IZenzo 15:1-41

Kwehla abathile bevela eJudiya, bafundisa abazalwane ukuthi: “Uma ningasokwa ngomthetho kaMose, ningesindiswe.” Lokho kwadala ukungaboni ngaso linye nempikiswano phakathi kwabo noPawula noBharnabha, base benquma ukuba uPawula, uBharnabha, nabathile babo bakhuphukele eJerusalema, baye kubaphostoli nakumalunga maqondana nalolu daba. Ngakho-ke ibandla labathuma, badabula eFenike naseSamariya. Balandisa abazalwane ngokuphenduka kwabezizwe, baletha intokozo enkulu kubazalwane. Sebefikile eJerusalema, ibandla, abaphostoli, namalunga babemukela, base bebika ngakho konke uNkulunkulu ayekwenze ngabo. Kepha kwasukuma abathile behlelo labaFarisi abakholwayo, bathi kumele ukuba basokwe, bayalwe ukuba bawugcine umthetho kaMose. Abaphostoli namalunga babuthana ukuze baluhlole lolu daba. Kuthe sebeludingide kabanzi, kwase kusukuma uPhethro, wathi kubo: “Madoda, bazalwane, niyazi ukuthi kade uNkulunkulu angikhetha phakathi kwenu ukuba abezizwe bezwe izwi levangeli ngomlomo wami, bakholwe. UNkulunkulu owazi izinhliziyo, wabafakazela ngokubapha uMoya oNgcwele njengathi. Akenzanga mehluko phakathi kwethu nabo, ehlambulula izinhliziyo zabo ngokukholwa. Ngakho-ke kungani manje nilinga uNkulunkulu ngokuthi nibeke ijoka entanyeni yabafundi, obaba kanye nathi esingabanga namandla okulithwala na? Kepha siyakholwa wukuthi sisindiswa ngomusa weNkosi uJesu ngokufanayo nabo.” Isixuku sonke sathula; salalela uBharnabha noPawula belanda ngezibonakaliso nangezimangaliso uNkulunkulu ayezenze ngabo kwabezizwe. Besathule, kwakhuluma uJakobe, wathi: “Madoda, bazalwane, ngilaleleni. USimeyoni usechazile ukuthi kwaba kanjani kwasekuqaleni ukuba uNkulunkulu aziqokele kwabezizwe isizwe esibizwa ngegama lakhe. Amazwi abaphrofethi ayavumelana nalokhu, njengalokhu kulotshiwe ukuthi: “ ‘Emveni kwalokho ngiyakubuya, ngiyakhe futhi indlu kaDavide ewileyo, ngibuye ngakhe okudilikileyo kwayo, ngiyimise, ukuze abaseleyo babantu nabezizwe bonke bayifune iNkosi, elibizwe phezu kwabo igama lami,’ kusho iNkosi ekwenzayo lokhu, okwaziwayo kwaphakade. “Ngakho-ke mina ngithi masingabakhathazi labo abezizwe abaphendukela kuNkulunkulu. Kepha masibalobele ukuba bayeke amanyala ezithombe, nawobufebe, nawokudla inyama yesilwane esiklinyiwe, nokusenegazi. Ngokuba kusukela ezizukulwaneni zasendulo, kuyo yonke imizi, bakhona abashumayela ngoMose, ngokuba kuyafundwa masabatha wonke, kuwo wonke amasinagoge.” Ngakho-ke kwaba kuhle kubaphostoli, kumalunga, nakulo lonke ibandla ukuba kukhethwe amadoda phakathi kwabo, athunyelwe e-Antiyokhiya noPawula noBharnabha, bakhetha uJuda okuthiwa uBharsabha noSila, ababengabaholi phakathi kwabazalwane. Baloba ngesandla sabo incwadi ethi: “Abaphostoli, amalunga, nabazalwane, bayababingelela abazalwane babezizwe kulo lonke elase-Antiyokhiya, eSiriya naseKhilikhiya. Sizwile ukuthi abanye abavela kithi banikhathaze ngamazwi, balimaza imiphefumulo yenu, esingabathumanga ukuba bakwenze. Kube kuhle kithi, sinhliziyonye, ukuba sithumele kini amadoda akhethiweyo kanye nabathandiweyo bethu uBharnabha noPawula, abantu abadele ukuphila kwabo ngenxa yegama leNkosi yethu uJesu uKhristu. Ngakho-ke sithumele uJuda noSila ukuba bazonitshela mathupha lezo zinto. Ngokuba kube kuhle kuMoya oNgcwele nakithi ukuba singanethwesi mthwalo ngaphezu kwalokho okumele nikwenze: ukuba niyeke okuhlatshelwe izithombe, okunegazi, nenyama yesilwane esiklinyiweyo, nobufebe; uma nizithiba kulokho niyokuba nenza kahle. Salani kahle.” Ngakho-ke kuthe bangabemukisa, behlela e-Antiyokhiya, kuthe sebeqoqele ndawonye ibandla, balinika incwadi. Sebeyifundile, bathokoza ngamazwi ayo akhuthazayo. UJuda noSila, njengokuba nabo babengabaphrofethi, bakhuthaza abazalwane ngamazwi amaningi abawakhulumayo, babaqinisa. Sebehlale lapho isikhathi, bavaleliswa ngokuthula ngabazalwane, base bebuyela kulabo ababebathumile. Kepha kwaba kuhle kuSila ukuba asale khona. Kodwa uPawula noBharnabha bahlala e-Antiyokhiya, befundisa, futhi beshumayela ivangeli leNkosi kanye nabanye abaningi. Kwathi sekwedlule izinsuku ezithile, uPawula wayesethi kuBharnabha: “Ake sibuyele emuva, sihambele abazalwane kuyo yonke imizi ngamunye esesishumayele kuyo izwi leNkosi, sibone ukuthi bahlezi kanjani.” UBharnabha yena wanquma ukuhamba noJohane okuthiwa uMakhu. Kepha uPawula waqinisa ukuthi akufanele bahambe nalowo owabashiya ePhamfiliya, akaze ahamba nabo ukuyosebenza. Kwaba khona ukuphikisana okunzima, baze bahlukana: uBharnabha wahamba noMakhu, wawelela naye eKhuphro ngomkhumbi. UPawula wazikhethela uSila, bahamba benikelwe emseni weNkosi ngabazalwane. Wadabula eSiriya naseKhilikhiya, ehamba eqinisa amabandla.