UMSEBENZI WABATHUNYWA 10:24-48

Ngengomso wagaleleka eKhesariya, apho wafika elindelwe nguKorneli nezizalwana nezihlobo zakhe ezisenyongweni. Xa angenayo uPetros, uKorneli wazikhahlela phambi kwakhe, kodwa uPetros wamphakamisa wathi: “Hayi, ndingumntu nje nam; musa ukwenjenjalo.” UPetros wayethetha noKorneli ekungeneni kwakhe endlwini, apho wafika kubuthelene abantu abaninzi. Uthe kubo uPetros: “Nina ngokwenu nazi kakuhle ukuba umJuda akavumelekile ngokwenkolo yakowabo ukuba andwendwele nokuba abe nento yokwenza neentlanga. Selendibonisile ke kodwa uThixo ukuba mandingathathi bani njengongahlambulukanga. Yiyo loo nto uthe wakundibiza andala. Khawundixelele ke, undibizele ntoni?” Uthe ukuphendula uKorneli: “Ngoku kusemva kweentsuku ezine oko ndandithandaza endlwini yam, malunga neli lixa ngentsimbi yesithathu emva kwemini, kwathi gqi umfo onxibe ezibengezelayo, wema phambi kwam, wathi kum: ‘Korneli, uThixo uyamkele imithandazo yakho, wayikhumbula nemisebenzi yakho yesisa. Ngoko ke thuma umntu eJopa, aye kubiza umntu ogama linguSimon Petros. Ulundwendwe lukaSimon umsuki weemfele, ondlu ingaselwandle.’ Ndithumele kwangoko kuwe, nawe ke ulungisile ukuza. Thina sonke sihlangene apha ngenjongo yokudibana noThixo, silindele ukuphulaphula yonke into iNkosi ekuyalele ukuba usixelele yona.” UPetros wathetha wenjenje: “Ngenene ndiyaqonda ngoku ukuba uThixo akamkhethi wabuso bamntu. Nabani na, nokuba ngowaluphi na uhlanga, ukuba uyamhlonela uThixo, esenza okulungileyo, wamkelekile kuye. Niyalwazi udaba awaluthumela kumaSirayeli, evakalisa iindaba ezimnandi zoxolo ngoYesu Krestu, oyiNkosi yabantu bonke. Niyasazi isiganeko esenzekayo kulo lonke elakwaJuda, ukuqalela eGalili, emva kokushumayela kukaYohane ngobhaptizo. Nivile ngoYesu waseNazarete owathanjiswa nguThixo ngoMoya oyiNgcwele waba namandla. Wayehamba kulo lonke, esenza okulungileyo, ebaphilisa bonke ababephantsi kwamandla omtyholi, kuba uThixo wayenaye. Thina singamangqina ako konke awakwenzayo eJerusalem nakwelamaJuda. Bambulala ngokumbethelela emnqamlezweni, waza uThixo wamvusa ekufeni ngosuku lwesithathu. Akazange wabonakala kubantu bonke, koko wabonakala kuthi mangqina awawakhetha kwangaphambili uThixo, thina sasisitya sisela kunye naye emveni kokuba uThixo emvusile ekufeni. Wasigunyazisa ukuba sishumayele ebantwini, singqine ukuba ungulowo uThixo amnyulele ukuba ngumgwebi wabahleliyo nabafileyo. Bâthetha ngaye bonke *abashumayeli besithi wonke umntu ozinikelayo kuye uxolelwa izono zakhe ngamandla egama lakhe.” Esathethanje uPetros, wehla uMoya oyiNgcwele phezu kwabo bonke abo babephulaphule. AmaJuda akholwayo, lawo ayesuke noPetros eJopa, amangaliswa kukuba uThixo ezinike isipho soMoya oyiNgcwele neentlanga, kuba baziva zithetha ngalwimi zimbi, zidumisa uThixo. UPetros wathetha wathi: “Aba bantu bamkele uMoya oyiNgcwele njengoko samamkelayo nathi. Ngenene ke akukho namnye umntu ongalayo ukuba aba bantu babhaptizwe ngamanzi.” UPetros ke ngoko wathi mababhaptizwe egameni likaYesu Krestu. Ke yena bamcela ukuba akhe ahlale nabo iintsukwana.