IZenzo 11:1-30

Abaphostoli nabazalwane baseJudiya bezwa ukuthi nabezizwe balemukele izwi likaNkulunkulu. Kepha kuthe ukuba uPhethro enyukele eJerusalema, abasokileyo baphikisana naye, bathi: “Ungene emzini wabantu abangasokile, wadla nabo!” Kepha uPhethro waqala wabalandisa konke ukusuka nokuhlala, wathi: “Bengisemzini eJopha, ngikhuleka; ngafikelwa yisiyezi, ngabona umbono, kwehla isitsha esithile sinjengendwangu enkulu, sehliswa ezulwini ngamachopho amane, saze safika kimi. Ngasibhekisisa, ngasigqolozela, ngabona izilwane zomhlaba ezinezinyawo ezine, izilo zasendle, nezinwabuzelayo, nezinyoni zezulu. Ngezwa izwi lithi kimi: ‘Sukuma, Phethro; hlaba, udle.’ “Kepha ngathi: ‘Qha, Nkosi, ngokuba okuyichilo nokungcolileyo akukaze kungene emlonyeni wami.’ “Nokho izwi elivela ezulwini laphendula ngokwesibili, lathi: ‘Ungasho ukuthi kungcolile lokho uNkulunkulu akuhlambululileyo.’ “Lokho-ke kwenzeka kwaze kwaba kathathu, konke kwabuye kwenyuselwa ezulwini. “Ngaso leso sikhathi kwema amadoda amathathu phambi kwendlu esasikuyo, ethunywe kimi, evela eKhesariya. UMoya wayesethi kimi angihambe nawo ngingangabazi ngalutho. Bangiphelezela laba bazalwane abayisithupha, saze sayongena endlini yaleyo ndoda. Yasibikela ukuthi yayibone ingelosi imi endlini yayo, ithi: ‘Thumela eJopha, ulande uSimoni okuthiwa nguPhethro, uzakukutshela amazwi ozakusindiswa ngawo, wena nabo bonke abendlu yakho.’ “Ngathi ngisaqala ukukhuluma, uMoya oNgcwele wehlela phezu kwabo njengalokhu kwenzeka nakithina ekuqaleni. Ngase ngilikhumbula izwi iNkosi eyalikhuluma, ithi: ‘UJohane wayebhabhadisa ngamanzi, kodwa nina nizakubabhabhadisa ngoMoya oNgcwele.’ “Ngakho-ke uma uNkulunkulu ebanikile isipho njengathi esakholwa yiNkosi uJesu uKhristu, pho ngingubani ukuba ngivimbe uNkulunkulu na?” Sebekuzwile lokho, bathula du, badumisa uNkulunkulu, bethi: “Impela uNkulunkulu ubanikile nabezizwe ukuphendukela ekuphileni.” Kepha labo ababehlakazekile ngenxa yokuhlushwa okwaqala ngoStefani, bahamba baze bayofika eFenikhe, eKhuphro, nase-Antiyokhiya, bengakhulumanga zwi nakoyedwa, ngaphandle kwabaJuda. Kepha abanye kubo, amadoda ayevela eKhuphro naseKhurene, kwathi ukuba bafike e-Antiyokhiya, bakhuluma nakumaGriki, beshumayela ivangeli ngeNkosi uJesu. Isandla seNkosi sasinabo, abantu abaningi kakhulu bakholwa, baphendukela eNkosini. Umbiko ngabo wafinyelela ezindlebeni zebandla laseJerusalema, lathumela uBharnabha ukuba aye e-Antiyokhiya. Esefikile, wabona umusa kaNkulunkulu, wathokoza, wabagqugquzela bonke ukuba bazinikele ngenhliziyo, banamathele eNkosini. Wayeyindoda elungile, egcwele uMoya oNgcwele nokukholwa; kwenezelwa eNkosini abantu abaningi. UBharnabha wayesedlulela eTharsu eyofuna uSawula. Kwathi ukuba amfumane, wamyisa e-Antiyokhiya. Kwenzeka ukuba bahlanganyele ebandleni isikhathi esiwunyaka, befundisa abantu abaningi. Kwaqala-ke e-Antiyokhiya ukuba abafundi kuthiwe ngamaKhristu. Ngalezo zinsuku abaphrofethi behlela e-Antiyokhiya bevela eJerusalema. Kwase kusukuma omunye wabo, ogama lakhe kungu-Agabhu, wabikezela ngoMoya ukuthi kuzakubhoka indlala enkulu ezweni lonke, lokho okwenzeka ngesikhathi sikaKlawudiyu. Abafundi bazimisela ukuba kube yilowo nalowo ngangamandla akhe, bathumele okokusiza abazalwane eJudiya. Bonke bakwenza, bakuthumela emalungeni ngesandla sikaBharnabha noSawula.