UPowula Uthunyelwa ERoma

Ikhambo lesithathu lakaPowula lokutjhumayela laphelela eJerusalema. Kulapho abotjhwa khona. Ebusuku wabona umbono uJesu wamtjela ukuthi: ‘Uzokuya eRoma uyokutjhumayela khona.’ UPowula wafuduswa eJerusalema wasiwa eKhesariya, kwaphela iminyaka emibili yoke asejele lalapho. Kwathi nakajame phambi kwesiKhulu uFestusi, uPowula wathi: ‘Ngifuna ukwahlulelwa ngumbusi omkhulu eRoma.’ UFestusi wathi: “Udlulisele icala kuKhesari, uzakuya kuKhesari.” UPowula wakhwezwa isikepe esiya eRoma, bekakhamba nabafowabo amabaKrestu, anoLukasi no-Aristarirhusi lapho.

Elwandlapho ubujamo bezulu bebubumbi tle! Bekunesiwuruwuru esathatha amalanga. Woke umuntu lapho bakacabanga bona uzokuhlangakala. Kodwana uPowula wathi: ‘Ingilozi ithe kimi ebhudangweni: “Ungathukwa Powula. Uzokufika eRoma, woke umuntu osesikepena uzokusinda.” Ibani nesibindi! Angeze sife.’

Isiwuruwurweso sathatha amalanga ali-14 woke. Ngemva kwalokho babona inarha. Bekusihlengele seMalta. Isikepe safika sabetha ehlabathini saphuka saba ziincucwana kodwana boke abantu abama-276 bafika baphephile. Abanye baduda bayokufika ehlabathini eyomileko kwathi abanye bakakarela eencucwanenezo baduda ngazo. Abantu beMalta babatlhogomela bababasela nomlilo bona bafuthumale.

Ngemva kweenyanga ezintathu amasotja asa uPowula eRoma ngesinye isikepe. Nakafika lapho abafowethu beza ukuzombona. UPowula nakababonako wathokoza uJehova bewaba nesibindi. Nanyana bekasibotjhwa nje, bekavumelekile bona ahlale endlini eqatjhiweko kodwana bekufuze agadwe masotja. Wahlala lapho iminyaka emibili yoke. Abantu nabeza ukuzombona uPowula bekabatjhumayeza, abafundise ngomBuso kaZimu nangoJesu. Ejelapho uPowula watlolela amabandla we-Asia Minor iincwadi, watlolela neleJudiya. UJehova wasebenzisa uPowula ukurhatjha iindaba ezimnandi ebantwini.