Isahluko 8
1 Kepha uSawulu wayevumelene nabo ngokubulawa kwakhe. Ngalolo suku kwavela ukuzingelwa okukhulu kwebandla laseJerusalema; bahlakazeka bonke emazweni aseJudiya naseSamariya; kwasala abaphostoli bodwa.
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Amadoda akholwayo ammbela uStefanu, amkhalela isililo esikhulu.
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Kepha uSawulu walichitha ibandla, engena ezindlini ngezindlu, ehudula abesilisa nabesifazane, wabafaka etilongweni.
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Abahlakazekileyo base behamba, beshumayela izwi levangeli.
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UFiliphu wehlela emzini waseSamariya, wabashumayeza uKristu.
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Izixuku zalalela nganhliziyonye okwakhulunywa nguFiliphu, zizwa, zibona izibonakaliso azenzayo.
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Ngokuba kwaphuma omoya abangcolileyo kwabaningi abakhwelwa yibo, bememeza ngezwi elikhulu; nabaningi abafe uhlangothi nabayizinyonga baphulukiswa;
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kwaba khona ukuthokoza okukhulu kulowo muzi.
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Kepha kwakukhona indoda ethile, nguSimoni igama layo, eyayikade yenza imilingo kulowo muzi, isimangalisa isizwe saseSamariya, izishaya umuntu omkhulu;
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banamathela kuye bonke kusukela kwabancinyane kuze kube kwabakhulu, bethi: “Lo ungamandla kaNkulunkulu abizwa ngokuthi Makhulu,”
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babenamathela kuye, ngokuba ebamangalisile isikhathi eside ngemilingo yakhe.
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Kepha bathi ukuba bakholwe nguFiliphu eshumayela ivangeli ngombuso kaNkulunkulu nangegama likaJesu Kristu, babhapathizwa abesilisa nabesifazane.
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Naye uSimoni wakholwa; wathi esebhapathiziwe, wanamathela kuFiliphu, wamangala ebona izibonakaliso nemisebenzi emikhulu yamandla eyenziwayo.
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Kwathi ukuba abaphostoli baseJerusalema bezwe ukuthi iSamariya lilamukele izwi likaNkulunkulu, bathumela kubo oPetru noJohane;
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sebehlele khona babakhulekela ukuba bamukele uMoya oNgcwele,
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ngokuba wayengakehleli nakoyedwa kubo; kodwa babesabhapathiziwe egameni leNkosi uJesu kuphela.
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Khona babeka izandla phezu kwabo; base bamukela-ke uMoya oNgcwele.
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Kepha uSimoni, ebonile ukuthi ngokubekwa kwezandla zabaphostoli uyaphiwa uMoya, waletha imali kubo,
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wathi: “Ngipheni nami lawo mandla, ukuze yilowo nalowo engibeka izandla phezu kwakhe amukele uMoya oNgcwele.”
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Kepha uPetru wathi kuye: “Isiliva lakho malibhubhe kanye nawe, ngokuba uthi isipho sikaNkulunkulu singathengwa ngemali.
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Awunasabelo nalifa kuleli zwi, ngokuba inhliziyo yakho ayilungile phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
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Ngakho-ke phenduka kulobu bubi bakho, unxuse eNkosini, ingabe ungathethelelwa yini isizindlo senhliziyo yakho,
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ngokuba ngiyabona ukuthi usenyongweni ebabayo nasekuboshweni kokubi.”
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USimoni wayesephendula ethi: “Nginxuseleni nina eNkosini, ukuze kungehleli lutho kimi lwalokho enikushiloyo.”
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Kuthe sebefakazile, belikhulumile izwi leNkosi, babuyela eJerusalema, bashumayela ivangeli emizaneni eminingi yabaseSamariya.
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Kepha ingelosi yeNkosi yakhuluma kuFiliphu, yathi: “Suka uye ngaseningizimu endleleni ephuma eJerusalema ehlela eGaza; yona iyihlane.”
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Wayesesuka wahamba. Bheka, nansi indoda yase-Etiyopiya, umthenwa, isikhulu sikaKhandakhe inkosikazi yase-Etiyopiya, ebiphezu kwengcebo yayo yonke, ebifikile eJerusalema izakukhuleka;
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ibisibuya, ihlezi enqoleni yayo, ifunda umprofethi u-Isaya.
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UMoya wathi kuFiliphu: “Sondela, unamathele kuleyo nqola.”
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UFiliphu wayesegijimela kuyo, wayizwa ifunda umprofethi u-Isaya, wathi: “Uyakuqonda kambe lokhu okufundayo na?”
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Yona yathi: “Ngingakwazi kanjani, uma kungekho ongiholayo na?” Yamnxusa uFiliphu ukuba akhwele ahlale nayo.
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Kepha isahlukwana sombhalo ebisifunda yilesi esithi: “Wayiswa ekuhlatshweni njengemvu; njengewundlu elithule phambi komgundi walo kanjalo kawuvulanga umlomo wakhe.
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Ekuthobeleni kwakhe ukwahlulelwa kwakhe kwasuswa. Ngubani ongalanda ngesizukulwane sakhe na? Ngokuba ukuphila kwakhe kuyasuswa emhlabeni.”
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Kepha umthenwa wathatha wathi kuFiliphu: “Ngiyacela, umprofethi ukhuluma lokho ngobani na? Uzisho yena noma omunye na?”
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UFiliphu wavula umlomo wakhe, eqala kulowo mbhalo washumayela ivangeli ngoJesu.
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Kwathi besahamba endleleni, bafika emanzini. Umthenwa wathi: “Bheka, nanka amanzi; kwalani ukuba ngibhapathizwe na?”
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UFiliphu wathi kuye: “Uma ukholwa ngenhliziyo yonke, kungenziwa.” Waphendula wathi: “Ngiyakholwa ukuthi uJesu Kristu uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.”
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Wayala ukuba inqola ime. Behlela emanzini bobabili, uFiliphu nomthenwa; wambhapathiza.
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Kwathi sebekhuphukile emanzini, uMoya weNkosi wamhlwitha uFiliphu, umthenwa akabe esambona, kodwa wahamba ngendlela yakhe ethokoza.
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Kepha uFiliphu wafunyanwa e-Azotu, wahamba eshumayela ivangeli kuyo yonke imizi, waze wafika eKesariya.