< Imisebenzi 14 >
1 E-Ikhoniyamu uPhawuli loBhanabhasi baya esinagogweni yamaJuda njengenjayelo yabo. Khonapho bakhuluma kwazwela kwaze kwathi amaJuda amanengi lamaGrikhi akholwa.
2 Kodwa amaJuda ayengafuni ukukholwa adunga abeZizwe, abathela umoya omubi ngabazalwane.
3 UPhawuli loBhanabhasi bahlala isikhathi eside khona lapho bekhulumela iNkosi ngesibindi. INkosi yaqinisa ilizwi lomusa wayo ngokubapha amandla okwenza imimangaliso lezimanga.
4 Abantu bedolobho lelo badabukana phakathi; abanye bema lamaJuda, kwathi abanye basekela abapostoli.
5 AbeZizwe lamaJuda ndawonye labakhokheli babo bakha icebo lokubahlukumeza lokubakhanda ngamatshe.
6 Kodwa balizwa icebo lelo basebebalekela emadolobheni aseLikhawoniya, eListra leDebhe lasemangweni yakhona,
7 lapho abaqhubeka khona ukutshumayela izindaba ezinhle.
8 EListra kwakulendoda eyayiyisigoga ikwazi ukuhlala kuphela, ilokhu yazalwayo ingakaze ihambe.
9 Yamlalela uPhawuli lapho ekhuluma. UPhawuli wayijolozela wabona ukuthi yayikholwa ukuba ingasiliswa
10 wasememeza wathi, “Sukuma ngezinyawo zakho!” Ngalokho indoda yathi lothu yahle yahamba.
11 Kwathi ixuku labantu selikubonile okwakwenziwe nguPhawuli, lamemeza ngolimi lwesiLikhawoniya lathi, “Onkulunkulu sebehlele kithi belesimo sabantu!”
12 UBhanabhasi bambiza bathi nguZewusi, uPhawuli bathi nguHemesi ngoba nguye owayekhokhela ekukhulumeni.
13 Umphristi kaZewusi owayelethempeli eduze ngaphandle kwedolobho, waletha inkunzi lemigaxo emasangweni edolobho ngoba yena kanye lexuku labantu babefuna ukwenza imihlatshelo kubo.
14 Kodwa kwathi abapostoli, uBhanabhasi loPhawuli bekuzwa lokhu, badabula izigqoko zabo bazithela phakathi kwabantu bememeza besithi:
15 “Madoda, likwenzelani lokhu? Lathi singabantu njengani. Sililethela izindaba ezinhle, silitshela ukuthi litshiye izinto lezi eziyize liye kuNkulunkulu ophilayo owenza amazulu lomhlaba, lolwandle lakho konke okukuwo.
16 Endulo waziyekela izizwe zonke zahamba ngezindlela zazo.
17 Ikanti kazange ekele ukuzifakazela: Utshengisile umusa ngokulipha izulu laphezulu lamabele ngesikhathi sawo; ulipha ukudla okunengi njalo agcwalise inhliziyo zenu ngentokozo.”
18 Loba sebetsho lamazwi baba lobunzima ukuthi bekelise abantu bonke ukuba babenzele umhlatshelo.
19 Kwasekufika amaJuda evela e-Antiyokhi lase-Ikhoniyamu afika adunga abantu. UPhawuli bamkhanda ngamatshe bamhudulela ngaphandle kwedolobho, becabanga ukuthi wayesefile.
20 Kodwa ngemva kokuba abafundi sebembuthanele, waphaphama wabuyela edolobheni. Ngosuku olulandelayo yena loBhanabhasi basuka baya eDebhe.
21 Bazitshumayela izindaba ezinhle kulelodolobho bazuza inani elikhulu labafundi. Basebebuyela eListra, le-Ikhoniyamu le-Antiyokhi
22 beqinisa abafundi njalo bebakhuthaza ukuthi babambelele ekukholweni. Bathi, “Kufanele sedlule ezinhlungwini ezinengi ukuze singene embusweni kaNkulunkulu.”
23 UPhawuli loBhanabhasi babakhethela abadala kulelo lalelo bandla, babanikela eNkosini ngomkhuleko langokuzila ngoba bebeke ithemba labo kuyo iNkosi.
24 Sebehambe bedlula ePhisidiya, bafika ePhamfiliya,
25 kwathi sebetshumayele ilizwi ePhega basebesiya e-Athaliya.
26 Besuka e-Athaliya bawela ngomkhumbi babuyela e-Antiyokhi, lapho ababenikelwe khona emuseni kaNkulunkulu ukwenza umsebenzi lowo abasebewufezile.
27 Ekufikeni kwabo khona, balihlanganisa ndawonye ibandla balibikela konke lokho uNkulunkulu ayekwenzile ngabo, lokuthi wayesevulele abeZizwe umnyango wokukholwa.
28 Bahlala khona isikhathi eside labafundi.
