Bible Reading Plan – Day 304

₁Ngeli thuba naye ukumkani uHerode wabatshutshisa abathile balo ibandla. ₂Wambulala ngekrele uYakobi umntakwabo-Yohane. ₃Uthe akuqonda ukuba esi senzo siwakholisile amaJuda, waqhubela phambili ngokuvalela uPetros. Le nto yenzeka ngexesha leSidlo seZonka ezingenaGwele. ₄Akuba ebanjiwe uPetros, wavalelwa entolongweni. Wanikelwa ukuba alindwe ngamajoni angamaqela amane angamane. UHerode wayezimisele ukumsa ematyaleni emva *kwePasika. ₅Waza ke uPetros wagcinwa entolongweni apho, kodwa amaKrestu wona azingisa ukumthandazela kuThixo, lo gama avalelweyo.

₆Ke kaloku uPetros wayelele phakathi kwabalindi ababini, ebotshelelwe kubo ngamatyathanga, kukho nabagadi abalinde isango lentolongo, ngobusuku obuphambi komhla awayeza kusiwa ngawo ematyaleni nguHerode. ₇Ngebhaqo kwabonakala isithunywa seNkosi simi bhuxe apho egumbini lentolongo, kwatsho kwasemini kukukhanya. Samshukumisa uPetros, samvusa sisithi: “Khawuleza, vuka!” Ukubanje sitsho, athi xibilili amatyathanga ezandleni. ₈Saqhuba sathi: “Bhinqa, unxibe iimbadada zakho.” Wenjenjalo ke uPetros, saza saphinda isithunywa eso sathi: “Yambatha, undilandele.” ₉Wasilandela ke uPetros, baphuma entolongweni. Wayengekaqondi ukuba iyinene le nto yenziwa sisithunywa seNkosi; wayeba uyaphupha. ₁₀Babagqitha abalindi bokuqala nabesibini, baza ekugqibeleni bafika kwisango lentsimbi elivulela edolophini. Lavuleka ngokwalo isango, baphuma ke. Bathi besehla ngesitalato sesuka see shwaka isithunywa eso.

₁₁Akuqabuka ebuthongweni uPetros wathi: “Ngoku ndiyazi ukuba ngenene le nto yinyaniso! INkosi isithumele isithunywa sayo, sandihlangula egunyeni likaHerode, nakuzo zonke izinto amaJuda ebenqwenela ukuzenza kum.”

₁₂Akuyiqonda le nto yenzekileyo uPetros waya emzini kaMariya, unina kaYohane Marko. Kwakukho abantu abaninzi apho, bethandaza. ₁₃Wankqonkqoza emnyango, kwaza kwaya intombazana egama linguRoda, ₁₄eyathi yakuliva ilizwi likaPetros, yasuka yajika ngenxa yovuyo ingamvulelanga, yaya kuxela ukuba nguPetros lo unkqonkqozayo. ₁₅“Unantoni na? Uyageza!” bamphikisa batsho abo babesendlwini. Kodwa yena wema ekubeni le nto iyinyaniso. Bathi ke bona: “Hayi ke, fan' ukuba sisithunywa sakhe.”

₁₆UPetros yena waphikelela enkqonkqoza, bada ngelikade bamvulela, bamangaliswa kakhulu bakuqonda ukuba kuthe kanti nguPetros ngenkqu lo. ₁₇Wawangawangisa ngesandla ukuba bathi cwaka, waza ke wabachazela indlela emkhuphe ngayo iNkosi entolongweni. Wabayaleza ukuba baye kuxela le nto kuYakobi nakwamanye amakholwa, waza yena wemka waya kwenye indawo.

₁₈Ngengomso yaba sisiphithi-phithi kubalindi bentolongo besithi: “Yaz' ukuba uphi na uPetros?” ₁₉UHerode wathi mabamfune, kodwa abazange bamfumane. Ngoko ke abalindi bancinwa, waza uHerode wagunyazisa ukuba babulawe.

Emva kwesi singaneko ke, uHerode wemka kwaJuda, waya kuhlala eKhesariya okwexeshana.

₂₀UHerode wayengavisisani mpela nabantu baseTire nabaseSidon. Kwakuba njalo bavumelana ngokuthumela igqiza labameli. Lona laqala lavana noBlasto, induna yasebhotwe, laza langena ngaye ukudala imvisiswano. Babecela uxolo kuba ilizwe labo lalixhomekeke kummandla kaHerode ekufumaneni ukudla.

₂₁Ngosuku olumisiweyo uHerode wavatha ezobukumkani, waza wahlala esihlalweni sakhe apho ebhotwe, wathetha nabantu. ₂₂“Asimntu, nguThixo lowo uthethayo,” bamemeza batsho abantu. ₂₃Ngakonje ukuba batsho abantu, isithunywa seNkosi sambetha ngesifo uHerode, ngokuba engamnikanga mbeko uThixo. Wadliwa ziimpethu, wada wafa.

₂₄Laqhubela phambili ilizwi likaThixo ukunwenwa.

₂₅UBharnabha noSawule bawugqiba umsebenzi wabo, baza babuya eJerusalem, behamba noYohane Marko.

₁Ke kaloku ebandleni laseAntiyokwe kwakukho abashumayeli nabefundisi: uBharnabha, uSimon ekwakusithiwa nguMnyamana, uLukiyo waseKirene, uManayen owayekhuliswe noHerode irhuluneli, kunye noSawule. ₂Ekuyikhonzeni kwabo iNkosi, bezila ukutya, uMoya oyiNgcwele wathi kubo: “Ndikhetheleni uBharnabha noSawule, ukuze benze umsebenzi endibabizele wona.”

₃Ngoko ke bazila ukutya bathandaza, bababeka izandla, baza babandulula.

₄Bakuba bethunywe nguMoya oyiNgcwele, uBharnabha noSawule behla baya eSeluki, baza ukusuka apho bahamba ngolwandle ukuya eSipro. ₅Bathi bakufika eSalamisi, balishumayela khona ilizwi likaThixo ezindlwini zesikhungo zamaJuda. Babehamba noYohane Marko, khon' ukuze abancedise emsebenzini.

₆Basijikeleza ke isiqithi eso, bada bafika ePafo. Apho badibana nomfo onemilingo ogama linguBhar-yesu, umJuda owayezenza *umshumayeli. ₇Wayeliphakathi lerhuluneli yesiqithi eso, uSergiyo Pawulos, owayeyindoda enengqondo ekrele-krele. Irhuluneli leyo yababiza ooBharnabha noSawule, ifuna ukuphulaphula ilizwi likaThixo. ₈Kodwa lo mfo unemilingo, owayebizwa ngokuba nguElima ngesiGrike, wachasana nabo, nerhuluneli leyo wafuna ukuyiwexula elukholweni. ₉Waza ke ngoko uSawule, ogama limbi linguPawulos, ezaliswe nguMoya oyiNgcwele, wamjonga lo mfo, ₁₀wathi: “Nyanandini kamtyholi, lutshabandini lobulungisa, uzele ngamaqhinga nobuqhetseba, usoloko uzama ukugqwetha inyaniso yeNkosi ngobuxoki! ₁₁Khona ngoku iNkosi iza kukubetha, ube yimfama, futhi kuya kuba mzuzu ungakuboni ukukhanya.”

Ngoko nangoko aba nkungu amehlo kaElima, wabuva ubumnyama buwavala, wajikeleza ke empampatha, efuna umntu ongamrhuqayo. ₁₂Ke kaloku yona irhuluneli yakuyibona loo nto, yazinikela, imangalisiwe yimfundiso emayela neNkosi.

₁₃UPawulos nababemphahlile bemka ePafo, bahamba ngenqanawe, baya kufika ePerga yasePamfili. Apha ke wahlukana nabo uYohane Marko, wabuyela eJerusalem. ₁₄Abanye bona banduluka ePerga, babheka eAntiyokwe yasePisidi. Bathi apho *ngoMhla wokuPhumla baya *kwindlu yesikhungo, bafika bahlala phantsi. ₁₅Kwathi zakuba zifundiwe izicatshulwa encwadini *yomthetho kaMosis *nezabashumayeli, amagosa endlu yesikhungo athumela ebacela esithi: “Mawethu, khanisiphe kowenu umphako welizwi, ukwenzela ukukhuthaza abantu.”

₁₆Waphakama uPawulos, wawangawangisa ngesandla, ukuba kuthi cwaka, waza wenjenje ukuthetha: “Mawethu, maSirayeli, nani nina zintlanga zimhlonelayo uThixo, khanibeke iindlebe! ₁₇UThixo lo unqulwa ngamaSirayeli nguye owanyula ookhokho bethu, wawenza amaSirayeli asisizwe esikhulu ngexesha ayengabaphambukeli kwelaseJiputa. Nguye owawakhupha ngamandla angummangaliso amaSirayeli eJiputa. ₁₈Wawanyamezela iminyaka emashumi mane entlango. ₁₉Ikwanguye owazitshabalalisayo izizwe ezisixhenxe eKanana, waza loo mhlaba wawunika abantu bakhe amaSirayeli. ₂₀Yonke loo nto yathatha isithuba esingangeminyaka engamakhulu amane anamashumi amahlanu.

“Emva koko wabanika iinkokheli, zabalawula kwada kwalixesha lomshumayeli uSamweli. ₂₁Bakufuna ukumkani, wabanika uSawule unyana kaKishe, wesizwe sakwaBhenjamin, waza wabalawula iminyaka engamashumi amane. ₂₂Akumsusa uSawule, uThixo wamisela uDavide wangukumkani. Nanga amazwi athethwa nguThixo ngoDavide: ‘Ndiphawule ukuba uDavide, unyana kaJese, ngulo mntu kanye ndimfunayo, umfo oya kwenza oko sukuba ndifuna kwenziwe.’ ₂₃NguYesu lo mzukulwana kaDavide wenziwe uMsindisi wamaSirayeli nguThixo njengoko wathembisayo. ₂₄Ngaphambi kokufika kukaYesu, uYohane wawashumayeza onke amaSirayeli, esithi makaziguqule iindlela zawo aze abhaptizwe. ₂₅Ekuwusongeni kwakhe uYohane umsebenzi wakhe, wathi ebantwini: ‘Nithi ndingubani? Andinguye lowo nicinga ukuba ndigunye. Khangelani yena uza emva kwam, ndaye mna andikufanele nokukhulula iimbadada ezi ezinyaweni zakhe.’

₂₆“Mawethu, nzala ka-Abraham, nani nonke zintlanga zimhlonelayo uThixo, olu daba losindiso lwathunyelwa kuthi. ₂₇Kaloku abantu baseJerusalem, bekunye neenkokheli zabo, babengamazi, bengawaqondi namazwi abashumayeli bamandulo afundwayo ngayo yonke iMihla yokuPhumla. Kodwa bâwazalisekisa amazwi abo bashumayeli ngokumgweba uYesu. ₂₈Nangona babengasifumani isizathu sokuba agwetyelwe ukufa, bacela uPilato ukuba ambulale. ₂₉Emveni kokuzenza zonke izinto ezithethwa *ziziBhalo ngaye, bamothula emnqamlezweni, bamngcwaba. ₃₀Kodwa uThixo yena wamvusa ekufeni, ₃₁waza kwithuba leentsuku ezininzi wabonwa ngâbo wayejikeleza nabo ukusuka eGalili baye eJerusalem. Ngoku bangamangqina akhe kumaSirayeli. ₃₂Thina silapha nje, sizise iindaba ezimnandi kuni. Loo nto uThixo wayithembisa ookhokho bethu, ₃₃uyenzele thina bayinzala yabo, ngokumvusa uYesu. Kunjengoko kubhaliweyo eNdumisweni yesibini, kwathiwa:

₃₆“Kuba kaloku ngexesha lakhe uDavide wayifeza injongo kaThixo, waza wafa emva koko, wangcwatywa ngakookhokho bakhe, wabola. ₃₇Kodwa uYesu, evusiwe nje nguThixo, khange abole. _38-39Yazini niqiniseke xa ninonke, mawethu, ukuba kungoYesu ukushunyayelwa kodaba lokuxolelwa kwezono. Ngokunjalo qondani ukuba wonke umntu ozinikelayo kuye uyakhululwa kuzo zonke izono, obungenako ukumkhulula kuzo *umthetho kaMosis. ₄₀Lumkani ke ngoko, hleze ihle kuni into eyathethwa ngabashumayeli, besithi:

₄₂Xa bayishiyayo intlanganiso ooPawulos noBharnabha, abantu babamema ukuba ze beze kwakhona ngoMhla wokuPhumla olandelayo, ukuze baphinde babafundise. ₄₃Emveni kokuphuma kwentlanganiso, uPawulos noBharnabha balandelwa sisihlwele samaJuda neentlanga eziguqukele ebuJudeni, baza basikhuthaza ukuba sibambelele ngenyameko kuThixo onesisa.

₄₄NgoMhla woPhumlo olandelayo phantse wonke umntu osedolophini weza kuphulaphula ilizwi leNkosi. ₄₅Akuyibona le nkitha yabantu, amaJuda azala ngumona, amphikisa amnyelisa uPawulos. ₄₆Kodwa bona ooPawulos noBharnabha bawaxelela phandle amaJuda bathi: “Kakade bekufuneka lishunyayezwe nina kuqala ilizwi likaThixo; koko ngenxa yokuba nilibukula, niziqonda ukuba anibulungelanga ubomi obungonaphakade, siza kuniyeka, siye ezintlangeni. ₄₇Thina kaloku sanikwa lo myalelo yiNkosi:

₄₈Zavuya iintlanga zakukuva oku, zayidumisa iNkosi ngenxa yodaba lwayo. Abo ke babenyulelwe ukungena ebomini obungonaphakade, baguquka bangamakholwa.

₄₉Ilizwi leNkosi lanwenwa kuwo wonke loo mmandla. ₅₀Kodwa amaJuda adala uchuku, enza *abathunywa bavukelwa ngamadoda aloo dolophu aphambili kwanangabafazi abakumgangatho ophezulu entlalweni, ababemhlonela uThixo. Babatshutshisa babagxotha kuloo mmandla. ₅₁Abathunywa bavuthulula uthuli ezinyaweni, bekhalala, bemka baya eIkoniyo. ₅₂Basala abalandeli bakaYesu eAntiyokwe bezele luvuyo nanguMoya oyiNgcwele.