To The Word – Day 63

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.”

₁Kwathi sekunqunyiwe ukuba siye e-Italiya ngomkhumbi, banikela uPawulu nezinye iziboshwa ezithile enduneni yekhulu, igama layo linguJuliyu, eyebutho likaKesari. ₂Sangena emkhunjini wase-Adramitiyu obusuzakuya ezindaweni zangase-Asiya, u-Aristarku umMakedoniya waseThesalonika enathi.

₃Ngangomuso safika eSidoni; uJuliyu wamphatha kahle uPawulu, wamvumela ukuba aye kubahlobo bakhe, ahlunyelelwe. ₄Sasuka lapho, sagudla ngenzansi kweKhupro, ngokuba imimoya yayiphambene nathi. ₅Sesidabulile ulwandle olungaseKhilikhiya nePhamfiliya safika eMira laseLikhiya. ₆Lapho-ke induna yafumana umkhumbi wase-Aleksandriya oqonde e-Italiya, yasingenisa kuwo. ₇Sesihambe kancane izinsuku eziningi saze safika kalukhuni ngaseKinidu, umoya ungasivumeli, sagudla iKrethe maqondana neSalimone, ₈sagudla lona kalukhuni, safika endaweni ethile ethiwa Matheku Mahle; eduze nayo kukhona umuzi waseLaseya.

₉Kwathi sekudlulile isikhathi eside, sekuyingozi ukuhamba ngomkhumbi, ngokuba isikhathi seNzilo sase sidlulile, uPawulu wabaluleka, ₁₀wathi kubo: “Madoda, ngiyabona ukuthi lolu hambo luzakuba nengozi nokuchithakala okukhulu, kungabi ngokwempahla nokomkhumbi kuphela kepha nokokuphila kwethu.” ₁₁Kepha induna yekhulu yethemba umshayeli womkhumbi nomniniwo kakhulu kunalokho okwakhulunywa nguPawulu. ₁₂Njengokuba itheku lalingalungile ukuhlala khona ebusika, iningi labo laluleka ukuba kusukwe khona, mhlawumbe kwenzeke ukuba bafinyelele eFeniksi, itheku laseKrethe elibheke entshonalanga yaseningizimu nasentshonalanga yasenyakatho, bahlale khona ebusika.

₁₃Kuthe iningizimu isaphephetha kahle, bacabanga ukuthi sebetholile ababekuqondile, bakhuphula ihange,* bagudla iKrethe. ₁₄Kepha emva kwesikhathi esingeside kwavuka kwehla kulo umoya oyisivunguvungu othiwa i-Ewurakiloni; ₁₅kodwa umkhumbi usududulwa ungasenakubhekana nomoya, sayeka saqhutshwa nje. ₁₆Kwathi sigudla ngenzansi kwesiqhingana esithiwa iKlawuda, sabamba isikebhe kalukhuni; ₁₇sebe sikhuphulile basebenzisa izinto zokusiza, bawuzongolozela umkhumbi ngezintambo; kuthe besaba ukuthi bazakukhahleleka eSirti, behlisa izindwangu zomkhumbi, baqhutshwa kanjalo. ₁₈Kuthe ukuba sibhengulwe kakhulu yisiphepho, ngangomuso bachitha umthwalo; ₁₉kwathi ngolwesithathu balahla izimpahla zomkhumbi ngezandla zabo. ₂₀Khona-ke ilanga nezinkanyezi zingasabonakali izinsuku eziningi, nesiphepho esingesincane siqinisa njalo, lase liphela ithemba lonke lokuba singasindiswa.

₂₁Sekuyisikhathi eside bengasadli lutho, uPawulu wasukuma phakathi kwabo, wathi: “Madoda, ngabe nalalela mina, kanamuka eKrethe, naphepha kule ngozi nakulokhu kuchithakala. ₂₂Kepha manje senginiluleka ukuba nime isibindi, ngokuba akuyikufa muntu kini, umkhumbi kuphela. ₂₃Ngokuba ngalobu busuku bekumi ngakimi ingelosi kaNkulunkulu engingowakhe nengimkhonzayo, ₂₄yathi: ‘Ungesabi, Pawulu; umelwe ukuma phambi kukaKesari; bheka, uNkulunkulu ukuphile bonke abahamba nawe emkhunjini.’ ₂₅Ngalokho yimani isibindi, madoda; ngokuba ngiyakholwa nguNkulunkulu ukuthi kuzakuba njengalokho kukhulunyiwe kimi. ₂₆Kepha simelwe ukukhahleleka esiqhingini esithile.”

₂₇Kwathi ukuba kufike ubusuku beshumi nane sisazulazuliswa elwandle lwase-Adriya phakathi kobusuku, abomkhumbi bacabanga ukuthi bayasondela ezweni elithile. ₂₈Base bephonsa intambo yokulinganisa, bafumana kungamafatome* angamashumi amabili; sebeqhubekile kancane bayiphonsa futhi, bafumana kungamafatome ayishumi nanhlanu; ₂₉besaba ukuthi mhlawumbe singashayeka ezindaweni ezinamadwala, baphonsa amahange* amane ngasemuva, bafisa ukuba kuse. ₃₀Abomkhumbi sebefuna ukubaleka emkhunjini, behlisela isikebhe elwandle ngokungathi bazakuphonsa amahange* enhlokweni yomkhumbi, ₃₁uPawulu wathi enduneni yekhulu nasemabuthweni: “Uma laba bengahlali emkhunjini, ningesindiswe nina.” ₃₂Khona amabutho anquma amagoda esikebhe, asidedela sawa.

₃₃Kwathi sekuzakusa, uPawulu wabancenga bonke ukuba badle, wathi: “Namuhla kulusuku lweshumi nane nilindile, nihlezi nizila, ningadli lutho. ₃₄Ngalokho ngiyanincenga ukuba nidle, ngokuba lokhu kungokokusinda kwenu; akuyikulahleka unwele lwekhanda nakoyedwa phakathi kwenu.” ₃₅Eseshilo lokho wathatha isinkwa, wabonga uNkulunkulu phambi kwabo bonke, wasihlephula, waqala ukudla. ₃₆Base bema isibindi bonke, badla nabo. ₃₇Thina sonke esasisemkhunjini besingabantu abangamakhulu amabili namashumi ayisikhombisa nesithupha. ₃₈Sebesuthi ukudla benza lula umkhumbi belahla ukolweni elwandle.

₃₉Sekusile, abalazanga izwe, kepha babona itheku elithile elinesihlabathi abanquma ukuba baqhubele kulo umkhumbi, uma kungenzeka. ₄₀Banquma amahange* bawashiya elwandle, bathukulula futhi izintambo zamaphini okuqondisa, baphakamisela emoyeni indwangu ephambili, baqonda ogwini. ₄₁Batheleka endaweni enolwandle nxazombili, baqhubela umkhumbi kuyo, inhloko yomkhumbi yagxumekeka, yema ingenakunyakaziswa, kepha ingasemuva laphulwa ngamandla amaza.

₄₂Kepha amabutho ayehlosa ukubulala iziboshwa, funa ezinye zibaleke ngokuhlamba; ₄₃kepha induna yekhulu ithanda ukusindisa uPawulu yawavimbela enhlosweni yawo, yayala ukuba labo abakwazi ukuhlamba baziphonse kuqala emanzini, bafike emhlabathini, ₄₄nabaseleyo bafike, abanye ngamapulangwe, abanye ngezinye izinto zomkhumbi. Kanjalo-ke kwenzeka ukuba bonke baphumele emhlabathini besindile.

₁Kwathi sesisindile khona, sezwa ukuthi isiqhingi sithiwa iMelitha. ₂Abantu bakhona basiphatha ngobubele obungavamile, ngokuba babebasa umlilo, basamukela sonke ngenxa yemvula eyayisina nangenxa yamakhaza. ₃Kepha uPawulu ecakashile ixha lezinsaba, elibeka emlilweni, kwaphuma inyoka ngenxa yokushisa, yanamathela esandleni sakhe. ₄Abantu bakhona sebebona isilwane silenga esandleni sakhe, bakhuluma bodwa, bathi: “Ngempela lo muntu ungumbulali othi noma esindile elwandle ukuLunga akuvumi ukuba aphile.” ₅Kodwa yena wasinikinela isilwane emlilweni, akaze alimala. ₆Kepha babheka ukuthi usezakuvuvuka, nokuba awe phansi masinyane, afe. Kepha sebebheka isikhathi eside, bebona ukuthi akafikelwa ngozi, baphenduka bathi ungunkulunkulu.

₇Kwakukhona kuleyo ndawo izwe lesikhulu sesiqhingi, igama laso linguPhubiliyu; yena wasamukela, wasiphatha kahle izinsuku ezintathu. ₈Kepha uyise kaPhubiliyu wayelele phansi ephethwe ngumkhuhlane nembo; uPawulu wangena kuye, wakhuleka, wabeka izandla phezu kwakhe, wamphilisa. ₉Kwathi lokho sekwenzekile, beza nabanye abasesiqhingini abanezifo, baphulukiswa, ₁₀basitusa ngokutusa okuningi; kwathi mhla simuka ngomkhumbi, basinika esikudingayo.

₁₁Emva kwezinyanga ezintathu sase simuka ngomkhumbi wase-Aleksandriya owawudlulisa ubusika esiqhingini, uphawu lwawo lungolwamaWele. ₁₂Sangena eSirakhuse, sahlala izinsuku ezintathu; ₁₃sasuka lapho, sagwegwesa, safika eRegiyu. Sekudlule usuku lwaba lunye, kwavuka iningizimu, safika ePhutheyoli ngosuku lwesibili.

₁₄Safumana khona abazalwane, sancengwa ukuba sihlale nabo izinsuku eziyisikhombisa; kanjalo safika eRoma. ₁₅Abazalwane sebezwile ngathi basuka khona, beza ukusihlangabeza baze bafika e-Aphiyo Foru naseTresi Thaberne; uPawulu ebabona wabonga uNkulunkulu, wema isibindi. ₁₆Sesifikile eRoma, uPawulu wavunyelwa ukuhlala yedwa enebutho elimlindayo.

₁₇Kwathi emva kwezinsuku ezintathu wabizela ndawonye kuye abakhulu babaJuda; sebebuthene, wathi kubo: “Madoda, bazalwame, noma mina ngingenzanga lutho oluphambene nesizwe namasiko awobaba, nokho ngasuswa eJerusalema ngiyisiboshwa, nganikelwa ezandleni zamaRoma; ₁₈wona esengihlolile afuna ukungikhulula, ngokuba kungekho cala kimi lokuba ngife; ₁₉kepha abaJuda bekuphikisa, ngacindezelwa ukuba ngilidlulisele kuKesari, kungesikho ukuthi ngisimangalela isizwe sakithi ngalutho. ₂₀Ngakho ngaleso sizathu nginibizele lapha ukuba nginibone, ngikhulume nani; ngokuba ngenxa yethemba lika-Israyeli ngiboshiwe ngaleli ketanga.”

₂₁Base bethi kuye: “Thina asamukelanga ncwadi ngawe evela eJudiya, akufikanga namuntu wabazalwane ukubika nokukhuluma utho olubi ngawe. ₂₂Kepha sithi kufanele sizwe kuwe okucabangayo, ngokuba siyazi ngaleli hlelo ukuthi liyaphikiswa ezindaweni zonke.”

₂₃Khona sebemmisele usuku beza kuye endlini yakhe bebaningi, wabachasisela efakaza ngombuso kaNkulunkulu, wabaqondisa ngoJesu ethathela emthethweni kaMose nakubaprofethi, kusukela ekuseni kwaze kwahlwa. ₂₄Abanye baneliswa ngokwakhulunywayo, abanye abakholwanga; ₂₅kwathi ukuba bangezwani bodwa, bamuka, uPawulu esekhuluma izwi labalinye lokuthi: “Wakhuluma kahle uMoya oNgcwele ngo-Isaya umprofethi koyihlo ₂₆ngokuthi:

₂₈“Ngakho-ke makwazeke kini ukuthi le nsindiso kaNkulunkulu ithunyelwe kwabezizwe; bona-ke bayakuzwa.” ₂₉Kwathi eseshilo lokho, abaJuda baphuma benokuphikisana okukhulu phakathi kwabo.

₃₀Kepha uPawulu wahlala iminyaka emibili egcwele endlini yakhe ayiqashileyo, wamukela bonke abeza kuye, ₃₁washumayela umbuso kaNkulunkulu, wafundisa ngaso sonke isibindi izindaba zeNkosi uJesu Kristu, enganqatshelwa muntu.