UMSEBENZI WABATHUNYWA 10:1-22

EKhesariya kwakukho umphathi-butho wamajoni aseRoma ogama linguKorneli. Umkhosi wakhe kwakusithiwa ngowaseItali. Yena nosapho lwakhe babengabantu abamnqulayo bemhlonela uThixo. Wayengumntu onezinwe, ewanceda amaJuda ahlelelekileyo, ethandaza rhoqo kuThixo. Ngenye injika-langa kwisithuba sentsimbi yesithathu, waba nombono, wasibona ngokucacileyo isithunywa sikaThixo singena sisithi kuye: “Korneli!” Wasiqwalasela enoloyiko, wathi: “Yintoni, Nkosi?” Saphendula sathi: “UThixo uyamkele imithandazo nemisebenzi yakho yesisa; akazange wakulibala. Ngoku ke thuma amadoda eJopa, kumntu othile ogama linguSimon Petros, olundwendwe lukaSimon umsuki weemfele, ondlu ingaselwandle.” Sakumka isithunywa eso, uKorneli wabiza izicaka zakhe ezibini, kunye nejoni elalimhlonela uThixo, elalingumlindi wakhe. Wabachazela konke okwakumhlele, waza wabathuma eJopa. Ngomhla olandelayo, xa babesendleleni, besondela eJopa, uPetros uthe emini emaqanda waya kuthandaza phezu kwendlu kwindawo esabuvaranda. Wasuka walamba, wafuna into etyiwayo, kwathi besamlungiselela ukutya wabona umbono. Wabona izulu livulekile, kusihla into engathi lilaphu elikhulu libanjwe ngamasondo omane, lisiza emhlabeni. Kulo kwakukho zonke iintlobo zezidalwa ezingatyiwayo ezizitho zine, ezirhubuluzayo, nezibhabhayo. Weva ilizwi lisithi kuye: “Vuka, xhela utye, Petros.” Waphendula wathi: “Nkosi, ngunotshe lowo! Mna andizange ndiyitye into engatyiwayo.” Laphinda ilizwi elo lavakala kuye lisithi: “Musa ukuthi ayityiwa into athi uThixo iyatyiwa.” Le nto yenzeka kwada kwakathathu, laza ke ilaphu elo lanyuselwa ezulwini. Ngoku asamangalisiweyo yena uPetros ukuba ngaba yintoni na intsingiselo yalo mbono, wona amadoda athunywe nguKorneli ayesede awufumana umkhondo wendlu kaSimon, selemi esangweni. Abuzisa ukuba ngaba akukho mhambi ugama linguSimon Petros na apho. UPetros yena wayesajika-jikana nalo mbono ukuva kwakhe uMoya oyiNgcwele esithi: “Phulaphula, nango amadoda amathathu ekufuna. Phakama uye kuwo la madoda, ungathandabuzi, uhambe nawo, kuba athunywe ndim.” Waya kuwo uPetros, wafika wathi: “Ndim lo nimfunayo. Ngaba nindifuna ngani?” Wona aphendula athi: “Sithunywa yiNkosi yethu uKorneli, oyindoda elungileyo emhlonelayo uThixo, ehlonitshwayo nangamaJuda. Uxelelwe sisithunywa sikaThixo ukuba makakubize uye endlwini yakhe, ukuze eve loo nto uya kumxelela yona.”