“Chaphela Ngapha EMakhedoniya”

1-3. (a) Umoya ongcwele wamqondisa njani uPhawuli lalabo ayehamba labo? (b) Sizaxoxa ngani?

IQEMBU labesifazana liphuma edolobheni leFiliphi elisesabelweni seMakhedoniya. Ngemva kwesikhatshana lifika emfuleni omncane uGangites. Njengenjayelo abesifazana laba bahlala phansi eceleni komfula baqalise ukuthandaza kuNkulunkulu wama-Israyeli. UJehova uyababona.—2 Imilan. 16:9; Hubo. 65:2.

² Kusenzakala lokhu, endaweni engamakhilomitha adlula 800 empumalanga kweFiliphi iqembu lamadoda lisuka edolobheni laseListra eliseningizimu yeGalathiya. Ngemva kwamalanga athile amadoda la afika emgwaqweni weRoma oqonde entshonalanga esigabeni esilabantu abanengi kulezinye indawo ze-Asiya. Amadoda la nguPhawuli loSila loThimothi futhi azimisele ukuhamba ngomgwaqo lo ukuze avakatshele e-Efesu lakwamanye amadolobho lapho okulezinkulungwane zabantu abafisa ukuzwa ngoKhristu. Kodwa athi esehamba ngomgwaqo lo umoya ongcwele uyawavimba ukuthi angayitshumayela e-Asiya kodwa asitshelwa ukuthi uwavimba njani. Yindaba uwavimba? UJesu ukhokhela uPhawuli labanye ahamba labo esebenzisa umoya kaNkulunkulu. Ufuna badabule e-Asia Minor njalo bachaphe ulwandle baze bayefika ekhunjini lomfula omncane uGangites.

³ Indlela uJesu aqondisa ngayo uPhawuli lalabo ayehamba labo kuloluhambo olungajayelekanga besiya eMakhedoniya isifundisa izinto eziqakathekileyo. Yikho asihloleni okunye okwenzakala phakathi kohambo lukaPhawuli engumnali olwaqala phose ngo-49 C.E.

‘UNkulunkulu Wayesibizile’ (Imiseb. 16:6-15)

4, 5. (a) Kwenzakalani uPhawuli lamadoda ayelawo sebezafika eBhithiniya? (b) UPhawuli labanye bakhe bakhetha ukwenzani futhi kwaphetha ngani?

⁴ Njengoba basebevinjelwe ukutshumayela e-Asiya uPhawuli lamadoda ayehamba lawo balubangisa enyakatho ukuze bayetshumayela emadolobheni aseBhithiniya. Kungenzeka bahamba okwamalanga ngendledlana ezazidabula phakathi kweFrigiya leGalathiya, indawo ezazingelabantu abanengi kangako. Kodwa bathi sebezafika eBhithiniya uJesu waphinda wasebenzisa umoya ongcwele ukuthi abavimbe. (Imiseb. 16:6, 7) Kufanele ukuthi khathesi amadoda la ayesephithene amakhanda sibili. Ayekwazi ukuthi kumele atshumayele esithini lokuthi kumele atshumayele njani kodwa ayengakwazi ukuthi atshumayele ngaphi. Kwakungathi aqoqode emnyango ongena e-Asiya kodwa angavulelwa, aphinda aqoqoda emnyango ongena eBhithiniya lakho angavulelwa. Lanxa kunjalo uPhawuli wayezimisele ukuqhubeka eqoqoda aze avulelwe. Amadoda la enza isinqumo esasingakhanya singelangqondo. Aqonda entshonalanga futhi ahamba umango ongamakhilomitha angu-550 edlula amadolobho amanengi aze afika ekhunjini lwaseTrowa lapho ayezagada khona isikepe aye eMakhedoniya. (Imiseb. 16:8) UPhawuli waqoqoda okwesithathu futhi umnyango wavuleka.

⁵ Umlobi weVangeli uLukha wahlangana loPhawuli lamadoda ayehamba lawo eTrowa wasehamba labo futhi uyasitshela okwenzakalayo. Uthi: “UPhawuli wafikelwa ngumbono ebusuku, wabona indoda yeMakhedoniya imi imncenga isithi: ‘Chaphela ngapha eMakhedoniya usincede.’ Wathi esebone umbono lo sahle sazama ukuya eMakhedoniya sesiphethe ngokuthi uNkulunkulu wayesibizele ukuthi siyetshumayela izindaba ezinhle kubo.”a (Imiseb. 16:9, 10) UPhawuli wayesekwazi ukuthi kumele ayetshumayela ngaphi. Kumele ukuthi wathokoza kakhulu ngoba kazange akhalale phakathi kohambo lwakhe. Amadoda la ahle agada isikepe aya eMakhedoniya.

6, 7. (a) Sifundani kulokho okwenzakala kuPhawuli? (b) Okwenzakala kuPhawuli kusiqinisekisa ngani?

⁶ Sifundani endabeni le? Unanzelele yini ukuthi umoya ongcwele wavimba uPhawuli esendleleni esiya e-Asiya lokuthi uJesu wamvimba esefika eBhithiniya? Ubonile yini lokuthi uPhawuli esefike eTrowa yikho lapho uJesu amqondisa khona ukuthi aye eMakhedoniya? UJesu inhloko yebandla angasiqondisa ngendlela efananayo lamuhla. (Kol. 1:18) Ngokwesibonelo, ungabe usulesikhathi ufisa ukuba liphayona kumbe ukuthuthela endaweni elabamemezeli abalutshwana. Kodwa uJesu angakuqondisa esebenzisa umoya ongcwele nxa usuthethe amanyathelo okuthi wenze lokho ohlele ukukwenza. Yindaba? Cabanga ngalesisibonelo, umtshayeli wemota angayiqondisa ukuthi iye kwesokudla kumbe kwesenxele nxa kuyikuthi iyahamba. Ngendlela efananayo uJesu angasiqondisa ukuthi senze okunengi enkonzweni yethu nxa sisenza okuthile kumbe sitshengisa ukuthi sizimisele sibili ukwenza esikuhlelileyo.

⁷ Kodwa singenzani nxa kukhanya angani asiphumeleli? Kumele sikhalale yini sizitshela ukuthi umoya kaNkulunkulu awusiqondisi? Hatshi. Khumbula ukuthi umphostoli uPhawuli wahlangana lobunzima lezinto ezazingambisela emuva kodwa waqhubeka eqoqoda eminyango etshiyeneyo waze wavulelwa. Lathi singaqiniseka ukuthi sizabusiswa nxa singaphikelela sidinga ‘umnyango omkhulu osisa emisebenzini eminengi.’—1 Khor. 16:9.

8. (a) Lalinjani idolobho laseFiliphi? (b) Yikuphi okuhle okwenzakalayo ngemva kokutshumayela kukaPhawuli ‘endaweni yokuthandaza’?

⁸ Bathi sebefike esabelweni seMakhedoniya uPhawuli lamadoda ayehamba lawo baya edolobheni leFiliphi. Izakhamizi zedolobho leli zazizigqaja ngokuba ngamaRoma. Amasotsha angamaRoma ayesethethe impentsheni njalo ehlala eFiliphi ayebona idolobho leli elalingaphansi kombuso weRoma njengeRoma encane. Abanali laba bafika endaweni ababecabanga ukuthi ‘yindawo yokuthandaza’ eyayiphandle kwedolobho eceleni komfula omncane.b Ngelanga leSabatha baya endaweni le bathola kulabesifazana ababebuthene khonapho bekhonza uNkulunkulu. Bahlala phansi bakhuluma labo. Owesifazana okuthiwa nguLidiya ‘wayelalele futhi uJehova wayivula kakhulu inhliziyo yakhe.’ ULidiya wathintwa yilokho okwakukhulunywa ngabanali laba okokuthi yena labemuli yakhe babhabhathizwa wasencenga uPhawuli lamadoda ayehamba lawo ukuthi baye endlini yakhe.c—Imiseb. 16:13-15.

9. Abanengi lamuhla bamlingisela njani uPhawuli futhi yiziphi izibusiso abazitholayo?

⁹ Akucabange intokozo eyabakhona ngesikhathi uLidiya ebhabhathizwa. Kumele ukuthi uPhawuli wathokoza ngokuthi wayevumile enxuswa ukuthi ‘achaphele eMakhedoniya’ lokuthi uJehova wayekubone kufanele ukuthi asebenzise yena lamadoda ayehamba lawo ukuphendula imithandazo yabesifazana laba ababesesaba uNkulunkulu. Lamuhla kulabafowethu labodadewethu abanengi, abatsha labadala, abatshadileyo labangatshadanga abakhetha ukuthuthela endaweni ezilabamemezeli abalutshwana. Ubunzima abahlangana labo buncane kakhulu kulentokozo abayitholayo nxa bethola abantu abamukela iqiniso eliseBhayibhilini njengoLidiya. Ungenza yini utshintsho empilweni yakho ukuze lawe ‘uchaphele’ endaweni elabamemezeli abalutshwane? Uzathola izibusiso sibili. Ngokwesibonelo, umfowethu okuthiwa ngu-Aaron wathuthela kwelinye ilizwe eliseCentral America esanda kudlula iminyaka engu-20. Ekhuluma okujayele ukukhulunywa ngabanengi abathuthela ezindaweni ezilabamemezeli abalutshwane uthi: “Ukuthuthela kwelinye ilizwe kungincede ukuthi ngiqine ekukhonzeni futhi ngisondele kakhulu kuJehova. Sengilezifundo ezingu-8! Ngiyakukholisa kakhulu ukutshumayela.”

“Bonke Abantu Babavukela” (Imiseb. 16:16-24)

10. Amadimoni amphambanisa njani uPhawuli lamadoda ayelawo?

¹⁰ USathane wayezonde ebila ngoba izindaba ezinhle zasezitshunyayelwa endaweni lapho yena lamadimoni akhe ababezenzela khona umathanda. Yikho akusimangalisi ukuthi amadimoni abangela ukuthi uPhawuli lamadoda ayelawo baphikiswe futhi bacine bebotshwa. Bathi besiya endaweni yokuthandaza, intombazana eyincekukazi eyayiledimoni futhi eyayisenzela abanikazi bayo imali enengi ngokutshela abantu okuzakwenzakala yayilokhu ilandela uPhawuli lamadoda ayelawo imemeza isithi: “Amadoda la ayizinceku zikaNkulunkulu oPhezukonke futhi khathesi atshumayela kini indlela yensindiso.” Kungenzeka idimoni lalisenza intombazana le ikhulume amazwi la ukuze kukhanye angathi eyayikutshela abantu ngekusasa lalokho okwakufundiswa nguPhawuli kwakuvela emuntwini munye. Lokhu kwakuzakwenza abantu bangasalaleli abalandeli bakaKhristu beqiniso. Yikho uPhawuli wayithulisa intombazana le ngokuxotsha idimoni.—Imiseb. 16:16-18.

11. Kwenzakalani kuPhawuli loSila sebexotshe idimoni entombazaneni eyincekukazi?

¹¹ Abanikazi bentombazana le eyincekukazi bathi bebona ukuthi ithemba labo lokuthola imali laseliphelile bazonda kakhulu. Bahudulela uPhawuli loSila emakethe lapho omantshi ababemela iRoma ababethonisisa khona amacala. Babekwazi ukuthi omantshi laba babelobandlululo futhi bezigqaja ngokuba ngamaRoma yikho bathi: ‘AmaJuda la aphambanisa idolobho lethu kakhulu njalo afundisa amasiko okungekho emthethweni ukuthi thina siwamukele njengoba singamaRoma.’ Icebo labo laphumelela sibili ngoba ‘bonke abantu (ababesemakethe) bavukela (uPhawuli loSila)’ njalo omantshi bathi “batshaywe ngemiqwayi.” Ngemva kwalokho uPhawuli loSila bavalelwa ejele. Umgcinijele wafaka amadoda la ayelimele esitokisini esiphakathi laphakathi futhi wabophela inyawo zawo emapulankeni amakhulu. (Imiseb. 16:19-24) Wathi evala umnyango wejele kwabamnyama tshu okokuthi uPhawuli loSila babengasabonani. Kodwa uJehova wayebona.—Hubo. 139:12.

12. (a) Abalandeli bakaKhristu babekubona njani ukuhlukuluzwa futhi kungani? (b) Yiziphi izindlela zokuphikisa ezilokhu zisetshenziswa nguSathane labantu bakhe lamuhla?

¹² Eminyakeni eyayidlulile uJesu wayetshele abalandeli bakhe wathi: “Lani bazalihlukuluza.” (Joh. 15:20) Yikho uPhawuli lamadoda ayelawo babevele bekulungiselele ukuphikiswa eMakhedoniya. Sebehlukuluzwa babekwazi ukuthi kwakungatsho ukuthi uJehova kasabamukeli kodwa nguSathane owayebahlasela. Lamuhla abantu abasetshenziswa nguSathane basebenzisa indlela ezifanana lalezo abazisebenzisa eFiliphi. Abaphikisi abakhohlisayo bakhuluma amanga ngathi ezikolo lasemsebenzini ukuze siphikiswe. Kwamanye amazwe abaphikisi abasezinkolweni zamanga basimangalela emthethwandaba besithi: ‘OFakazi baphambanisa ilizwe lethu ngokufundisa amasiko thina “njengamakholwa” esingeke siwamukele.’ Kwezinye indawo abafowethu labodadewethu bayatshaywa baze bavalelwe emajele. Kodwa uJehova uyakubona okwenzakalayo.—1 Phet. 3:12.

“Bahle Babhabhathizwa” (Imiseb. 16:25-34)

13. Kuyini okwenza umgcinijele wabuza wathi: “Kumele ngenzeni ukuze ngisindiswe?”

¹³ Kwakudinga isikhathi ukuthi ubuhlungu uPhawuli loSila ababebuzwa behle njalo bahlaliseke ngemva kobunzima balelolanga. Kodwa phakathi kobusuku kukhanya ubuhlungu basebunganeno okokuthi “babethandaza futhi behlabela bedumisa uNkulunkulu.” Khonokho nje, kwaba lokuzamazama komhlaba okukhulu okwanyikinya ijele. Umgcinijele wahle waphaphama wabona iminyango yejele ivulekile, lwamtshaya lwameqa uvalo ecabanga ukuthi izibotshwa zasezibalekile. Wayekwazi ukuthi uzajeziswa kabuhlungu yikho ‘wahwatsha inkemba yakhe efuna ukuzibulala.’ Kodwa uPhawuli wamemeza ngelizwi elikhulu wathi: “Ungazibulali ngoba sonke sikhona!” Umgcinijele lo owayesekhathazekile wabuza wathi: “Madoda, kumele ngenzeni ukuze ngisindiswe?” UPhawuli loSila babengeke bamsindise kodwa nguJesu kuphela owayengamsindisa. Yikho bamphendula bathi: “Kholwa eNkosini uJesu, uzasindiswa.”—Imiseb. 16:25-31.

14. (a) UPhawuli loSila bamnceda njani umgcinijele? (b) Yisiphi isibusiso abasitholayo ngenxa yokuqinisela bethokoza ngesikhathi behlukuluzwa?

¹⁴ Umbuzo womgcinijele wawusuka enhliziyweni yini? UPhawuli kazange akuthandabuze lokho. Umgcinijele wayengayisuye mJuda yikho wayengayazi ngitsho iMibhalo. Kwakumele aqale afundiswe futhi amukele iqiniso eliyisisekelo eliseMibhalweni ukuze abe ngumKhristu. UPhawuli loSila ‘bamtshela iLizwi likaJehova.’ Kumele ukuthi ngesikhathi bemfundisa iLizwi likaNkulunkulu bakhohlwa kancane ngokufuthelwa ababekuzwa. Kodwa umgcinijele yena wawananzelela amanxeba abo futhi wabagezisa. Yena labo bonke abendlu yakhe “bahle babhabhathizwa.” Lokhu kwaba yisibusiso esikhulu kuPhawuli loSila ngenxa yokuthi babeqinisele ngapha bethokoza ngesikhathi behlukuluzwa.—Imiseb. 16:32-34.

15. (a) Lamuhla oFakazi bakaJehova abanengi balingisela njani uPhawuli loSila? (b) Kungani kumele siqhubeke sibavakatshela abantu abasensimini yethu?

¹⁵ OFakazi bakaJehova abanengi lamuhla balingisela uPhawuli loSila ngokutshumayela izindaba ezinhle ngesikhathi bebotshiwe ngenxa yokholo lwabo futhi kuba lempumela emihle. Ngesinye isikhathi, kwelinye ilizwe lapho umsebenzi wethu owawungavunyelwa khona, amaphesenti angaba ngu-40 aboFakazi elizweni lelo ayefunde iqiniso ngoJehova ngesikhathi esejele. (Isaya. 54:17) Ubonile yini ukuthi umgcinijele wacela uncedo ngemva kokuzazama komhlaba? Lamuhla abanye abantu balalela izindaba ezinhle nxa izinto zingathi phendu empilweni zabo. Yikho nxa singahlala sibavakatshela abantu abasensimini yethu kuzabalula ukuthi sibafundise nxa sebedinga uncedo.

“Manje Khathesi Sebesikhulula Ngudlu?” (Imiseb. 16:35-40)

16. UPhawuli loSila bathi sebebhaxabuliwe izinto zatshintsha njani?

¹⁶ Sekusile, omantshi bathi uPhawuli loSila bakhululwe ejele. Kodwa uPhawuli wathi: “Basibhaxabule phambi kwabantu singadliwanga licala lanxa singamaRoma, basebesifaka ejele. Manje khathesi sebesikhulula ngudlu? Okungaqalwayo! Ababuye bona bazosikhipha.” Omantshi bathi besizwa ukuthi amadoda la womabili ayengamaRoma, “besaba” ngoba babengawahloniphanga amalungelo awo.d Yikho khathesi izinto zasezigaye ngomunye umhlathi. Abafundi laba babetshaywe phambi kwabantu yikho labomantshi kwasekumele bayebaxolisa phambi kwabantu. Bancenga uPhawuli loSila ukuthi basuke eFiliphi. Abafundi laba ababili bavuma kodwa baqala bayakhuthaza iqembu labafundi abatsha elalilokhe likhula. Ngemva kwalokho basebehamba.

17. Yisiphi isifundo esiqakathekileyo esasizafundwa ngabafundi abatsha ngokubona uPhawuli loSila beqinisela?

¹⁷ Aluba amalungelo abo njengezizalwane zaseRoma ayehlonitshiwe, uPhawuli loSila babengasoze babhaxabulwe. (Imiseb. 22:25, 26) Kodwa abafundi baseFiliphi babengasala becabanga ukuthi amadoda la ayesebenzise amalungelo awo ukuze angahlukuluzwa ngenxa kaKhristu. Manje lokhu kwakungeke kuluxegise yini ukholo lwabafundi ababengayisiwo maRoma? Phela bona umthetho wamaRoma wawungeke ubavikele ukuthi bangabhaxabulwa. Ukuqinisela kukaPhawuli loSila ngesikhathi behlukuluzwa kwatshengisa abafundi laba abatsha ukuthi abalandeli bakaKhristu bangenelisa ukubhensela ukuhlukuluzwa. Kanti njalo ngokumela amalungelo abo njengezizalwane zeRoma uPhawuli loSila bakuchaya egcekeni ukuthi okwakwenziwe ngomantshi kwakungekho emthethweni. Lokhu kwakuzakwenza omantshi bacabange kabili bengakahlukuluzi amaKhristu ngesikhathi esizayo.

18. (a) Lamuhla abadala bamlingisela njani uPhawuli? (b) Senzani ukuze ‘sizivikele izindaba ezinhle futhi sizimise ziqine ngokusemthethweni’?

¹⁸ Lamuhla abadala labo bayizibonelo ezinhle emabandleni ngoba bazimisele ukwenza lokho abakhangelele ukuthi abafowabo labodadewabo bakwenze. Lathi sonke njengamalunga ebandla silingisela uPhawuli ngokukhetha kuhle ukuthi siwasebenzise njani futhi nini amalungelo ethu ukuze sizivikele. Nxa kudingeka siyahambisa izindaba emithethwandaba yendawo, eyelizwe kumbe eyamazwe amanengi ukuze sivikele amalungelo ethu okukhonza sikhululekile. Inhloso yethu ayisiyo yokutshintsha izinto emphakathini kodwa ‘ngeyokuvikela izindaba ezinhle futhi sizimise ziqine ngokusemthethweni.’ Lokhu yikho kanye umphostoli uPhawuli akutsho ebhalela ibandla laseFiliphi ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-10 eke wabotshwa endaweni leyo. (Flp. 1:7) Kungelani lokuthi siyanqoba emacaleni la loba hatshi, thina silingisela uPhawuli lamadoda ayehamba lawo ngokuqhubeka ‘sitshumayela izindaba ezihle’ loba ngaphi lapho umoya kaNkulunkulu osiqondisa khona.—Imiseb. 16:10.