Antchito Anzake a Paulo​—Kodi Anali Ayani?

M’BUKU la Baibulo la Machitidwe komanso m’makalata a Paulo amatchulamo za anthu zana limodzi, ziwalo za mpingo wachikristu wa m’zaka za zana loyamba amene anayanjana ndi ‘mtumwiyo wa anthu amitundu.’ (Aroma 11:13) Oŵerengeka a iwoŵa ntchito zawo zambiri zimadziŵika bwino. Mungakhale mukudziŵa zochita za Apolo, Barnaba, ndi Sila. Komabe, mungakupeze kukhala kovuta kwambiri kukambapo zambiri za Arkipo, Klaudiya, Damarisi, Lino, Persida, Pude, ndi Sopatro.

M’nyengo zosiyanasiyana ndi m’zochitika zosiyanasiyananso, ambiri a iwoŵa anam’thandiza kwambiri Paulo pa utumiki wake. Ena a iwo monga Aristarko, Luka, ndi Timoteo anatumikira limodzi ndi mtumwi Paulo kwa zaka zambiri. Enanso anali naye pamene anali m’ndende kapena pamene anali kuyenda, ena monga apaulendo anzake kapenanso monga amuna ndi akazi amene anam’sunga m’nyumba zawo. Mwachisoni, ena, monga Alesandro, Dema, Hermogene, ndi Fugelo sanapirire m’chikhulupiriro chachikristu.

Ponena za ambiri a mabwenzi a Paulo monga Asunkrito, Herma, Yuliya, kapenanso Filologo kungotchulapo ochepa chabe, sitidziŵa zochuluka ponena za iwo kusiyapo mayina awo. Ponena za mlongo wa Nerea kapena mayi wa Rufo, kapenanso iwo a nyumba ya Kloe, sitidziŵa n’komwe mayina awo. (Aroma 16:13-15; 1 Akorinto 1:11) Ngakhale zili choncho, kupenda nkhani zochepa zimene tili nazo zokhudza anthu zana kapena kuposapo amenewa kumatiuza za njira imene mtumwi Paulo anagwirira ntchito. Kumatiphunzitsanso za mapindu ochuluka amene tingawapeze mwa kukhala pamodzi ndi kugwira ntchito mwathithithi ndi okhulupirira anzathu.

Apaulendo Anzake, Amuna ndi Akazi Omwe Anam’landira

Utumiki wa mtumwi Paulo unaphatikizapo maulendo aatali kwambiri. Wolemba nkhani wina akunena kuti mtunda wonse umene Paulo anayenda panyanja ndi pamtunda monga momwe zalembedwera m’Machitidwe mokha unafika pafupifupi makilomita 16,000. Kuyenda ulendo kalelo sikunali kotopetsa chabe komanso kwangozi. Ngozi zina zosiyanasiyana zimene iye anakumana nazo ndi kusweka kwa chombo, moopsa mwake mwa mitsinje, moopsa mwake mwa olanda, moopsa m’chipululu, ndi moopsa m’nyanja. (2 Akorinto 11:25, 26) Ndiye chifukwa chake m’maulendo ake onse kuchokera ku malo ena kupita kwina Paulo sanali yekha.

Amene anatsagana ndi Paulo anali kum’chirikiza kuti asakhale yekha paulendo, anam’limbikitsa, komanso kum’thandiza pa zina ndi zina mu utumiki. Nthaŵi zina, Paulo anawasiya iwo kuti athe kusamalira zosoŵa zauzimu za okhulupirira achatsopano. (Machitidwe 17:14; Tito 1:5) Komabe kuyenda ndi anzake kunali kofunika kamba ka chitetezo komanso chichirikizo polimbana ndi zopinga za paulendo. Motero anthu ngati Sopatro, Sekundo, Gayo, ndi Trofimo amene tikuwadziŵa kuti anali pakati pa awo amene anali kuyenda ndi Paulo ayenera kuti anachita zambiri kuti utumiki wake ukhale wachipambano.​—Machitidwe 20:4.

Thandizonso la amuna ndi akazi amene anam’landira linali lofunika. Pamene Paulo anafika mu mzinda umene anafuna kuchitamo ndawala ya ulaliki kapena kungofuna kugona usiku umodzi wokha, choyamba anafunikira kupeza malo okhala. Aliyense yemwe anayenda kumbali zosiyanasiyana monga momwe Paulo anachitira akanafunikiradi kugona pa makama ambiri. Iye nthaŵi zambiri akanatha kumakhala m’nyumba za alendo, komabe olemba mbiri yakale amati malo amenewo anali “angozi ndi a uve,” choncho pamene zinali zotheka, Paulo mwinamwake ankakhala ndi okhulupirira anzake.

Timadziŵa mayina a ena mwa amuna ndi akazi omwe analandira Paulo​—Akula ndi Priska, Gayo, Yasoni, Lidiya, Mnaso, Filemoni, ndi Filipo. (Machitidwe 16:14, 15; 17:7; 18:2, 3; 21:8, 16; Aroma 16:23; Filemoni 1, 22) Ku Filipi, Tesalonika, ndi Korinto, Paulo anagwiritsa ntchito nyumbazo monga malo olinganizirako ntchito yake ya umishonale. Ku Korinto, Tito Yusto anamulandiranso mtumwiyo m’nyumba yake ndipo zimenezo zinam’patsa malo oti azikhalako pochita ulaliki wake.​—Machitidwe 18:7.

Khamu la Mabwenzi

Monga momwe tingayembekezere, mabwenzi a Paulo nawonso anakumbukidwa m’njira zosiyanasiyana chifukwa cha mikhalidwe yosiyana imene iwo analimo pamene iye anakumana nawo. Mwachitsanzo, Mariya, Persida, Febe, Trufena, ndi Trufosa anali okhulupirira anzake achikazi amene anatamandidwa chifukwa cha kugwira ntchito kwawo molimbika. (Aroma 16:1, 2, 6, 12) Paulo anabatiza Krispo, Gayo, ndi a pabanja la Stefana. Dionisiyo ndi Damarisi analandira uthenga wa choonadi kuchokera kwa iye ku Atene. (Machitidwe 17:34; 1 Akorinto 1:14, 16) Androniko ndi Yuniya, “omveka mwa atumwi” amene anali okhulupirira kwa nthaŵi yaitali kusiyana ndi Paulo, anawatcha “andende anzanga.” Mwinamwake angakhale atakhalirapo limodzi m’ndende panthaŵi ina. Aŵiriwanso, monga Herodiona, Yasoni, Lukiyo, ndi Sosipatro, Paulo anawatcha “anansi” ake. (Aroma 16:7, 11, 21) Pamene liwu lachigiriki logwiritsidwa ntchito pano lingatanthauze “anzako am’dziko lanu,” tanthauzo lake lalikulu ndilo “achibale a kholo limodzi a mbadwo umodzi.”

Ambiri a mabwenzi a Paulo anayenda maulendo chifukwa cha uthenga wabwino. Kuwonjezera pa anzake odziŵika bwino, palinso Akayiko, Fortunato, ndi Stefana amene anayenda kuchokera ku Korinto kumka ku Aefeso kukakambirana ndi Paulo za mkhalidwe wauzimu umene unali mumpingo wa kwawo. Artema ndi Tukiko analinso okonzeka kupita kwa Tito yemwe anali kutumikira ku chilumba cha Krete ndipo Zena nayenso anali kudzayenda ulendo wopita pamodzi ndi Apolo.​—1 Akorinto 16:17; Tito 3:12, 13.

Palinso aja omwe Paulo akutiuza zochepa koma zosangalatsa ponena za iwo. Mwachitsanzo, tikuuzidwa kuti Epeneto ndiye anali “chipatso choundukula cha Asiya,” ndi kutinso Erasto anali “woyang’anira mudzi” ku Korinto, komanso kuti Luka anali dokotala, ndipo Lidiya anali wogulitsa chibakuwa, ndiponso Tertio ndiye amene Paulo anagwiritsa ntchito kulemba kalata yake yopita kwa Aroma. (Aroma 16:5, 22, 23; Machitidwe 16:14; Akolose 4:14) Kwa aliyense wofuna kudziŵa zambiri za anthu amenewa mfundo zimenezi n’zosangalatsa kwambiri ngakhale kuti n’zachidule.

Ena mwa anzake a Paulo analandira uthenga wawowawo, umene tsopano unalembedwa m’Baibulo. Mwachitsanzo, m’kalata yake kwa Akolose, Paulo analangiza Arkipo kuti: “Samaliratu utumiki umene udaulandira mwa Ambuye, kuti uukwanitse.” (Akolose 4: 17) Euodiya ndi Suntuke malingana ndi umboni anakangana pa zina zake ndipo anafunikira kuthetsa kusamvana kwawoko. N’chifukwa chake Paulo anawalangiza kudzera mwa ‘mnzake wa m’goli’ ku Filipi kuti “alingirire ndi mtima umodzi mwa Ambuye.” (Afilipi 4:2, 3) Inde, umenewu ndi uphungu wabwino kwa ifenso.

Sanasiye Kum’chirikiza Ali m’Ndende

Paulo anaikidwa m’ndende kambirimbiri. (2 Akorinto 11:23) Nthaŵi imeneyo Akristu akumaloko, amene analipo panthaŵiyo, angakhale atayesetsa kuchita zonse zotheka kum’thandiza kupirira mavuto akewo. Pamene Paulo anaikidwa m’ndende nthaŵi yoyamba ku Roma, analoledwa kuchita lendi nyumba kwa zaka ziŵiri ndipo mabwenzi ake ankam’chezera. (Machitidwe 28:30) Mkati mwa nyengo imeneyo, analemba makalata ku mipingo ya ku Efeso, Filipi, ndi Kolose, komanso kwa Filemoni. Mabuku amenewa amatiuza zambiri za amene anali pafupi ndi Paulo panthaŵi ya kumangidwa kwake.

Mwachitsanzo, timaphunzira kuti Onesimo, kapolo wa Filemoni amene anathaŵa, anakumana ndi Paulo ku Roma, monganso anachitira Tukiko yemwe anali kudzayenda limodzi ndi Onesimo paulendo wake wobwerera kwa mbuye wake. (Akolose 4:7-9) Panalinso Epafrodito amane anayenda ulendo wautali kuchokera ku Filipi ndi mphatso yochokera ku mpingo wa kwawo, amene pambuyo pake anadwala. (Afilipi 2:25; 4:18) Enanso amene anagwira ntchito kwambiri ndi Paulo ku Roma anali Aristarko, Marko, Yesu wotchedwanso Yusto amene ponena za iwo Paulo anati: “Iwo okha ndiwo antchito anzanga a mu Ufumu wa Mulungu, ndiwo akundikhalira ine chonditonthoza mtima.” (Akolose 4:10:11) Pakati pa okhulupirika amenewa, panali ena odziŵika bwino monga Timoteo, Luka, komanso Dema, yemwe m’kupita kwa nthaŵi anasiya Paulo chifukwa chokondetsa dziko.​—Akolose 1:1; 4:14; 2 Timoteo 4:10; Filemoni 24.

Zikukhala ngati panalibe ndi mmodzi yemwe mwa onseŵa amene anali wochokera ku Roma komabe iwo anakam’chirikiza Paulo kumeneko. Mwinamwake ena anangopitako kukamuthandiza panthaŵi ya ukaidi wake. Mosakayika ena anali kum’tumikira, ena anali kuwatumiza pa maulendo akutali, ndiponso ena anali kulemba makalata pamene iye Paulo anali kuwauza mawu owalemba. Onsewa anapereka umboni wamphamvu wakuti iwo analidi ndi chikondi chachikulu komanso okhulupirika kwa Paulo ndi pantchito ya Mulungu!

Kuchokera m’mawu omaliza a makalata ena a Paulo, titha kuona kuti iye angakhale anali ndi gulu lalikulu la abale ndi alongo achikristu kuwonjezera pa ochepawa amene mayina awo tikuwadziŵa. Nthaŵi zina, iye analemba kuti: “Oyera mtima onse alankhula inu [“akuti moni,” NW]” ndi kutinso “Akulankhula iwe [“akuti moni,” Chipangano Chatsopano Cholembedwa m’Chicheŵa Chamakono] onse akukhala pamodzi ndi ine.”​—2 Akorinto 13:13; Tito 3:15; Afilipi 4:22.

Pamene Paulo anali pafupi kunyongedwa mu ukaidi wake wovuta wachiŵiri ku Roma, iye anali kuganizirabe kwambiri za antchito anzake. Iye anali kuyang’anira ndiponso kugwirizanitsa ntchito za ena a iwo. Tito ndi Tukiko anali atawatumiza kwina, Kresike anali atapita ku Galatiya, Erasto anakhala ku Korinto, Trofimo anasiyidwa ali wodwala ku Mileto, koma Marko ndi Timoteo anali kudzabwera kwa iye. Koma Luka anali ndi Paulo, ndipo pamene mtumwiyu analemba kalata yake yachiŵiri kwa Timoteo, okhulupirira ena angapo kuphatikizapo Eubulo, Pude, Lino ndi Klaudiya analipo ndipo anatha kupereka moni. Iwo mosakayika anali kuchita zonse zomwe akanatha kuthandiza Paulo. Panthaŵi imodzimodziyo, Paulo iyemwini anapereka moni kwa Akula ndi Priska ndi a pabanja la Onesiforo. Mwachisoni, panthaŵi yovuta imeneyo, Dema anam’siya Paulo, ndipo Alesandro anam’chitira zoipa zambiri.​—2 Timoteo 4:9-21.

“Ndife Antchito Anzake a Mulungu”

Nthaŵi zambiri Paulo sanakhalepo yekhayekha paulaliki wake. “Chithunzi chimene tili nacho,” akutero E. Earle Ellis, wothirira ndemanga, “ndicho chija cha mmishonale wokhala ndi mabwenzi ambirimbiri. Zoonadi, Paulo mwachizoloŵezi sanali kupezeka ali yekha popanda anzake.” Motsogozedwa ndi mzimu woyera wa Mulungu, Paulo anatha kukonzekeretsa anthu ambiri ndi kulinganiza ndawala ya umishonale yogwiradi ntchito. Iye anali ndi anzake ogwira nawo ntchito apam’tima, anthu omuthandiza panthaŵi yochepa, anthu ena okangalika, ndiponso antchito odzichepetsa ambirimbiri. Komabe, amenewa sanali chabe antchito anzake wamba. Mosasamala kanthu za utali umene anakhala akugwira ntchito komanso kuyanjana ndi Paulo, sitingalephere kuona chomangira cholimba cha chikondi chachikristu ndi unansi wolimba umene unalipo.

Mtumwi Paulo anali ndi chomwe chatchedwa “mphatso yokhala ndi mabwenzi.” Anachita mbali yaikulu kufalitsa uthenga wabwino kwa amitundu, komabe sanayese kuchita zimenezi pa iye yekha. Iye anagwirizana ndi mpingo wolinganizidwa wachikristu ndipo anagwiritsa ntchito mokwanira makonzedwe amenewa . Paulo sanadzitengere ulemu iyemwini chifukwa cha zonse zimene anachita koma modzichepetsa anavomereza kuti anali kapolo ndi kuti ulemu wonse uyenera kupita kwa Mulungu amene amakulitsa.​—1 Akorinto 3:5-7; 9:16; Afilipi 1:1.

Nthaŵi ya Paulo inali yosiyanadi ndi nthaŵi yathu, komabe ngakhale zili choncho, palibe ndi mmodzi yemwe mumpingo wachikristu lerolino amene ayenera kuganiza kuti angathe kapena afunikira kudziimira payekha. M’malo mwake, tiyenera kupitirizabe kugwira ntchito ndi gulu la Mulungu, mpingo wa kwathu, komanso ndi okhulupirira anzathu. Timafuna chithandizo chawo, chichirikizo ndiponso chitonthozo panthaŵi ya mtendere ndi pamavuto pomwe. Tili ndi mwayi wa mtengo wapatali wa kukhala mbali ya ‘gulu lonse la abale m’dziko.’ (1 Petro 5:9, NW) Ngati ife mokhulupirika ndi mwachikondi tigwira ntchito phewa ndi phewa komanso mogwirizana ndi onse, pamenepo monganso Paulo, tinganene kuti “ndife antchito anzake a Mulungu.”​—1 Akorinto 3:9.

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APOLO

ARISTARKO

BARNABA

LIDIYA

ONESIFORO

TERTIO

TUKIKO