1, 2. Yiziphi izinto ezenza iBhayibheli libe yisipho esijabulisayo esivela kuNkulunkulu?

UYASIKHUMBULA yini isikhathi owathola ngaso isipho esihle kumngane omthandayo? Cishe kwakungathinti inhliziyo nje kuphela kodwa futhi kwakujabulisa. Phela isipho sikutshela okuthile ngomuphi—ukuthi ubheka ubungane benu njengobuyigugu. Akungatshazwa ukuthi wabonga ngesipho somngane wakho esicatshangelwe kahle.

² IBhayibheli liyisipho esivela kuNkulunkulu okufanele sisibonge ngempela. Le ncwadi eyingqayizivele isambulela izinto ebesingeke neze sizazi. Ngokwesibonelo, isitshela ngokudalwa kwamazulu agcwele izinkanyezi, ukudalwa komhlaba, nokwendoda yokuqala nowesifazane. IBhayibheli linezimiso esingazethemba ezisisiza ukuba sibhekane nezinkinga nezinkathazo zokuphila. Lichaza nendlela uNkulunkulu azoyifeza ngayo injongo yakhe futhi alethe izimo ezingcono lapha emhlabeni. Yeka isipho esithinta inhliziyo iBhayibheli eliyiso!

3. Ukusilungiselela kwakhe iBhayibheli kusitshelani ngoJehova, futhi kungani lokhu kujabulisa?

³ IBhayibheli liphinde libe yisipho esijabulisayo ngoba liveza okuthile ngoMuphi, uJehova uNkulunkulu. Ukuthi usilungiselele incwadi enjengale, kuwubufakazi bokuthi ufuna simazi  kangcono. Ngempela, iBhayibheli lingakusiza ukuba usondele kuJehova.

4. Yini ekuhlaba umxhwele ngokusakazwa kweBhayibheli?

⁴ Uma unekhophi yeBhayibheli, awuwedwa neze. IBhayibheli, liphelele noma liyingxenye, liye lanyatheliswa ngezilimi ezingaphezu kuka-2 300 futhi ngenxa yalokho litholwa amaphesenti angaphezu kuka-90 abantu emhlabeni. Ngokwesilinganiso, kusakazwa amaBhayibheli angaphezu kwesigidi isonto ngalinye! Kuye kwakhiqizwa amakhophi eBhayibheli, liphelele noma liyingxenye, angaphezu kwezinkulungwane zezigidi. Ngempela, ayikho enye incwadi efana neBhayibheli.

5. Kukanjani iBhayibheli ‘liphefumulelwe uNkulunkulu’?

⁵ Ngaphezu kwalokho, iBhayibheli ‘liphefumulelwe uNkulunkulu.’ (2 Thimothewu 3:16) Kanjani? IBhayibheli ngokwalo liyaphendula: “Abantu bakhuluma okuvela kuNkulunkulu ngoba babeqhutshwa umoya ongcwele.” (2 Petru 1:21) Ngokwesibonelo: Usomabhizinisi angase acele unobhala wakhe ukuba ambhalele incwadi. Leyo ncwadi iqukethe imicabango neziqondiso zikasomabhizinisi. Ngakho incwadi empeleni ngeyakhe, akuyona ekanobhala. Ngokufanayo, iBhayibheli liqukethe isigijimi sikaNkulunkulu, hhayi esabantu  abalibhala. Ngenxa yalokhu, lonke iBhayibheli ngempela ‘liyizwi likaNkulunkulu.’—1 Thesalonika 2:13.

6, 7. Kungani ukuvumelana kwezingxenye zeBhayibheli kuphawuleka ngokukhethekile?

⁶ Kwathatha iminyaka engaphezu kuka-1 600 ukuba iBhayibheli libhalwe liqedwe. Abalobi balo babephila ngezikhathi ezihlukene futhi bevela ezizindeni eziningi ezihlukahlukene. Abanye babengabalimi, abadobi, nabelusi. Abanye bengabaprofethi, abahluleli, namakhosi. Umlobi weVangeli uLuka wayengudokotela. Naphezu kwezizinda ezihlukene zabalobi balo, iBhayibheli liyavumelana kusukela ekuqaleni kuze kube sekugcineni. *

⁷ Incwadi yokuqala yeBhayibheli isitshela ukuthi izinkinga zesintu zaqala kanjani. Incwadi yokugcina ibonisa ukuthi wonke umhlaba uzoba ipharadesi, noma ingadi enhle. Izingxenye zeBhayibheli sezizonke zihlanganisa izinkulungwane zeminyaka yomlando futhi zihlobene ngandlela-thile nokwambuleka kwenjongo kaNkulunkulu. Ukuvumelana kweBhayibheli kusishiya sibambe ongezansi, kodwa yilokho ebesingakulindela ngencwadi evela kuNkulunkulu.

8. Nikeza izibonelo ezibonisa ukuthi iBhayibheli linembile ngokwesayensi.

⁸ IBhayibheli linembile ngokwesayensi. Lize likhulume ngezinto ezazingakaqondwa nakuqondwa ngesikhathi lilotshwa. Ngokwesibonelo, incwadi kaLevitikusi iphethe imithetho ka-Israyeli wasendulo mayelana nenhlanzeko nokuhlukaniswa kwabanezifo ezithathelwanayo, kuyilapho izizwe ezaziwazungezile zingazi lutho ngalezi zinto. Ngenkathi kunemibono eyiphutha ngokuma komhlaba, iBhayibheli lathi uyisiyingi noma imbulunga. (Isaya 40:22) IBhayibheli lasho ngokunembile ukuthi umhlaba ‘ulenga phezu kweze.’ (Jobe 26:7)  Yebo, iBhayibheli aliyona incwadi yesayensi. Kodwa lapho lithinta isayensi, linembile. Akukhona yini lokhu ebesingakulindela ngencwadi evela kuNkulunkulu?

9. (a) IBhayibheli libonisa kanjani ukuthi linembile ngokomlando? (b) Ubuqotho babalobi beBhayibheli busitshelani ngalo?

⁹ IBhayibheli linembile futhi lithembekile ngokomlando. Izindaba ezikulo azihlanganisi amagama abantu nje kuphela kodwa futhi nozalo lwabo. * Ngokungafani nezazi-mlando zezwe, ngokuvamile ezingakusho ukunqotshwa kwabantu bakubo, abalobi beBhayibheli babethembekile, babeze balobe ngisho nangamaphutha abo siqu nawesizwe sakubo. Ngokwesibonelo, encwadini yeBhayibheli kaNumeri, umlobi wayo uMose uvuma iphutha lakhe elikhulu, elamenza wasolwa kanzima. (Numeri 20:2-12) Ubuqotho obunjalo buyivelakancane kwezinye izincwadi zomlando kodwa buyatholakala eBhayibhelini ngoba liyincwadi evela kuNkulunkulu.

10. Kungani kungamangalisi ukuthi iBhayibheli liyincwadi elusizo?

¹⁰ Ngenxa yokuthi iBhayibheli liphefumulelwe uNkulunkulu, ‘linenzuzo yokufundisa, yokusola, yokuqondisa izinto.’ (2 Thimothewu 3:16) Yebo, iBhayibheli liyincwadi elusizo. Libonisa ukuthi likuqonda ngokujulile ukwakheka komuntu. Akumangalisi lokhu ngoba uMlobi walo, uJehova uNkulunkulu, unguMdali! Ukuqonda kangcono kunathi ukucabanga kwethu nemizwelo yethu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJehova uyazi ukuthi yini esiyidingayo ukuze sijabule. Uyazazi nezindlela zokuphila okumelwe sizigweme.

11, 12. (a) Yiziphi izihloko uJesu axoxa ngazo eNtshumayelweni yakhe yaseNtabeni? (b) Yiziphi ezinye izimiso ezilusizo iBhayibheli elikhuluma ngazo, futhi kungani iseluleko salo singaphelelwa isikhathi?

¹¹ Cabanga ngenkulumo kaJesu ebizwa ngokuthi iNtshumayelo yaseNtabeni, elotshwe kuMathewu izahluko-5 kuya ku-7. Kulokhu kufundisa okusezingeni eliphezulu, uJesu  wakhuluma ngezihloko ezihlukahlukene, ezihlanganisa indlela yokuthola injabulo yangempela, indlela yokuxazulula izingxabano, indlela yokuthandaza nendlela yokuba nombono ofanele ngezinto ezibonakalayo. Amazwi kaJesu asalokhu enamandla futhi elusizo namuhla njengoba ayenjalo ngenkathi ewakhuluma.

¹² Ezinye izimiso zeBhayibheli ziphathelene nokuphila komkhaya, imikhuba yokusebenza, nobudlelwane nabanye. Izimiso zeBhayibheli zisebenza kubo bonke abantu, futhi iseluleko  salo siyazuzisa ngaso sonke isikhathi. Ukuhlakanipha okutholakala eBhayibhelini kufingqwe ngala mazwi kaNkulunkulu ngomprofethi u-Isaya: “Mina, Jehova, nginguNkulunkulu wakho, Lowo okufundisayo ukuze uzuze.”—Isaya 48:17.

13. UJehova waphefumulela umprofethi u-Isaya ukuba alobe miphi imininingwane ngeBhabhiloni?

¹³ IBhayibheli lineziprofetho eziningi kakhulu, eziningi zazo esezigcwalisekile kakade. Cabanga ngalesi sibonelo. Ngomprofethi u-Isaya, owaphila ekhulwini lesi-8 B.C.E, uJehova wabikezela ukuthi umuzi waseBhabhiloni wawuzobhujiswa. (Isaya 13:19; 14:22, 23) Kwanikezwa imininingwane echaza ukuthi wawuzobhujiswa kanjani. Amabutho ahlaselayo ayeyobohlisa umfula waseBhabhiloni, angene emzini ngaphandle kokulwa. Akukuphela kwalokho. Isiprofetho sika-Isaya saze sayigagula ngegama inkosi eyayizonqoba iBhabhiloni—uKoresi.—Isaya 44:27–45:2.

14, 15. Yagcwaliseka kanjani eminye imininingwane yesiprofetho sika-Isaya ngeBhabhiloni?

¹⁴ Ngemva kweminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-200—ngobusuku buka-October 5/6, 539 B.C.E.—ibutho elithile lakanisa eduze kwaseBhabhiloni. Kwakungubani umkhuzi walo? Inkosi yasePheresiya okwakuthiwa uKoresi. Konke kwase kumi ngomumo ukuze kugcwaliseke isiprofetho esimangalisayo. Kodwa ingabe ibutho likaKoresi laliyongena eBhabhiloni ngaphandle kokulwa, njengoba kwakubikezelwe?

¹⁵ AbaseBhabhiloni babenomcimbi ngalobo busuku futhi bezizwa belondekile ngaphakathi kwezindonga zabo ezinkulukazi. Njengoba umcimbi uqhubeka, ngobuhlakani uKoresi waphambukisa amanzi omfula owawugeleza phakathi komuzi. Ngokushesha amanzi ayesebohle ngokwanele ukuba amabutho akhe akwazi ukuwelela ngaphesheya asondele ezindongeni zomuzi. Kodwa ibutho likaKoresi lalizodlula kanjani ezindongeni zaseBhabhiloni? Ngasizathu simbe, ngalobo busuku, ngobudedengu amasango omuzi ayeshiywe evuliwe!

16. (a) Yini u-Isaya ayibikezela ngesiphetho seBhabhiloni? (b) Sagcwaliseka kanjani isiprofetho sika-Isaya ngokubhujiswa kweBhabhiloni?

 ¹⁶ Ngokuqondene neBhabhiloni, kwakubikezelwe: “Ngeke liphinde lakhiwe, futhi ngeke liphinde lithole indawo yokuhlala izizukulwane ngezizukulwane. UmArabhu ngeke agxumeke itende lakhe khona, futhi abekho abelusi abayodedela imihlambi yabo ilale khona.” (Isaya 13:20) Lesi siprofetho senza okungaphezu nje kokubikezela ukuwa komuzi. Sabonisa nokuthi iBhabhiloni laliyobhujiswa unomphela. Ungabubona ubufakazi bokugcwaliseka kwala mazwi. Indawo engahlali muntu okwakukhona kuyo iBhabhiloni lasendulo—cishe engamakhilomitha angu-80 enyakatho neBaghdad, e-Iraq—iwubufakazi bokuthi lokho uJehova akusho ngo-Isaya kuye kwagcwaliseka: ‘Ngizolishanela ngomshanelo obhuqayo.’—Isaya 14:22, 23. *

17. Ukugcwaliseka kweziprofetho zeBhayibheli kuluqinisa kanjani ukholo?

¹⁷ Akuluqinisi yini ukholo ukucabanga ngokuthi iBhayibheli  liyincwadi yeziprofetho esingayethemba? Phela uma uJehova uNkulunkulu eye wafeza izithembiso zakhe zangaphambili, sinesizathu sokuqiniseka ukuthi uzosigcwalisa isithembiso sakhe somhlaba oyipharadesi. (Numeri 23:19) Yebo, sinethemba “lokuphila okuphakade lokho uNkulunkulu ongenakuqamba amanga, akuthembisa ngaphambi kwezikhathi ezimi njalo.”—Thithu 1:2. *

18. Umphostoli ongumKristu uPawulu uveza liphi iphuzu elinamandla ‘ngezwi likaNkulunkulu’?

¹⁸ Ngokwalokho esesikufundile kulesi sahluko, kuyacaca ukuthi iBhayibheli ngempela liyincwadi eyingqayizivele. Kodwa, ukuba kwalo yigugu akubangelwa nje kuphela ukuvumelana kwalo, ukunemba kwalo ngokwesayensi nangokomlando,  ukuhlakanipha okulusizo, neziprofetho esingazethemba. Umphostoli ongumKristu uPawulu wabhala: “Izwi likaNkulunkulu liyaphila, linamandla futhi libukhali kunanoma iyiphi inkemba esika nhlangothi zombili, lihlaba kuhlukane umphefumulo nomoya, amalunga nomnkantsha wawo, futhi liyakwazi ukuqonda imicabango nezinhloso zenhliziyo.”—Hebheru 4:12.

19, 20. (a) IBhayibheli lingakusiza kanjani ukuba uzihlole? (b) Ungakubonisa kanjani ukubonga ngesipho sikaNkulunkulu esiyingqayizivele, iBhayibheli?

¹⁹ Ukufunda “izwi” noma isigijimi sikaNkulunkulu eBhayibhelini kungakushintsha ukuphila kwethu. Kungasisiza sizihlole ngendlela esingakaze sizihlole ngayo ngaphambili. Singase sithi siyamthanda uNkulunkulu, kodwa indlela esisabela ngayo kulokho iZwi lakhe eliphefumulelwe, iBhayibheli, elikufundisayo kuyokwembula imicabango yethu yangempela, ngisho nezinhloso zenhliziyo imbala.

²⁰ Ngempela iBhayibheli liyincwadi evela kuNkulunkulu. Liyincwadi okumelwe ifundwe, itadishwe, futhi ithandwe. Bonisa ukubonga ngalesi sipho saphezulu ngokuqhubeka ukuhlolisisa lokho elikuphethe. Njengoba uqhubeka wenza kanjalo, uzoyiqonda ngokujulile injongo kaNkulunkulu ngesintu. Ukuthi iyini leyo njongo nokuthi iyofezeka kanjani, kuzoxoxwa ngakho esahlukweni esilandelayo.