1-3. (a) Ngusiphi simo lesimatima Stefano labhekana naso futsi wenta njani? (b) Ngumiphi imibuto lesitawucoca ngayo?

 STEFANO usembikwenkantolo leyakhiwa ngemadvodza langu-71 lahlangene ehholeni lelikhulu, lokungenteka beliseJerusalema eceleni kwelithempeli. Lamuhla, leNkantolo YemaJuda ihlangene kuze yehlulele Stefano. Lamajaji lahlangene anemandla futsi aneligunya, kodvwa lamanyenti awo akamtsandzi lomfundzi waJesu. Ecinisweni, lendvodza lebite lenkantolo nguMphristi Lophakeme Khayafase lobekengamele iNkantolo YemaJuda ngalesikhatsi Jesu Khristu agwetjwa kutsi abulawe, etinyangeni letimbalwa ngaphambili. Loku kuyametfusa yini Stefano?

² Ngalesikhatsi, kukhona lokutsite lokunakekako ebusweni baStefano. Emajaji atsi nakambuka, abona buso bakhe “bunjengebuso bengilosi.” (Imis. 6:15) Tingilosi tihambisa umlayeto lovela kuJehova Nkulunkulu, ngenca yaloko tinekuthula futsi tite sizatfu sekwesaba. Nguleyo indlela naStefano lativa ngayo. Ngisho nalamajaji lagcwele inzondo ayakubona loko. Yini leyenta Stefano abe nekuthula?

³ Kunyenti lamuhla emaKhristu langakufundza emphendvulweni yalombuto. Sifuna nekwati kutsi yini leyente Stefano waba kulesimo lesimatima kangaka. Ukuvikele njani kukholwa kwakhe esikhatsini lesendlulile futsi ngutiphi tindlela tsine lesingamlingisa ngato?

4, 5. (a) Yini leyenta Stefano waba lusito ebandleni? (b) Stefano bekemukelwa “nguNkulunkulu futsi anemandla lamakhulu” ngayiphi indlela?

⁴ Sifundzile kutsi Stefano bekangumfundzi lolusito kulelibandla lebuKhristu lebeliselisha. Esehlukweni lesendlulile salencwadzi sibonile kutsi bekangulomunye wemadvodza langu-7 latfobekile futsi lebekanesifiso sekusita baphostoli lapho bekuvele sidzingo khona. Kutfobeka kwakhe kusimangalisa kakhulu nasikhumbula kutsi Nkulunkulu bekambusise ngetipho letinyenti. Encwadzini yeMisebenti 6:8 sifundza kutsi wenta “timangaliso netibonakaliso letinkhulu” njengobe bekwenta labanye baphostoli.  Siphindze sitjelwe kutsi bekemukelwa “nguNkulunkulu futsi anemandla lamakhulu.” Kusho kutsini loku?

⁵ Ligama lesiGriki lelihunyushwe ngekutsi “kwemukelwa nguNkulunkulu” lingaphindze lihunyushwe ngekutsi “kutfola umusa.” Kusebaleni kutsi Stefano bekanemusa futsi abaphatsa kahle labanye bantfu, lokwabenta bamtsandza kakhulu. Indlela lebekakhuluma ngayo beyenta labamlalele babone kutsi ucotfo, futsi loko lakushoko bekutawuzuzisa bona. Bekanemandla ngenca yekutsi umoya waJehova bewugcwele kuye, futsi ngekutfobeka wawuvumela kutsi umcondzise. Kunekutsi atikhukhumete ngenca yetipho lebekanato kanye netintfo lebekakhona kutenta, wanika Jehova lonkhe ludvumo futsi wakhombisa kutsi uyabatsandza labo lebekakhuluma nabo. Akumangalisi-ke kutsi labaphikisi bakhe bebambona ayingoti!

6-8. (a) Ngutiphi tintfo letimbili baphikisi baStefano labammangalela ngato, futsi leni? (b) Yini leyenta sibonelo saStefano sibe lusito kumaKhristu lamuhla?

⁶ Emadvodza lehlukahlukene asukuma kuze aphikise Stefano, kodvwa ehluleka ngobe Stefano ‘bekakhuluma ngekuhlakanipha futsi asitwa ngumoya longcwele.’ a Atfukutsele, lamadvodza “akhutsata bantfu ngasense” kutsi bamangalele lomlandzeli waKhristu longenacala. Aphindze “enta kutsi bantfu, nemadvodza lamadzala kanye netati temtsetfo basuse siphitsiphitsi” kuze Stefano ayiswe ngenkhani embikweNkantolo YemaJuda. (Imis. 6:9-12) Labaphikisi bammangalela nganati tintfo letimbili: Kuhlambalata Nkulunkulu, kanye nekuhlambalata Mosi. Wabahlambalata ngatiphi tindlela?

⁷ Labamangaleli bemanga bebatsi Stefano uhlambalate Nkulunkulu ngekutsi akhulume ngalokumelene ‘nendzawo lengcwele,’ lokulithempeli leliseJerusalema. (Imis. 6:13) Bebatsi uhlambalate Mosi ngekukhuluma kabi ngeMtsetfo waMosi, washintja nemasiko lebekendluliselwe nguye. Loku bekulicala lelikhulu ngobe ngaleso sikhatsi emaJuda bekanaka kakhulu lithempeli, imininingwane yeMtsetfo waMosi kanye nemasiko lamanyenti lebekandluliselwa ngemlomo lebekengetwe kuloMtsetfo. Ngako, lamacala bekasho kutsi Stefano bekayindvodza leyingoti futsi bekufanele abulawe!

⁸ Ngalokudzabukisako, kuyintfo levamile ngebantfu benkholo kutsi basebentise letindlela kuze babeke tikhonti taNkulunkulu emacala. Kuze kube ngulamuhla, baphikisi baletinye tinkholo bavamise kusebentisa bantfu labasemagunyeni kuze bahluphe BoFakazi BaJehova. Yini lokufanele siyente nasibekwa emacala langemanga? Kunyenti lesingakufundza kuStefano.

9, 10. Yini leyashiwo bagceki ngenkhulumo Stefano layisho embikweNkantolo yemaJuda, futsi yini tsine lokufanele siyikhumbule?

⁹ Njengobe kuvetiwe ekucaleni, buso baStefano bebunekuthula, bufana nebengilosi njengobe alalela lamacala lebekabekwa wona. Ngako, Khayafase  wabese ubuka Stefano watsi: “Kuliciniso yini loku labakushoko?” (Imis. 7:1) Nyalo besekulitfuba lekutsi aStefano akhulume, futsi nguloko kanye lakwenta!

¹⁰ Labanye baphikisi bayigceka lenkhulumo yaStefano, batsi ngisho nobe beyiyindze, kodvwa ayizange iyinikete imphendvulo yalamacala lebekabekwe wona. Nobe kunjalo, nasikhuluma liciniso, Stefano wasibekela sibonelo lesihamba embili sekuvikela tindzaba letimnandzi. (1 Pet. 3:15) Khumbula kutsi Stefano wabekwa emacala ekuhlambalata Nkulunkulu nekukhuluma ngalokumelene nelithempeli kanye nekuhlambalata Mosi ngekukhuluma ngalokumelene neMtsetfo. Imphendvulo yaStefano yafinca umlandvo wema-Israyeli lohlukene katsatfu futsi yagcizelela emaphuzu latsite labalulekile. Asesihlole incenye ngayinye kulomlandvo lohlukene katsatfu.

11, 12. (a) Stefano wasisebentisa njani kahle sibonelo sa-Abrahama? (b) Yini leyenta Stefano wakhuluma ngaJosefa kulenkhulumo yakhe?

¹¹ Ngesikhatsi kusaphila emadvodza letsembekile. (Imis. 7:1-16) Stefano wacale wakhuluma nga-Abrahama, lebekahlonishwa ngemaJuda ngenca yekukholwa kwakhe. Njengobe acala ngendzaba lebalulekile lebebavumelana ngayo, Stefano wagcizelela kutsi Jehova, “Nkulunkulu lokhatimulako,” wativeta kwekucala ku-Abrahama eMesophothamiya. (Imis. 7:2) Ecinisweni, Abrahama bekasihambi eVeni Lesetsembiso. Abrahama bekete lithempeli, futsi bekete neMtsetfo waMosi. Umuntfu angasho njani kutsi kwetsembeka kuNkulunkulu kufanele kuye ngekutsi kunelithempeli yini nobe imitsetfo letsite?

¹² Josefa lobekayintalelwane ya-Abrahama naye bekahlonishwa kakhulu ngulabantfu lebebalalele Stefano, futsi Stefano wabakhumbuta kutsi bomnakaboJosefa, lokubantfu lokwasungulwa ngabo lesive saka-Israyeli bahlupha Josefa lobekayindvodza lelungile futsi bamtsengisela ebugcilini. Nobe kunjalo, wasetjentiswa nguNkulunkulu kuze asindzise ema-Israyeli endlaleni. Asingabati kutsi Stefano bekakubona kufana lokukhona emkhatsini waJosefa naJesu Khristu, kodvwa akazange akuvete kuze labo lebebamlalele bachubeke bamlalela.

13. Kukhuluma kwaStefano ngaMosi kwamsita njani ekuphendvuleni emacala lebekabekwe wona, futsi nguliphi liphuzu lelibalulekile laliveta?

¹³ Ngesikhatsi saMosi. (Imis. 7:17-43) Ngekuhlakanipha, Stefano washo lokunyenti ngaMosi, ngenca yekutsi emalunga lamanyenti eNkantolo YemaJuda bekabaSadusi lebebangatifuni tonkhe tincwadzi teliBhayibheli  ngaphandle kwaleto lebetibhalwe nguMosi. Khumbula nekutsi bekabekwe licala lekuhlambalata Mosi. Emavi aStefano aliphendvula ngalokucondzile lelicala lebekabekwe lona ngobe wakhombisa kutsi bekamhlonipha kakhulu Mosi, futsi awuhlonipha neMtsetfo. (Imis. 7:38) Waveta nekutsi Mosi akemukelwanga ngisho nangulabo lebeketama kubasindzisa. Ngesikhatsi Mosi aneminyaka lengu-40 budzala, bakhombisa kutsi abamemukeli kutsi abe ngumholi wabo, futsi ngemuva kweminyaka lengu-40 bakhombisa tikhatsi letehlukahlukene kutsi solo abamemukeli. b Ngako Stefano waveta nali liphuzu lelibalulekile: Bantfu baNkulunkulu bebachubeka bangabemukeli labo Jehova lababeke kutsi babahole.

14. Kukhuluma kwaStefano ngelithempeli laMosi kwasekela liphi liphuzu?

¹⁴ Stefano wakhumbuta labo lebebamlalele kutsi Mosi bekaphrofethile kutsi bekutawuba nemphrofethi lobekatawuba njengaye ka-Israyeli. Bekutawuba ngubani lomphrofethi futsi bekatawemukelwa njani? Timphendvulo talemibuto Stefano bekatativeta ekugcineni kwalenkhulumo yakhe. Stefano waveta nali lelinye liphuzu lelibalulekile: Mosi wafundza kutsi nome ngabe nguyiphi indzawo ingentiwa ibe ngcwele, njengalapho Jehova akhuluma naye kulendzawo lebeyinesihlahla lesivutsa umlilo. Ngako, Jehova kufanele akhontelwe endzaweni yinye kuphela yini, njengasethempelini lebeliseJerusalema? Asesibone.

15, 16. (a) Bekubaluleke ngani kutsi Stefano akhulume ngelithende lekukhontela? (b) Stefano walisebentisa njani lithempeli laSolomoni kuloko lebekakhuluma ngako?

¹⁵ Lithende lekukhontela kanye nelithempeli. (Imis. 7:44-50) Stefano wakhumbuta lenkantolo kutsi ngaphambi kwekutsi kube nelithempeli eJerusalema, Nkulunkulu watjela Mosi kutsi akhe lithende lekukhontela, lokusakhiwo lesitfutsekako lesifana nelithende kuze kukhontwe kuso. Ngako kute lebekangatsi lithende lekukhontela belingakabaluleki kunelithempeli ngobe Mosi ngekwakhe wakhonta kulo.

¹⁶ Kamuva ngesikhatsi Solomoni acedza kwakha lithempeli eJerusalema, waphefumulelwa kutsi avete sifundvo lesibalulekile emthantazweni wakhe. Kunjengobe Stefano asho, “Losetikwako Konkhe akahlali etindlini letakhiwe ngetandla.” (Imis. 7:48; 2 Khr. 6:18) Jehova angasebentisa lithempeli kuze afeze tinjongo takhe, kodvwa loko akumvimbeli kutsi asebentise naletinye tindzawo. Ngako-ke yini lengenta tikhonti takhe tive shengatsi kukhonta lokuhlantekile kuya ngesakhiwo lesentiwe bantfu? Stefano wephetsa lenkhulumo yakhe ngemavi lanemandla lawacaphuna encwadzini ya-Isaya latsi: “Naku lokushiwo nguJehova: ‘Emazulu asihlalo sami sebukhosi futsi umhlaba usenabelo setinyawo tami. Iphi-ke indlu lenitangakhela yona, futsi iphi indzawo yami yekuphumula? Sandla sami ngiso lesente tonkhe letintfo, futsi lena ngiyo indlela letaba khona ngayo.’”​—Imis. 7:49, 50; Isa. 66:1, 2.

17. Inkhulumo yaStefano (a) yasiveta njani simo sengcondvo salabo lebebamlalele futsi (b) yawaphendvula njani emacala lebekamangalelwe ngawo?

¹⁷ Njengobe ubuketa lenkhulumo yaStefano layisho embikweNkantolo YemaJuda, awuvumi yini kutsi ngekuhlakanipha wakwenta kwacaca kutsi labo  lebebambeke licala bebanesimo sengcondvo lesibi? Wakhombisa kutsi injongo yaJehova ichubekela embili futsi ayikemi ndzawonye nobe isekelwe esikweni lelitsite. Labo lebebahlonipha futsi batsandza kakhulu lesakhiwo selithempeli lebesiseJerusalema kanye nemasiko lebekasekelwe eMtsetfweni waMosi, behluleka kucondza injongo yaloMtsetfo kanye nalelithempeli! Ngetindlela letibhacile, Stefano wababuta lombuto lobalulekile: Indlela lencono yekuhlonipha uMtsetfo kanye nelithempeli akusiko yini kulalela Jehova? Ecinisweni, emavi aStefano aveta indlela lenhle kakhulu yekutiphendvulela ngenca yetento takhe ngobe bekente konkhe lokusemandleni akhe kuze alalele Jehova.

18. Ngutiphi tindlela lesingamlingisa ngato Stefano?

¹⁸ Yini lesingayifundza enkhulumweni yaStefano? Bekayati kahle imiBhalo. Ngendlela lefanako, natsi kudzingeka sibe bafundzi beliVi laNkulunkulu labatimisele kuze siphatse “livi leliciniso ngendlela lefanele.” (2 Thim. 2:15) Sibonelo saStefano singaphindze sisifundzise ngekuba nemusa kanye nangekuhlakanipha nasifundzisa labanye. Tilaleli takhe betinelunya futsi tilwisana naye! Nobe kunjalo, wenta konkhe langakwenta kuze akhulume ngaloko lebebavumelana ngako, lokwakutintfo lebetihlonishwa ngulamadvodza. Wakhuluma nabo ngenhlonipho futsi abita emadvodza lamadzala ngekutsi “bobabe.” (Imis. 7:2) Natsi kudzingeka sikhulume emaciniso eliVi laNkulunkulu “ngemoya lophansi nangenhlonipho lenkhulu.”​—1 Phet. 3:15.

19. Stefano wawetfula njani ngesibindzi umlayeto wesehlulelo saJehova embikweNkantolo YemaJuda?

¹⁹ Asiyekeli kutjela labanye emaciniso laseVini laNkulunkulu ngenca yekutsi sesaba kubavisa buhlungu, nobe sitsambise umlayeto wesehlulelo saJehova. Stefano ubeka sibonelo lesihle. Asingabati kutsi bekabona kutsi bonkhe lobufakazi labuniketako embikwaleNkantolo YemaJuda bebungawatsintsi lamajaji lanetinhlitiyo letilukhuni. Ngako, achutjwa ngumoya longcwele, waphetsa lenkhulumo yakhe ngekuveta ngaphandle kwekwesaba kutsi labantfu bebenta njengabokhokho babo labangazange bamemukele Josefa, Mosi kanye nabo bonkhe labanye baphrofethi. (Imis. 7:51-53) Ecinisweni, lamajaji aleNkantolo YemaJuda bekabulele Mesiya, loyo Mosi kanye nabo bonkhe labanye baphrofethi lebebaphrofethe ngekufika kwakhe. Bebaphule uMtsetfo waMosi ngelizinga lelikhulu kakhulu!

20, 21. INkantolo YemaJuda yenta njani nayiva loko lobekushiwo nguStefano, futsi Jehova wamcinisa njani?

²⁰ Liciniso lelingeke liphikwe kutsi loko lokwashiwo nguStefano kwawatfukutselisa kakhulu lamajaji. Alahlekelwe ngiko konkhe kutihlonipha, lamadvodza aveta indlela lebekamtfukutselele ngayo Stefano. Kungenteka lendvodza leyetsembekile beyibona kutsi angeke baze bayivele njengobe nje neNkhosi yayo Jesu bangazange bayivele.

²¹ Stefano bekadzinga kuba nesibindzi kuze abhekane naloko lobekuseta, futsi asingabati kutsi wakhutsatwa kakhulu ngumbono lobewuvela kuJehova. Wabona inkhatimulo yaNkulunkulu futsi wabona Jesu eme ngesekudla saJehova. Njengobe Stefano achaza lombono, lamajaji avala tindlebe tawo. Leni? Ngobe Jesu bekake  watjela lenkantolo intfo lefanako, lokukutsi bekanguMesiya futsi madvutane bekatawuma ngesekudla saBabe wakhe. (Mak. 14:62) Lombono waStefano wafakazela kutsi loko lokwashiwo nguJesu bekuliciniso. Ecinisweni, leNkantolo YemaJuda beyimmangalele ngemanga Mesiya futsi yagcina imbulele. Ngasikhatsi sinye, bonkhe bagijima bayogcoba Stefano ngematje bambulala. c

22, 23. Kufa kwaStefano kufana ngatiphi tindlela nekweNkhosi yakhe, futsi emaKhristu alamuhla angakulingisa njani kuba nesibindzi kwaStefano?

²² Stefano wafa ngendlela lefanako neyeNkhosi yakhe, anekuthula, etsembele kuJehova, futsi abacolele labo lebebambulala. Watsi, “Nkhosi Jesu, yemukela umoya wami,” lokungenteka bekasolo asabona lombono weNdvodzana yemuntfu ime naJehova. Akungabateki kutsi Stefano bekawati emavi aJesu lakhutsatako latsi: “Mine ngikuvuka nekuphila.” (Joh. 11:25) Ekugcineni, Stefano wathantaza ngalokucondzile kuNkulunkulu ngelivi lelivakalako, watsi: “Jehova, ungababeki licala ngaloku.” Ngemuva kwekusho lamavi, wafa.​—Imis. 7:59, 60.

²³ Ngako Stefano waba ngumlandzeli waKhristu wekucala lowafela kukholwa kwakhe lokubhalwe ngaye. (Buka libhokisi lelitsi “ Kusho Kutsini Kutsi ‘Wafela Kukholwa Kwakhe’?” lelisekhasini 48.) Lokudzabukisako kutsi bekangeke aze abe wekugcina. Kuze kube ngulamuhla, letinye tikhonti taJehova letetsembekile, tibulewe bantfu labatsandza inkholo, tepolitiki kanye nalabanye baphikisi labanelunya. Nobe kunjalo, natsi sinesizatfu sekuba nesibindzi njengaStefano. Nyalo, Jesu ubusa njengeNkhosi, futsi unemandla lamakhulu lawaniketwe nguBabe wakhe. Kute lokungamvimba kutsi avuse balandzeli bakhe labetsembekile.​—Joh. 5:28, 29.

24. Sawula wasifaka njani sandla ekubulaweni kwaStefano ngenca yekukholwa kwakhe, futsi ngumiphi imiphumela leyaba khona, nalebeyitawuhlala sikhatsi lesidze ngenca yalokubulawa kwalendvodza leyetsembekile?

²⁴ Bekunelijaha lokutsiwa nguSawula lebelibukela ngesikhatsi kwenteka konkhe loku. Sawula wakusekela kubulawa kwaStefano. Waze wagadza tembatfo talabo lebebamgcoba ngematje. Ngekushesha ngemuva kwaloko, wahola ekuhlupheni ngelunya bantfu baNkulunkulu, kodvwa kufa kwaStefano bekutawuba nemiphumela lemihle lebeyitawuhlala sikhatsi lesidze. Sibonelo sakhe besitawukhutsata lamanye emaKhristu kutsi ahlale etsembekile futsi ancobe ngendlela lefanako. Ngetulu kwaloko, Sawula, lobekatawubitwa ngekutsi nguPawula ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, bekatawubuka emuva endzimeni layidlala ekubulaweni kwaStefano futsi abe nemuva welicala. (Imis. 22:20) Waba nesandla ekubulaweni kwaStefano futsi ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi watsi, “Bengihlambalata, ngihlupha labanye futsi ngedzelela.” (1 Thim. 1:13) Kuyacaca kutsi Pawula akazange amkhohlwe Stefano kanye nalenkhulumo yakhe lenemandla layetfula ngalelolanga. Ecinisweni, letinye tintfo Pawula lakhuluma ngato nalatibhala, betitsetfwe enkhulumeni yaStefano. (Imis. 7:48; 17:24; Heb. 9:24) Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, Pawula wafundza kulandzela sibonelo sekukholwa nesesibindzi lesabekwa nguStefano, indvodza ‘lebeyemukelwa nguNkulunkulu futsi inemandla lamakhulu.’ Umbuto ukutsi, tsine sitasilandzela yini?