Isahluko 9
1Kepha uSawulu esafutha ngokusongela nokubulala abafundi beNkosi, waya kumpristi omkhulu,
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wacela kuye izincwadi zokuya eDamaseku emasinagogeni, kuze kuthi uma efumana abantu baleyo Ndlela, abesilisa nabesifazane, abayise eJerusalema beboshiwe.
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Kepha ekuhambeni kwakhe, esesondela eDamaseku, kwambaneka masinyane nxazonke ukukhanya okuvela ezulwini.
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Wawa phansi emhlabathini, wezwa izwi lithi kuye: “Sawulu, Sawulu, ungizingelelani na? Kulukhuni kuwe ukukhahlela ezinkandini.”
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Wayesethi: “Ungubani, Nkosi?” Yathi: “Mina nginguJesu omzingelayo wena;
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kodwa vuka ungene emzini, uzakutshelwa lokhu omelwe ukukwenza.”
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Kepha amadoda ayehamba naye ayemi engenakukhuluma, ngokuba ezwa izwi kodwa ayengaboni muntu.
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USawulu wayesevuka phansi; kepha esevulile amehlo akhe, kabonanga lutho. Base bembamba ngesandla, bamyisa eDamaseku.
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Izinsuku zaba ntathu engaboni, engadli, engaphuzi.
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Kwakukhona eDamaseku umfundi othile, igama lakhe lingu-Ananiya; iNkosi yathi kuye ngombono: “Ananiya!” Yena wathi: “Ngikhona, Nkosi.”
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INkosi yayisithi kuye: “Suka uye esitaladini esithiwa Siqondile, ufune endlini kaJuda umuntu ogama lakhe linguSawulu waseTarsu; ngokuba bheka, uyakhuleka;
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ubonile indoda, igama layo lingu-Ananiya, ingena, ibeka izandla phezu kwakhe ukuba abone.”
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Kepha u-Ananiya waphendula wathi: “Nkosi, ngizwile ngabaningi ngaleyo ndoda konke okubi ekwenzile kwabangcwele bakho eJerusalema;
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nalapha unamandla avela kubapristi abakhulu okubopha bonke abakhuleka egameni lakho.”
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INkosi yayisithi kuye: “Hamba, ngokuba lo uyisitsha sami esikhethiweyo sokuphatha igama lami phambi kwabezizwe, namakhosi, nabantwana bakwa-Israyeli,
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ngokuba mina ngizakumbonisa konke amelwe ukuhlushwa ngakho ngenxa yegama lami.”
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Khona wahamba u-Ananiya, wangena endlini, wabeka izandla phezu kwakhe, wathi: “Sawulu umzalwane, iNkosi uJesu eyabonakala kuwe endleleni oze ngayo, ingithumile ukuba ubuye ubone, ugcwaliswe ngoMoya oNgcwele.”
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Kwawa masinyane emehlweni akhe kwangathi inkwethu, wabona, wasukuma, wabhapathizwa;
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esedlile wathola amandla. Wahlala nabafundi baseDamaseku izinsuku ezithile.
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Masinyane washumayela emasinagogeni ngoJesu ukuthi yena uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.
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Kepha bamangala bonke abezwayo, bathi: “Lo asiye yini owachitha eJerusalema abakhuleka kulelo gama, nalapha uze ngalokhu ukuba abaqhube beboshiwe kubapristi abakhulu na?”
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Kodwa uSawulu wakhula kakhulu emandleni, wahlula abaJuda abakhileyo eDamaseku eqinisa ukuthi lowo unguKristu.
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Sekudlule izinsuku eziningi, abaJuda benza icebo lokuba bambulale.
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Kepha icebo labo laziwa nguSawulu. Babemhlalela nasemasangweni imini nobusuku ukuba bambulale.
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Abafundi base bemthatha ebusuku, bamehlisa ogangeni, bemewula ngeqoma.
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Esefikile eJerusalema wazama ukuzihlanganisa nabafundi; kepha bonke bamesaba, bengakholwa ukuthi ungumfundi.
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Kodwa uBarnaba wamthatha, wamyisa kubaphostoli, wabalandisa ngokuthi uyibonile iNkosi endleleni, nokuthi ikhulumile kuye, nokuthi eDamaseku wayeshumayele ngesibindi ngegama likaJesu.
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Wayenabo eJerusalema, engena ephuma, eshumayela ngesibindi ngegama leNkosi,
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ekhuluma ephikisana nabaJuda abakhuluma isiGreki; bona bazama ukumbulala.
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Abazalwane sebekwazi lokho bamehlisela eKesariya, bamthumela eTarsu.
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Njalo-ke ibandla laba nokuthula kulo lonke laseJudiya, naseGalile, naseSamariya, lakheka, lihamba ekwesabeni iNkosi, landa ngenduduzo kaMoya oNgcwele.
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Kwathi uPetru ehambela izindawo zonke, wehlela nakwabangcwele abakhe eLida.
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Wafumana khona umuntu othile ogama lakhe lingu-Eneya, owayeselele ecansini iminyaka eyisishiyagalombili efe uhlangothi.
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Khona uPetru wathi kuye: “Eneya, uJesu Kristu uyakuphilisa; vuka, wendlule icansi lakho.” Wayesevuka masinyane.
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Bambona bonke abakhe eLida naseSarona, baphendukela eNkosini.
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EJopha kwakukhona umfundikazi othile ogama lakhe linguThabitha, okungukuthi uDorka ngokuhunyushwa; yena wayenemisebenzi eminingi emihle nokwabela abampofu izipho.
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Kwathi ngalezo zinsuku wagula, wafa; sebemgezile bambeka ekamelweni eliphezulu.
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Kepha iLida laliseduze neJopha; ngakho-ke abafundi sebezwile ukuthi uPetru ukhona lapho, bathuma kuye amadoda amabili emncenga ethi: “Ungalibali ukuza kithi.”
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Wayesesuka uPetru, wahamba nabo. Esefikile, bamyisa ekamelweni eliphezulu; abafelokazi bonke beza kuye bekhala, bembonisa izambatho nezingubo abezenzile uDorka esenabo.
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Kepha uPetru wabakhipha bonke, waguqa ngamadolo, wakhuleka, waphendukela esidunjini, wathi: “Thabitha, vuka!” Wayesevula amehlo akhe, wabona uPetru, walulama.
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Yena wambamba ngesandla, wamsukumisa. Wayesebiza abangcwele nabafelokazi, wambeka phambi kwabo ephilile.
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Kwezwakala lokho kulo lonke iJopha; abaningi bakholwa yiNkosi.
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Wayesehlala izinsuku eziningi eJopha kwaSimoni umshuki.