1, 2. Yiziphi izenzakalo ezenzeka ngesikhathi uPawulu noBarnaba beseListra?

 SEKUQUBUKE isidumo eListra. Umlisa owazalwa elunyonga uyagxumagxuma yinjabulo ngemva kokuphulukiswa abantu ababili angabazi. Abantu bamangele, umpristi uletha imigexo yezimbali kula madoda amabili isixuku esicabanga ukuthi angonkulunkulu. Izinkunzi ziyathimula zibhonge njengoba umpristi kaZeyusi elungiselela ukuzihlaba. UPawulu noBarnaba bakhuz’ umhlola. Baklebhula izingubo zabo bagxumele esixukwini basincenge ukuba singabakhulekeli, bazame ukusinqanda.

² Kube sekufika abaphikisi abangamaJuda bevela e-Antiyokiya yasePhisidiya nase-Ikoniyu. Bonakalisa izingqondo zabantu baseListra ngokunyundela okulimazayo. Lesi sixuku esasike safuna ukubakhulekela, manje singunga uPawulu bese simkhanda ngamatshe aze aquleke. Sithi singabhodla, sihudulele uPawulu olimele ngaphandle kwamasango edolobha ukuze afele lapho.

3. Yimiphi imibuzo esizoyicabangela kulesi sahluko?

³ Yini eyaholela kulesi sigameko? Bangafundani abamemezeli bezindaba ezinhle banamuhla kulezi zenzakalo ezihilela uPawulu, uBarnaba nezakhamuzi zaseListra ezithonyeka kalula? Abadala abangamaKristu bangasilingisa kanjani isibonelo sikaPawulu noBarnaba njengoba la madoda athembekile aphikelela enkonzweni yawo, ‘ekhuluma ngesibindi egunyazwe uJehova’?—IzE. 14:3.

4, 5. Kungani uPawulu noBarnaba baya e-Ikoniyu, futhi kwenzekani lapho?

⁴ Ezinsukwini ezimbalwa ngaphambili, uPawulu noBarnaba babexoshiwe edolobheni laseRoma i-Antiyokiya yasePhisidiya ngemva kokuba abaphikisi abangamaJuda besuse udweshu. Nokho, kunokuba adumazeke, la madoda amabili ‘athintithela uthuli lwezinyawo zawo’ kuleli dolobha elinezakhamuzi ezingasabeli. (IzE. 13:50-52; Math. 10:14) UPawulu noBarnaba bahamba ngokuthula bashiye labo baphikisi ukuze babhekane nemiphumela evela kuNkulunkulu. (IzE. 18:5, 6;  20:26) Injabulo yalezi zithunywa zevangeli ayizange inciphe, zaqhubeka nohambo lwazo lokushumayela. Zahamba amakhilomitha angaba ngu-150 zilibhekise eningizimu-mpumalanga, zafika ethafeni elivundile elaliphakathi kokhahlamba iTaurus neSultan.

⁵ Okokuqala, uPawulu noBarnaba bama e-Ikoniyu, eyayisanamathele kakhulu emasikweni amaGreki futhi eyayingenye yezindawo ezibalulekile esifundazweni saseRoma, iGalathiya. a Leli dolobha lalihlala amaJuda anethonya namaproselithe amaningi. Ngokwenkambiso yabo, uPawulu noBarnaba bangena esinagogeni baqala ukushumayela. (IzE. 13:5, 14) “Bakhuluma ngendlela eyenza ukuba uquqaba lwamaJuda namaGreki lube amakholwa.”—IzE. 14:1.

6. Kungani uPawulu noBarnaba babengabafundisi abaphumelelayo, futhi singabalingisa kanjani?

⁶ Kungani indlela kaPawulu noBarnaba yokukhuluma yayiphumelela kangaka? UPawulu wayenenqolobane yolwazi lwemiBhalo. Wayeyihlobanisa ngokuhlakanipha nomlando, iziprofetho noMthetho KaMose ukuze afakazele ukuthi uJesu wayenguMesiya othenjisiwe. (IzE. 13:15-31; 26:22, 23) UBarnaba wabonisa ukuthi uyabakhathalela abantu. (IzE. 4:36, 37; 9:27; 11:23, 24) Akekho kula madoda owancika kokwakhe ukuqonda kodwa ayekhuluma ‘egunyazwe uJehova.’ Wena ungazilingisa kanjani lezo zithunywa zevangeli emsebenzini wakho wokushumayela? Ngokwenza lokhu: Lazi kahle iZwi likaNkulunkulu. Khetha imiBhalo engase ikhange izilaleli zakho. Funa izindlela ezingokoqobo zokududuza labo obashumayezayo. Ngaso sonke isikhathi sekela izimfundiso zakho egunyeni leZwi likaJehova, hhayi ekuhlakanipheni kwakho.

7. (a) Izindaba ezinhle ziba namiphi imiphumela? (b) Uma umndeni wakini uhlukene ngenxa yokulalela kwakho izindaba ezinhle, yini okufanele uyikhumbule?

⁷ Nokho, akubona bonke abantu base-Ikoniyu abakujabulela ukuzwa okwakushiwo uPawulu noBarnaba. ULuka uyaqhubeka: “AmaJuda ayengazange akholwe agqugquzela abantu bezizwe futhi abathonya ukuba bamelane nabazalwane.” UPawulu noBarnaba babona isidingo sokuhlala bavikele izindaba ezinhle futhi “bachitha isikhathi eside bekhuluma ngesibindi.” Ngenxa yalokho, “uquqaba lwedolobha lwahlukana phakathi; abanye baba ngakumaJuda kodwa abanye baba ngakubaphostoli.” (IzE. 14:2-4) Namuhla, izindaba ezinhle zinemiphumela efanayo. Kwabanye ziye zabangela ubunye; kwabanye ukuhlukana. (Math. 10:34-36) Uma umndeni wakho uhlukene ngenxa yokuthi ulalela izindaba ezinhle, khumbula ukuthi ukuphikiswa ngokuvamile kubangelwa amahemuhemu noma ukunyundelwa. Ukuziphatha kwakho okuhle kungaqeda lawo mahemuhemu futhi kungase kuthambise izinhliziyo zabakuphikisayo.—1 Pet. 2:12; 3:1, 2.

8. Yini eyabangela ukuba uPawulu noBarnaba bahambe e-Ikoniyu, futhi sifundani esibonelweni sabo?

⁸ Ngemva kwesikhathi esithile, abaphikisi e-Ikoniyu bakha uzungu lokukhanda uPawulu noBarnaba ngamatshe. Lapho lezi zithunywa zevangeli  zizwa ngalokho, zakhetha ukuyoshumayela kwenye indawo. (IzE. 14:5-7) Abamemezeli boMbuso basasebenzisa ukuhlakanipha okufanayo namuhla. Lapho sihlaselwa ngamazwi, sikhuluma ngesibindi. (Fil. 1:7; 1 Pet. 3:13-15) Kodwa lapho sisongelwa ngodlame, siyagwema ukwenza izinto eziwubuwula ezingase zifake ukuphila kwethu noma kwalabo esikholwa nabo engozini.—IzAga 22:3.

9, 10. Yayikuphi iListra, futhi yini esiyaziyo ngezakhamuzi zakhona?

⁹ UPawulu noBarnaba balibangisa eListra, ikoloni laseRoma eliqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-30 eningizimu-ntshonalanga ye-Ikoniyu. IListra yayinobuhlobo obuseduze ne-Antiyokiya yasePhisidiya, kodwa ngokungafani nalelo dolobha, umphakathi wamaJuda walapha wawungavelele. Nakuba izakhamuzi zakhona zazikhuluma isiGreki, ulimi lwazo kwakuyisiLikawoniya. Kungenzeka ukuthi kuleli dolobha lalingekho isinagoge, yingakho uPawulu noBarnaba bashumayela esigcawini. Ngenkathi eseJerusalema, uPetru welapha indoda eyayizalwe ikhubazekile. EListra, uPawulu waphulukisa indoda eyayizalwe ilunyonga. (IzE. 14:8-10) Ngenxa yesimangaliso esasenziwe uPetru, isixuku sasibe amakholwa. (IzE. 3:1-10) Kodwa isimangaliso esenziwa uPawulu saba nemiphumela ehluke kakhulu.

¹⁰ Njengoba kuchaziwe ekuqaleni kwalesi sahluko, lapho indoda elunyonga igxumagxuma ihamba, isixuku esikholelwa konkulunkulu bamanga eListra sasheshe safinyelela isiphetho esingafanele. Sabiza uBarnaba ngokuthi uZeyusi, umbusi wonkulunkulu, sathi uPawulu uHermesi, indodana kaZeyusi nomkhulumeli wonkulunkulu. (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “ IListra Nehlelo LikaZeyusi NoHermesi,” ekhasini 97.) Nokho, uPawulu noBarnaba babezimisele ukwenza isixuku siqonde ukuthi babekhuluma futhi benze ngegunya likaJehova,  okuwukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso, hhayi ngegunya lonkulunkulu bamanga.—IzE. 14:11-14.

11-13. (a) Bathini oPawulu noBarnaba ezakhamuzini zaseListra? (b) Isiphi isifundo esingasithola emazwini ashiwo uPawulu noBarnaba?

¹¹ Naphezu kwalezo zenzakalo ezijabulisayo nezishubile, uPawulu noBarnaba babesafuna ukufinyelela izinhliziyo zezilaleli zabo ngendlela ephumelelayo. Kulesi senzakalo, uLuka wabhala ngendlela ephumelelayo yokushumayela izindaba ezinhle kubantu abakhulekela onkulunkulu bamanga. Phawula indlela uPawulu noBarnaba abazinxusa ngayo izilaleli zabo: “Madoda, kungani nenza lezi zinto? Nathi singabantu abanobuthakathaka obufana nobenu. Simemezela izindaba ezinhle kini, ukuba niphenduke kulezi zinto eziyize niphendukele kuNkulunkulu ophilayo, owenza izulu nomhlaba nolwandle nakho konke okukukho. Ezizukulwaneni ezidlule wavumela zonke izizwe ukuba ziqhubeke ngezindlela zazo, ngokwenza izinto ezinhle wanibonisa ukuthi ungubani, eninika izimvula ezivela ezulwini nezinkathi ezinezithelo, enanelisa ngokudla, egcwalisa izinhliziyo zenu ngokwenama okukhulu.”—IzE. 14:15-17.

¹² Iziphi izifundo esingazithola kula mazwi ashukumisa ingqondo? Okokuqala, uPawulu noBarnaba abazange bazibheke njengabakhulu kunezilaleli zabo. Abazange bazenze abangeyikho. Kunalokho, bavuma ngokuzithoba ukuthi nabo banobuthakathaka obufana nobezilaleli zabo ezikhulekela onkulunkulu bamanga. Yiqiniso, uPawulu noBarnaba babethole umoya ongcwele futhi bekhululiwe ezimfundisweni zamanga. Babebusiswe nangethemba lokubusa noKristu. Kodwa baqaphela ukuthi nezakhamuzi zaseListra zazingazithola lezi zipho ngokulalela uKristu.

 ¹³ Sibabheka kanjani labo esibashumayezayo? Ingabe sibabheka njengabalingana nathi? NjengoPawulu noBarnaba, ingabe siyagwema ukufuna udumo lapho sisiza abantu ukuba bafunde amaqiniso aseZwini likaNkulunkulu? UCharles Taze Russell, umfundisi ophumelelayo owayehola emsebenzini wokushumayela cishe ngo-1870 kuya ku-1916, wabeka isibonelo esihle kule ndaba. Wabhala: “Asifuni ukuba kudunyiswe, noma kuhlonishwe thina noma izincwadi zethu; futhi asifisi ukubizwa ngokuthi Mfundisi noma Rabbi.” Isimo sengqondo sokuthobeka sikaMfoweth’ uRussell sasifana nesikaPawulu noBarnaba. Ngokufanayo, injongo yethu yokushumayela ayikona ukuzitholela udumo kodwa iwukusiza abantu ukuba baphendukele “kuNkulunkulu ophilayo.”

14-16. Yisiphi isifundo sesibili nesesithathu esingasifunda kulokho uPawulu noBarnaba abakusho ezakhamuzini zaseListra?

¹⁴ Cabanga ngesifundo sesibili esingasifunda kule nkulumo. UPawulu noBarnaba bazivumelanisa nezimo. Ngokungafani namaJuda namaproselithe ase-Ikoniyu, izakhamuzi zaseListra zazinolwazi oluncane lwemiBhalo noma lokusebenzelana kukaNkulunkulu nesizwe sakwa-Israyeli noma zazingenalo nhlobo. Noma kunjalo, labo ababelalela uPawulu noBarnaba babejwayelene nokulima. IListra yayibusiswe ngesimo sezulu esihle futhi inamasimu avundile. Abantu babebubona ubufakazi obuningi bezimfanelo zoMdali njengoba zibonakala ezintweni ezifana nezinkathi ezinezithelo, futhi lezi zithunywa zevangeli zasebenzisa la maqiniso ababevumelana ngawo ukuze zithinte izilaleli zazo.—Roma 1:19, 20.

¹⁵ Ingabe nathi singakwazi ukuzivumelanisa nezimo? Nakuba umlimi engase atshale imbewu efanayo emasimini akhe, kufanele asebenzise izindlela ezahlukene ukuze asebenze inhlabathi. Enye ingase ithambe futhi ikulungele ukwamukela imbewu. Enye ingase idinge ukusetshenzwa kakhulu. Ngokufanayo, imbewu esiyitshalayo ihlale ifana—isigijimi soMbuso esitholakala eZwini likaNkulunkulu. Nokho, uma sifana noPawulu noBarnaba, siyozama ukuqonda izimo nesizinda esingokwenkolo sabantu esibashumayezayo. Siyobe sesivumela lolo lwazi luthonye indlela esethula ngayo isigijimi soMbuso.—Luka 8:11, 15.

¹⁶ Singafunda isifundo sesithathu ekulandiseni okuhilela uPawulu, uBarnaba nezakhamuzi zaseListra. Naphezu kwemizamo yethu emihle, ngezinye izikhathi imbewu esiyihlwanyelayo iyahlwithwa noma iwele emhlabathini onamadwala. (Math. 13:18-21) Uma kwenzeka lokho, ungadumali. Njengoba uPawulu kamuva akhumbuza abafundi eRoma, “ngamunye wethu [kuhlanganise nalabo esixoxa nabo ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu] uyozilandisela kuNkulunkulu.”—Roma 14:12.

17. Ngemva kokusuka eDerbe, uPawulu noBarnaba bayaphi, futhi babeyokwenzani?

¹⁷ Ngemva kokuba uPawulu sebemhudulele ngaphandle kweListra futhi becabanga ukuthi ufile, abafundi bamngunga, wayesevuka engena edolobheni,  walala khona. Ngakusasa, uPawulu noBarnaba bathatha uhambo olungamakhilomitha ayikhulu baya eDerbe. Singagcina ngokubucabanga nje ubunzima uPawulu abhekana nabo kulolu hambo olukhandlayo, kwazise wayekhandwe ngamatshe emahoreni ambalwa ngaphambili. Noma kunjalo, benoBarnaba babekezela futhi lapho befika eDerbe, benza “abafundi abaningana.” Ngemva kwalokho, kunokuba bathathe indlela enqamulelayo ephindela ekhaya e-Antiyokiya yaseSiriya, “babuyela eListra, e-Ikoniyu nase-Antiyokiya [yasePhisidiya].” Babeyokwenzani? Babeyoqinisa ‘abafundi, babakhuthaze ukuba bahlale okholweni.’ (IzE. 14:20-22) Yeka isibonelo esabekwa yila madoda amabili! Abeka izidingo zebandla kuqala kunokunethezeka kwawo. Ababonisi abajikelezayo nezithunywa zevangeli zanamuhla bayasilingisa isibonelo sabo.

18. Yini ehilelekile ekumisweni kwamadoda amadala?

¹⁸ Ngaphandle kokuqinisa abafundi ngamazwi nangesibonelo, uPawulu noBarnaba bamisa “amadoda amadala ebandleni ngalinye.” Nakuba ‘babethunywe umoya ongcwele’ kulolu hambo lwezithunywa zevangeli, bathandaza futhi bazila ukudla lapho ‘bewanikela kuJehova [amadoda amadala].’ (IzE. 13:1-4; 14:23) Nanamuhla kusenziwa okufanayo. Ngaphambi kokutusa ukuba kumiswe othile, indikimba yabadala icabangela ngomthandazo ukuthi lowo mzalwane uyahlangabezana yini nezimfuneko ezingokomBhalo. (1Thim. 3:1-10, 12, 13; Thithu 1:5-9; Jak. 3:17, 18; 1Pet. 5:2, 3) Ubude besikhathi engumKristu akubona obunquma ukufaneleka kwakhe. Kunalokho, inkulumo, ukuziphatha nedumela lakhe yikona okunikeza ubufakazi bezinga umoya ongcwele osebenza ngalo ekuphileni kwakhe. Ukuhlangabezana kwakhe nezimfuneko zababonisi njengoba zivezwe emiBhalweni yikona okunquma ukuthi uyafaneleka yini ukuba umalusi womhlambi. (Gal. 5:22, 23) Bamiswa umbonisi wesigodi.—Qathanisa neyoku-1 Thimothewu 5:22

19. Yini abadala abazi ukuthi bayolandisa ngayo, futhi bamlingisa kanjani uPawulu noBarnaba?

¹⁹ Abadala abamisiwe bayazi ukuthi bayolandisa kuNkulunkulu ngendlela abaphatha ngayo ibandla. (Heb. 13:17) NjengoPawulu noBarnaba, abadala bayahola emsebenzini wokushumayela. Baqinisa abanye abafundi ngamazwi abo. Bazimisele ukubeka izidingo zebandla kuqala kunokunethezeka kwabo.—Fil. 2:3, 4.

20. Sizuza kanjani ngokufunda imibiko yomsebenzi wokwethembeka wabafowethu?

²⁰ Ekugcineni lapho uPawulu noBarnaba bephindela endaweni ababehlala kuyo e-Antiyokiya yaseSiriya, balandisa “izinto eziningi uNkulunkulu ayezenzile ngabo, nokuthi wayevulele izizwe umnyango wokukholwa.” (IzE. 14:27) Njengoba sifunda ngomsebenzi wokwethembeka wabafowethu abangamaKristu futhi sibona indlela uJehova ayibusisa ngayo imizamo yabo, siyokhuthazeka ukuba siqhubeke ‘sikhuluma ngesibindi sigunyazwe uJehova.’