. Babemgona ngokwesiko labo. ₃₈Babehlatyaniselwe ngokukodwa ngamazwi awawathetháyo esithi abayi kuphinda bambone. Baza ke bamkhapha, baya naye enqanaweni.