Ko Alisitala—Ko Te Kaugā Fagona Agatonu

KO ALISITALA neʼe kau ki te ʼu kaugā fagona ʼaē neʼe falala ki ai te ʼapositolo ko Paulo. Koteā te meʼa ʼaē ʼe koutou manatu kiai mokā koutou logo ki tona higoa? ʼE feala koa hakotou fakamatala pe koteā te meʼa ʼaē neʼe ina fai ʼi te temi ʼo te kau ʼuluaki Kilisitiano? Logope la ʼe mole tou ʼiloʼi lelei ia Alisitala ʼaē neʼe kau ki te hahaʼi ʼaē ʼe talanoa ki ai te Tohi-Tapu, kae neʼe kau ia ki ʼihi fakamatala ʼo te Tauhi Foʼou.

Neʼe ko ai ia Alisitala? Neʼe feafeaʼi tona ʼu vāhaʼa mo Paulo? He koʼe ʼe feala ke tou ʼui ko Alisitala neʼe ko he kaugā fagona agatonu? Pea koteā te ʼu meʼa ʼaē ʼe feala ke tou tāʼofi ʼi tatatou vakaʼi tana faʼifaʼitaki?

Ko te ʼuluaki talanoa kia Alisitala ʼe tuʼu ʼi te koga tohi ʼo Gāue, ʼi te temi ʼaē neʼe ʼiʼita ʼaupito ai te hahaʼi ʼo te kolo ʼo Efesi. (Gāue 19:23-​41) Ko Temetelio pea mo te tahi ʼu hahaʼi ʼi Efesi neʼe nātou gaohi te ʼu ʼaletale siliva ki te ʼatua fafine hala ko Alatemisi, ʼo nātou maʼu ai he paʼaga lahi. Koia, ʼi te temi ʼaē neʼe līaki ai e te tokolahi ʼo te kolo tanatou tauhi heʼemaʼa ki te ʼatua fafine ʼaia ʼuhi ko te faka mafola ʼa Paulo, neʼe fakatahi ia Temetelio mo te tahi ʼu tufuga. Neʼe ina tala age kia nātou, ko te faka mafola ʼa Paulo ʼe fakatupu tuʼutāmaki ki tanatou gāue pea neʼe ina toe ʼui foki, ʼe lagi pulihi anai mo te tauhi ʼaē kia Alatemisi.

ʼI tanatou mole maʼu ia Paulo, ko te kau tufuga ʼiʼita neʼe nātou puke ia Alisitala pea mo Kaio ʼo nātou ʼave nāua ki te fakatahiʼaga. Mai tona ʼuhiga ʼaē neʼe nā ʼamanaki tuʼutāmakiʼia, neʼe kolekole age e te ʼu kaumeʼa ʼa Paulo “ke ʼaua naʼa ʼalu ki te fakatahiʼaga.”

Koutou fakakaukau age mo kapau neʼe ko koutou ʼaia. Lolotoga hola e lua, neʼe pākalaga te kau tufuga agamālohi, “ ʼE lahi ia te Alatemisi ʼo Efeso!” ʼI tanā tutuʼu ʼi te lotolotoiga ʼo te kau tufuga ʼaē neʼe ʼiʼita ʼaupito, neʼe mole feala hanā palalau moʼo hāofaki ʼo nāua, pea neʼe matataku ʼaupito ia Alisitala pea mo Kaio. Lagi neʼe mole nā ʼiloʼi papau peʼe nā hāo anai ʼi te tuʼutāmaki ʼaia. Meʼa fakafiafia foki, neʼe nā maui mālie. Tahi ʼaē meʼa, ko te lelei ʼaupito ʼo te fakamatala ʼaē ʼa Luka neʼe ina uga ʼihi tagata sivi Tohi-Tapu ke nātou ʼui, neʼe fakaʼaogaʼi e Luka te ʼu fakamoʼoni ʼa te hahaʼi ʼaē neʼe nātou sio tonu ki te ʼu meʼa ʼaē neʼe hoko, ohage la ko Alisitala pea mo Kaio.

Ki muli age, neʼe tāʼofi e te sikalaipe ʼo te kolo te logoaʼa ʼa te hahaʼi. Neʼe ko he fakafimālie lahi kia Alisitala pea mo Kaio tanā sio ki te sikalaipe ʼaē neʼe fakamoʼoni ia muʼa ʼo te hahaʼi neʼe mole hala ia nāua, pea neʼe fakagata ai te maveuveu ʼaē ʼo ʼuhiga mo nāua.

Koteā anai takotou manatu mo kapau neʼe hoko kia koutou he ʼu meʼa feiā? ʼE koutou manatu anai koa ʼe mole koutou leleiʼia anai te gāue fakatahi mo Paulo, koteʼuhi ʼe fakatupu tuʼutāmaki, kae ʼe lelei age hakotou maʼuli fīmālie? Neʼe mole ko te faʼahiga manatu ʼaia ʼa Alisitala! Neʼe haʼu ia mai Tesalonika, pea neʼe kua ina ʼiloʼi neʼe feala ke hoko he ʼu tuʼutāmaki kia ia ʼi tana tala te logo lelei. ʼI te temi ʼaē neʼe fai faka mafola ai ia Paulo ʼi tona kolo kua hili kiai taʼu e lua ki muʼa atu, neʼe toe hoko foki mo he ʼu maveuveu ʼi te potu ʼaia. (Gāue 17:​1-9; 20:4) Neʼe nofo agatonu ia Alisitala kia Paulo.

Mai Keleka Ki Selusalemi

Hili kiai he ʼu māhina ʼi te maveuveu ʼaē neʼe fakatupu e te kau tufuga, neʼe nofo ia Paulo ʼi Keleka pea neʼe teuteu folau ki Silia ʼo aʼu ki Selusalemi, ʼi te temi ʼaē “neʼe ʼi ai he tuʼutuʼuni kovi neʼe faʼufaʼu e te kau Sutea ʼo ʼuhiga mo ia.” (Gāue 20:​2, 3) Ko ai koa ʼaē neʼe nofo mo Paulo ʼi te temi ʼaē neʼe tau ai mo te ʼu fihifihia ʼaia? Neʼe ko Alisitala!

Ko te fihifihia foʼou ʼaia neʼe ina uga ia Paulo mo Alisitala pea mo tonā ʼu kaugā fagona ke nātou fetogi tanatou ʼu fakatuʼutuʼu, ʼo nātou ʼuluaki fakalaka muʼa ʼi Masetonia, pea nātou folau ʼo nātou mulimuli ki te taulaga ʼo te Asie Mineure ia muʼa ʼo tanatou mavae ʼi Patala ki Fenisi. (Gāue 20:​4, 5, 13-​15; 21:​1-3) ʼE mahino ia, neʼe fakatuʼutuʼu te folau ʼaia ke ʼave te ʼu meʼa ʼofa ʼo te kau Kilisitiano ʼo Masetonia pea mo Akaia ki tonatou ʼu tēhina māsisiva ʼaē neʼe nonofo ʼi Selusalemi. (Gāue 24:17; Loma 15:25, 26) Neʼe tokolahi ia nātou ʼaē neʼe folau fakatahi, he neʼe lagi hinoʼi nātou e te ʼu kokelekasio ke nātou fai te folau ʼaia. Pea ʼe mahino papau ia, neʼe mole nātou matataku ʼi te kaugamālie ʼa te kau folau.

Neʼe maʼu e Alisitala te pilivilesio ʼaē ke folau fakatahi mo Paulo mai Keleka ki Selusalemi. Kae ʼi tanā folau ʼaē neʼe hoa mai kiai, neʼe nā mavae mai Sutea ʼo nā ʼolo ki Loma.

Te Folau Ki Loma

Neʼe kehekehe te ʼu ʼaluʼaga ʼo te folau ʼaia. Neʼe kua taʼu lua te nofo popūla ʼa Paulo ʼi Sesalea, koia neʼe tagi kia Sesale ke ina faka ʼāteaina ia ia, pea neʼe tonu ke ʼave seiniʼi ki Loma. (Gāue 24:27; 25:​11, 12) Koutou fakakaukauʼi age muʼa te ʼu meʼa ʼaē neʼe logoʼi e te ʼu kaugā fagona ʼa Paulo. Neʼe fakatupu tuʼania ʼaupito te folau ʼaia mai Sesalea ki Loma, pea neʼe mole nātou ʼiloʼi pe koteā anai te ikuʼaga ʼo te folau ʼaia. Ko ai ʼaē neʼe feala ke ʼalu mo Paulo moʼo lagolago pea mo tokoni ki ai? Ko te ʼu tagata e toko lua neʼe nā lotolelei ke nā ʼolo mo ia. Neʼe ko Alisitala pea mo Luka, ia ia ʼaē neʼe ina tohi te koga tohi ʼo Gāue.​—Gāue 27:​1, 2.

Neʼe lava feafeaʼi te hake ʼa Luka pea mo Alisitala ki te sitima ʼaē neʼe kau ai ia Paulo ʼi te ʼuluaki koga ʼo tanatou folau ki Loma? Ko te tagata fai hisitolia ko Giuseppe Ricciotti ʼe ina ʼui fēnei: “Neʼe nā hake ʼi te sitima ʼi tonā ʼuhiga hahaʼi folau . . . kae neʼe lagi tali nāua e te tagata solia ʼi tonā ʼuhiga kaugana ʼa Paulo, mai tona ʼuhiga ʼaē neʼe fakagafua e te lao ki he tagata Loma ke tokoni kia ia hana ʼu kaugana e toko lua.” Ko tanā tokoni pea mo tanā fakaloto mālohi neʼe ko he meʼa fakatupu fiafia kia Paulo!

Ko Luka pea mo Alisitala neʼe nā fakahā tonā ʼofa kia Paulo ʼo nā tali ke tuʼutāmakiʼia tonā maʼuli. ʼI tona fakahagatonu, neʼe hoko te tuʼutāmaki lahi kia nāua pea mo Paulo, ʼi te temi ʼaē neʼe tuʼutāmaki ai tanatou sitima ʼi te motu ko Maleta.​—Gāue 27:⁠13–​28:1.

‘ ʼE Kaugā Pilisoni Mo Paulo’

ʼI te temi ʼaē neʼe faitohi ai ia Paulo ki te kau Kolose pea mo Filemone ʼi te taʼu 60 ki te 61 ʼo totatou temi, neʼe kei nonofo mo ia ia Alisitala pea mo Luka ʼi Loma. ʼE ʼui e te Tohi-Tapu ko Alisitala pea mo Epafalase ‘neʼe nā kaugā pilisoni mo Paulo.’ (Kolose 4:​10, 14; Filemone 23, 24) Kae ʼe hā mai neʼe nofo ia Alisitala pea mo Paulo ʼi te fale pilisoni.

Logope la neʼe nofo popūla ia Paulo ʼi Loma lolotoga taʼu e lua, kae neʼe fakagafua kia ia ke nofo ʼi tona ʼapi ʼaē neʼe ina lue, pea neʼe feala ai ke ina faka mafola te logo lelei kia nātou ʼaē neʼe nātou ʼaʼahi ia ia. (Gāue 28:​16, 30) Ko Alisitala, mo Epafalase, pea mo Luka neʼe nātou ʼaʼahi ia Paulo, ʼo nātou tokoni pea mo lagolago kia ia.

Neʼe “Ko He Tokoni Neʼe Fakaloto Mālohi”

ʼI tatatou ʼosi vakaʼi te ʼu fakamatala kehekehe ʼa te Tohi-Tapu ʼo ʼuhiga mo Alisitala, koteā te meʼa ʼaē ʼe feala ke tou tāʼofi ʼo ʼuhiga mo ia? ʼO mulimuli ki te tagata faitohi ko D. Thomas, ko Alisitala “neʼe kehe ʼaupito koteʼuhi neʼe ina tauʼi te ʼu fihifihia ʼo nofo agatonu, pea neʼe mole lotovaivai ʼi tana tauhi logope te ʼu ʼahiʼahi ʼaē neʼe hoko kia ia. Neʼe kehe ia koteʼuhi neʼe mole tauhi pe ki te ʼAtua ʼi te ʼu temi ʼaē neʼe maui mālie ai, kae neʼe toe tauhi foki ki te ʼAtua ʼi te ʼu temi ʼaē neʼe tau ai mo te ʼu faigataʼaʼia.”

ʼE ʼui e Paulo ko Alisitala pea mo ʼihi neʼe “ko he [ʼu] tokoni neʼe [nātou] fakaloto mālohiʼi” (ʼi te lea faka Keleka, pa·re·go·riʹa) ia ia, ko tona faka ʼuhiga neʼe ko he ʼu hahaʼi neʼe nātou fakafimālie ia ia. (Kolose 4:​10, 11) Koia ʼi tana lagolago kia Paulo pea mo tana fakafimālieʼi ia ia, ko Alisitala neʼe ko he kaugā fagona lelei ʼi te ʼu temi faigataʼa. Neʼe fua lelei kia ia ʼi te faʼahi fakalaumālie tana fakakaugā mo te ʼapositolo lolotoga ni ʼu taʼu.

ʼE mole lagi hoko anai kia tatou he ʼu meʼa fakamataku ohage ko te ʼu meʼa ʼaē neʼe hoko kia Alisitala. Kae ʼe ʼaoga kia nātou fuli ʼo te ʼu kokelekasio faka Kilisitiano ia ʼaho nei, ke nātou maʼu tona faʼahiga agatonu ʼaē ki te ʼu tēhina fakalaumālie ʼa Kilisito pea mo te kautahi ʼa Sehova. (Vakaʼi ia Mateo 25:​34-​40.) ʼE moʼoni, ʼe hoko anai ki totatou ʼu kaugā fagona ʼi te tui te ʼu fakafeagai pe ko he ʼu meʼa fakatupu lotomamahi, lagi ʼuhi ko te mate ʼo he tahi neʼe nātou ʼofa mamahi ki ai, pe ko te mahaki, pe ko he tahi ʼu ʼahiʼahi. Kapau ʼe tou lagolago mo tokoni kia nātou, pea mo tou fakafimālieʼi pea mo fakaloto mālohiʼi nātou, pea ʼe tou fiafia anai pea mo tou fakahā ai ko tatou ko he ʼu kaugā fagona agatonu.​—Vakaʼi ia Tāʼaga Lea 17:17; Gāue 20:35.