UYesu Ukhetha USawule

USawule wayengumhlali waseRoma owazalelwa eTarso. WayengumFarisi owazi kakhulu uMthetho WamaYuda, yaye wayewacaphukela amaKristu. Wayerhuqela amadoda namabhinqa angamaKristu ngaphandle kwezindlu zawo aye kuwaphosa ejele. Wade wabukela umfundi uStefano egityiselwa ngamatye sisihlwele sabantu esasinomsindo de wafa.

USawule zange anele kukubamba amaKristu aseYerusalem, kodwa wacela umbingeleli omkhulu ukuba amthumele kwidolophu yaseDamasko ukuze aye kukhangela amanye amaKristu. Xa wayekufutshane naloo dolophu, kwabakho ukukhanya okukhanya kakhulu kwindawo awayekuyo waza wawa phantsi. Weva ilizwi elithi: ‘Sawule, kutheni unditshutshisa nje?’ USawule wabuza: ‘Ungubani?’ Impendulo yathi: ‘NdinguYesu. Yiya eDamasko, uza kuyiva khona into omawuyenze.’ Kusenjalo, uSawule wavele akabona, kwaza kwafuneka abanjwe xa esiya kuloo dolophu.

EDamasko kwakukho indoda engumKristu egama linguAnaniyas. UYesu wathi kuyo embonweni: ‘Yiya endlini kaYudas kwisitrato esibizwa ngokuba seSithe Tye, ukhangele uSawule.’ UAnaniyas wathi: ‘Nkosi, ndazi yonke into ngaloo ndoda! Ithatha abafundi bakho ibaphose ejele!’ Wathi uYesu kuye: ‘Yiya kuyo. Ndiyikhethile ukuba ishumayele iindaba ezilungileyo kwiintlanga ezininzi.’

UAnaniyas wamfumana uSawule waza wathi: ‘Sawule, mzalwana wam, uYesu undithume ukuba ndize kukuvula amehlo.’ Ngoko nangoko, uSawule waphinda wabona. Wafunda ngoYesu waza wangumlandeli wakhe. Xa wayesele ebhaptiziwe, uSawule washumayela kwizindlu awayekhonzela kuzo amaYuda, ehamba namanye amaKristu. Khawucinge indlela amele ukuba othuka ngayo amaYuda xa ebona uSawule efundisa abantu ngoYesu. Athi: ‘Asiyiyo na le ndoda yayitshutshisa abafundi bakaYesu?’

USawule wayeshumayela kubantu baseDamasko iminyaka eyi-3. AmaYuda amcaphukela afuna iindlela zokumbulala. Bathi bakuyiva loo nto abazalwana bamzimelisa ngokumfaka ebhaskithini baza bayihlisa ngodonga lwedolophu.

Waya eYerusalem, wazama ukudibana nabazalwana, kodwa babemoyika. Umfundi ogama linguBharnabhas wamsa kubapostile waza wabenza baqiniseka ukuba uguqukile. USawule waqhubeka eshumayela iindaba ezilungileyo nebandla eliseYerusalem. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, wabizwa ngokuba nguPawulos.