Bible Reading Plan – Day 311

₂₄UmJuda othile ogama lakhe lingu-Apholo, wase-Aleksandriya ngokuzalwa, indoda efundileyo nenamandla emibhalweni, wehlela e-Efesu. ₂₅Yena wayefundisiwe indlela yeNkosi; evutha emoyeni wakhuluma, wafundisa ngesineke izindaba eziqondene noJesu, azi ukubhapathiza kukaJohane kuphela; ₂₆yena waqala ukushumayela ngesibindi esinagogeni.* Kwathi ukuba bamuzwe o-Akwila noPrisila, bamthatha bamchasisela indlela kaNkulunkulu ngesineke esikhulu.

₂₇Esethanda ukudlulela e-Akhaya, abazalwane balobela abafundi bebayala ukuba bamamukele; esefikile wabasiza kakhulu abakholwayo ngomusa, ₂₈ngokuba waphikisa abaJuda ngamandla phambi kwabantu, ekhomba ngemibhalo ukuthi uJesu unguKristu.

₁Kwathi u-Apholo eseKorinte, uPawulu wafika e-Efesu esedabulile amazwe angasenhla, wafumana abafundi abathile, ₂wathi: “Namamukela yini uMoya oNgcwele mhla nikholwayo na?”

Bathi kuye: “Qhabo, asizwanga nokuzwa ukuba kukhona uMoya oNgcwele.”

₃Wathi: “Pho, nabhapathizelwa kukuphi na?”

Base bethi: “Kukho ukubhapathiza kukaJohane.”

₄UPawulu wayesethi: “UJohane wabhapathiza umbhapathizo wokuphenduka, ethi kubantu mabakholwe nguyena obezakuza emva kwakhe, kungukuthi uJesu.” ₅Bathi ukuzwa lokho, babhapathizwa egameni leNkosi uJesu. ₆Kwathi uPawulu esebekile izandla phezu kwabo, uMoya oNgcwele wehlela phezu kwabo; base bekhuluma ngezilimi, baprofetha. ₇Babe ngamadoda angathi ishumi nambili bebonke.

₈Wayesengena esinagogeni,* wakhuluma ngesibindi izinyanga zaba ntathu, eshumayela ebafundisa ngombuso kaNkulunkulu. ₉Kepha lapho abathile bezenza lukhuni bengalaleli, bekhuluma kabi ngaleyo Ndlela phambi kwabantu, wasuka kubo, waqembula abafundi, washumayela imihla ngemihla esikoleni sikaTiranu. ₁₀Lokho kwenzeka iminyaka emibili, baze balizwa izwi leNkosi bonke abakhileyo e-Asiya, abaJuda namaGreki.

₁₁UNkulunkulu wenza imisebenzi yamandla engavamile ngezandla zikaPawulu, ₁₂baze bathatha amaduku nezindwangu emzimbeni wakhe, bazibeka phezu kwabagulayo; zase zisuka kubo izifo, nomoya ababi baphuma.

₁₃Kepha nabathile abayizanusi kubaJuda, abayizinzulane, balokotha ukuphatha igama leNkosi uJesu phezu kwabakhwelwe ngomoya ababi, bathi: “Ngiyanifungisa uJesu amshumayelayo uPawulu.” ₁₄USkeva othile, umJuda, umpristi omkhulu, wayenamadodana ayisikhombisa ayekwenza lokho. ₁₅Kepha umoya omubi waphendula, wathi kuwo: “UJesu ngiyamazi, noPawulu ngiyamqonda; kepha nina ningobani na?” ₁₆Lowo muntu onomoya omubi wabadumela, wahlula ababili, wabanqoba, baze baphunyuka kuleyo ndlu behambaze, belimele.

₁₇Lokho kwezwakala kubo bonke abakhileyo e-Efesu, abaJuda namaGreki, ukwesaba kwabehlela bonke; ladunyiswa igama leNkosi uJesu; ₁₈nabaningi kwabakholwayo beza bazivuma, bazibika izenzo zabo. ₁₉Kepha abaningi kubo ababenza imilingo babuthela ndawonye izincwadi zabo, bazishisa phambi kwabo bonke; bahlanganisa amanani azo, bafumana ukuthi ayizinhlamvu zesiliva eziyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisihlanu. ₂₀Kanjalo izwi landa ngamandla eNkosi, lanqoba.

₂₁Kwathi ukuba sezenzekile lezo zinto, uPawulu wazimisela emoyeni ukuya eJerusalema esedabulile iMakedoniya ne-Akhaya, wathi: “Emva kokufika kwami khona ngimelwe ukubona neRoma.” ₂₂Wayesethumela eMakedoniya ababili kwabamkhonzayo oThimothewu no-Erastu; yena uqobo wasala isikhathi e-Asiya.

₂₃Kepha ngaleso sikhathi kwavela isiphithiphithi esingesincane maqondana naleyo Ndlela. ₂₄Ngokuba umuntu othile ogama lakhe linguDemetriyu, umkhandi wesiliva owenza amathempelana esiliva kaDiyana, wazuzisa abakhandi besiliva inzuzo engencane, ₂₅waqoqa bona kanye nezisebenzi ezinjalo, wathi: “Madoda, niyazi ukuthi kulo msebenzi kuvela ingcebo yethu, ₂₆kepha seniyabona, niyezwa futhi ukuthi akukuphela e-Efesu kodwa cishe kulo lonke i-Asiya uPawulu lona udukisile abantu abaningi ngokubancenga, ethi akusibo onkulunkulu labo abenziwe ngezandla. ₂₇Ngakho akusikho lokhu kuphela ukuba umsebenzi wethu usengozini yokudelelwa, kodwa nethempeli lonkulunkulukazi omkhulu uDiyana liyakuthiwa aliyinto yalutho, nobukhulukazi bakhe sebuzakuphela, yena elimkhonzayo lonke i-Asiya nezwe lonke.”

₂₈Kwathi bekuzwa lokho, bagcwala ulaka, bamemeza bathi: “Mkhulu uDiyana wabase-Efesu.” ₂₉Umuzi wonke wagcwala isiphithiphithi, batheleka nganhliziyonye esigcawini sokubukela, babamba oGayu no-Aristarku, abaseMakedoniya, ababehamba noPawulu. ₃₀Kepha uPawulu esefuna ukungena phakathi kwabantu, abafundi abamvumelanga. ₃₁Nabanye bababusi base-Asiya, bengabahlobo bakhe, bathumela kuye, bamncenga ukuba angaze angena esigcawini sokubukela.

₃₂Khona-ke abanye bamemeza okunye nabanye okunye; ngokuba ibandla layaluza nje, nabaningi babengazi ukuthi babuthanele indabani. ₃₃Base bekhipha u-Aleksandru esixukwini, abaJuda bamqhubela phambili; kepha u-Aleksandru waqhweba ngesandla, efuna ukuziphendulela kubantu. ₃₄Kwathi ukuba bezwe ukuthi ungumJuda, bamemeza bonke ngazwi linye kwangathi amahora amabili, bathi: “Mkhulu uDiyana wabase-Efesu.”

₃₅Kepha umbhali esebathulisile abantu wathi: “Madoda ase-Efesu, kukhona yini phakathi kwabantu ongaziyo ukuthi umuzi wase-Efesu ungumlondi wethempeli likaDiyana omkhulu nowesithombe esawa ezulwini na? ₃₆Ngakho lokhu lezo zinto zingephikwe, kufanele nithule, ningenzi lutho ngamawala. ₃₇Ngokuba nilethile lawa madoda angesibo abaphangi bamathempeli nokuba abahlambalaza uNkulunkulu wethu. ₃₈Ngakho uma uDemetriyu kanye nezingcweti zabakhandi besiliva benendaba nomuntu, zikhona izinsuku zokuthetha amacala, bakhona nababusi; mabamangalelane. ₃₉Kepha uma nifuna utho ngaphezu kwalokho, kuyalungiswa ebandleni elimisiweyo. ₄₀Ngokuba-ke sisengozini yokumangalelwa ngomsindo wanamuhla, lokhu kungekho sizathu esingazilandulela ngaso ngalesi siwiliwili.” ₄₁Eseshilo lokho walimukisa ibandla.

₁Sesiphelile isiyaluyalu, uPawulu wababiza abafundi, wabavuselela, wavalelisa, wamuka waya eMakedoniya. ₂Esedabulile lezo zindawo, ebavuselela ngamazwi amaningi, wafika ezweni lamaGreki, ₃wahlala khona izinyanga ezintathu; abaJuda sebenzile icebo ngaye esezakumuka ngomkhumbi ukuya eSiriya, wazimisela ukubuyela emuva edabula iMakedoniya. ₄Waphelekezelwa nguSophatru kaPhiru waseBereya, nabaseThesalonika o-Aristarku noSekhundu, noGayu waseDerbe, noThimothewu, nabase-Asiya oThikhiku noTrofimu. ₅Laba basandulela, basilindela eTrowa. ₆Kepha thina samuka ngomkhumbi eFilipi emva kwezinsuku zezinkwa ezingenamvubelo, safika kubo eTrowa ngezinsuku eziyisihlanu, sahlala khona izinsuku eziyisikhombisa.

₇Kwathi ngosuku lokuqala lweviki, sesibuthene ukuba sihlephule isinkwa, uPawulu washumayela kubo ebezakumuka ngangomuso, welula amazwi akhe kwaze kwaba phakathi kobusuku. ₈Kwakukhona izibani eziningi ekamelweni eliphezulu esasibuthene kulo. ₉Kwakuhlezi efasiteleni insizwa ethile igama layo lingu-Evitiku, eyazunywa ngubuthongo obunzima, uPawulu eshumayela isikhathi eside; isiyahlulwe ngubuthongo, yawa phansi isuka esitezi sesithathu, yathathwa isifile. ₁₀Kepha uPawulu wehla, wawa phezu kwayo, wayisingatha, wathi: “Ningaxokozeli, ngokuba umphefumulo wayo usekhona kuyo,” ₁₁esenyukile wahlephula isinkwa, wadla, wakhuluma nabo isikhathi eside kwaze kwasa; wayesemuka-ke. ₁₂Base bemletha umfana ephilile, baduduzeka kakhulu.

₁₃Kepha thina sandulela ukuya emkhunjini, samuka saya e-Asu, lapho sasizakumkhwelisa khona uPawulu; ngokuba wayenqumile kanjalo, yena ebezakuhamba ngezinyawo. ₁₄Kwathi esehlangene nathi e-Asu, samkhwelisa, safika eMithilene; ₁₅sesimukile lapho ngomkhumbi, ngangomuso safika maqondana neKiyu; ngangomhlomunye sasondela eSamu; ngolulandelayo safika eMilethu. ₁₆Ngokuba uPawulu wayezimisele ukudlula e-Efesu ngomkhumbi ukuze angalibali isikhathi e-Asiya; ngokuba wayekhawulezela ukuba, uma kungenzeka, abe khona eJerusalema ngosuku lwePhentekoste.

₁₇EseMilethu wathumela e-Efesu, wabiza amalunga ebandla. ₁₈Kwathi esefikile kuye, wathi kuwo: “Niyazi nina ukuthi kusukela osukwini lokuqala engafika ngalo e-Asiya nganginjani isikhathi sonke nginani, ₁₉ngikhonza iNkosi ngakho konke ukuthobeka, nangezinyembezi, nangokulingwa okwangehlela ngamacebo abaJuda, ₂₀nokuthi angigwemanga ukunitshela okusizayo nokunifundisa phambi kwabantu nakuzo izindlu ngezindlu, ₂₁ngifakaza kubaJuda nakumaGreki ukuphendukela kuNkulunkulu nokukholwa yiNkosi yethu uJesu.

₂₂“Kepha manje, bhekani, mina sengiya eJerusalema ngiboshiwe emoyeni, ngingakwazi okuzakungehlela khona, ₂₃kuphela ukuba uMoya oNgcwele uyafakaza kimi imizi ngemizi ethi izibopho nezinhlupheko zingihlalele. ₂₄Kepha ukuphila angikushayi into yalutho ukuba kube yigugu kimi, kuphela ukuba ngiphelelise ukuhamba kwami nenkonzo engayamukela eNkosini uJesu yokufakaza ngevangeli lomusa kaNkulunkulu.

₂₅“Kalokhu bhekani, ngiyazi ukuthi anisayikubona ubuso bami nina nonke engahamba phakathi kwenu, ngishumayela umbuso. ₂₆Ngakho-ke ngiyafakaza kini ngalolu suku lwanamuhla ngithi anginacala egazini labo bonke. ₂₇Ngokuba angigwemanga ukunitshela lonke icebo likaNkulunkulu. ₂₈Ziqapheleni nina nomhlambi wonke anibeke kuwo uMoya oNgcwele ukuba nibe ngababonisi bokwalusa ibandla likaNkulunkulu azizuzele lona ngegazi lakhe. ₂₉Mina ngiyazi ukuthi emva kokumuka kwami kuzakungena kini izimpisi ezihahayo zingawuhawukeli umhlambi, ₃₀naphakathi kwenu kuzakuvuka amadoda akhuluma okudukisayo, ahunge abafundi ukubalandela. ₃₁Ngakho lindani, nikhumbule ukuthi ngeminyaka emithathu ubusuku nemini angiyekanga ukuniluleka nonke ngabanye ngezinyembezi.

₃₂“Kalokhu sengiyanibeka eNkosini nasezwini lomusa wayo, yona enamandla okwakha nokwabela ifa phakathi kwabo bonke abangcwelisiweyo. ₃₃Angifisanga siliva lamuntu, nagolide, nangubo; ₃₄nina niyazi ukuthi lezi zandla zasebenzela izinswelo zami nezababe nami. ₃₅Kukho konke ngangikhombisa ukuthi kumelwe ukuba nisize ababuthakathaka ngokusebenza okunje, nikhumbule futhi amazwi eNkosi uJesu ukuba yena wathi: ‘Kubusisekile ukupha kunokwamukela.’ ”

₃₆Eseshilo lokho waguqa phansi kanye nabo bonke, wakhuleka. ₃₇Bakhala kakhulu bonke, bamgona uPawulu ngentamo, bamanga, ₃₈belusizi kakhulu ngezwi alishilo lokuthi abasayikubona ubuso bakhe. Base bemphelekezela, baya emkhunjini.