Isahluko 37—Ukuguquka KukaSaule

INTLIZIYO kaSaule yachukumiseka kakhulu kukufa okunoloyiso kukaStefano. Waxenga-xengiswa ekhweleni lakhe; kodwa izimvo neengxoxo zababingeleli nabaphathi zamanelisa ekugqibeleni ukuba uStefano ube ngumnyelisi; noYesu Kristu lowo wayemshumayela waye ngumlahlekisi, nokuba aabo balungiselela kwiindawo ezingcwele banyanisile. Njengoko waye ngumntu ongqondo izinzileyo nonjongo yomeleleyo, waba nobukrakra obukhulu ekubuchaseni kwakhe ubuKristu, emva kokuba egqibile ngokupheleleyo kwaba kanye entliziyweni yakhe ukuba izimvo zababingeleli nababhali zilungile. Inzondo yakhe yamkhokelela ekuzinikeleni ngabom kumsebenzi wokutshutshisa amakholwa. Wabanga ukuba abantu abangcwele baruqelwe phambhi kwamaqumru, nokuba bafakwe entolongweni okanye bagwetyelwe ukufa kungabonakalanga kubo nasiphina isiphoso, esingaphandle kokukholwa kwabo kuYesu. Yayi kwasisimilo esinje, noxa yayijonge caleni limbhi, inzondo kaYakobi noYohane xa babefuna ukubiza umlilo uhle uvela ezulwini ubalenye aabo baayidelayo bayicukuceza iNkosi yabo.IL 242.1

USaule waye kufuphi ukuya eDamasko ahambhele umcimbhi wakhe; kodwa wazimisela ukuba aphumeze iinjongo ezimbhini, ngokubafuna, ekuhambheni kwakhe, bonke abakholelwa kuKristu. Ngalenjongo ke wacela iincwadi kumbingeleli omkhulu eziya kufundwa ezindlwini zesikhungu, ezimgunyazisa ukuba abakhonkxe bonke aabo baranelwa ukuba ngabakho- lwa kuYesu, abathumele ngabalindi eJerusalem, ukuba bancinwe apho bohlwaywe. Wanduluka ke, ezaliswe ngamandla nokomelela kobudoba nomlilo wozondelelo olulahlekileyo.IL 242.2

Bakuba abahambhi abadiniweyo besondela eDamasko, amehlo kaSaule awukhangela ngokonwaba umhlaba ochumayo, nezitiya ezihle, namabhoma achumileyo, nemilambho equkuqela idumzela phakathi kotyani obuhle obuluhlaza. Kwa kuhlaziya kakhulu ukukhangela imbhonakalo enje emva kohambho olude, noludinisayo lokuphumela kumqwebedu wentlango. Xa uSaule, kunye namaqabane akhe, babondele bebuka lembhonakalo, ngesiquphe ukukhanya okungaphezu kokukhanya kwelanga kwabonakala macala onke kuye, “wawa emhlabeni, weva izwi lisithi kuye, Saule, Saule, unditshutshisela ni na? Wathi yena, Ungubani na, Nkosi? Ithe iNkosi, Mna ndinguye uYesu omtshutshisayo wena; wenzakala, ukhaba iimviko nje.”IL 243.1