“E Au Tagi Kia Sesale”

KO TE hahaʼi ʼitaʼita neʼe nātou puke te tagata neʼe mole he tahi moʼona hāofaki pea nātou ta ia ia. Neʼe nātou ʼui ʼe tonu ke mate. ʼI tanatou ʼamanaki fakahoko te faʼahi ʼaia, mo te ʼasi mai ʼa te kau solia ʼo hāofaki te tagata mai te hahaʼi ʼitaʼita ʼaia. Ko te tagata ʼaia neʼe ko te ʼapositolo ko Paulo. Ko nātou ʼaē neʼe nātou ta ia ia neʼe ko te kau Sutea ʼaē neʼe nātou fakafihiʼi mālohi tana fai faka mafola, pea mo nātou tukugakoviʼi ʼe ina ʼulihiʼi te fale lotu. Ko nātou ʼaē neʼe ʼōmai ʼo hāofaki ia ia neʼe ko te kau Loma, kae takitaki e tanatou kamutoa ko Kolote Lisia. ʼI te maveuveu ʼaia neʼe puke ia Paulo ohage ko he tagata agakovi.

ʼE fakahāhā e te ʼu kapite fakaʼosi e fitu ʼo te tohi ʼo te ʼu Gaue te faʼahi ʼaē neʼe tupu ai te puke ʼaia. ʼE tou mahino anai ʼaki te ʼu kapite ʼaia ki te hisitolia ʼo Paulo, te ʼu tukugakovi ʼaē neʼe fai kia ia, tona hāofaki pea mo te ʼu puleʼaki faka Loma ʼo ʼuhiga mo te ʼu fakamāu.

ʼI Te Temi ʼAē Neʼe Puke Ai e Kolote Lisia

ʼE kau ʼi te gāue ʼa Kolote Lisia ia te taupau ʼo te tokalelei ʼi Selusalemi. Ko tona pule lahi, te kovana Loma ʼo Sutea, neʼe nofo ʼi Sesalea. Ko te meʼa ʼaē neʼe fai e Lisia kia Paulo ʼe feala pe ke faka ʼuhiga ʼe ko he hāofaki ʼo he tahi mai te agamālohi ʼa te hahaʼi, peʼe ko he pilisoniʼi ʼo he tahi ʼe fakatupu maveuveu. Neʼe ʼave Paulo e Lisia ki te fale solia, ʼi te Kolo Tau ʼo Atonia, ʼuhi ko te aga ʼa te kau Sutea.—Gaue 21:27–22:24.

Neʼe tonu ke mahino kia Lisia pe koteā te meʼa ʼaē neʼe fai e Paulo. Lolotoga te maveuveu, neʼe mole ina lava maʼu he tonu. Koia, mole tuai pea neʼe ina fakatotonu ke ʼave ia Paulo ‘ke fue ia mo kumi ki ai, he neʼe ina fia ʼiloʼi te tupuʼaga ʼo te tau kalaga ʼanatou ʼo fakafeagai kia Paulo.’ (Gaue 22:24) Neʼe ko te agamāhani ʼaia neʼe fai moʼo kumi ʼo he ʼu fakamoʼoni mai te kau agakovi, mo te kau sinifu, pea mo ʼihi hahaʼi ʼe mole honatou tuʼulaga. Ko te fue (flagrum) neʼe ko he meʼa lelei moʼo faka palalauʼi ʼo he tahi, kae neʼe ko he meʼa fakamatakutaku ia. Ko ʼihi ʼi te ʼu fue ʼaia neʼe fakapipiki ai te ʼu foʼi lopa ukamea ʼe tautau ʼi te ʼu seini. ʼE ʼi ai te tahi faʼahiga fue neʼe fī ʼaki te ʼu koga hui māsila pea mo te ʼu koga ukamea māsila. Neʼe tupu ai te ʼu lavea loloto, he neʼe nātou hae te sino ʼaē neʼe tā ʼo liliu ai ko te ʼu moʼi kakano toto.

ʼI te lakaga ʼaia neʼe fakahā e Paulo tona ʼuhiga Loma. Neʼe mole feala ke huipiʼi he tagata Loma kae mole heʼeki fakamāuʼi, koia ko te fakahā e Paulo tona ʼuhiga Loma neʼe fetogi atu aipe tona faʼahiga gaohi. Ko te kākāʼi peʼe ko te fakatūʼa ʼo he tagata Loma neʼe feala ke tupu ai he fakahifo ʼa he tagata ofisie Loma mai tona tuʼulaga. Koia ʼe tou sio ai ko te faʼahiga gaohi ʼa Paulo, neʼe mole fai māhani feiā ki he tagata pilisoni, koteʼuhi neʼe lava ʼōmai he ʼu hahaʼi ʼo ʼaʼahi ia ia.—Gaue 22:25-29; 23: 16, 17.

ʼI tana mole mahino ʼaē ki te ʼu tukugakovi neʼe fai, neʼe ʼave ai ia Paulo e Lisia ki te Sanetualio ke mahino pe koʼe neʼe hoko te agamālohi ʼaia. Kae neʼe fakatupu e Paulo he maveuveu ʼi tana palalau ʼaē ki tona fakamāuʼi ʼo ʼuhiga mo te fakatuʼuake. Neʼe kovi ʼaupito te maveuveu ʼo tuʼania ia Lisia naʼa gaohi koviʼi ia Paulo, koia neʼe toe maʼua ai ke ina toʼo fakamālohi mai ia Paulo mai te kau Sutea ʼaē kua ʼiʼita.—Gaue 22:30–23:10.

Neʼe mole fia lākahala ia Lisia ʼi he mate ʼo he tagata Loma. ʼI tana logo ki te fakatuʼutuʼu ki he fai fakapō, neʼe ina foimo ʼave fakavilivili te tagata pilisoni ki Sesalea. Neʼe fakamaʼua ki te ʼu fai pepa ke ʼi ai he fakamatala ʼo te ʼaluʼaga ʼo te tagata pilisoni, pea neʼe tupu ai tona ʼave ki he tahi telepinale ʼe lahi age. ʼE maʼu ʼi te ʼu fakamatala ʼaia te ʼu ʼuluaki kumi neʼe fai, mo te ʼu tupuʼaga ʼo te fai ʼo te faʼahi ʼaia, pea mo te manatu ʼo ia ʼaē neʼe ina fai te kumi ʼo ʼuhiga mo te ʼaluʼaga ʼaia. Neʼe fakamatala e Lisia ko Paulo neʼe ‘tukugakoviʼi ʼuhi ko he ʼu tōtō hala ʼo ʼuhiga mo tanatou lao, kae ʼe mole he meʼa ʼe tuha mo tona tautea ki te mate, pe ko tona seiniʼi,’ pea neʼe ina fakatotonu ki te kau fakafeagai ʼa Paulo ke nātou ʼolo ʼo tagi ki te kovana ko Felise.—Gaue 23:29, 30.

ʼE Mole Fai He Fakamāu e Te Kovana Ko Felise

Neʼe fakalogo te faʼahiga fakamāu ʼi he palokia ki te pule ʼa Felise. Neʼe feala pe hana mulimuli ki te faʼahiga fakamāu ʼe fakahoko ʼi tona kolo, peʼe ina fakahoko te lao ʼe fai kia nātou ʼe maʼu tuʼulaga peʼe ko he kau takitaki ʼo te puleʼaga. Neʼe fakahigoaʼi te meʼa ʼaia ko te ordo, peʼe ko te lisi. Pe neʼe feala pe ke ina fakahoko te ʼu fakamāu māhani, ʼaē neʼe fai ki he faʼahiga hala pe. Neʼe tonu ki he kovana ʼo he palokia ke ina ‘fakamāu ʼo mulimuli ki te koga meʼa neʼe nofo ai, kae mole tonu ke ina fai ʼo mulimuli ki tona faʼahiga fai ʼi Loma.’ Koia, ko te fakafuafua ʼo te ʼu ʼaluʼaga neʼe fakalogo kia ia.

ʼE mole ʼiloʼi pe neʼe feafeaʼi te ʼu agaaga ʼo te fakamāu neʼe fai e te Loma ʼāfea, kae ko te meʼa ʼaē neʼe hoko kia Paulo neʼe ʼui neʼe ko “he fakamatala lelei ʼo te faʼahiga fakamāu ʼe fai māhani.” Ko te kovana, mo ʼona tagata fai tokoni, neʼe nātou fakalogo muʼa ki te ʼu tukugakovi neʼe fai e te hahaʼi. ʼOsi ʼaia pea hoki pāui mai ia ia ʼaē ʼe tukugakoviʼi ke fehōkosi mo te kau fai tukugakovi, kae ʼe tonu kia nātou ʼaia ke nātou maʼu mai he ʼu fakamoʼoni. Neʼe fakatuʼu leva he tūʼa ʼe tuha mo te faʼahi ʼaia. Neʼe feala pe ke fai e te tuʼi fakamāu he tonu ʼi te lakaga pe ʼaia, peʼe hoki ina fai he tonu ʼi he tahi lakaga ʼo hoki puke ai leva ia ia ʼaē ʼe tukugakoviʼi. ʼE ʼui fēnei e te tagata poto ko Henry Cadbury, “ ʼe mahino ʼaki te taʼi pule ʼaia neʼe feala pe ke ‘fakalotoʼi mālohi’ te kovana pea mo foaki ki ai he totogi fakafūfū—ke ina faka ʼāteaina ia ia ʼaē ʼe tukugakoviʼi, peʼe ina fakatūʼa, peʼe hoki ina fai he tonu ʼi he tahi temi.”

Ko te Pelepitelo Lahi ko Anania, mo te kau tagata ʼāfea ʼo te kau Sutea, pea mo Teletulio neʼe nātou tukugakoviʼi ia Paulo ia muʼa ʼo Felise ʼo nātou ʼui ʼe ko ‘he mahaki ʼe ina laga he ʼu maveuveu ʼi te hahaʼi Sutea.’ Neʼe nātou tala ko ia neʼe ko he tagata takitaki ʼo “te magai’lotu o te kau Nasaleti” pea neʼe ina faigaʼi ke ina ʼulihi te fale lotu.—Gaue 24:1-6.

Neʼe ʼui e nātou ʼaē neʼe nātou ʼuluaki ʼohofi ia Paulo neʼe ina taki te tagata Senitile ʼe higoa ko Tolofimo ki te malaʼe ʼe gafua pe ki te kau Sutea hanatou ʼolo kiai.a (Gaue 21:28, 29) ʼI tona fakahagatonu, ko ia ʼaē neʼe hala ʼe ko Tolofimo. Kae kapau la neʼe faka ʼuhiga e te kau Sutea te meʼa ʼaē neʼe fai e Paulo neʼe ko hana tokoni ki te fakahoko ʼo te faʼahi ʼaia, neʼe feala pe ke faka ʼuhiga ko he hala mamafa. Pea ʼe hage kua ʼio ia Loma ke fakatūʼa te taʼi hala ʼaia ki te mate. Koia ka neʼe puke la ia Paulo e te kau polisi ʼo te fale lotu ʼa te kau Sutea, kanaʼauala neʼe fakamāuʼi e te Sanetualio pea ʼosi atu ai mo te fihifihia ʼaia.

Neʼe manatu e te kau Sutea ko te meʼa ʼaē neʼe akonakiʼi e Paulo neʼe mole ʼalutahi ia mo te lotu faka Sutea, peʼe ko he lotu ʼe mole ʼalutahi mo te lao (religio licita). Kae neʼe tonu ia ke ʼui ʼe fakafeagai ki te lao, pea mo fakatupu maveuveu.

Neʼe nātou toe ʼui pe foki ko Paulo “nee ina laga he u maveuveu i te hahai sutea katoa o te malama-nei.” (Gaue 24:5) Mole heʼeki faʼa fualoa, neʼe tukugakoviʼi e te Tuʼi ko Kolote, ko te kau Sutea ʼo Alexandrie kua nātou “liliu ko he mataʼi papala kua mafola ʼi te malamanei katoa.” ʼE tatau ʼosi mo te faʼahi ʼaenī. ʼE ʼui fēnei e te tagata fai hisitolia ko A. N. Sherwin-White: “Ko te meʼa neʼe loto e te kau Sutea, ko te fakamāuʼi ʼa he Sutea lolotoga te temi pule ʼa Kolote peʼe ko te ʼu ʼuluaki temi pule ʼa Nelone. Neʼe faigaʼi e te kau Sutea ke nātou fakalotoʼi te kovana ke hage la kia ia ko te fai faka mafola ʼa Paulo, ʼe ko he meʼa fakatupu maveuveu ki te kau Sutea fuli ʼo te fenua. Neʼe mahino kia nātou ʼe mole tokakaga anai te ʼu kovana mo kapau ko he ʼu lākahala faka lotu, koia ʼaē neʼe nātou faigaʼi ai ke nātou fulihi ai te tukugakovi ʼaia ohage ko he meʼa faka politike.”

Ko Paulo neʼe ina hāofaki ia ia totonu, ʼi te ʼu faʼahi fuli. ‘ ʼE mole ʼau fakatupu maveuveu. ʼE moʼoni, ʼe ʼau kau ʼi te meʼa ʼe nātou fakahigoaʼi ko te “magaʼi lotu,” kae ʼe mātou mulimuli ki te ʼu pelesepeto faka Sutea. Neʼe fakatupu te maveuveu e ʼihi Sutea mai Asia. Kapau ʼe ʼi ai he meʼa ʼe nātou ʼiʼita ai, pea ʼe tonu ke nātou ʼōmai ʼo fakahoko te potu ʼaia ʼi henī.’ Neʼe fakahā e Paulo ko te ʼu tukugakovi ʼaia ʼe ko he fihi ʼa te kau Sutea, pea ʼe mole he pikipikiga ʼa Loma kiai. ʼI tana tuʼania ki te kau Sutea ʼaē neʼe kua loto maveuveu, neʼe toe tuku e Felise ki he tahi ʼaho, heʼe mahino neʼe mole ʼi ai he puleʼaki. Ko Paulo neʼe tuku ki te kau Sutea, ʼaē neʼe nātou lau kua ʼi ai tanatou puleʼaki, pea neʼe mole heʼeki fakamāuʼi e he telepinale Loma, pea ko ia neʼe mole heʼeki faka ʼāteaina. Neʼe mole feala ia ke fakamālohiʼi ia Felise ke ina foimo fai he tonu, pea ʼi tuʼa atu ʼo tana fia vāhaʼa lelei mo te kau Sutea, neʼe ʼi ai tana tahi manatu ʼaē tupu ai tana fakatuai—neʼe ina fakaʼamu ʼe totogi ia ia e Paulo.—Gaue 24:10-19, 26.b

Ko Te Tahi Mafuliʼaga ʼAki Ia Polokio Feseto

ʼI Selusalemi, hili te ʼu taʼu e lua neʼe toe gutu kovi te kau Sutea kia Polokio Feseto, te kovana foʼou, ʼo nātou kole age ke tuku age ia Paulo ke nātou fakamāuʼi. Kae neʼe tali fakahagatonu ia Feseto: “E mole ko te aga fakafenua aia a te kau Loma, ke tautea he tagata, kae e heeki mo feʼiloiʼaki mo natou e natou tukugakoviʼi, ke ina haofaki iaʼia o uhiga mo te u tukugakoviʼi o ona.” ʼE fakamatala fēnei e te tagata fai hisitolia ko Harry W. Tajra: “Neʼe mahino kia Feseto ko he tāmateʼi neʼe fakatuʼutuʼu ke fai ki he tagata Loma.” Koia neʼe ʼui ki te kau Sutea ke nātou fakahā ʼi Sesalea te ʼu lākahala ʼaia ʼe nātou lau.—Gaue 25:1-6, 16.

ʼI ai, neʼe lau e te kau Sutea “nee tonu ia [kia Paulo] ke aua naa mauli,” kae neʼe mole nātou faʼa fakamoʼoni ki te faʼahi ʼaia, pea neʼe mahino kia Feseto ko Paulo neʼe mole ina fai he meʼa ʼe tuha mo te mate. Neʼe fakamahino fēnei e Feseto ki te tahi tagata maʼu tuʼulaga: “[Ko te u lakahala] nee uhiga mo he u tohala o tanatou lotu, nee natou fakahalai iaʼia pea mo he Sesu kua mate, e fakamooni e Paulo, kei mauli ia.”—Gaue 25:7, 18, 19, 24, 25.

ʼE mahino ia neʼe mole fakatupu e Paulo he ʼu maveuveu faka politike, kae ʼi tanatou fihi faka lotu, neʼe lau e te kau Sutea ʼe poto age tanatou telepinale ʼi te maʼu ʼo he puleʼaki ki te taʼi fihifihia ʼaia. ʼE ʼalu anai koa ia Paulo ki Selusalemi ʼo ʼuhiga mo te ʼu faʼahi ʼaia? Neʼe fehuʼi age e Feseto peʼe fia ʼalu ia Paulo kiai, kae ʼi tona fakahagatonu neʼe mole ko he kole ʼe mata feʼauga. Ko he kole ke ʼalu ki Selusalemi ke fakamāuʼi ia ia e nātou ʼe nātou tukugakoviʼi ia ia, ʼe hage pe ia ko he ʼalu fakalelei ʼa Paulo ki te kau Sutea. Neʼe ʼui fēnei e Paulo: “E au tuu ia mua o te fakamauʼaga a Sesale aia e tonu ke fakamauʼi ai au. . . . Nee heeki au fai haku hala ki te hahai sutea . . . E mole he tahi e ina fealagia toku tukuʼage kia natou. E au tagi kia Sesale.”—Gaue 25:10, 11, 20.

ʼE motuhi fuli te ʼu faʼahiga fakamāu ʼa he palokia ʼaki he pāui feiā ʼa he tagata Loma. Ko te fealagia ʼaia ʼo te tagata Loma (provocatio) neʼe “moʼoni, mo mahino gafua, pea neʼe tonu ke fakahoko.” ʼI tana ʼosi felogoi mo tana kau fono ʼo ʼuhiga mo te agaaga ʼo te tagi ʼaē neʼe fai, neʼe tali fēnei age e Feseto: “Nee ke tagi kia Sesale, e ke alu anai kia mua o Sesale.”—Gaue 25:12.

Neʼe fiafia ia Feseto ʼi te ʼāteaina mai te faʼahi ʼo Paulo. Ohage ko tana tala ʼaē kia Helote Akilipa 2 ʼi te ʼu ʼaho ki muli age, neʼe hoha ia ʼo ʼuhiga mo te fakamāu ʼo Paulo. Kae neʼe tonu ke maʼu e Feseto he puleʼaki ʼi muʼa ʼo te tuʼu ʼo Paulo ia muʼa ʼo te tuʼi Loma, kae kia Feseto, ko te ʼu tukugakovi ʼe tupu pe mai te ʼu fihifihia faigataʼa mai te Lao faka Sutea. Kae ko Akilipa ʼaē neʼe kua māhani ʼi te ʼu taʼi fihifihia feiā, neʼe ina fia ʼiloʼi te ʼaluʼaga ʼaia, pea koia neʼe kole age ki ai ke tokoni ki te fai ʼo te tohi ʼaē ka ʼave ki te tuʼi lahi ʼo Loma. ʼI tana mole lava mahino ki te fakamatala neʼe fai e Paulo kia Akilipa, neʼe tala fēnei age e Feseto: “Paulo, pe e ke vale! Ko te lahi o tou poto ae kua ina fakaliliu koe o vale.” Kae neʼe mahino lelei ki ai ia Akilipa. Neʼe ina ʼui fēnei age ki ai: “Kei toe siʼi pe pea ke fakatafoki au, ke au kilisitiano.” Logope pe koteā tanā faʼahiga manatu ʼo ʼuhiga mo te ʼu palalau ʼa Paulo, kae kia Feseto pea mo Akilipa, neʼe mole hana lākahala pea neʼe feala pe hona faka ʼāteaina mo kanapaula neʼe mole tagi kia Sesale.—Gaue 25:13-27; 26:24-32.

Te Ikuʼaga ʼo Tona Fakamāuʼi

ʼI tana tau ki Loma, neʼe pāui e Paulo te kau tagata ʼāfea ʼo te kau Sutea, mole ʼuhi pe ko hana fia fai faka mafola kia nātou, kae ke ina toe ʼiloʼi papau foki peʼe koteā tanatou mahino ʼo ʼuhiga mo ia. Neʼe feala ai he ʼiloʼi peʼe koteā te ʼu fakatuʼutuʼu ʼo nātou ʼaē neʼe nātou tukugakoviʼi ia ia. Neʼe ko he meʼa māhani neʼe fai e te kau takitaki ʼa te kau Sutea ʼi Selusalemi, hanatou kole ki te kau Sutea ʼe nonofo ʼi Loma ke nātou hoko atu ʼo he fakamāu, kae neʼe tokagaʼi e Paulo neʼe mole heʼeki nātou maʼu he tonu ʼo ʼuhiga mo ia. Moʼo fakatalitali ki te ʼaho ʼo te fakamāu, neʼe fakagafua kia Paulo ke ina lue hana ʼapi ke nofo ai ʼo fai faka mafola faʼifaʼitaliha. Ko tanatou fai te faʼahi ʼaia, neʼe hā ʼaki ai, maʼa te kau Loma ko Paulo neʼe mole ʼi ai hana hala.—Gaue 28:17-31.

Neʼe nofo pilisoni ia Paulo lolotoga taʼu e lua. Koteā tona tupuʼaga? ʼE mole fakamatala he meʼa e te Tohi-Tapu ʼo ʼuhiga mo te faʼahi ʼaia. Ko he tahi ʼe pilisoniʼi maʼu ʼo kaku ki te hoki ʼasi mai ʼa te kau fai tukugakovi mo tanatou ʼu fakamoʼoni, kae ʼi te lagi tokagaʼi e te kau Sutea ʼo Selusalemi te mole moʼoni ʼo tanatou ʼu tukugakovi, neʼe mole nātou fakakaku ai ki Loma. ʼE mahalo pe ko te faigaʼi ke fakalogologo ia Paulo, ʼaē neʼe mole fakakaku te kau Sutea kiai. ʼO ʼuhiga mo tona pilisoniʼi fualoa ʼaia, ʼe mahino neʼe ʼalu ia Paulo kia muʼa ʼo Nelone, pea neʼe fakahāo mai te ʼu tukugakovi, pea neʼe tuku age leva ke mavae ʼo ina fakaʼosi ai tana ʼu gāue faka misionea—lagi hili te taʼu e nima ʼi tona ʼosi puke.—Gaue 27:24.

Neʼe fai e te kau fakafeagai ki te moʼoni ‘te ʼu fakatuʼutuʼu kovi ʼaki te lao’ moʼo tāʼofi te gāue faka Kilisitiano ʼaē ko te fai faka mafola. ʼE mole tonu ke tou punamaʼuli ki te faʼahi ʼaia. Neʼe ʼui fēnei e Sesu: “Kapau nee natou fakatagai au pea e natou fakatagai anai mo koutou.” (Pesalemo 94:20, King James Version; Soane 15:20) Kae neʼe toe fakamoʼoni mai pe foki e Sesu te ʼāteaina kia tatou ke tou tala te logo lelei ki te malamanei katoa. (Mateo 24:14) Koia, ohage ko te tauʼi e te ʼapositolo ko Paulo te fakataga pea mo te fakafeagai, ʼe toe feiā pe mo te kau Fakamoʼoni ʼa Sehova ʼe nātou ‘puipui te logo lelei pea mo fakamoʼoni ki te lao.’—Filipe 1:7.

[Kiʼi nota]