Ko e Tokotaha-fakatangá ʻOkú Ne Sio ki ha Maama Lahi

NAʻE tōlili ʻa Saula ʻi he ʻita lahi ki he kau muimui ʻo Sīsuú. ʻI he ʻikai fiemālie ʻi he fakatanga ne ʻosi fakahoko kiate kinautolu ʻi Selusalemá, ʻo kau ai hono tolomakaʻi ʻo Sitīvení, naʻá ne kumi he taimi ko ení ke fakalahi hono lōmia kinautolú. “Ko Saula naʻa ne kei hōʻaki ʻa e fakamanamana mo e lau fakapō ki he kau ako ʻa e ʻEiki, ʻo ne ʻalu ki he Taulaʻeiki-lahi, ʻo ne kole ke fai haʻane ngaahi tohi ki Tamasikusi ki he ngaahi falelotu, ke fakangofua ʻene haʻi mo taki mai ki Selusalema ʻa kinautolu te ne ʻilo ai ʻoku ʻi he ʻalunga kó é, ʻa tangata mo fafine.”​—Ngāue 9:​1, 2.

ʻI he fononga atu ʻa Saula ki Tāmasikusí, kuo pau pē naʻá ne fakakaukauloto ki he founga ʻe lava ke ne fakahoko lelei taha ai ʻa e tuʻutuʻuni kuo fakamafaiʻi ia ki aí. Ko e mafai ne foaki kiate ia ʻe he taulaʻeiki lahí ʻe ʻikai ha veiveiua ʻa ʻene fakapapauʻi ʻa e fāitaha mei he kau taki ʻo e fuʻu nofoʻanga Siu lahi ʻi he kolo ko iá. ʻE kumi ʻa Saula ki heʻenau tokoní.

Kuo pau pē naʻe fakautuutu ʻa e loto-māfana ʻa Saulá ʻi heʻene ofi atu ki he feituʻu naʻá ne fononga ki aí. Ko e fononga mei Selusalema ki Tāmasikusí​—ko ha lue lalo ʻaho ʻe fitu pe valu ʻi he kilomita nai ʻe 220​—naʻe fakaongosia. Fakafokifā pē ʻi he hoʻatāmālié nai, ne huluʻia takatakai ʻa Saula, ʻe ha maama naʻe ngingila ange ia ʻi he laʻaá, pea naʻá ne tō ki he kelekelé. Naʻá ne fanongo ki ha leʻo naʻe pehē mai kiate ia ʻi he lea faka-Hepeluú: “ʻE Saula, ʻe Saula, ko e ha ʻoku ke fakatangaʻi ai au? ʻOku faingataʻa hoʻo ʻakahi ʻa e meʻa masila.” “ʻEī, ko hai koe?,” ko e ʻeke ia ʻa Saulá. “Ko au ko Sisu, a ia ʻoku ke fakatangaʻi,” ko e talí mai ia. “Ka ke tuʻu, tuʻu ki ʻolunga: he ko eni ʻa e meʻa kuo u ha ai kiate koe, ke fakanofo koe ko e faifekau mo e fakamoʻoni ʻo e ngaahi meʻa kuo ke mamata ki ai, pea mo e ngaahi meʻa te u ha ai kiate koe ʻamui; pea u fakahaofi koe mei he kakai Isileli, pea mo e Senitaile, ʻa ia ʻoku ou fekau atu koe ki ai.” “ʻEiki, ko e hā te u fai?,” ko e ʻeke ia ʻa Saulá. “Tuʻu pe, ʻo ʻalu ki Tamasikusi; pea ʻe fakahā ai kiate koe ʻa e ngaahi meʻa kuo tuʻutuʻuni ke ke fai.”​—Ngāue 9:​3-6; 22:​6-​10; 26:​13-​17.

Ko e faʻahinga naʻe fononga mo Saulá naʻa nau fanongo ki ha leʻo, ka naʻe ʻikai te nau sio ki he tokotaha-leá pe mahinoʻi ʻa e meʻa naʻá ne leaʻakí.  Koeʻuhi ko e ngingila ʻa e māmá, ʻi he taimi naʻe tuʻu hake ai ʻa Saulá naʻe ʻikai lava ke ne sio pea naʻe pau ai ke taki ʻa hono nimá. “Naʻa ne nofo ai ʻo ʻaho tolu, ʻo kui pe; pea naʻe ʻikai te ne kai pe inu.”​—Ngāue 9:​7-9; 22:​11.

ʻAho ʻe Tolu ʻo e Fakalaulauloto

Naʻe maʻu ʻe Saula ʻa e anga-talitali kakai meia Siutasi, ʻa ia naʻá ne nofo ʻi he hala naʻe ui ko Totonu. a (Ngāue 9:​11) Ko e halá ni​—naʻe ui ko e Darb al-Mustaqim ʻi he faka-ʻAlepeá​—ʻoku kei hoko ia ko ha hala lahi ʻi Tāmasikusi. Fakaʻuta atu ki he meʻa naʻe lele ʻi he fakakaukau ʻa Saulá lolotonga ʻene ʻi he ʻapi ʻo Siutasí. Naʻe hoko ʻa Saula ʻi he meʻa naʻe hokosiá ʻo kui mo moʻutāfuʻua. ʻI he taimi ko ení naʻe ʻi ai ha taimi ke fakalaulauloto ai ki hono ngaahi ʻuhingá.

Naʻe fehangahangai ʻa e tokotaha-fakatangá mo e meʻa naʻá ne taʻetokangaʻi ʻo pehē ʻoku taʻemahuʻingá. Ko e ʻEiki ko Sīsū Kalaisi naʻe tutukí​—naʻe fakahalaiaʻi ʻe he mafai māʻolunga taha faka-Siú mo ‘taʻetokaʻi mo eʻehi mei ai ʻa e kakaí’​—naʻe moʻui. Ko ē, naʻe aʻu ʻo ne tuʻu ʻi he fakahōifua ʻi he nima toʻomataʻu ʻo e ʻOtuá ʻi he “maama taʻefaʻafotuaki”! Naʻe hoko ʻa Sīsū ko e Mīsaiá. Naʻe tonu ʻa Sitīveni mo e niʻihi kehé. (Aisea 53:3 [Isaia, PM]; Ngāue 7:​56; 1 Timote 6:​16) Naʻe hala fakaʻaufuli ʻa Saula, he naʻe fakaʻilongaʻi ʻe Sīsū ʻa ia tonu mo e faʻahinga tofu pē ko ia naʻe fakatangaʻi ʻe Saulá! ʻI he fehangahangai mo e fakamoʻoní, ʻe lava fēfē ke hanganaki “ʻakahi ʻa e meʻa masila” ʻe Saula? Naʻa mo ha pulu ongongataʻa ʻoku faifai pē ʻo ueʻi ia ke ʻalu ki he feituʻu ʻoku fiemaʻu ki ai ʻe he tokotaha ʻoku ʻaʻaná. Ko ia ai, ʻi he fakafisi ke fāitaha mo e ngaahi naʻinaʻi ʻa Sīsuú, ko hono fakalaveaʻi ia ʻe Saula ʻa ia tonu.

ʻI he tuʻunga ko e Mīsaiá, heʻikai lava ke fakahalaiaʻi ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻa Sīsū. Ka, ne fakaʻatā ia ʻe Sihova ke ne fuesia ʻa e pekia fakamā tahá pea ke tō ki he malumalu ʻo e tautea ʻa e Laó: “Ko ia ʻoku tautau ko e koto malaʻia ki he ʻOtua.” (Teutalonome 21:23) Naʻe pekia ʻa Sīsū lolotonga ʻa ʻene tautau ʻi he ʻakau fakamamahí. Naʻe fakamalaʻiaʻi ia, ʻo ʻikai ʻi haʻane ngaahi angahala, koeʻuhi naʻe ʻikai haʻane angahala, ka ki he angahalaʻia ʻa e faʻahinga ʻo e tangatá. Naʻe fakamatala ʻa Saula ki mui: “ʻIlonga kinautolu ʻoku tefito ki he ngaahi ngaue faka-Lao, te nau moʻulaloa ki ha mala: he kuo tohi, ʻOku malaʻia ʻa e tangata kotoa pe ʻoku ʻikai ke nofoʻaki fai ʻa e ngaahi meʻa kotoa pe kuo tohi ʻi he Tohi Lao. Pea ko eni, ko e pehe ʻoku ʻikai fakatonuhia ha toko taha ʻi he ʻao ʻo e ʻOtua heʻene tuʻunga ki he Lao, ʻoku mahino ia . . . Ne huhuʻi kitautolu ʻe Kalaisi mei he malaʻia faka-Lao, heʻene hoko ko e koto malaʻia koeʻuhi ko kitautolu; (he kuo tohi, ʻIlonga ʻa ia ʻoku tautau ʻi ha ʻakau ko e malaʻia ia.)”​—Kaletia 3:​10-​13.

Ko e feilaulau ʻa Sīsuú naʻe ʻi ai hono mahuʻinga fakaehuhuʻi. ʻI hono tali ʻo e feilaulau ko iá, naʻe tuki faʻo fakaefakatātā ai ʻe Sihova ʻa e Laó pea mo hono fakamalaʻiá ki he ʻakaú. ʻI hono mahinoʻi ʻa e foʻi moʻoni ko iá, naʻe lava ke fakakaukau ai ʻa Saula ko e ʻakau fakamamahí ko e “poto ʻo e ʻOtua” ʻa ia ko e “tūkiaʻanga leva ki he Siu.” (1 Kolinito 1:​18-​25; Kolose 2:​14) Ko ia ai, kapau leva ko e fakamoʻuí naʻe ʻikai pau ke maʻu ia ʻi he ngaahi ngāue ʻa e laó kae fakafou ʻi hono ngāueʻi ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻa e ʻofa maʻataʻatā ki he kau angahalá hangē ko Saulá tonu, naʻe malava ke ʻatā ia ki he faʻahinga ʻi tuʻa ʻi he Laó. Pea ko e kau Senitailé ia naʻe fekauʻi ki ai ʻe Sīsū ʻa Saulá.​—Efeso 3:​3-7.

ʻOku ʻikai ke tau ʻilo ʻa hono lahi ʻo e mahinoʻi ʻe Saula ʻa e meʻá ni ʻi he taimi ʻo ʻene liliú. Naʻe pau ke toe lea ki ai ʻa Sīsū, ʻo laka hake nai ʻi he tuʻo tahá, fekauʻaki mo ʻene ngāue ki he ngaahi puleʻangá. ʻIkai ko ia pē, naʻe ʻosi atu ha ngaahi taʻu ki muʻa ke hiki kotoa eni ʻe Saula ʻi he malumalu ʻo e fakamānavaʻi fakaʻotuá. (Ngāue 22:​17-​21; Kaletia 1:​15-​18; 2:​1, 2) Kae kehe, ko e ngaahi ʻaho siʻi pē ne ʻosi atu ki muʻa ʻi hono maʻu ʻe Saula ʻa e ngaahi tataki lahi ange mei hono ʻEiki foʻoú.

Ko ha ʻAʻahi Meia ʻAnanaia

Hili ʻa e hā kia Saulá, ne toe hā ʻa Sīsū kia ʻAnanaia, ʻo tala ange kiate ia: “Tuʻu, ʻo ʻalu ki he hala  ʻoku hingoa ko Totonu, ʻo ʻeke ʻi he fale ʻo Siutasi ki ha motuʻa Tasusi ʻoku hingoa ko Saula. He ko eni, ʻoku ne lolotonga fai ʻene hū; pea kuo ne mamata ki ha tangata ʻoku hingoa ko ʻAnanaia, ʻoku ne hū mai ʻo hilifaki hono nima kiate ia, koeʻuhi ke ne toe ʻā.”​—Ngāue 9:​11, 12.

Koeʻuhi naʻe ʻilo ʻa ʻAnanaia fekauʻaki mo Saula, ko ʻene ofo ʻi he ngaahi lea ʻa Sīsuú ʻoku mahinongofua. Naʻá ne pehē: “ʻEiki, kuo u fanongo mei he tokolahi ki he tangata ni, ʻene fuʻu ngaohikoviʻi ho kakai tapu ʻi Selusalema: pea ʻi heni kuo ne maʻu tuʻutuʻuni mei he houʻeiki taulaʻeiki, ke haʻi ʻa e kakai kotoa pe ʻoku tapafuaʻi ho huafa.” Kae kehe, naʻe tala ʻe Sīsū kia ʻAnanaia: “ʻAlu pe; he ko e ipu matuʻaki fili ʻeni aʻaku, ke hapai hoku hingoa ʻi he ʻao ʻo e Senitaile, mo e ngaahi tuʻi, mo haʻa Isileli foki.”​—Ngāue 9:​13-​15.

ʻI hono toe fakapapauʻí, naʻe ʻalu ʻa ʻAnanaia ki he tuʻasila naʻe ʻoange ʻe Sīsū kiate iá. ʻI heʻene ʻilo mo fakafeʻiloaki kia Saulá, naʻe hilifaki ʻe ʻAnanaia ʻa hono nimá kiate ia. ʻOku pehē ʻe he fakamatalá: “Naʻe ngangana leva mei [hono] ongo mata [ʻo Saulá] ha ngaahi meʻa hangē ni ʻunoʻi ika; pea naʻa ne ʻā.” Naʻe mateuteu ʻa Saula he taimi ko iá ke fanongo. Naʻe fakapapauʻi ʻi he ngaahi lea ʻa ʻAnanaiá ʻa e meʻa ʻoku ngalingali naʻe mahinoʻi ʻe Saula mei he ngaahi lea ʻa Sīsuú: “Ko e ʻOtua o ʻetau ngaahi kui naʻa ne sinaki tuʻutuʻuni ke ke ʻilo hono finangalo, pea ke mamata ki he Toko Taha Angatonu, pea ke fanongo ki ha leʻo mei hono fofonga. Koeʻuhi ke ke hoko ko ʻene fakamoʻoni ki he kakai kotoa pe ʻi he ngaahi meʻa kuo ke mamata mo fanongo ki ai. Pea ko e toe tatali ke hā? Tuʻu pe ke papitaiso koe, ʻo fufulu koe mei hoʻo ngaahi angahala, ʻo takua hono huafa.” Ko e olá? Ko Saula naʻá ne “tuʻu hake ʻo papitaiso. Pea hili ʻene fai ʻene kai naʻa ne mālohi.”​—Ngāue 9:​17-​19; 22:​12-​16.

Hili hono fakahoko ʻa ʻene ngāué, naʻe puli vave ʻa e anga-tonu ko ʻAnanaiá mei he talanoá, pea ʻoku ʻikai ke tau toe maʻu ha fakamatala fekauʻaki mo ia. Ka naʻe fakaʻohovaleʻi ʻe Saula ʻa e faʻahinga kotoa naʻa nau fanongo kiate iá! Ko e tokotaha-fakatanga ki muʻa, ʻa ia naʻe haʻu ki Tāmasikusi ke puke ʻa e kau ākonga ʻa Sīsuú, naʻe kamata ke ne malanga ʻi he ngaahi sinakoké pea ke fakamoʻoniʻi ko Sīsū ʻa e Kalaisí.​—Ngāue 9:​20-​22.

“Aposetolo ʻo e Senitaile”

Ko e meʻa naʻe fetaulaki mo Saula ʻi he hala ki Tāmasikusí naʻá ne taʻofi ai ʻa e tokotaha-fakatangá mei hono ngaahi ʻalungá. ʻI hono fakatokangaʻi ʻa e fakaʻilonga ʻo e Mīsaiá, naʻe lava ke ngāueʻaki ai ʻe Saula ʻa e ngaahi fakakaukau mo e ngaahi kikite lahi ʻa e Ngaahi Konga Tohitapu Faka-Hepeluú kia Sīsuú. ʻI he lāuʻilo naʻe hā ange ʻa Sīsū kiate ia ʻo ‘ala kiate ia’ mo fekauʻi ia ke hoko ko e “aposetolo ʻo e Senitaile” naʻá ne liliuʻi lahi ʻa e moʻui ʻa Saulá. (Filipai 3:12; Loma 11:13) ʻI he hoko he taimi ko ení ko e ʻapositolo ko Paulá, naʻá ne maʻu ha monū mo e mafai ʻa ia naʻe pau ke ne tākiekina ʻo ʻikai ngata pē ʻi he toenga ʻo hono ngaahi ʻaho ʻi he māmaní kae toe pehē foki ki he ʻalunga ʻo e hisitōlia faka-Kalisitiané.

ʻI he ngaahi taʻu ki mui aí, ʻi hono fakakikihiʻi ʻa e tuʻunga ʻapositolo ʻo Paulá, naʻá ne maluʻi ʻa hono mafaí ʻaki ʻa e lave ki he meʻa naʻá ne hokosia ʻi he hala ki Tāmasikusí. “ʻIkai ko e aposetolo au? ʻikai kuo u mamata kia Sisu Kalaisi, ko hotau ʻEiki?,” ko ʻene ʻeké ia. Pea ʻi he hili ʻa e lave ki he ngaahi hā ʻa Sīsū kuo toetuʻú ki he niʻihi kehé, naʻe fakamatala ʻa Saula (Paula): “Kimui ʻaupito, ʻo hange tofu pe ko e fanauʻi taʻe hoko kita, naʻa ne ha kiate au foki.” (1 Kolinito 9:​1; 15:8) Ne hangē ia ko e pehē ko Saulá, ʻi heʻene vīsone ki he lāngilangi fakahēvani ʻo Sīsuú, ne tuku kiate ia ʻa e lāngilangi ʻo hono fanauʻi, pe fokotuʻu hake, ki he moʻui laumālié ki muʻa ʻi hono taimí.

Naʻe lāuʻilo ʻa Saula ki hono monuú peá ne ngāue mālohi ke moʻui ʻo fakatatau ki ai. “Ko au ia ʻa e siʻi taha ʻi he kau Aposetolo; he ʻoku ʻikai te u tāu ke ui ko e aposetolo, koeʻuhiā naʻa ku fakatangaʻi ʻa e siasi ʻo e ʻOtua,” ko ʻene tohí ia. “Ka . . . ko [e] kelesi ko ia [ʻa e ʻOtuá] naʻe ngaue mai, naʻe ʻikai taeʻaonga ia; kae kehe, naʻe hulu atu ʻeku fakafitefitaʻa [ʻi he kotoa ʻo e kau ʻapositolo kehé].”​—1 Kolinito 15:​9, 10.

Mahalo pē ʻi he hangē ko Saulá ʻokú ke manatuʻi ʻa e taimi naʻá ke ʻiloʻi ai ko hono maʻu ʻa e hōifua ʻa e ʻOtuá, ʻoku fiemaʻu ke ke fai ha liliu ki he ngaahi fakakaukau fakalotu fuoloá. ʻOku ʻikai ha veiveiua naʻá ke houngaʻia ʻaupito ʻi hono tokoniʻi koe ʻe Sihova ke ke maʻu ʻa e moʻoní. ʻI he sio ʻa Saula ki he māmá pea ʻiloʻi ʻa e meʻa naʻe fiemaʻu meiate iá, naʻe ʻikai te ne toumoua ke fai ia. Pea naʻá ne hanganaki fai ia ʻaki ʻa e faivelenga mo e fakapapauʻi ʻi he toenga ʻo ʻene moʻui ʻi he māmaní. He faʻifaʻitakiʻanga lelei ʻaupito ē ki he faʻahinga kotoa ʻoku nau holi ke maʻu ʻa e hōifua ʻa Sihová ʻi he ʻaho ní!

[Fakamatala ʻi lalo]

[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 27]

Ko e hala naʻe ui ko Totonú ʻi Tāmasikusi ʻo e ʻaho ní

[Maʻuʻanga ʻo e Tā]

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