IZenzo 20

₁Kwathi sesiphelile isiphithiphithi, uPawula wabiza abafundi, wabakhuthaza, wayesevalelisa, wahamba waya eMakhedoniya. ₂Wanqamula kulezo zindawo, ekhuthaza abafundi ngokuningi, waze wayofika ezweni lamaGriki. ₃Wahlala khona izinyanga ezintathu. Kuthe eselungiselela ukuya eSiriya ngomkhumbi, abaJuda bakha uzungu lokumbulala, wayesecabanga ukuba abuyele emuva ngendlela edabula eMakhedoniya. ₄Wayephelezelwa nguSophathru kaPhiru waseBhiriya, abaseThesalonikha: u-Aristarku, uSekhundu, uGayu waseDerbe, uThimothewu, nabase-Asiya uThikhiku noThrofimu. ₅Laba ababehambe phambili sabafica sebesilinde eThrowa. ₆Thina santweza ngomkhumbi sisuka eFiliphu, emva kwezinsuku zezinkwa ezingenamvubelo, saze safika kubo eThrowa ezinsukwini ezinhlanu, sahlala khona izinsuku eziyisikhombisa.

₇Kwathi ngosuku lokuqala lweviki, sibuthanele ukuba sihlephule isinkwa, uPawula wayelokhu eshumayele lokho, kwaze kwaba phakathi kwamabili, ngoba wayehlose ukuhamba ngakusasa. ₈Kwakukhona izibani eziningi endlini ephezulu lapho sasibuthene khona. ₉Insizwa ethile, igama layo linguYuthikhusi, yayihleli efasiteleni, yazunywa ngubuthongo obunzima, ngokuba uPawula wayeshumayele isikhathi eside, seyehlulwe ngubuthongo, yawa isuka esitezi sesithathu, yathathwa isifile. ₁₀Kepha uPawula wehla, walala phezu kwayo, wayisingatha, wathi: “Ningakhathazeki, ngokuba umphefumulo wayo usekhona kuyo.”

₁₁Esenyukele phezulu, wahlephula isinkwa, wadla, ngokuba wakhuluma nabo isikhathi eside kwaze kwasa; wayesehamba. ₁₂Base bemletha umfana ephilile, baduduzeka kakhulu.

₁₃Kepha thina sahamba phambili, sayogibela isikebhe, salibhekisa e-Asu, lapho sasizomgibelisa khona uPawula, ngokuba wayehlele kanjalo, enqume yena ukuthi uzakuhamba ngezinyawo. ₁₄Kuthe lapho ehlangana nathi e-Asu, samgibelisa, saya naye eMithilene. ₁₅Sasuka lapho ngomkhumbi, ngakusasa safika maqondana neKhiyu, kwathi ngomhlomunye sanqamula saya eSamu; ngosuku olulandelayo safika eMilethu. ₁₆Ngokuba uPawula wayenqumile ukudlula e-Efesu ngomkhumbi ukuze angachithi sikhathi e-Asiya. Phela wayephuthuma ukuze, uma kwenzeka, abe seJerusalema ngosuku lwePhentekhoste.

₁₇EseseMilethu, wathumela e-Efesu, wabiza amalunga ebandla. ₁₈Kuthe esefikile kuye, wathi kuwo: “Niyazi ukuthi kusukela osukwini lokuqala engafika ngalo e-Asiya ngaziphatha kanjani isikhathi sonke nginani. ₁₉Ngikhonza iNkosi ngokuthobeka okukhulu, ngezinyembezi, nangokulingwa okwangehlela ngenxa yamacebo abaJuda. ₂₀Angizange futhi ngikugweme ukunitshela lokho okuwusizo nokunifundisa phambi kwabantu nakuzo izindlu ngezindlu. ₂₁Ngifakaza kubaJuda nakumaGriki ukuba baphendukele kuNkulunkulu nokuba bakholwe yiNkosi yethu uJesu.

₂₂“Bhekani manje, ngiya eJerusalema ngokulalela nokuboshwa nguMoya, futhi angikwazi okuzakungehlela khona, ₂₃ngaphandle kokuthi uMoya oNgcwele uyangazisa ukuthi kulowo nalowo muzi ngilindelwe ukuboshwa nezinhlupheko. ₂₄Kepha ukuphila kwami ngikushaya indiva ukuze kungabi yigugu kimi; okubalulekile ukuba ngiluphothule uhambo lwami nomsebenzi engawunikwa yiNkosi uJesu ukuba ngifakaze ngevangeli lomusa kaNkulunkulu.

₂₅“Manje ngiyazi ukuthi anisayukububona ubuso bami, nina nonke engahamba phakathi kwenu, ngishumayela umbuso. ₂₆Ngakho-ke ngiyafakaza kini ngalolu lusuku lwanamuhla ukuthi anginacala egazini labo bonke. ₂₇Ngokuba anginigodlelanga lutho, ukuba nginganitsheli konke okuyintando kaNkulunkulu. ₂₈Ziqapheleni nina nawo wonke umhlambi uMoya oNgcwele anibeke kuwo ukuba nibe ngabaphathi abelusa ibandla likaNkulunkulu azithengela lona ngegazi lakhe. ₂₉Ngiyazi ukuthi kuzofika izimpisi ezinonya emuva kokuba sengihambile, ezingenakuwuhawukela umhlambi, ₃₀naphakathi kwenu kuzakuvela amadoda akhuluma okudukisayo, ayenge abafundi ukuba bawalandele. ₃₁Ngakho qaphelani, nikhumbule ukuthi iminyaka emithathu, ubusuku nemini angiyekanga ukuniluleka nonke ngamunye ngezinyembezi.

₃₂“Manje senginethula kuNkulunkulu nasezwini lomusa wakhe, Yena unamandla okwakha nokwabela ifa kubo bonke abangcwelisiweyo. ₃₃Angifisanga siliva, nagolide, nangubo yamuntu. ₃₄Nina niyazi ukuthi ngazisebenzela ngalezi zandla zami ukwenelisa izidingo zami nezalabo enganginabo. ₃₅Kukho konke lokhu, nganikhombisa ukuthi kumele ukuba nisebenze kanzima, nibasize ababuthakathaka, niwakhumbule futhi amazwi eNkosi uJesu ukuthi Yona yathi: ‘Kubusesikile kakhulu ukupha kunokwemukela.’ ”

₃₆Esekushilo lokho, waguqa phansi kanye nabo bonke, wakhuleka. ₃₇Bonke bakhala kakhulu, bamxhawula, bamanga, ₃₈belusizi kakhulu ngezwi alisho kubo elithi abasayukubuye babubone ubuso bakhe. Bamphelezela, baya emkhunjini.