77 – Uhambo lokuqala lokuvakalisa iindaba

₁Ke kaloku ebandleni laseAntiyokwe kwakukho abashumayeli nabefundisi: uBharnabha, uSimon ekwakusithiwa nguMnyamana, uLukiyo waseKirene, uManayen owayekhuliswe noHerode irhuluneli, kunye noSawule. ₂Ekuyikhonzeni kwabo iNkosi, bezila ukutya, uMoya oyiNgcwele wathi kubo: “Ndikhetheleni uBharnabha noSawule, ukuze benze umsebenzi endibabizele wona.”

₃Ngoko ke bazila ukutya bathandaza, bababeka izandla, baza babandulula.

₄Bakuba bethunywe nguMoya oyiNgcwele, uBharnabha noSawule behla baya eSeluki, baza ukusuka apho bahamba ngolwandle ukuya eSipro. ₅Bathi bakufika eSalamisi, balishumayela khona ilizwi likaThixo ezindlwini zesikhungo zamaJuda. Babehamba noYohane Marko, khon' ukuze abancedise emsebenzini.

₆Basijikeleza ke isiqithi eso, bada bafika ePafo. Apho badibana nomfo onemilingo ogama linguBhar-yesu, umJuda owayezenza *umshumayeli. ₇Wayeliphakathi lerhuluneli yesiqithi eso, uSergiyo Pawulos, owayeyindoda enengqondo ekrele-krele. Irhuluneli leyo yababiza ooBharnabha noSawule, ifuna ukuphulaphula ilizwi likaThixo. ₈Kodwa lo mfo unemilingo, owayebizwa ngokuba nguElima ngesiGrike, wachasana nabo, nerhuluneli leyo wafuna ukuyiwexula elukholweni. ₉Waza ke ngoko uSawule, ogama limbi linguPawulos, ezaliswe nguMoya oyiNgcwele, wamjonga lo mfo, ₁₀wathi: “Nyanandini kamtyholi, lutshabandini lobulungisa, uzele ngamaqhinga nobuqhetseba, usoloko uzama ukugqwetha inyaniso yeNkosi ngobuxoki! ₁₁Khona ngoku iNkosi iza kukubetha, ube yimfama, futhi kuya kuba mzuzu ungakuboni ukukhanya.”

Ngoko nangoko aba nkungu amehlo kaElima, wabuva ubumnyama buwavala, wajikeleza ke empampatha, efuna umntu ongamrhuqayo. ₁₂Ke kaloku yona irhuluneli yakuyibona loo nto, yazinikela, imangalisiwe yimfundiso emayela neNkosi.

₁₃UPawulos nababemphahlile bemka ePafo, bahamba ngenqanawe, baya kufika ePerga yasePamfili. Apha ke wahlukana nabo uYohane Marko, wabuyela eJerusalem. ₁₄Abanye bona banduluka ePerga, babheka eAntiyokwe yasePisidi. Bathi apho *ngoMhla wokuPhumla baya *kwindlu yesikhungo, bafika bahlala phantsi. ₁₅Kwathi zakuba zifundiwe izicatshulwa encwadini *yomthetho kaMosis *nezabashumayeli, amagosa endlu yesikhungo athumela ebacela esithi: “Mawethu, khanisiphe kowenu umphako welizwi, ukwenzela ukukhuthaza abantu.”

₁₆Waphakama uPawulos, wawangawangisa ngesandla, ukuba kuthi cwaka, waza wenjenje ukuthetha: “Mawethu, maSirayeli, nani nina zintlanga zimhlonelayo uThixo, khanibeke iindlebe! ₁₇UThixo lo unqulwa ngamaSirayeli nguye owanyula ookhokho bethu, wawenza amaSirayeli asisizwe esikhulu ngexesha ayengabaphambukeli kwelaseJiputa. Nguye owawakhupha ngamandla angummangaliso amaSirayeli eJiputa. ₁₈Wawanyamezela iminyaka emashumi mane entlango. ₁₉Ikwanguye owazitshabalalisayo izizwe ezisixhenxe eKanana, waza loo mhlaba wawunika abantu bakhe amaSirayeli. ₂₀Yonke loo nto yathatha isithuba esingangeminyaka engamakhulu amane anamashumi amahlanu.

“Emva koko wabanika iinkokheli, zabalawula kwada kwalixesha lomshumayeli uSamweli. ₂₁Bakufuna ukumkani, wabanika uSawule unyana kaKishe, wesizwe sakwaBhenjamin, waza wabalawula iminyaka engamashumi amane. ₂₂Akumsusa uSawule, uThixo wamisela uDavide wangukumkani. Nanga amazwi athethwa nguThixo ngoDavide: ‘Ndiphawule ukuba uDavide, unyana kaJese, ngulo mntu kanye ndimfunayo, umfo oya kwenza oko sukuba ndifuna kwenziwe.’ ₂₃NguYesu lo mzukulwana kaDavide wenziwe uMsindisi wamaSirayeli nguThixo njengoko wathembisayo. ₂₄Ngaphambi kokufika kukaYesu, uYohane wawashumayeza onke amaSirayeli, esithi makaziguqule iindlela zawo aze abhaptizwe. ₂₅Ekuwusongeni kwakhe uYohane umsebenzi wakhe, wathi ebantwini: ‘Nithi ndingubani? Andinguye lowo nicinga ukuba ndigunye. Khangelani yena uza emva kwam, ndaye mna andikufanele nokukhulula iimbadada ezi ezinyaweni zakhe.’

₂₆“Mawethu, nzala ka-Abraham, nani nonke zintlanga zimhlonelayo uThixo, olu daba losindiso lwathunyelwa kuthi. ₂₇Kaloku abantu baseJerusalem, bekunye neenkokheli zabo, babengamazi, bengawaqondi namazwi abashumayeli bamandulo afundwayo ngayo yonke iMihla yokuPhumla. Kodwa bâwazalisekisa amazwi abo bashumayeli ngokumgweba uYesu. ₂₈Nangona babengasifumani isizathu sokuba agwetyelwe ukufa, bacela uPilato ukuba ambulale. ₂₉Emveni kokuzenza zonke izinto ezithethwa *ziziBhalo ngaye, bamothula emnqamlezweni, bamngcwaba. ₃₀Kodwa uThixo yena wamvusa ekufeni, ₃₁waza kwithuba leentsuku ezininzi wabonwa ngâbo wayejikeleza nabo ukusuka eGalili baye eJerusalem. Ngoku bangamangqina akhe kumaSirayeli. ₃₂Thina silapha nje, sizise iindaba ezimnandi kuni. Loo nto uThixo wayithembisa ookhokho bethu, ₃₃uyenzele thina bayinzala yabo, ngokumvusa uYesu. Kunjengoko kubhaliweyo eNdumisweni yesibini, kwathiwa:

₃₆“Kuba kaloku ngexesha lakhe uDavide wayifeza injongo kaThixo, waza wafa emva koko, wangcwatywa ngakookhokho bakhe, wabola. ₃₇Kodwa uYesu, evusiwe nje nguThixo, khange abole. _38-39Yazini niqiniseke xa ninonke, mawethu, ukuba kungoYesu ukushunyayelwa kodaba lokuxolelwa kwezono. Ngokunjalo qondani ukuba wonke umntu ozinikelayo kuye uyakhululwa kuzo zonke izono, obungenako ukumkhulula kuzo *umthetho kaMosis. ₄₀Lumkani ke ngoko, hleze ihle kuni into eyathethwa ngabashumayeli, besithi:

₄₂Xa bayishiyayo intlanganiso ooPawulos noBharnabha, abantu babamema ukuba ze beze kwakhona ngoMhla wokuPhumla olandelayo, ukuze baphinde babafundise. ₄₃Emveni kokuphuma kwentlanganiso, uPawulos noBharnabha balandelwa sisihlwele samaJuda neentlanga eziguqukele ebuJudeni, baza basikhuthaza ukuba sibambelele ngenyameko kuThixo onesisa.

₄₄NgoMhla woPhumlo olandelayo phantse wonke umntu osedolophini weza kuphulaphula ilizwi leNkosi. ₄₅Akuyibona le nkitha yabantu, amaJuda azala ngumona, amphikisa amnyelisa uPawulos. ₄₆Kodwa bona ooPawulos noBharnabha bawaxelela phandle amaJuda bathi: “Kakade bekufuneka lishunyayezwe nina kuqala ilizwi likaThixo; koko ngenxa yokuba nilibukula, niziqonda ukuba anibulungelanga ubomi obungonaphakade, siza kuniyeka, siye ezintlangeni. ₄₇Thina kaloku sanikwa lo myalelo yiNkosi:

₄₈Zavuya iintlanga zakukuva oku, zayidumisa iNkosi ngenxa yodaba lwayo. Abo ke babenyulelwe ukungena ebomini obungonaphakade, baguquka bangamakholwa.

₄₉Ilizwi leNkosi lanwenwa kuwo wonke loo mmandla. ₅₀Kodwa amaJuda adala uchuku, enza *abathunywa bavukelwa ngamadoda aloo dolophu aphambili kwanangabafazi abakumgangatho ophezulu entlalweni, ababemhlonela uThixo. Babatshutshisa babagxotha kuloo mmandla. ₅₁Abathunywa bavuthulula uthuli ezinyaweni, bekhalala, bemka baya eIkoniyo. ₅₂Basala abalandeli bakaYesu eAntiyokwe bezele luvuyo nanguMoya oyiNgcwele.

₁NaseIkoniyo yaba sesezolo: uPawulos noBharnabha baya *endlwini yesikhungo baza bathetha kangangokuba iqela elikhulu lamaJuda neentlanga lazinikela. ₂Kodwa amaJuda angakholwayo azixhokonxa iintlanga, azifaka umoya ombi ngakumakholwa. ₃*Abathunywa bahlala apho ixesha elide. Bathetha ngesibindi ngeNkosi, iNkosi ibanika amandla okwenza imiqondiso nemimangaliso, ingqina inyaniso yodaba lwabo ngesisa sayo. ₄Inkoliso yabantu edolophini apho yathi qheke kubini: abanye baba ngakumaJuda, abanye baba ngakubathunywa.

₅Zaza iintlanga namaJuda ndawonye neenkokheli zazimisela ukubaphatha kakubi abathunywa, zibaxulube ngamatye. ₆Bathe bakuyiqonda le nto abathunywa, basaba baya eLikawoni, kwiidolophu zaseListra naseDerbhe nemimandla ejikelezileyo. ₇Baza bazishumayela khona iindaba ezimnandi.

₈Apho eListra kwakukho indoda eyazalwa isisiqhwala, ingazange yaba nako ukuhamba. ₉Yawaphulaphula ngomdla amazwi kaPawulos. UPawulos wayithi ntshoo ngamehlo, waqonda ukuba inokholo olungayiphilisayo, ₁₀wadanduluka wathi: “Suk' ume ngeenyawo.” Indoda leyo yatsiba yema, yahamba-hamba. ₁₁Zithe izihlwele zakuyibona le nto yenziwe nguPawulos, zakhwaza ngesiLikawoni zisithi: “Oothixo beze kuthi befana nabantu!” ₁₂UBharnabha bamthiya bathi *nguZeyus, uPawulos bathi *nguHermes ngenxa yokuba yena wayesisithethi. ₁₃Ke kaloku kwakukho indlu yokunqulela uZeyus ngaphandle nje kwedolophu. Waza umbingeleli kaZeyus weza neenkunzi zeenkomo neentyatyambo esangweni ledolophu. Yena nesihlwele eso babefuna ukwenzela *abathunywa idini.

₁₄Bathe abathunywa ooBharnabha noPawulos bakuyiva le nto iqhubekayo, bazikrazula iimpahla zabo, babaleka baya kuso isihlwele, bekhwaza besithi: ₁₅“Madoda, yintoni le niyenzayo? Nathi singabantu; sifana nani! Size apha ukuze sivakalise iindaba ezimnandi, ukuze niguquke nijike kwezi zinto ziphuthileyo, nize kuThixo, owenza izulu, nomhlaba, nolwandle, nezinto ezilapho kuzo. ₁₆Mandulo uThixo wabayeka abantu, benza ukuthanda kwabo; ₁₇kodwa wasoloko ezibonakalisa ubukho bakhe ngezinto ezintle azenzayo. Usipha imvula nezilimo ngamaxesha afanelekileyo; usipha nokudla, iintliziyo zethu azizalise ngovuyo.” ₁₈Naxa sebethethe kangako abathunywa, phantse bangabi nako ukusijika isihlwele ekubeni sibenzele idini.

₁₉Kwafika iqela lamaJuda evela eAntiyokwe yasePisidi naseIkoniyo. Ekubeni ezifake umoya ombi izihlwele, ukuba zithathe icala lawo, bamxuluba ngamatye uPawulos, bamrhuqela ngaphandle kwedolophu, beba ufile. ₂₀Kodwa akungqongwa ngamakholwa, wavuka, wabuyela kwasedolophini. Ngengomso wemka kunye noBharnabha, baya eDerbhe.

₂₁UPawulos noBharnabha bazishumayela iindaba ezimnandi naseDerbhe, bafumana inkitha eyaba ngabalandeli bakaYesu. Baza ke babuyela eListra, baya eIkoniyo ukusuka apho, baya naseAntiyokwe yasePisidi. ₂₂Bawomeleza amakholwa, bewakhuthaza ukuba ahlale ehleli elukholweni enyanisekile, besithi ukufundisa: “Simelwe kukuthwala ubunzima thina singene phantsi kolawulo lukaThixo.” ₂₃Kwibandla ngalinye batyumba abadala, babanikela ngemithandazo nangozilo-kutya eNkosini ababethembele kuyo.

₂₄Emveni kokutyhutyha ummandla wasePisidi, bafika ePamfili. ₂₅Bashumayela udaba ePerga, baza badlulela eAtaliya. ₂₆Basuka apho ngesikhephe babuyela eAntiyokwe yaseSiriya, apho babenikelwe elugcinweni naselubabalweni lukaThixo ukuya kwenza kwabo lo msebenzi bawufezileyo ngoku.

₂₇Bakufika eAntiyokwe, balihlanganisela ndawonye ibandla, babalisa ngezinto uThixo awazenza ngabo, bexela nokuba nabaziintlanga uThixo ubavulele indlela yokukholwa. ₂₈Bahlala ke apho kunye namakholwa ithuba elide.