IzEnzo 9

₁Kepha uSawulu esafutha ngokusongela nokubulala abafundi beNkosi, waya kumpristi omkhulu, ₂wacela kuye izincwadi zokuya eDamaseku emasinagogeni,* kuze kuthi uma efumana abantu baleyo Ndlela, abesilisa nabesifazane, abayise eJerusalema beboshiwe. ₃Kepha ekuhambeni kwakhe, esesondela eDamaseku, kwambaneka masinyane nxazonke ukukhanya okuvela ezulwini. ₄Wawa phansi emhlabathini, wezwa izwi lithi kuye: “Sawulu, Sawulu, ungizingelelani na? Kulukhuni kuwe ukukhahlela ezinkandini.”

₅Wayesethi: “Ungubani, Nkosi?”

Yathi: “Mina nginguJesu omzingelayo wena; ₆kodwa vuka ungene emzini, uzakutshelwa lokhu omelwe ukukwenza.”

₇Kepha amadoda ayehamba naye ayemi engenakukhuluma, ngokuba ezwa izwi kodwa ayengaboni muntu. ₈USawulu wayesevuka phansi; kepha esevulile amehlo akhe, kabonanga lutho. Base bembamba ngesandla, bamyisa eDamaseku. ₉Izinsuku zaba ntathu engaboni, engadli, engaphuzi.

₁₀Kwakukhona eDamaseku umfundi othile, igama lakhe lingu-Ananiya; iNkosi yathi kuye ngombono: “Ananiya!”

Yena wathi: “Ngikhona, Nkosi.”

₁₁INkosi yayisithi kuye: “Suka uye esitaladini esithiwa Siqondile, ufune endlini kaJuda umuntu ogama lakhe linguSawulu waseTarsu; ngokuba bheka, uyakhuleka; ₁₂ubonile indoda, igama layo lingu-Ananiya, ingena, ibeka izandla phezu kwakhe ukuba abone.”

₁₃Kepha u-Ananiya waphendula wathi: “Nkosi, ngizwile ngabaningi ngaleyo ndoda konke okubi ekwenzile kwabangcwele bakho eJerusalema; ₁₄nalapha unamandla avela kubapristi abakhulu okubopha bonke abakhuleka egameni lakho.”

₁₅INkosi yayisithi kuye: “Hamba, ngokuba lo uyisitsha sami esikhethiweyo sokuphatha igama lami phambi kwabezizwe, namakhosi, nabantwana bakwa-Israyeli, ₁₆ngokuba mina ngizakumbonisa konke amelwe ukuhlushwa ngakho ngenxa yegama lami.”

₁₇Khona wahamba u-Ananiya, wangena endlini, wabeka izandla phezu kwakhe, wathi: “Sawulu umzalwane, iNkosi uJesu eyabonakala kuwe endleleni oze ngayo, ingithumile ukuba ubuye ubone, ugcwaliswe ngoMoya oNgcwele.” ₁₈Kwawa masinyane emehlweni akhe kwangathi inkwethu, wabona, wasukuma, wabhapathizwa; ₁₉esedlile wathola amandla.

Wahlala nabafundi baseDamaseku izinsuku ezithile. ₂₀Masinyane washumayela emasinagogeni* ngoJesu ukuthi yena uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu. ₂₁Kepha bamangala bonke abezwayo, bathi: “Lo asiye yini owachitha eJerusalema abakhuleka kulelo gama, nalapha uze ngalokhu ukuba abaqhube beboshiwe kubapristi abakhulu na?” ₂₂Kodwa uSawulu wakhula kakhulu emandleni, wahlula abaJuda abakhileyo eDamaseku eqinisa ukuthi lowo unguKristu.

₂₃Sekudlule izinsuku eziningi, abaJuda benza icebo lokuba bambulale. ₂₄Kepha icebo labo laziwa nguSawulu. Babemhlalela nasemasangweni imini nobusuku ukuba bambulale. ₂₅Abafundi base bemthatha ebusuku, bamehlisa ogangeni, bemewula ngeqoma.

₂₆Esefikile eJerusalema wazama ukuzihlanganisa nabafundi; kepha bonke bamesaba, bengakholwa ukuthi ungumfundi. ₂₇Kodwa uBarnaba wamthatha, wamyisa kubaphostoli, wabalandisa ngokuthi uyibonile iNkosi endleleni, nokuthi ikhulumile kuye, nokuthi eDamaseku wayeshumayele ngesibindi ngegama likaJesu. ₂₈Wayenabo eJerusalema, engena ephuma, eshumayela ngesibindi ngegama leNkosi, ₂₉ekhuluma ephikisana nabaJuda abakhuluma isiGreki; bona bazama ukumbulala. ₃₀Abazalwane sebekwazi lokho bamehlisela eKesariya, bamthumela eTarsu.

₃₁Njalo-ke ibandla laba nokuthula kulo lonke laseJudiya, naseGalile, naseSamariya, lakheka, lihamba ekwesabeni iNkosi, landa ngenduduzo kaMoya oNgcwele.

₃₂Kwathi uPetru ehambela izindawo zonke, wehlela nakwabangcwele abakhe eLida. ₃₃Wafumana khona umuntu othile ogama lakhe lingu-Eneya, owayeselele ecansini iminyaka eyisishiyagalombili efe uhlangothi. ₃₄Khona uPetru wathi kuye: “Eneya, uJesu Kristu uyakuphilisa; vuka, wendlule icansi lakho.” Wayesevuka masinyane. ₃₅Bambona bonke abakhe eLida naseSarona, baphendukela eNkosini.

₃₆EJopha kwakukhona umfundikazi othile ogama lakhe linguThabitha, okungukuthi uDorka ngokuhunyushwa; yena wayenemisebenzi eminingi emihle nokwabela abampofu izipho. ₃₇Kwathi ngalezo zinsuku wagula, wafa; sebemgezile bambeka ekamelweni eliphezulu. ₃₈Kepha iLida laliseduze neJopha; ngakho-ke abafundi sebezwile ukuthi uPetru ukhona lapho, bathuma kuye amadoda amabili emncenga ethi: “Ungalibali ukuza kithi.” ₃₉Wayesesuka uPetru, wahamba nabo. Esefikile, bamyisa ekamelweni eliphezulu; abafelokazi bonke beza kuye bekhala, bembonisa izambatho nezingubo abezenzile uDorka esenabo.

₄₀Kepha uPetru wabakhipha bonke, waguqa ngamadolo, wakhuleka, waphendukela esidunjini, wathi: “Thabitha, vuka!” Wayesevula amehlo akhe, wabona uPetru, walulama. ₄₁Yena wambamba ngesandla, wamsukumisa. Wayesebiza abangcwele nabafelokazi, wambeka phambi kwabo ephilile. ₄₂Kwezwakala lokho kulo lonke iJopha; abaningi bakholwa yiNkosi. ₄₃Wayesehlala izinsuku eziningi eJopha kwaSimoni umshuki.