IZenzo 9:1-43

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. Kuthe esefikile eJerusalema, wazama ukuzihlanganisa nabafundi, kodwa bonke babemesaba, bengakholwa ukuthi ungumfundi. Kepha uBharnabha wamthatha, wamyisa kubaphostoli, wabalandisa ukuthi uyibonile iNkosi endleleni, nokuthi ikhulumile kuye, nokuthi wayeshumayele kanjani ngesibindi ngegama likaJesu eDamaseku. Wayenabo eJerusalema, engena ephuma, ekhuluma ngesibindi ngegama leNkosi, wayekhuluma futhi ephikisana nabaJuda abakhuluma isiGriki, kepha bazama ukumbulala. Kwathi ukuba abazalwane bakuzwe lokho bamehlisela eKhesariya, base bemthumela eTharsu. Ngakho-ke ibandla laba nokuthula kulo lonke iJudiya, eGalile, naseSamariya, lakheka, lihamba ngokuyesaba iNkosi, nangenduduzo kaMoya oNgcwele, likhula kakhulu. UPhethro ehambela izindawo zonke, wehlela nakwabangcwele ababakhe eLida. Wafumana lapho umuntu othile ogama lakhe kungu-Eneya, owayeselale ecansini iminyaka eyisishiyagalombili, efe uhlangothi. UPhethro wathi kuye: “Eneya, uJesu uKhristu uyakuphilisa; vuka, wendlule icansi lakho.” Wayesevuka ngokushesha. Bonke labo abakhe eLida naseSarona bambona, baphendukela eNkosini. EJopha kwakukhona owesifazane othile okholwayo, ogama lakhe linguThabitha, okungukuthi uma lihunyushwa uDokhasi; wayenemisebenzi eminingi emihle, futhi abela abampofu izipho. Kwathi ngalezo zinsuku wagula, wafa. Bamgeza base bembeka ekamelweni eliphezulu. Nokho-ke iLida lalakhelene neJopha, ngakho-ke abafundi sebezwile ukuthi uPhethro ukhona lapho, bathumela kuye amadoda amabili, bamcela bathi: “Yiza kithi ngokushesha, ungalibali.” Wayesesuka uPhethro, wahamba nabo. Esefikile, bamyisa ekamelweni eliphezulu; bonke abafelokazi bema eduze kwakhe bekhala, bembonisa izembatho nezingubo ezazenziwe nguDokhasi esaphila. Kepha uPhethro esebakhiphele ngaphandle bonke, waguqa ngamadolo, wakhuleka, wayesephendukela esidunjini, wathi: “Thabitha, vuka!” Wavula amehlo akhe, wabona uPhethro, wayesehlala. UPhethro wambamba ngesandla, wamsukumisa, wayesebiza abangcwele nabafelokazi, wambeka phambi kwabo ephile saka. Lokho kwezwakala kulo lonke iJopha; abaningi bakholwa yiNkosi. Wayesehlala izinsuku eziningi eJopha kwaSimoni, umshuki wezikhumba.