UPawulu NoThimothewu

UThimothewu wayengumzalwane osemusha owayehlanganyela ebandleni laseListra. Ubaba wakhe wayengumGreki, umama wakhe engumJuda. Umama wakhe u-Evnike nogogo wakhe uLowisi bamfundisa ngoJehova kusukela esemncane.

Lapho uPawulu evakashela eListra ohambweni lwakhe lwesibili lokushumayela, waqaphela ukuthi uThimothewu wayebathanda ngempela abazalwane futhi wayezimisele ukubasiza. UPawulu wamema uThimothewu ukuba ahambe naye. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uPawulu waqeqesha uThimothewu ukuba abe umshumayeli onekhono nomfundisi wezindaba ezinhle.

Umoya ongcwele wawuhola uPawulu noThimothewu nomaphi lapho babeya khona. Ngobunye ubusuku embonweni, indoda ethile yatshela uPawulu ukuthi bawelele eMakedoniya bayosiza. Ngakho uPawulu, uThimothewu, uSila noLuka baya eMakedoniya ukuze bayoshumayela futhi bamise amabandla.

Edolobheni laseMakedoniya eThesalonika, amadoda nabesifazane abaningi baba amaKristu. Kodwa amanye amaJuda aba nomona ngoPawulu nayehamba nabo. Aqoqa isixuku sababamba sabayisa kubaphathi bedolobha, safike sathi: ‘La madoda ayizitha zikahulumeni waseRoma!’ Ukuphila kukaPawulu noThimothewu kwakusengozini, ngakho babaleka ebusuku baya eBhereya.

Abantu baseBhereya babezimisele ukuzwa izindaba ezinhle, kangangokuthi kokubili amaGreki namaJuda baba amaKristu. Kodwa amaJuda athile asuka eThesalonika eza lapho afike adala izinkinga, ngakho uPawulu wahamba waya e-Athene. UThimothewu noSila basala eBhereya ukuze baqinise abazalwane. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uPawulu wathi uThimothewu akaphindele eThesalonika ukuze asize abazalwane bakwazi ukukhuthazelela ushushiso olunzima ababebhekene nalo. Kamuva, uPawulu wathumela uThimothewu nakwamanye amabanda amaningana ukuze ayowakhuthaza.

UPawulu wathi kuThimothewu: ‘Labo abafuna ukukhonza uJehova bayoshushiswa.’ UThimothewu washushiswa futhi waboshelwa ukholo lwakhe. Wayelijabulela ithuba lokubonisa uJehova ukuthi uqotho kuye.

UPawulu wathi kwabaseFilipi: ‘Ngithumela uThimothewu kini. Uzonifundisa ukuthi kusho ukuthini ukuhamba eqinisweni futhi uzoniqeqesha ensimini.’ UPawulu wayemethemba uThimothewu. Basebenza iminyaka eminingi njengabangane nanjengezikhonzi.