Bible Reading Plan – Day 327

₁Emva kwezinsuku eziyisihlanu umpristi omkhulu u-Ananiya wewuka kanye namalunga athile nommeli othile uTertulu; laba bammangalela uPawulu kumbusi. ₂Yena esebiziwe, uTertulu waqala ukumbeka icala, ethi: “Lokho ukuthi ngenxa yakho sitholile ukuthula okukhulu nangokubonelela kwakho lesi sizwe senzelwe okuhle okuningi ₃siyakwamukela ngezikhathi zonke nasezindaweni zonke ngokubonga okukhulu, Feliksi odumileyo. ₄Kepha ukuba ngingakubambezeli, ngiyakuncenga ukuba ngobumnene bakho usizwe ngokufushane.

₅“Ngokuba le ndoda siyifumene iyishinga ivusa ukwambuka phakathi kwabaJuda ezweni lonke, iyinhloko yehlelo lamaNazaretha, ₆yalinga nokungcolisa ithempeli; sayibamba, sathanda ukuyahlulela ngomthetho wakithi. ₇Kepha kwafika uLisiya induna yenkulungwane, wamthatha ngendluzula enkulu ezandleni zethu, ₈eyala abambeka icala ukuba beze kuwe, ukuze umbuzisise wena uqobo, uzwe ngakho konke esimmangalela ngakho.”

₉NabaJuda bakuvuma lokho, bathi kunjalo.

₁₀Umbusi esemqhwebile ukuba akhulume, uPawulu waphendula wathi: “Lokhu ngiyazi ukuthi sekuyiminyaka eminingi ungumahluleli kulesi sizwe, ngiyaziphendulela ngesibindi; ₁₁futhi ungaqonda ukuthi akungaphezu kwezinsuku eziyishumi nambili ngikhuphukile ukuyokhuleka eJerusalema; ₁₂abangifumananga ngiphikisana namuntu, nakuba ngivusa isiphithiphithi esixukwini, nasethempelini, nasemasinagogeni,* nasemzini, ₁₃futhi bangekuqinise kuwe lokhu abangibeka icala ngakho manje. ₁₄Kepha ngiyavuma lokhu kuwe ukuthi ngeNdlela abathi iyihlelo ngiyamkhonza ngokunjalo uNkulunkulu wawobaba, ngikholwa yikho konke okulotshiwe emthethweni nakubaprofethi; ₁₅nginethemba kuNkulunkulu abalibheka nabo uqobo lokuthi kuyakuba khona ukuvuka kwabafileyo, okwabalungile nokwabangalungile. ₁₆Kulokhu nami ngiyazama ukuba njalo ngibe nonembeza ongenacala phambi kukaNkulunkulu nabantu.

₁₇“Kwathi emva kweminyaka eminingi ngafika ukuletha izipho esizweni sakithi neminikelo, ₁₈okuthe ngikulokho bangifumana ethempelini ngihlanjululiwe, kungekho isixuku nomsindo, ₁₉abaJuda abathile base-Asiya ababefanele ukuvela phambi kwakho, bangimangalele, uma benotho ngami. ₂₀Nokuba mabasho laba ukuthi bafumanani okungalungile mhla ngimi phambi komphakathi, ₂₁ngaphandle kwalelo zwi elilodwa engalimemeza ngimi phakathi kwabo lokuthi: ‘Ngokuvuka kwabafileyo mina ngimangalelwa yinina namuhla.’ ”

₂₂Kepha uFeliksi ekwazi ngokuchachileyo okwaleyo Ndlela wabahlehlisa ethi: “Lapho uLisiya induna yenkulungwane esewukile, ngizakuyinquma indaba yenu,” ₂₃wayala induna yekhulu ukuba agcinwe, kepha abe nenkululeko, kunganqatshelwa muntu wakubo ukumkhonza.

₂₄Kepha emva kwezinsuku ezithile wafika uFeliksi noDrusila umkakhe owayengumJudakazi, wabiza uPawulu, wamuzwa ngokukholwa nguKristu Jesu. ₂₅Esakhuluma ngokulunga, nangokuzithiba, nangokwahlulela okuzayo, uFeliksi washaywa luvalo, waphendula wathi: “Okwamanje hamba; kepha nxa ngithola isikhathi, ngizakukubiza,” ₂₆wethemba futhi ukuthi uzakunikwa imali nguPawulu; ngalokho wayehleze embiza, ekhuluma naye.

₂₇Kepha sekuphelile iminyaka emibili, uFeliksi walandelwa nguPorkiyu Festu; kodwa uFeliksi efuna ukubongwa ngabaJuda washiya uPawulu eboshiwe.

₁Kwathi uFestu engenile esikhundleni, wasuka eKesariya emva kwezinsuku ezintathu, wenyukela eJerusalema; ₂abapristi abakhulu nezikhulu zabaJuda base bemangalela uPawulu kuye, bamncenga, ₃bazicelela umusa ngaye wokuba ambizele eJerusalema, becebile ukumqamekela ukuba bambulale endleleni. ₄Kepha uFestu waphendula ngokuthi uPawulu ugcinwe eKesariya nokuthi naye usezakuya khona masinyane; ₅wathi: “Izikhulu phakathi kwenu azehle nami; uma kukhona utho olubi kuleyo ndoda, aziyimangalele.”

₆Kwathi esehlale nabo izinsuku ezingaphezu kweziyisishiyagalombili nokuba eziyishumi, wehlela eKesariya; ngangomuso wahlala esihlalweni sokwahlulela, wayala ukuba uPawulu alethwe. ₇Esefikile yena, abaJuda ababehlile eJerusalema bema bemhaqile, bembeka amacala amaningi anzima, abangenakuwaqinisa, ₈lapho uPawulu eziphendulela ngokuthi: “Angonanga ngalutho nasemthethweni wabaJuda, nasethempelini, nakuKesari.”

₉Kepha uFestu ethanda ukubongwa ngabaJuda, wamphendula uPawulu, wathi: “Uyathanda yini ukwenyukela eJerusalema, wahlulelwe khona phambi kwami ngalezi zinto, na?”

₁₀UPawulu wayesethi: “Ngimi phambi kwesihlalo sokwahlulela sikaKesari, lapho ngimelwe ukwahlulelwa khona. Angenzanga okungalungile kubaJuda njengalokhu nawe wazi kahle. ₁₁Kepha uma ngonile ngenza utho olufanele ukufa, angali ukufa; kodwa uma kungekho lutho lwalokho laba abangimangalela ngakho, akakho onganginikela kubo. Ngilidlulisela kuKesari.”

₁₂Khona uFestu esekhulumile nomphakathi waphendula wathi: “Ulidlulisele kuKesari, uzakuya kuKesari.”

₁₃Kwathi sekudlule izinsuku ezithile, u-Agripha inkosi, noBernike behlela eKesariya ukuyobingelela uFestu. ₁₄Sebehlezi khona izinsuku eziningi, uFestu weneka phambi kwenkosi indaba kaPawulu, wathi: “Kukhona indoda ethile eyashiywa nguFeliksi iboshiwe; ₁₅kwathi ngiseJerusalema, abapristi abakhulu namalunga abaJuda babika ngaye becela ukuba ilahlwe; ₁₆ngabaphendula ngathi akusiwo umkhuba wamaRoma ukumnikela umuntu omangalelwayo engakamiswa phambi kwabammangalelayo, athole ithuba lokuziphendulela ngecala amangalelwe ngalo. ₁₇Ngakho sebebuthene lapha, angilibalanga; ngangomuso ngahlala esihlalweni sokwahlulela, ngayala ukuba leyo ndoda ilethwe; ₁₈basukuma-ke abayimangalelayo, kepha abavezanga cala ngayo lalezo zinto ezimbi ebengizicabangile mina, ₁₉kodwa babe nokuphikisana okuthile naye ngenkolo yakubo nangomuntu othile, uJesu, owafayo, asho ngaye uPawulu ukuthi uyaphila. ₂₀Kuthe mina ngisakhohliwe ukuthi leyo ndaba ngizakuyihlola kanjani, ngathi angathanda yini ukuya eJerusalema ukuba ahlulelwe khona ngalezo zinto. ₂₁Kepha uPawulu eselidlulisile wacela ukuba agcinwe lize lithethwe yinkosi enkulu, ngayala ukuba agcinwe ngize ngimthumele kuKesari.”

₂₂U-Agripha wayesethi kuFestu: “Nami bengithanda ukumuzwa lowo muntu.”

Wathi: “Uzakumuzwa ngomuso.”

₂₃Khona ngangomuso kwafika o-Agripha noBernike ngemvunulo enkulu, bangena endlini yamacala kanye nezinduna zenkulungwane nezikhulu zomuzi; uFestu wayala ukuba uPawulu alethwe. ₂₄UFestu wathi: “Nkosi, Agripha, nani nonke nina madoda enikhona lapha kanye nathi, niyambona lona oluze ngaye kimi lonke uquqaba lwabaJuda eJerusalema nalapha, lumemeza luthi akafanele ukuba abe esaphila. ₂₅Kepha mina ngabona ukuthi akenzanga lutho olufanele ukuba afe, kodwa ngenxa yokudlulisela kwakhe kuKesari ngazinqumela ukumthuma. ₂₆Anginanto eqinisekileyo ngaye engingayilobela inkosi; ngakho ngimlethile phambi kwenu, ikakhulu phambi kwakho, nkosi Agripha, ukuze kuthi sekuhloliwe, ngibe nakho engingakuloba. ₂₇Ngokuba mina ngokwami ngithi akuqondile, uma kuthunyelwa isiboshwa, kungakhonjwa amacala aso.”

₁Khona u-Agripha wathi kuPawulu: “Uvunyelwe ukuba uzikhulumele.”

UPawulu wayeselula isandla, waziphendulela wathi: ₂“Maqondana nakho konke engimangalelwa ngakho ngabaJuda, nkosi Agripha, ngizibona nginenhlanhla, ngokuba ngizakuziphendulela namuhla phambi kwakho, ₃ikakhulu lokhu uyisazi sawo onke amasiko nokuphikisana kwabaJuda; ngalokho ngiyakunxusa ukuba ungilalele ngokubekezela.

₄“Inkambo yami kwasebusheni eyaba sesizweni sakithi naseJerusalema kwasekuqaleni bonke abaJuda bayayazi, ₅bengazi kwasekuqaleni, uma bethanda ukufakaza ukuthi ngangihamba ngehlelo eliqinileyo lenkonzo yakithi ngingumFarisi. ₆Kepha manje ngimi ngimangalelwe ngenxa yethemba lesithembiso asenzayo uNkulunkulu kubo obaba, ₇ezithemba ukufinyelela kuso izizwe eziyishumi nambili zakithi, zikhonza ngesineke ubusuku nemini; ngalelo themba, nkosi, ngimangalelwa ngabaJuda. ₈Kungani kube yinto engakholekile kini ukuthi uNkulunkulu uvusa abafileyo na?

₉“Kepha mina ngokwami ngangithi ngifanele ukwenza okuningi okuphambene negama likaJesu waseNazaretha; ₁₀lokho ngase ngikwenza-ke eJerusalema; mina ngabafaka abaningi kwabangcwele ematilongweni, ngiwatholile amandla kubapristi abakhulu, nalapho bebulawa ngabalahla ngevoti* lami. ₁₁Nasemasinagogeni* onke kaningi ngabajezisa ngibacindezela ukuba bahlambalaze; ngahlanya kakhulu ngabo, ngibazingela kwaze kwaba semizini yabezizwe.

₁₂“Kwathi lapho ngisaya eDamaseku ngamandla nangokuthunywa ngabapristi abakhulu, ₁₃emini enkulu, nkosi, ngisendleleni, ngabona ukukhanya okuvela ezulwini, kudlula ukukhazimula kwelanga, kungikhanyisela nxazonke kanye nababehamba nami; ₁₄kwathi sesiwile phansi sonke emhlabathini, ngezwa izwi likhuluma kimi ngo limi lwesiHeberu, lithi: ‘Sawulu, Sawulu, ungizingelelani na? Kulukhuni kuwe ukukhahlela ezinkandini.’

₁₅“Kepha mina ngathi: ‘Ungubani, Nkosi, na?’ INkosi yathi: ‘Mina nginguJesu omzingelayo. ₁₆Kepha sukuma, ume ngezinyawo zakho; ngokuba ngibonakele kuwe ngalokho ukuba ngikumise ube yisikhonzi nofakazi walokhu kungibona kwakho nowalokhu engizakuzibonakalisa kuwe ngakho, ₁₇ngikophule esizweni nakwabezizwe engikuthumela kubo ₁₈ukuvula amehlo abo ukuba basuke ebumnyameni, baphendukele ekukhanyeni, basuke emandleni kaSathane, baphendukele kuNkulunkulu, ukuze bamukeliswe ukuthethelelwa kwezono nesabelo phakathi kwabangcwelisiweyo ngokukholwa kimi.’

₁₉“Ngalokho, nkosi Agripha, angibanga ngongawulaleliyo umbono wasezulwini, ₂₀kodwa ngamemezela kuqala kwabaseDamaseku nakwabaseJerusalema, nakulo lonke izwe laseJudiya nakwabezizwe ukuba baphenduke, baguqukele kuNkulunkulu, benze imisebenzi efanele ukuphenduka. ₂₁Ngenxa yalokho abaJuda bangibamba ethempelini, balinga ukungibulala. ₂₂Ngitholile usizo kuNkulunkulu ngimi kuze kube kulolu suku ngifakaza kwabancane nakwabakhulu, angikhulumi lutho ngaphandle kwalokho abakukhulumile abaprofethi noMose ukuthi kuzakwenzeka, ₂₃ukuthi uKristu nga ehlupheka nokuthi engowokuqala ekuvukeni kwabafileyo uzakumemezela ukukhanya kuso isizwe nakwabezizwe.”

₂₄Kwathi esaziphendulela kanjalo, uFestu wathi ngezwi elikhulu: “Pawulu, uyahlanya; ukufunda okuningi kuyakuhlanyisa.”

₂₅Kepha uPawulu wathi: “Angihlanyi, Festu odumileyo, kodwa ngikhuluma amazwi ayiqiniso nawokuqonda. ₂₆Ngokuba inkosi engikhuluma kuyo ngesibindi iyazi ngalezi zinto, ngokuba angikholwa ukuthi kukhona utho lwalokhu olufihlekile kuyo; ngokuba lokhu akwenziwanga engosini. ₂₇Nkosi Agripha, uyakholwa ngabaprofethi na? Ngiyazi ukuthi uyakholwa.”

₂₈U-Agripha wathi kuPawulu: “Kusilele kancane ungivumise ngibe ngumKristu.”

₂₉UPawulu wayesethi: “Bengingafisa kuNkulunkulu ukuba, noma kukancane noma kukakhulu, kungabi wena wedwa kodwa bonke abangizwayo namuhla babe njengami, ngaphandle kwalezi zibopho.”

₃₀Inkosi yayisisukuma nombusi noBernike kanye nababehlezi nabo; ₃₁kwathi sebegudlukile, bakhuluma bodwa, bathi: “Lo muntu akenzi lutho olufanele ukufa noma izibopho.”

₃₂Kepha u-Agripha wathi kuFestu: “Lo muntu ngabe ekhululiwe, uma ebengalidluliselanga kuKesari.”