IBhayibhile iphuma yodwa kwiincwadi zonqulo. Ayikho enye incwadi eye yanefuthe kwiinkolelo zabaninzi kangangexesha elide njengayo. Kwangaxeshanye ayikho enye incwadi eye yacikidwa yaza yagxekwa njengayo.

Ngokomzekelo, abanye abaphandi bathi kuyathandabuzeka ukuba iiBhayibhile zakutshanje zikhutshelwe ngendlela echanileyo kwimibhalo yokuqala. Omnye uprofesa wezonqulo uthi: “Asinakuqiniseka ukuba siye sayikhuphela ngendlela echanileyo imibhalo yokuqala. Ekuphela kwento esinayo ziiBhayibhile ezigcwele ziimpazamo yaye uninzi lwazo lwakhutshelwa emva kwamakhulu eminyaka yenziwayo imibhalo yokuqala ibe zahluke kuyo ngeendlela ezingamawakawaka.”

Abanye baye bathandabuza ukuchana kweBhayibhile ngenxa yemvelaphi yabo yonqulo. Ngokomzekelo, uFaizal wafundiswa yintsapho yakhe engengomaKristu ukuba iBhayibhile yincwadi engcwele kodwa iye yatshintshwa. Uthi: “Ngenxa yoko, ndandingakhululeki ncam xa kukho umntu ofuna ukuthetha nam ngeBhayibhile. Ndandisithi zange babe nayo naloo Bhayibhile yokuqala. Le banayo itshintshiwe!”

Ngaba ibalulekile into yokuba iBhayibhile itshintshiwe okanye ayitshintshwanga? Khawucinge ngale mibuzo: Ngaba unokuzithemba izithembiso zeBhayibhile zekamva ukuba awuqinisekanga ukuba zazikho kwimibhalo yokuqala? (Roma 15:4) Ukuba ngokwenene iiBhayibhile zanamhlanje ibiziikopi nje ezingachananga ezibhalwe ngabantu, ngaba ubuya kuyisebenzisa ukwenza izigqibo ezibalulekileyo eziphathelele impangelo, intsapho okanye unqulo?

Nangona iincwadi eyayibhalwe kuzo iBhayibhile kuqala zingasekho, sinokusebenzisa ezamandulo—eziquka imibhalo-ngqangi yeBhayibhile engamawakawaka. Loo mibhalo-ngqangi yasinda njani ekonakaleni, kwinkcaso, nasekutshintshweni kwezinto ezibhaliweyo? Ukusinda kwayo kungakunceda njani uyithembe ukuba iBhayibhile onayo ichanile? Khawuve iimpendulo zale mibuzo kweli bali lilandelayo lokusinda kweBhayibhile.

ISISONGELO: Umpapiri nesikhumba zezona zinto kwakubhalwa kuzo ngababhali nabakhupheli beBhayibhile.a (2 Timoti 4:13) Ezo zinto zayibeka njani emngciphekweni iBhayibhile?

Umpapiri ukrazuka lula, uphuma umbala lula yaye ucekeceke. Iingcali zolwazi lweYiputa yamandulo, uRichard Parkinson noStephen Quirke bathi: “Iphepha linokonakala libe yimicu nje okanye uthuthu. Xa uselugcinweni, umsongo unokungunda okanye ubole kukufuma yaye xa ugcinwe ngaphantsi komhlaba unokutyiwa ziimpuku okanye zizinambuzane ingakumbi iimbovane.” Emva kokuba ifunyenwe, eminye imipapiri yabekwa kwiindawo ezinelanga nezifume kakhulu, nto leyo eyabangela ukuba yonakale ngokukhawuleza.

Isikhumba sihlala ixesha elide kunompapiri, kodwa naso siyonakala xa singaphethwanga kakuhle okanye sihleli kwindawo eshushu okanye ebanda kakhulu, efumileyo nenelanga.b Isikhumba naso sinokutyiwa zizinambuzane. Ngenxa yoko, incwadi ethi Everyday Writing in the Graeco-Roman East ithi, “imibhalo yamandulo ayifane isinde.” Ukuba iBhayibhile yayiye yonakala, umyalezo okuyo ngowatshabalala nayo.

INDLELA EYASINDA NGAYO IBHAYIBHILE: Umthetho wamaYuda wawusithi ookumkani ‘mabazikhuphelele encwadini umbhalo walo mthetho,’ iincwadi ezintlanu zokuqala zeBhayibhile. (Duteronomi 17:18) Ngaphezu koko, abakhupheli abaphum’ izandla bavelisa imibhalo-ngqangi emininzi kangangokuba ngenkulungwane yokuqala, iZibhalo zazifumaneka kwizindlu zesikhungu kwaSirayeli nakwiMakedoni ekude! (Luka 4:16, 17; IZenzo 17:11) Eminye yale mibhalo-ngqangi esekho nanamhl’ oku yasinda njani?

UPhilip W. Comfort, umphengululi weTestamente Entsha uthi, “amaYuda ayesaziwa ngokufaka imisongo yeZibhalo kwiingqayi ukuze igcineke kakuhle.” Kuyabonakala ukuba namaKristu enza ngendlela efanayo. Ngenxa yoko, kuye kwafunyanwa eminye yemibhalo-ngqangi yokuqala yeBhayibhile kwiingqayi, kwiityesi nasemiqolombeni, nakwimimandla eyome kakhulu.

UMPHUMO: Iinxalenye zemibhalo-ngqangi yeBhayibhile ezingamawakawaka—ezinye zazo ezineminyaka engaphezu kweyi-2 000 zikho—zisekho unanamhl’ oku. Ayikho enye incwadi yamandulo enemibhalo-ngqangi emidala emininzi ngolo hlobo.

ISISONGELO: Iinkokeli zepolitiki kunye nabefundisi abaninzi babengafuni nokuyibona iBhayibhile. Babedla ngokusebenzisa igunya labo ukuze bangabavumeli abantu ukuba babe nayo, bayenze okanye baguqulele iBhayibhile. Makhe sithethe ngale mizekelo mibini:

• Malunga nonyaka ka-167 B.C.E.: UKumkani uAntiochus Epiphanes owayefuna ukunyanzela amaYuda ukuba anqule ngendlela yamaGrike wayalela ukuba zitshatyalaliswe zonke iikopi zeZibhalo zesiHebhere. Umbhali-mbali uHeinrich Graetz wathi amagosa akhe “ayekrazula aze atshise nayiphi na imisongo yoMthetho ayeyifumana aze abulale nabo babefumana amandla nentuthuzelo xa beyifunda.”

• KumaXesha Aphakathi: Abanye abefundisi bamaKatolika babengayithandi into yokuba abantu nje abaqhelekileyo bafundise oko kuthethwa yiBhayibhile kunokuba bafundise iimfundiso zamaKatolika. Babesithi nabaphi na abantu ababenezinye iincwadi zeBhayibhile ngaphandle nje kweeNdumiso zesiLatini bafundisa izinto zabo. Elinye ibhunga lecawa lagunyazisa umthetho owawusithi amadoda alo “mawagqogqe aze akhangele ngokucokisekileyo nabaphi na abantu ababefundisa izinto zabo . . . ngokugqogqa zonke izindlu namagumbi angaphantsi kwizindlu ezikrokrisayo. . . . Indlu abafunyenwe kuyo mayitshiswe.”

Ukuba iintshaba zeBhayibhile zazikwazile ukuyitshabalalisa, ngeyingekho namhlanje.

INDLELA EYASINDA NGAYO IBHAYIBHILE: UKumkani uAntiochus wayejonge kakhulu kwaSirayeli, kodwa amaYuda ayehlala nakwamanye amazwe. Phofu izazi ziqikelela ukuba ngenkulungwane yokuqala, ayemaninzi amaYuda awayehlala kwamanye amazwe kunalawo awayehlala kwaSirayeli. Kwizindlu zawo zesikhungu amaYuda ayegcina iikopi zeZibhalo—ibe zasetyenziswa zizizukulwana eziliqela kuquka namaKristu.—IZenzo 15:21.

KumaXesha Aphakathi abathandi beBhayibhile baqhubeka beguqulela yaye bekhuphela iZibhalo nangona babetshutshiswa. Kwanangaphambi kokuba umatshini wokuprinta wenziwe phakathi kwiminyaka yoo-1400, kusenokwenzeka ukuba iinxalenye zeBhayibhile zazifumaneka ngeelwimi eziyi-33. Emva koko iBhayibhile yaguqulelwa yaza yenziwa ngesantya esingazange sabonwa ngaphambili.

UMPHUMO: Nangona yayingafunwa ngookumkani abanamandla kunye nabefundisi, iBhayibhile yeyona ncwadi iye yasasazwa yaza yaguqulelwa kakhulu kunazo zonke ezikhe zakho. Iye yanefuthe kwimithetho neelwimi zamazwe nakubomi bezigidi zabantu.

ISISONGELO: Izisongelo ezinjengokonakala nenkcaso aziyitshabalalisanga iBhayibhile. Sekunjalo, abanye abakhupheli nabaguquleli baye bazama ukutshintsha oko kubhalwe eBhayibhileni. Ngamaxesha athile, baye bazama ukutshintsha iimfundiso zeBhayibhile ukuze zilungele ezabo kunokuba iimfundiso zabo zisekelwe eBhayibhileni. Masithethe ngemizekelo embalwa:

• Indawo yokunqula: Phakathi kwenkulungwane yesine neyesibini ngaphambi kwexesha likaYesu, emva kwe-Eksodus 20:17 ababhali bePentatiki yamaSamariya bafakela amazwi athi “eAargaareezem. Apho uya kwakha isibingelelo khona.” AmaSamariya ayefuna iZibhalo zixhase ukwakha kwawo itempile “eAargaareezem,” okanye iNtaba yaseGerizim.

• Imfundiso yothixo oneziqu ezithathu: Kungaphelanga neminyaka eyi-300 iBhayibhile igqityiwe, kweyoku-1 kaYohane 5:7 umbhali okholelwa kwimfundiso yothixo oneziqu ezithathu wafakela amazwi athi, “emazulwini, uYise, noLizwi, noMoya oyiNgcwele: abo bathathu banye.” Loo mazwi ayengekho kwiZibhalo zokuqala. UBruce Metzger, umphandi weBhayibhile wathi, “ukususela kwiminyaka yoo-500 ukubheka phambili, loo mazwi aya evela kaninzi kwimibhalo-ngqangi yesiLatini Samandulo nakwiVulgate yesiLatini.”

• Igama likaThixo: Belandela inkolo yamaYuda, abaguquleli beBhayibhile abaninzi balisusa igama likaThixo eZibhalweni. Endaweni yalo bafaka izibizo ezithi “Thixo” okanye “Nkosi,” zibizo ezo iBhayibhile ezisebenzisa kungekuphela nje kuMdali kodwa naxa ibhekisela kubantu, izithixo, nkqu noMtyholi.—Yohane 10:34, 35; 1 Korinte 8:5, 6; 2 Korinte 4:4.a

INDLELA EYASINDA NGAYO IBHAYIBHILE: Okokuqala, nangona abanye abakhupheli babengakhathali yaye benganyanisekanga, abanye abaninzi babengamachule yaye becoselela. AmaMasorete akhuphela iZibhalo zesiHebhere phakathi kweminyaka yoo-500 neyoo-900 esenza oko kwaziwa namhlanje ngokuba yimibhalo yamaMasorete. Kuthiwa ayebala amagama nonoobumba ukuze aqiniseke ukuba akukho zimpazamo. Apho ayekrokrela khona impazamo kumbhalo awayekhuphela ngokusuka kuwo, ayeyibhala ecaleni. AmaMasorete ala ukuyitshintsha iBhayibhile. UProfesa Moshe Goshen-Gottstein wathi: “Kuwo ukutshintsha oko kubhaliweyo kwakulityala elikhulu.”

Okwesibini, ubuninzi bemibhalo-ngqangi namhlanje bunceda abaphandi beBhayibhile babone iimpazamo. Ngokomzekelo, kangangamakhulu eminyaka iinkokeli zonqulo zazifundisa ukuba iinguqulelo zazo zeBhayibhile yesiLatini zazichanile. Ngoko, kweyoku-1 kaYohane 5:7 zafakela amazwi angachananga akhankanywe ngaphambilana kweli nqaku. Le mpazamo yangena nakwiKing James Version yesiNgesi edumileyo! Kodwa yintoni eyabhaqwayo xa kwafunyanwa eminye imibhalo-ngqangi? UBruce Metzger wathi: “La mazwi [akweyoku-1 kaYohane 5:7] awekho kweminye imibhalo-ngqangi (owolwimi lwaseSiriya, owesiCoptic, owesiArmenia, owesiTiyopiya, owesiArabhu, noweSlavonic), ngaphandle kweyesiLatini.” Ngenxa yeso sizathu, inguqulelo ehlaziyiweyo yeKing James Version nezinye iiBhayibhile ziwasusile la mazwi.

Ngaba imibhalo-ngqangi emidala ingqina ukuba oko kuthethwa yiBhayibhile kuye kwagcinwa? Xa kwafunyanwa imiSongo yoLwandle Olufileyo ngo-1947, abaphandi batsho bakwazi ukuthelekisa iZibhalo zesiHebhere zamaMasorete nemisongo yeBhayibhile eyayibhalwe kwiminyaka engaphezu kwewaka ngaphambili. Omnye wabaphandi ababehlola imiSongo yoLwandle Olufileyo wathi, umsongo nje omnye “unobungqina obungenakuphikiswa bokuba abakhupheli abangamaYuda ababekhuphele iBhayibhile kwixesha elingaphezu kweminyaka eliwaka babenyanisekile yaye becoselela ngeyona ndlela.”

KwiChester Beatty Library eseDublin, eIreland kukho ingqokelela yemipapiri phantse yazo zonke iincwadi zeZibhalo ZamaKristu ZesiGrike, kuquka nemibhalo-ngqangi yenkulungwane yesibini—kwiminyaka eyi-100 igqityiwe iBhayibhile. IThe Anchor Bible Dictionary ithi: “Nangona le mipapiri isikrobisa kulwazi olutsha ngoko kubhalwe kuyo, ikwasibonisa indlela ebekuthembeke ngayo ukukhutshelwa kweBhayibhile.”

UMPHUMO: Kunokuba ingxenge oko kuthethwa yiBhayibhile, imibhalo-ngqangi emininzi yakudala iye yayiphucula. UMhlekazi uFrederic Kenyon wabhala wathi ngeZibhalo ZamaKristu ZesiGrike: “Ayikho enye incwadi yamandulo enobungqina bakudala obuninzi kangaka ibe akukho mphandi unyanisekileyo onokuyiphika into yokuba iZibhalo esinazo zichanile.” Umphandi uWilliam Henry Green yena wathetha wenjenje ngeZibhalo zesiHebhere: “Ndicinga ukuba umntu angalikhupha litsole elokuba ayikho enye incwadi yamandulo eye yakhutshelwa ngokuchane kangaka.”

IBhayibhile iye yasinda. Ngenxa yoko, uyakwazi ukuba nayo nokuyifunda namhlanje. Xa unenguqulelo yeZibhalo efanelekileyo, ungaqiniseka ukuba ufunda ikopi onokuyithemba yemibhalo yokuqala.a Kodwa kutheni iBhayibhile iqhubeke ikho yaye amaxesha amaninzi kukho iingxelo ezibalaseleyo zokusinda kwayo nangona ibisenokonakala, ibichaswa ngokukrakra kwaye kutshintshwa ngabom oko kubhalwe kuyo? Yintoni le ikhetheke kangaka ngale ncwadi?

Abafundi abaninzi beBhayibhile bafikelele kwisigqibo esifanayo nesompostile uPawulos, owabhala wathi: “Sonke iSibhalo siphefumlelwe nguThixo.” (2 Timoti 3:16) Bakholelwa ukuba iBhayibhile iye yasinda ngenxa yokuba iliLizwi likaThixo elikhethekileyo yaye uThixo uye wayigcina ikhuselekile kude kube namhlanje. UFaizal, ebekuthethwe ngaye kwinqaku lokuqala kula athetha ngokusinda kweBhayibhile, ekugqibeleni wagqiba ekubeni akuhlole oko wayekuxelelwe ngeBhayibhile ngokuthi azifundele yona. Kwamothusa oko wakufundayo. Wafumanisa nokuba iimfundiso ezininzi eziphambili zeNgqobhoko azikho eBhayibhileni. Okungakumbi kukuba, wavuyiswa yinjongo kaThixo ngomhlaba ayichaze eLizwini lakhe.

Uthi: “Ndiqinisekile ukuba iBhayibhile endinayo, sisipho esivela kuThixo. Ngapha koko, ukuba uThixo wenze yonke indalo, akufanele ke ngoko ukuba unawo amandla okusinika incwadi nawokuyigcina ikhuselekile? Ukuba sicinga ngenye indlela sobe siwabekela umda amandla kaThixo. Ndingubani ke mna ukuba ndiwabekele umda amandla kaSomandla?”—Isaya 40:8.