UJesu Ukhetha USawuli

USawuli wazalelwa eThasu njalo wayelamalungelo abantu abangamaRoma. Indoda le yayingumFarisi iwazi kuhle uMthetho wamaJuda futhi iwazonda amaKhristu. Yayibopha amadoda labesifazana abangamaKhristu isiyabafaka ejele. Kanti njalo yayibukele ngesikhathi uStefane ekhandwa ngamatshe futhi ivumelana lokubulawa kwakhe.

USawuli kacinanga ngokubopha amaKhristu ayeseJerusalema kuphela. Waya kumphristi omkhulu esiyacela imvumo yokuya edolobheni leDamaseko ukuze ayezingela amaKhristu ayehlala khonale. Wathi esebanga edolobheni lelo, kwaba lokukhanya okukhulu okwavela ezulwini, uSawuli wawela phansi. Wezwa ilizwi lisithi: ‘Sawuli, ungihlukuluzelani?’ Yena wathi: ‘Ungubani?’ Ilizwi lelo lathi: ‘NginguJesu. Yana eDamaseko uzatshelwa okumele ukwenze.’ USawuli wayengasaboni. Amadoda ayehamba laye ambamba isandla angena laye edolobheni lelo.

EDamaseko kwakulomfundi owayethembekile okwakuthiwa ngu-Ananiya. UJesu wabonakala kuye embonweni wamtshela wathi: ‘Hamba uye endlini kaJuda esemgwaqweni okuthiwa uQondile, ufike udinge uSawuli.’ U-Ananiya wathi: ‘Nkosi, sengizwe okunengi ngendoda leyo! Ibopha abafundi bakho isiyabavalela ejele.’ UJesu wamphendula wathi: ‘Hamba. Sengimkhethile uSawuli ukuthi atshumayele izindaba ezinhle ezizweni ezinengi.’

Lakanye u-Ananiya wamthola uSawuli, wathi kuye: ‘Mfowethu Sawuli, uJesu ungithume ukuthi ngizokuvula amehlo.’ Khonokho nje, uSawuli wavuleka amehlo. Wafundiswa okunengi ngoJesu waba ngumlandeli wakhe. Indoda le yabhabhathizwa yaqalisa ukutshumayela emasinagogeni ilamanye amaKhristu. Akucabange ukuthi amaJuda amangala njani lapho ebona uSawuli efundisa abantu ngoJesu. Babezibuza besithi: ‘Indoda le kayisiyo yini eyayibopha abafundi bakaJesu?’

USawuli watshumayela eDamaseko okweminyaka emithathu. AmaJuda ayemzonda aze abumba icebo lokumbulala. Abazalwane bathi besizwa ngecebo lelo, bancedisa uSawuli ukuthi abaleke. Bamfaka ebhasikitini bamkhipha ngesikhala esasisemdulini ogombolozele idolobho.

USawuli wathi esebuyele eJerusalema, wakhonza ndawonye labazalwane. Kodwa babemesaba. Omunye umfundi olomusa okwakuthiwa nguBhanaba wahamba loSawuli kubaphostoli wafika wabachasisela ukuthi indoda le yayisitshintshile sibili. USawuli waqalisa ukutshumayela izindaba ezinhle lebandla elaliseJerusalema futhi wayekhuthele. Ngemva kwesikhathi wacina esaziwa ngokuthi nguPhawuli.