1, 2. ʻI he ngaahi founga fē ʻoku hoko ai ʻa e Tohi Tapú ko ha meʻaʻofa fakaueʻiloto mei he ʻOtuá?

 ʻOKU lava ke ke manatu ki ha taimi naʻá ke maʻu ai ha meʻaʻofa lelei mei ha kaumeʻa ʻofeina? ʻOku ngalingali ko e meʻa naʻe hokosiá naʻe ʻikai ngata pē ʻi heʻene fakaueʻilotó ka naʻe toe fakalotomāfana foki. He ko ē, ʻoku tala atu ʻe he meʻaʻofá kiate koe ʻa e meʻa fekauʻaki mo e tokotaha-foakí—ko iá ʻokú ne fakamahuʻingaʻi ho tuʻunga ko e kaumeʻá. ʻOku ʻikai ha veiveiua naʻá ke fakahaaʻi ʻa e houngaʻia ki he meʻaʻofa naʻe ʻosi fakakaukauʻi lelei ʻe ho kaumeʻá.

² Ko e Tohi Tapú ko ha meʻaʻofa ia mei he ʻOtuá, ko e meʻaʻofa ʻa ia ʻoku lava ke tau houngaʻia moʻoni ai. Ko e tohi laulōtahá ni ʻoku fakaeʻa ai ʻa e ngaahi meʻa ʻa ia naʻe ʻikai ʻaupito ke tau mei lava ʻo maʻu ka ne ʻikai ia. Ko e fakatātaá, ʻokú ne talanoa mai kiate kitautolu fekauʻaki mo e fakatupu ʻo e langi fetuʻuá, ko e māmaní pea mo e ʻuluaki tangatá mo e fefiné. ʻOku ʻi he Tohi Tapú ʻa e ngaahi tefitoʻi moʻoni alafalalaʻanga ke tokoniʻi kitautolu ke fekuki mo e ngaahi palopalema pea mo e loto-moʻua ʻi he moʻuí. ʻOku fakamatala mai ai ki he founga ʻe fakahokoʻaki ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻa ʻene taumuʻá pea fakahoko mai ha ngaahi tuʻunga lelei ange ki he māmaní. He meʻaʻofa fakaueʻiloto moʻoni ē ko e Tohi Tapú!

3. Ko e hā ʻoku hanga ʻe hono tokonaki mai ʻo e Tohi Tapú ʻo tala mai kiate kitautolu fekauʻaki mo Sihová, pea ko e hā ʻoku fakalotomāfana ai ení?

 ³ Ko e Tohi Tapú ko ha toe meʻaʻofa fakalotomāfana ia, he ʻokú ne fakaeʻa ʻa e meʻa fekauʻaki mo e Tokotaha-Foakí, ʻa Sihova ko e ʻOtuá. Ko e moʻoniʻi meʻa ko ia ʻa ʻene tokonaki mai ha tohi peheé ko e fakamoʻoni ia ʻokú ne loto ke tau hoko ʻo ʻiloʻi lelei ia. Ko e moʻoni, ʻe lava ke tokoniʻi koe ʻe he Tohi Tapú ke ke ʻunuʻunu ofi kia Sihova.

4. Ko e hā ʻoku maongo kiate koe fekauʻaki mo hono tufaki ʻo e Tohi Tapú?

⁴ Kapau ʻokú ke maʻu ha tatau ʻo e Tohi Tapú, ʻoku ʻikai ko koe pē tokotaha. Kuo pulusi kakato pe ʻi hano konga ʻa e Tohi Tapú ʻi he lea laka hake he 2,300 pea ko ia ʻoku ala maʻu ai ʻe he kakai laka hake he peseti ʻe 90 ʻo e māmaní. ʻI he fakaʻavalisí, ko e Tohi Tapu laka hake he milioná ʻoku tufaki ʻi he uike taki taha! Kuo faʻu ʻa e ngaahi tatau ʻe laui piliona ʻo e Tohi Tapú fakakātoa pe ko hano konga. Ko e moʻoni, ʻoku ʻikai ha toe tohi kehe ʻe hangē ko e Tohi Tapú.

5. ʻI he founga fē “ne fakamanava mei he ʻOtua” ai ʻa e Tohi Tapú?

⁵ ʻIkai ko ia pē, ko e Tohi Tapú “ne fakamanava mei he ʻOtua.” (2 Timote 3:16) ʻI he founga fē? ʻOku tali mai ia ʻe he Tohi Tapú tonu: “Naʻe lea mei he ʻOtua ha kau tangata ʻi he takina kinautolu ʻe he Laumalie Maʻoniʻoni.” (2 Pita 1:21) Ke fakatātaaʻi:  ʻOku ʻai nai ʻe ha tangata pisinisi ha sekelitali ke ne fai ha tohi. ʻOku ʻi he tohi ko iá ʻa e ngaahi fakakaukau mo e fakahinohino ʻa e tangata pisinisí. Ko ia ai, ko ʻene tohi moʻoni ia ʻaʻana, ʻo ʻikai ko e tohi ʻa e sekelitalí. ʻI ha founga meimei tatau, ʻoku ʻi he Tohi Tapú ʻa e pōpoaki ʻa e ʻOtuá, ʻo ʻikai ko e kau tangata naʻa nau tohi iá. Ko ia ai, ko e moʻoni ko e Tohi Tapú fakakātoa ko e “folofola [ia] ʻa e ʻOtua.”—1 Tesalonaika 2:13.

6, 7. Ko e hā ʻoku tautefito ai ʻa e taau ke fakatokangaʻi ʻa e feongoongoi ʻo e fakamatala ʻi he Tohi Tapú?

⁶ Naʻe tohi ʻa e Tohi Tapú ʻo laka hake ʻi ha vahaʻa taimi ko e taʻu ʻe 1,600. Ko e faʻahinga naʻa nau tohí naʻa nau moʻui ʻi he ngaahi taimi kehekehe pea haʻu mei he ngaahi tuʻunga kehekehe ʻo e moʻuí. Ko e niʻihi ko e kau faama, kau toutai mo e kau tauhi-sipi. Ko e niʻihi kehé ko e kau palōfita, kau fakamaau mo e ngaahi tuʻi. Ko e tokotaha-tohi Kōsipeli ko Luké ko ha toketā ia. Neongo ʻa e ngaahi puipuituʻa kehekehe ʻo hono kau hiki-tohí, ʻoku feongoongoi ʻa e Tohi Tapú mei he kamataʻangá ki he ngataʻangá. a

⁷ Ko e ʻuluaki tohi ʻo e Tohi Tapú ʻoku tala mai ai kiate kitautolu ʻa e ʻuhinga naʻe kamata ai ʻa e ngaahi palopalema ʻa e faʻahinga ʻo e tangatá. ʻOku fakahaaʻi ʻe he tohi fakaʻosí ʻe hoko ʻa e māmaní fakakātoa ko ha palataisi, pe ngoue. Ko e fakamatala kotoa ʻi he Tohi Tapú ʻokú ne kāpui ʻa e taʻu ʻe laui afe ʻo e hisitōliá pea ʻoku fakamatala ai ʻi ha founga ki hono fakahaaʻi ʻa e taumuʻa ʻa e ʻOtuá. Ko e feongoongoi ʻa e Tohi Tapú ʻoku fakaueʻiloto, ka ko e meʻa ia te tau ʻamanekina mei ha tohi mei he ʻOtuá.

8. ʻOmai ha ngaahi fakatātā ʻoku fakahaaʻi ai ko e Tohi Tapú ʻoku tonu fakasaienisi.

⁸ Ko e Tohi Tapú ʻoku tonu fakasaienisi ia. ʻOku aʻu ʻo ʻi ai ʻa e fakamatala ʻa ia naʻe ʻi muʻa mamaʻo ia ʻi hono taimí. Ko e fakatātaá, ʻoku ʻi he tohi Livitikó ʻa e ngaahi lao ki ʻIsileli ʻo e kuonga  muʻá ʻi he kolonitiní mo e haisiní ʻi he taimi naʻe ʻikai ʻiloʻi ai ha meʻa ʻe taha ʻe he ngaahi puleʻanga takatakaí fekauʻaki mo e ngaahi meʻa peheé. ʻI ha taimi ʻa ia naʻe ʻi ai ai ʻa e ngaahi fakakaukau hala fekauʻaki mo e fuo ʻo e foʻi māmaní, naʻe lave ʻa e Tohi Tapú ki ai ko ha foʻi siakale, pe fuopotopoto. (Aisea 40:22) Naʻe tala totonu ʻe he Tohi Tapú ko e foʻi māmaní ʻoku ‘tautau ki he atā noabeé.’ (Siope 26:​7, PM) Ko e moʻoni, ko e Tohi Tapú ʻoku ʻikai ko ha tohi ako saienisi ia. Ka ʻi he taimi ʻoku lave ai ki he ngaahi meʻa fakasaienisí, ʻoku tonu ia. ʻIkai ko e meʻa eni te tau ʻamanekina mei ha tohi mei he ʻOtuá?

9. (a) ʻI he ngaahi founga fē ʻoku fakahaaʻi ai ʻe he Tohi Tapú ʻa ia tonu ʻoku tonu mo alafalalaʻanga fakahisitōliá? (e) Ko e hā ʻoku tala atu kiate koe ʻe he faitotonu ʻa hono kau hiki-tohí ʻo fekauʻaki mo e Tohi Tapú?

⁹ Ko e Tohi Tapú ʻoku toe tonu mo alafalalaʻanga fakahisitōlia ia. Ko ʻene ngaahi fakamatalá ʻoku pau. ʻOku kau ai ʻo ʻikai ko e ngaahi hingoá pē kae toe pehē foki ki he laine hohoko ʻo e faʻahinga tāutaha. b ʻI he kehe mei he kau faihisitōlia ʻo e māmaní, ʻa ia ʻoku ʻikai te nau faʻa lave ki he ngaahi ʻulungia ʻa honau kakaí tonu, ko e kau hiki Tohi Tapú naʻa nau faitotonu, naʻa mo hono lēkooti ʻenau ngaahi taʻelavameʻá tonu mo e taʻelavameʻa ʻa honau fonuá. Hangē ko ení, ʻi he tohi Fakatohitapu ʻa Nomipá, ʻoku fakahaaʻi ai ʻe he tokotaha-tohi ko Mōsesé ʻa ʻene hala mamafa ʻaʻaná ʻa ia naʻe valokiʻi fefeka ai ia. (Nomipa 20:​2-12) Ko e faitotonu peheé ʻoku hāhāmolofia ia ʻi he ngaahi fakamatala fakahisitōlia kehé ka ʻoku maʻu ia ʻi he Tohi Tapú koeʻuhí ko ha tohi ia mei he ʻOtuá.

10. Ko e hā ʻoku ʻikai fakaʻohovale ai ʻa e pehē ko ia ko e Tohi Tapú ko ha tohi ʻaongá?

¹⁰ Koeʻuhi ko e Tohi Tapú ko e fakamānava ia ʻa e ʻOtuá, ʻoku “ʻaonga foki ki he akonaki, ki he fakaʻilo hala, ki he fakatonutonu.” (2 Timote 3:16) ʻIo, ko e Tohi Tapú ko ha tohi ʻaonga ia. ʻOku tapua mai ai ha mahino loloto fekauʻaki mo e natula fakaetangatá. ʻOku ʻikai ha ofo ai, he ko hono Faʻu-Tohí, ʻa Sihova ko e ʻOtuá, ʻa e Tokotaha-Fakatupú! ʻOkú ne mahinoʻi ʻetau  fakakaukaú mo e ngaahi ongoʻí ʻo lelei ange ia ʻia kitautolu. ʻIkai ko ia pē, ʻoku ʻafioʻi ʻe Sihova ʻa e meʻa ʻoku tau fiemaʻu koeʻuhi ke hoko ai ʻo fiefiá. ʻOkú ne toe ʻafioʻi ʻa e ngaahi ʻalunga ʻoku totonu ke tau fakaʻehiʻehi mei aí.

11, 12. (a) Ko e hā ʻa e ngaahi tuʻunga-lea naʻe lāulea ki ai ʻa Sīsū ʻi heʻene Malanga ʻi he Moʻungá? (e) Ko e hā ʻa e ngaahi meʻa ʻaonga kehe ʻoku lāulea ki ai ʻi he Tohi Tapú, pea ko e hā ʻoku taʻefakangatangata ai ʻa ʻene akonakí?

¹¹ Fakakaukau angé ki he lea ʻa Sīsū ʻoku ui ko e Malanga  ʻi he Moʻungá, ʻoku lēkooti ʻi he Mātiu vahe 5 ki he 7. ʻI he ngāue mataotao ko eni ʻo e faiakó, naʻe lea ai ʻa Sīsū ʻi ha ngaahi tuʻunga-lea lahi, ʻo kau ai ʻa e founga ke maʻu ai ʻa e fiefia moʻoní, founga ke fakaleleiʻi ai ʻa e ngaahi fekīhiakí, founga ke lotu aí mo e founga ke maʻu ai ha vakai totonu ki he ngaahi meʻa fakamatelié. ʻOku mālohi mo ʻaonga tatau pē ʻa e ngaahi lea ʻa Sīsuú ʻi he ʻahó ni mo e taimi ko ia naʻá ne leaʻaki ai iá.

¹² Ko e ngaahi tefitoʻi moʻoni Fakatohitapu ʻe niʻihi ʻoku fekauʻaki ia mo e moʻui fakafāmilí, ngaahi tōʻonga ngāué pea mo e ngaahi vahaʻangatae mo e niʻihi kehé. Ko e ngaahi tefitoʻi moʻoni ʻa e Tohi Tapú ʻoku ngāueʻaki ia ki he kakai kotoa pē, pea ko ʻene akonakí ʻoku ʻaonga maʻu pē ia. Ko e poto ʻoku maʻu ʻi he Tohi Tapú ʻoku fakamatalaʻi fakanounou ia ʻe he ngaahi folofola ʻa e ʻOtuá fakafou ʻi he palōfita ko ʻAiseá: “Ko au Sihova ko ho ʻOtua, ʻoku ou ako koe ke fai meʻa ʻaonga.”—Aisea 48:17.

13. Ko e hā ʻa e ngaahi fakaikiiki naʻe fakamānavaʻi ʻe Sihova ʻa e palōfita ko ʻAiseá ke ne lēkooti fekauʻaki mo Pāpiloné?

¹³ ʻOku ʻi he Tohi Tapú ʻa e ngaahi kikite lahi, ʻa ia ko e lahi aí kuo ʻosi fakahoko. Vakai angé ki ha fakatātā. Fakafou ʻi he palōfita ko ʻAiseá, ʻa ia naʻe moʻui ʻi he senituli hono valu K.M., naʻe tomuʻa tala ai ʻe Sihova ʻe fakaʻauha ʻa e kolo ko Pāpiloné. (Aisea 13:19; 14:​22, 23) Naʻe ʻomai ai ʻa e ngaahi fakaikiiki ke fakahaaʻi ʻa e founga tofu pē ko ia ʻe ikunaʻi ai ʻa e koló. ʻE fakamaha ʻe ha kau tau fakatūʻuta ʻa e vaitafe Pāpiloné pea laka atu ki he loto koló ʻo ʻikai fai ha tau. ʻOku ʻikai ko ia pē. Ko e kikite ʻa ʻAiseá naʻe aʻu ʻo tala ai ʻa e hingoa ʻo e tuʻi ʻa ia te ne ikunaʻi ʻa Pāpiloné—ko Kōlesi.—Aisea 44:​27–45:2.

14, 15. Naʻe anga-fēfē ʻa hono fakahoko ha ngaahi fakaikiiki ʻo e kikite ʻa ʻAisea fekauʻaki mo Pāpiloné?

¹⁴ ʻI ha taʻu nai ʻe 200 ki mui ai—ʻi he pō 5/6 ʻo ʻOkatopa, 539 K.M.—naʻe ʻapitanga ai ha kau tau ofi ki Pāpilone. Ko hai hono ʻeiki-taú? Ko ha tuʻi Pēsia ko Kōlesi. Naʻe teuteu ai ʻa e halá ki hono fakahoko ʻo ha kikite fakaofo. Ka ʻe fakatūʻuta ʻa e kau tau ʻa Kōlesí ʻi Pāpilone ʻo ʻikai fai ha tau, hangē ko ia ne tomuʻa talá?

¹⁵ Naʻe fai ʻe he kau Pāpiloné ha kātoanga ʻi he pō ko iá pea naʻa nau ongoʻi malu ʻi loto ʻi honau ngaahi fuʻu ʻā lalahi ʻo e  koló. Lolotonga ení, naʻe afeʻi pōtoʻi ʻe Kōlesi ʻa e vai ʻo e vaitafé ʻa ia naʻe tafe mai ki he koló. Naʻe vave ai ʻa e mamaha feʻunga ʻa e vaí ki heʻene kau tangatá ke nau kolosi ʻi he vaitafé pea fakaofiofi ai ki he ngaahi ʻā ʻo e koló. Ka ʻe anga-fēfē ʻa e fakalaka atu ʻa e kau tau ʻa Kōlesí ʻi he ngaahi ʻā ʻo Pāpiloné? ʻI ha ʻuhinga, naʻe tuku fakaava taʻetokanga ai ʻi he pō ko iá ʻa e ngaahi matapā ki he koló!

16. (a) Ko e hā naʻe tomuʻa tala ʻe ʻAisea fekauʻaki mo e ikuʻanga fakaʻosi ʻo Pāpiloné? (e) Naʻe anga-fēfē hono fakahoko ʻa e kikite ʻa ʻAisea fekauʻaki mo e fakaʻauha ʻo Pāpiloné?

¹⁶ ʻI he fekauʻaki mo Pāpiloné, naʻe tomuʻa tala: “ʻE ʻikai nofoʻanga ʻi ha toʻutangata mo ha toʻutangata: pea ʻe ʻikai fokotuʻu teniti ai ʻe he Alepea; pea ko e kau tauhisipi ʻoku ʻikai te nau fakatokoto ai ʻenau fanga manu.” (Aisea 13:20) Ko e kikité ni naʻe ʻikai ngata pē ʻi heʻene tala ki muʻa ʻa e tō ʻa e koló. Naʻe fakahaaʻi ai ko Pāpiloné ʻe fakaʻauha tuʻuloa. ʻOku lava ke ke sio ki he fakamoʻoni ʻo hono fakahoko ʻo e ngaahi leá ni. Ko e tuʻuʻanga taʻenofoʻi ʻo Pāpilone motuʻá—ʻi he kilomita nai ʻe 80 ki he fakatonga ʻo Baghdad, ʻIulakí⁠—ko e fakamoʻoni ia ko e meʻa naʻe folofolaʻaki ʻe Sihova fakafou ʻia ʻAiseá kuo ʻosi fakahoko: “Te u tafi ia ʻaki ʻa e meʻatafi ʻa Fakaʻauha.”—Aisea 14:​22, 23. c

17. ʻOku anga-fēfē ʻa e fakatupu tui mālohi ʻa hono fakahoko ʻo e kikite ʻa e Tohi Tapú?

 ¹⁷ Ko e fakakaukau atu ki he Tohi Tapú ko ha tohi ʻo e kikite alafalalaʻangá ʻoku fakatupu tui mālohi, ʻikai ko ia? He ko ē, kapau kuo fakahoko ʻe Sihova ko e ʻOtuá ʻa ʻene ngaahi palōmesi ʻi he kuohilí, ʻoku tau maʻu ai ʻa e ʻuhinga kotoa ke tuipau ai te ne toe fakahoko ʻa ʻene palōmesi ki ha māmani palataisí. (Nomipa 23:19) Ko e moʻoni, ʻoku tau maʻu ʻa e “ʻamanaki ki he moʻui taʻengata, ʻa ia ne talaʻofa ʻe he ʻOtua taʻe faʻa loi mei he ngaahi kuonga ʻo itaniti.”—Taitusi 1:2. d

18. Ko e hā ʻa e fakamatala mālohi ʻoku fai ʻe he ʻapositolo Kalisitiane ko Paulá ʻo fekauʻaki mo e “folofola ʻa e ʻOtua”?

¹⁸ Mei he meʻa kuo tau lāulea ki ai ʻi he vahe ko ení, ʻoku hā mahino ai ko e Tohi Tapú ko ha tohi laulōtaha moʻoni ia. Neongo ia, ko hono mahuʻingá ʻoku fakalaka mamaʻo  atu ia ʻi heʻene feongoongoi ʻi lotó, ʻa ʻene tonu fakasaienisi mo fakahisitōliá, poto ʻaonga mo e kikite alafalalaʻangá. Ko e ʻapositolo Kalisitiane ko Paulá naʻá ne tohi: “Ko e folofola ʻa e ʻOtua, ko e koto moʻui mo e koto malohi, pea masila ange ʻi he heleta fakatoumata fuape; ʻo ne ʻasi atu ʻo māioioʻi ʻa e loto mo e laumalie, ʻio, hono ngaahi hokonga mo e uho; pea ʻoku ne vavangaʻi ʻa e ngaahi holi mo e fakakaukau ʻo e loto.”—Hepelu 4:12.

19, 20. (a) ʻE lava fēfē ke tokoniʻi koe ʻe he Tohi Tapú ke ke sivisiviʻi ʻa koe tonu? (e) ʻE lava fēfē ke ke fakahaaʻi ʻa hoʻo houngaʻia ki he meʻaʻofa laulōtaha ʻa e ʻOtuá, ko e Tohi Tapú?

¹⁹ Ko hono lau ʻa e “folofola,” pe pōpoaki ʻa e ʻOtuá, ʻi he Tohi Tapú ʻe lava ke ne liliu ʻetau moʻuí. ʻE lava ke ne tokoniʻi kitautolu ke tau sivisiviʻi kitautolu ʻo ʻikai ha toe taimi pehē ki muʻa. Te tau taukaveʻi nai ʻoku tau ʻofa ki he ʻOtuá, ka ko e anga ʻo ʻetau tali ki he meʻa ʻoku akoʻi ʻe heʻene Folofola fakamānavaʻí, ʻa e Tohi Tapú, ʻe fakahaaʻi ai ʻetau ngaahi fakakaukau moʻoní, naʻa mo e ngaahi taumuʻa moʻoni ʻa hotau lotó.

²⁰ Ko e Tohi Tapú ko ha tohi moʻoni ia mei he ʻOtuá. Ko ha tohi ia ke lau, ako mo koloaʻaki. Fakahaaʻi ʻa hoʻo houngaʻia ki he meʻaʻofa fakaʻotua ko ení ʻaki ʻa e hokohoko atu ke vakaiʻi ʻa e ngaahi meʻa ʻoku ʻi loto aí. ʻI hoʻo fai peheé, te ke maʻu ai ha mahino loloto fekauʻaki mo e taumuʻa ʻa e ʻOtuá ki he faʻahinga ʻo e tangatá. Ko e taumuʻa tofu pē ko iá mo e founga ʻe fakahoko aí ʻe lāulea ki ai ʻi he vahe hokó.