IZenzo 3:1-26

UPhethro noJohane bakhuphukela ethempelini ngehora lesishiyagalolunye elingelokukhuleka. Indoda ethile eyisishosha kwasesizalweni sikanina, yayithwelwe yilabo ababeyibeka nsuku zonke ngasemnyango wethempeli obizwa ngokuthi “Omuhle” ukuba inqibe kulabo ababengena ethempelini. Kwathi ukuba ibone uPhethro noJohane bezongena ethempelini, yacela ukuphiwa isipho. Kepha uPhethro noJohane bayigqolozela, wathi kuyo: “Sibheke!” Yayisibabheka, yethembe ukuba yamukele okuthile kubo. Kepha uPhethro wathi: “Isiliva negolide anginalo, kepha lokho enginakho ngikupha khona: egameni likaJesu uKhristu waseNazaretha, sukuma uhambe.” Wayeseyibamba ngesandla sokunene, wayisukumisa. Masinyane izinyawo zayo namaqakala kwaqina, yagxuma, yema, yahamba, yangena nabo ethempelini, ihamba igxumagxuma, imdumisa uNkulunkulu. Abantu bonke bayibona ihamba, idumisa uNkulunkulu. Kepha bayibona ukuthi iyona le ebihlala ngaseMnyango Omuhle wethempeli, inqiba, bagcwala ukumangala nokwesaba ngokwakwenzeke kuyo. Isabambelele kuPhethro noJohane, bonke abantu bagijimela kubo emphemeni okuthiwa okaSolomoni, beshaqeke kakhulu. UPhethro ekubona lokho wakhuluma kubantu wathi: “Madoda akwa-Israyeli, kungani nimangele ngalokhu futhi nisigqolozelelani sengathi simenze ngamandla ethu nangokukholwa kwethu ukuba ahambe na? “UNkulunkulu ka-Abhrahama noka-Isaka nokaJakobe, uNkulunkulu wokhokho bethu uyidumisile iNceku yakhe uJesu enayikhaphela, nayiphika phambi kukaPilatu, yena esenqumile ukuyikhulula. Kodwa nina namphika oNgcwele noLungileyo, nacela ukuba nikhululelwe umbulali, nambulala oNgumthombo wokuphila, uNkulunkulu amvusayo kwabafileyo, thina esingofakazi balokho. Ngokukholwa egameni lakhe lo enimbonayo nenimaziyo, yigama lakhe elimenze waqina, nokukholwa okungayo kumnike le mpilo phambi kwenu nonke. “Manje, bazalwane, ngiyazi ukuthi nakwenza lokho ngokungazi njengababusi benu. Kepha lokho uNkulunkulu akubikezele ngaphambilini ngomlomo wabo bonke abaphrofethi, ukuthi uKhristu wakhe uyakuhlupheka, ukugcwalise kanje. Ngakho-ke phendukani, niguquke ukuba zithethelelwe izono zenu, khona kuzakufika izikhathi zokuhlunyelelwa ezivela ebusweni beNkosi nokuba ithume uKhristu uJesu enimmiselweyo, okufanele ukuba izulu limamukele, kuze kube yizikhathi zokubuyiselwa kwakho konke uNkulunkulu akhuluma ngakho ngomlomo wabaphrofethi bakhe abangcwele, kusukela emaphakadeni. UMose impela wathi: ‘INkosi uNkulunkulu uyakunivusela umphrofethi onjengami kubazalwane benu, niyakukulalela konke akukhuluma kini.’ “Kuyakuthi wonke umuntu ongayukumlalela lowo mphrofethi, abhujiswe kubantu. “Yebo, nabaphrofethi bonke, kusukela kuSamuweli nabamlandelayo, bonke ababekhulume, bamemezela ngalezo zinsuku. Nina ningamadodana abaphrofethi nawesivumelwano uNkulunkulu asenza kokhokho benu, ethi ku-Abhrahama: ‘Ngolibo lwakho, iyakubusiswa imindeni yonke yomhlaba.’ “UNkulunkulu eseyivusile iNceku yakhe wayithumela kini kuqala ukuba anibusise ngokuniphendula, kube yilowo nalowo aphenduke ebubini bakhe.”