USawula esabhodla umlilo, esongela ukubulala abafundi beNkosi, waya kumphristi omkhulu, wacela kuye izincwadi zokuya eDamaseku emasinagogeni, ukuze kuthi uma efumana abantu baleyo Ndlela, abesilisa nabesifazane, abayise eJerusalema beboshiwe. Kepha esaqhubeka nohambo lwakhe, esesondela eDamaseku, kwabanika ngokuphazima kweso nxazonke ukukhanya okuvela ezulwini. Wawela phansi emhlabathini, wezwa izwi lithi kuye: “Sawula, Sawula, ungihluphelani na?”
Kepha wathi: “Ungubani, Nkosi?”
Wayesethi: “NginguJesu omhluphayo. Kepha vuka ungene emzini, uzakutshelwa lokho okumele ukwenze.”
Amadoda ayehamba naye ayemi ekhungathekile, ngokuba alizwa izwi, kodwa awabonanga muntu. USawula wayesevuka phansi, kepha kuthe evula amehlo akaze abona lutho. Base bembamba ngesandla, bamyisa eDamaseku. Izinsuku zaba ntathu engaboni, engadli, futhi engaphuzi.
Kwakukhona eDamaseku umfundi othile, igama lakhe kungu-Ananiya. INkosi yakhuluma kuye ngombono, yathi: “Ananiya!”
Yena wathi: “Ngilapha, Nkosi.”
INkosi yayisithi kuye: “Suka uye emgwaqweni okuthiwa uQondile, ufune endlini kaJuda umuntu, igama lakhe nguSawula waseTharsu, ngokuba uyakhuleka; ubonile embonweni indoda, egama layo ngu-Ananiya, ingena, ibeka izandla phezu kwakhe ukuba abone.”
Kepha u-Ananiya waphendula wathi: “Nkosi, ngizwile ngabaningi ngaleyo ndoda konke okubi ekwenzile kwabangcwele bakho eJerusalema; nalapha unegunya alithole kubaphristi abakhulu lokuzobopha bonke abakhuleka egameni lakho.”
Kepha iNkosi yathi kuye: “Hamba, ngokuba lo uyisitsha sami esikhethiweyo sokuphatha igama lami phambi kwabezizwe, emakhosini, nakubantu bakwa-Israyeli. Ngokuba ngizakumbonisa ukuthi kumele ahlupheke kangakanani ngenxa yegama lami.”
U-Ananiya wahamba, wangena endlini, wabeka izandla phezu kukaSawula, wathi: “Sawula, mzalwane, iNkosi uJesu ebonakale kuwe endleleni obuza ngayo, ingithumile ukuba ubuye ubone, ugcwaliswe ngoMoya oNgcwele.”
Kwavuthuluka masinyane emehlweni akhe okungathi yinkwethu, wayesebona; esesukumile, wabhabhadiswa. Kuthe esedlile, abuya amandla.
Wahlala nabafundi baseDamaseku izinsuku ezithile. Kwathi kungakapholi maseko, wayeseshumayela ngoJesu emasinagogeni, ukuthi Yena uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu. Bonke ababemlalele bamangala, bathi: “Lo akusiye yini owabhubhisa abakhuleka kuleli gama eJerusalema? Nalapha akezile yini ngenhloso yokuba abaqhube beboshiwe abayise kubaphristi abakhulu na?”
Kepha uSawula wadlondlobala ngamandla; bashaqeka abaJuda ababehlala eDamaseku, eqinisa ukuthi lowo unguKhristu.
Kuthe sekudlule izinsuku eziningi, abaJuda benza icebo lokuba bambulale. Kepha icebo labo laziwa nguSawula. Babemlindela ngisho nasemasangweni, imini nobusuku, ukuze bambulale. Kepha abafundi bamshushumbisa ebusuku, bamehlisa ogangeni bemfake eqomeni.
Uhlelo Lokusebenza lweBhayibheli
Uhlelo Lokusebenza LweBhayibheli yezingane
