IZenzo 20:1-38

Kwathi sesiphelile isiphithiphithi, uPawula wabiza abafundi, wabakhuthaza, wayesevalelisa, wahamba waya eMakhedoniya. Wanqamula kulezo zindawo, ekhuthaza abafundi ngokuningi, waze wayofika ezweni lamaGriki. Wahlala khona izinyanga ezintathu. Kuthe eselungiselela ukuya eSiriya ngomkhumbi, abaJuda bakha uzungu lokumbulala, wayesecabanga ukuba abuyele emuva ngendlela edabula eMakhedoniya. Wayephelezelwa nguSophathru kaPhiru waseBhiriya, abaseThesalonikha: u-Aristarku, uSekhundu, uGayu waseDerbe, uThimothewu, nabase-Asiya uThikhiku noThrofimu. Laba ababehambe phambili sabafica sebesilinde eThrowa. Thina santweza ngomkhumbi sisuka eFiliphu, emva kwezinsuku zezinkwa ezingenamvubelo, saze safika kubo eThrowa ezinsukwini ezinhlanu, sahlala khona izinsuku eziyisikhombisa. Kwathi ngosuku lokuqala lweviki, sibuthanele ukuba sihlephule isinkwa, uPawula wayelokhu eshumayele lokho, kwaze kwaba phakathi kwamabili, ngoba wayehlose ukuhamba ngakusasa. Kwakukhona izibani eziningi endlini ephezulu lapho sasibuthene khona. Insizwa ethile, igama layo linguYuthikhusi, yayihleli efasiteleni, yazunywa ngubuthongo obunzima, ngokuba uPawula wayeshumayele isikhathi eside, seyehlulwe ngubuthongo, yawa isuka esitezi sesithathu, yathathwa isifile. Kepha uPawula wehla, walala phezu kwayo, wayisingatha, wathi: “Ningakhathazeki, ngokuba umphefumulo wayo usekhona kuyo.” Esenyukele phezulu, wahlephula isinkwa, wadla, ngokuba wakhuluma nabo isikhathi eside kwaze kwasa; wayesehamba. Base bemletha umfana ephilile, baduduzeka kakhulu. Kepha thina sahamba phambili, sayogibela isikebhe, salibhekisa e-Asu, lapho sasizomgibelisa khona uPawula, ngokuba wayehlele kanjalo, enqume yena ukuthi uzakuhamba ngezinyawo. Kuthe lapho ehlangana nathi e-Asu, samgibelisa, saya naye eMithilene. Sasuka lapho ngomkhumbi, ngakusasa safika maqondana neKhiyu, kwathi ngomhlomunye sanqamula saya eSamu; ngosuku olulandelayo safika eMilethu. Ngokuba uPawula wayenqumile ukudlula e-Efesu ngomkhumbi ukuze angachithi sikhathi e-Asiya. Phela wayephuthuma ukuze, uma kwenzeka, abe seJerusalema ngosuku lwePhentekhoste. EseseMilethu, wathumela e-Efesu, wabiza amalunga ebandla. Kuthe esefikile kuye, wathi kuwo: “Niyazi ukuthi kusukela osukwini lokuqala engafika ngalo e-Asiya ngaziphatha kanjani isikhathi sonke nginani. Ngikhonza iNkosi ngokuthobeka okukhulu, ngezinyembezi, nangokulingwa okwangehlela ngenxa yamacebo abaJuda. Angizange futhi ngikugweme ukunitshela lokho okuwusizo nokunifundisa phambi kwabantu nakuzo izindlu ngezindlu. Ngifakaza kubaJuda nakumaGriki ukuba baphendukele kuNkulunkulu nokuba bakholwe yiNkosi yethu uJesu. “Bhekani manje, ngiya eJerusalema ngokulalela nokuboshwa nguMoya, futhi angikwazi okuzakungehlela khona, ngaphandle kokuthi uMoya oNgcwele uyangazisa ukuthi kulowo nalowo muzi ngilindelwe ukuboshwa nezinhlupheko. Kepha ukuphila kwami ngikushaya indiva ukuze kungabi yigugu kimi; okubalulekile ukuba ngiluphothule uhambo lwami nomsebenzi engawunikwa yiNkosi uJesu ukuba ngifakaze ngevangeli lomusa kaNkulunkulu. “Manje ngiyazi ukuthi anisayukububona ubuso bami, nina nonke engahamba phakathi kwenu, ngishumayela umbuso. Ngakho-ke ngiyafakaza kini ngalolu lusuku lwanamuhla ukuthi anginacala egazini labo bonke. Ngokuba anginigodlelanga lutho, ukuba nginganitsheli konke okuyintando kaNkulunkulu. Ziqapheleni nina nawo wonke umhlambi uMoya oNgcwele anibeke kuwo ukuba nibe ngabaphathi abelusa ibandla likaNkulunkulu azithengela lona ngegazi lakhe. Ngiyazi ukuthi kuzofika izimpisi ezinonya emuva kokuba sengihambile, ezingenakuwuhawukela umhlambi, naphakathi kwenu kuzakuvela amadoda akhuluma okudukisayo, ayenge abafundi ukuba bawalandele. Ngakho qaphelani, nikhumbule ukuthi iminyaka emithathu, ubusuku nemini angiyekanga ukuniluleka nonke ngamunye ngezinyembezi. “Manje senginethula kuNkulunkulu nasezwini lomusa wakhe, Yena unamandla okwakha nokwabela ifa kubo bonke abangcwelisiweyo. Angifisanga siliva, nagolide, nangubo yamuntu. Nina niyazi ukuthi ngazisebenzela ngalezi zandla zami ukwenelisa izidingo zami nezalabo enganginabo. Kukho konke lokhu, nganikhombisa ukuthi kumele ukuba nisebenze kanzima, nibasize ababuthakathaka, niwakhumbule futhi amazwi eNkosi uJesu ukuthi Yona yathi: ‘Kubusesikile kakhulu ukupha kunokwemukela.’ ” Esekushilo lokho, waguqa phansi kanye nabo bonke, wakhuleka. Bonke bakhala kakhulu, bamxhawula, bamanga, belusizi kakhulu ngezwi alisho kubo elithi abasayukubuye babubone ubuso bakhe. Bamphelezela, baya emkhunjini.