1, 2. IBhayibhili liyisipho esithokozisayo esivela kuNkulunkulu ngayiphi indlela?

USASIKHUMBULA yini isikhathi lapho owemukela khona isipho esihle esivela kumngane wakho omthandayo? Kufanele ukuthi wajabula kakhulu lapho usamukela. Phela isipho sikutshela okuthile ngomuntu okunike sona. Sikutshela ukuthi uyabuqakathekisa ubungane benu. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi wabonga kakhulu ngesipho somngane wakho owayekucabangile.

² IBhayibhili liyisipho esingasibonga kakhulu esivela kuNkulunkulu. Ibhuku leli elingafanani lamanye lisivezela izinto ebesingasoze sizazi. Ngokwesibonelo, lisitshela ngokudalwa kwamazulu agcwele izinkanyezi, umhlaba, kanye lokudalwa kwendoda lowesifazana bokuqala. IBhayibhili lilezimiso esingazithemba ezingasinceda ukuthi silwisane lezinhlupho kanye lezinkathazo ezisempilweni. Lichasisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu uzayigcwalisa njani injongo yakhe lokuthi uzaletha njani izimo ezingcono emhlabeni. Liyisipho esithokozisayo sibili!

3. Ukuthi uJehova wasinika iBhayibhili kusitshelani ngaye, njalo kungani lokhu kusithokozisa?

³ IBhayibhili liyisipho esisithokozisa kakhulu ngenxa yokuthi lisitshela okuthile ngalowo owasinika lona, uJehova uNkulunkulu.  Ukusinika kwakhe iBhayibhili kutshengisa ukuthi ufuna simazi ngcono. Yikho-ke iBhayibhili lingakunceda ukuthi usondele kuJehova.

4. Kuyini okukumangalisayo ngokusakazwa kweBhayibhili?

⁴ Nxa uleBhayibhili, ayisuwe wedwa olalo. IBhayibhili lidindwe ngezindimi ezedlula 2 600 lilonke loba liyingxenye. Yikho-ke, abantu abedlula amaphesenti angu-90 emhlabeni wonke balalo. Ngokwesilinganiso, iviki ngayinye kusakazwa amaBhayibhili edlula imiliyoni! Sekwadindwa amabhiliyoni amaBhayibhili, lilonke loba liyingxenye. Kuyakhanya ukuthi akula elinye ibhuku elinjengeBhayibhili.

5. IBhayibhili ‘liphefumulelwe nguNkulunkulu’ ngayiphi indlela?

⁵ Okunye njalo yikuthi iBhayibhili ‘liphefumulelwe nguNkulunkulu.’ (Bala u-2 Thimothi 3:16.) Njani? IBhayibhili liyaziphendulela: ‘Abantu bakhuluma kuvela kuNkulunkulu beholwa ngumoya ongcwele.’ (2 UPhetro 1:21) Ubabamkhulu angacela umzukulu ukuthi ambhalele incwadi. Incwadi leyo ilemicabango lemilayezo kababamkhulu. Yikho-ke, kayisiyo ncwadi yomzukulu kodwa yincwadi kababamkhulu. Ngendlela efananayo, iBhayibhili lilomlayezo kaNkulunkulu hatshi  owamadoda alibhalayo. Ngakho iqiniso yikuthi iBhayibhili ‘liyilizwi likaNkulunkulu.’​—1 KwabaseThesalonika 2:13.

6, 7. Kungani ukuvumelana kwezingxenye zeBhayibhili ezehlukeneyo kumangalisa kakhulu?

⁶ Kwathatha iminyaka edlula 1 600 ukuthi iBhayibhili libhalwe. Abalobi balo baphila ngezikhathi ezingafananiyo njalo babevela ezindaweni ezitshiyeneyo. Abanye babengabalimi, abanye bengabagoli benhlanzi njalo abanye bengabelusi. Kanti njalo abanye babengabaphrofethi, abanye bengabahluleli njalo abanye babengamakhosi. Umlobi weVangeli uLukha wayengudokotela. IBhayibhili liyavumelana kusukela ekuqaliseni kuze kufike ekucineni kwalo lanxa abalobi balo babetshiyene. *

⁷ Ibhuku lokuqala leBhayibhili lisitshela ngokuthi izinhlupho zabantu zaqalisa njani. Ibhuku lokucina lisitshela ukuthi umhlaba wonke uzakuba lipharadayisi kumbe isivande. Konke okwabhalwa eBhayibhilini kwenzakala phakathi kwezinkulungwane zeminyaka njalo kuyangenelana lokugcwaliseka kwenjongo kaNkulunkulu. Ukuvumelana kweBhayibhili kuyamangalisa. Lokhu yikho ebesingakukhangelela ebhukwini elivela kuNkulunkulu.

8. Nika izibonelo ezitshengisa ukuthi iBhayibhili likhuluma iqiniso ngesayensi.

⁸ IBhayibhili liyavumelana lesayensi. Lilezinto ezazingakaziwa ngesikhathi libhalwa. Ngokwesibonelo, ibhuku likaLevi lilemithetho yama-Israyeli asendulo emayelana lenhlanzeko lokuhlalisa abantu abalemikhuhlane ethelelwanayo endaweni yabo bodwa. Izizwe ezaziseduze lawo zazingakwazi lokho. Ngesikhathi abantu besaqagela ukuthi umhlaba umi unjani, iBhayibhili laselithe uyindingilizi kumbe ibhora. (U-Isaya 40:22) IBhayibhili lakhuluma iqiniso ngomhlaba lathi ‘uphanyekwe  phezu kweze.’ (UJobe 26:7) Kuliqiniso ukuthi iBhayibhili kayisilo bhuku lesayensi. Kodwa nxa likhuluma ngesayensi likhuluma iqiniso. Lokhu yikho ebesingakukhangelela ebhukwini elivela kuNkulunkulu.

9. (a) IBhayibhili litshengisa njani ukuthi imbali ekulo iliqiniso njalo singayithemba? (b) Ukuthembeka kwabalobi beBhayibhili kukutshelani ngalo?

⁹ Imbali eseBhayibhilini iliqiniso njalo singayithemba. IBhayibhili libeka izinto njengoba zinjalo. Izindaba ezikulo kaziqambi amabizo abantu kuphela kodwa zisinika losendo lwabo. * Abalobi bembali kabajayelanga ukubhala ngokwehlulwa kwesizwe sabo, kodwa abalobi beBhayibhili babethembekile, babebhala lamaphutha abo kanye lawesizwe sakibo. Ngokwesibonelo, ebhukwini leBhayibhili u-AmaNani, umlobi uMosi wabhala ngephutha ayelenzile acina eselijeziselwa. (AmaNani 20:2-12) Ukuthembeka okunjalo akujayelekanga emabhukwini embali kodwa kuyatholakala eBhayibhilini ngoba lilibhuku elivela kuNkulunkulu.

10. Kungani kungasimangalisi ukuthi iBhayibhili libhuku elilosizo?

¹⁰ IBhayibhili liphefumulelwe nguNkulunkulu yikho ‘lilosizo ekufundiseni, ekukhuzeni, lasekuqondiseni.’ (2 KuThimothi 3:16) Libhuku elilosizo. Litshengisa ukuthi liyayizwisisa kakhulu indlela esidalwe ngayo. Lokhu akusimangalisi ngoba uMlobi walo, uJehova uNkulunkulu, nguye uMdali! Uyayizwisisa indlela esicabanga ngayo kanye lemizwa yethu ukwedlula thina. UJehova uyakwazi okumele sikwenze ukuze sithokoze. Uyazazi lezinto okungamelanga sizenze.

11, 12. (a) UJesu wakhuluma ngani eNtshumayelweni yakhe yaseNtabeni? (b) Yiziphi ezinye izimiso esizithola eBhayibhilini, njalo kungani iseluleko salo sisebenza lalamuhla?

¹¹ Cabanga ngenkulumo kaJesu okuthiwa yiNtshumayelo yaseNtabeni ebhalwe kuMathewu izahluko 5, 6 lo-7.  Entshumayelweni yakhe eyayilamandla, uJesu wakhuluma ngezinto ezitshiyeneyo ezigoqela indlela esingathola ngayo intokozo yeqiniso, indlela yokulungisa izingxabano, indlela esingakhuleka ngayo kanye lombono okumele sibe lawo ngenotho. Amazwi kaJesu alokhu elamandla njalo elusizo lalamuhla njengoba ayenjalo ngesikhathi ewakhuluma.

¹² Ezinye izimiso zeBhayibhili zimayelana lokuhlalisana kwezimuli, imikhuba yokusebenza kanye lendlela okumele siphilisane  ngayo labanye. Izimiso zeBhayibhili zisebenza ebantwini bonke njalo iseluleko salo siyanceda ngaso sonke isikhathi. Inhlakanipho esiyithola eBhayibhilini ifinqwa ngamazwi kaNkulunkulu abhalwa ngumphrofethi u-Isaya athi: “Mina nginguJehova, uNkulunkulu wakho, okufundisa lokho okuhle kakhulu kuwe.”​—U-Isaya 48:17.

13. UJehova waphefumulela umphrofethi u-Isaya ukuthi abhaleni mayelana leBhabhiloni?

¹³ IBhayibhili lileziphrofetho ezinengi njalo ezinye zakhona sezagcwaliseka. Nansi isibonelo. Esebenzisa umphrofethi u-Isaya owaphila ngekhulu lesi-8 B.C.E., uJehova wakhuluma kuseselesikhathi ukuthi idolobho leBhabhiloni lalizabhidlizwa. (U-Isaya 13:19; 14:22, 23) Kwabhalwa amazwi ayetshengisa ukuthi idolobho lalizanqotshwa njani. Ibutho elalizahlasela lalizawomisa umfula weBhabhiloni beselingena edolobheni lelo lingazange lilwe. Akusikho kodwa okwakhulunywayo. Isiphrofetho sika-Isaya saqamba lebizo lenkosi eyayizanqoba iBhabhiloni, uKhurosi.​—Bala u-Isaya 44:27–45:2.

14, 15. Amazwi esiphrofetho sika-Isaya amayelana leBhabhiloni agcwaliseka njani?

¹⁴ Ngemva kweminyaka engu-200, ngo-October 5/6, 539 B.C.E. ebusuku, ibutho lafika eduze laseBhabhiloni. Umlawuli walo kwakungubani? Kwakuyinkosi yasePhesiya okuthiwa nguKhurosi. Kwasekuyisikhathi sokuthi isiphrofetho esimangalisayo sigcwaliseke. Kodwa ibutho likaKhurosi lalizahlasela iBhabhiloni lingazange lilwe yini njengoba kwakuphrofethiwe?

¹⁵ Ngobusuku lobo, amaBhabhiloni ayeledili njalo ayezibona evikelekile phakathi kwemiduli emikhulu yedolobho lawo. Ngalesosikhathi, uKhurosi ngokuhlakanipha waphambula amanzi omfula ayegeleza edolobheni. Masinyane nje, amanzi ayesebohlile, ibutho lakhe selisenelisa ukuchapha umfula lisondele emidulini yedolobho lelo. Kodwa ibutho likaKhurosi lalizadlula njani emidulini yeBhabhiloni? Ngalobobusuku,  amasango edolobho aphongutshiywa evuliwe ngesizatho esingaziwayo!

16. (a) U-Isaya wathini ngesiphetho seBhabhiloni? (b) Isiphrofetho sika-Isaya esimayelana lokubhidlizwa kweBhabhiloni sagcwaliseka njani?

¹⁶ Mayelana leBhabhiloni isiphrofetho sathi: “Akuyikuhlalwa kulo futhi loba kwakhiwe kulo kuzo zonke izizukulwane; akulam-Arabhi ozamisa ithente lakhe khona loba umalusi ozaphumuza imihlambi yakhe khona.” (U-Isaya 13:20) Isiphrofetho lesi asikhulumanga ngokuwa kwedolobho kuphela. Kodwa satshengisa lokuthi iBhabhiloni lalizahlala lilunxiwa kuze kube nini lanini. Ungazibonela ngawakho ubufakazi obutshengisa ukuthi amazwi la agcwaliseka ngoba kulendawo engahlali muntu eBhabhiloni lasendulo, engamakhilomitha angu-80 eningizimu yaseBaghdad e-Iraq. Lokhu kutshengisa amazwi la akhulunywa nguJehova esebenzisa u-Isaya agcwaliseka: “Ngizalithanyela ngomthanyelo wencithakalo.”​—U-Isaya 14:22, 23. *

17. Ukugcwaliseka kweziphrofetho zeBhayibhili kuluqinisa njani ukholo lwethu?

 ¹⁷ Ukubona ukuthi iBhayibhili libhuku elileziphrofetho esingazithemba kuqinisa ukholo lwethu. Silesizatho esihle sokuthemba ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu uzagcwalisa isithembiso sakhe somhlaba olipharadayisi ngoba wagcwalisa izithembiso ayezenzile kudala. (Bala amaNani 23:19.) Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi ‘silethemba lokuphila okungapheliyo, uNkulunkulu ongaqambi manga akuthembisa ekuqaleni kwesikhathi.’​—KuThithusi 1:2, The Holy Bible in Ndebele. *

18. Yiwaphi amazwi alamandla akhulunywa ngumphostoli ongumKhristu uPhawuli mayelana ‘lelizwi likaNkulunkulu’?

¹⁸ Esixoxe ngakho esahlukweni lesi kutshengisa ngendlela  ecacileyo ukuthi iBhayibhili alifanani lamanye amabhuku sibili. Liyavumelana, likhuluma iqiniso ngesayensi langembali, lilokuhlakanipha okuluncedo njalo lileziphrofetho esingazithemba. Kodwa kulokunye eliqakatheke ngakho. Umphostoli ongumKhristu uPhawuli wabhala wathi: “Ilizwi likaNkulunkulu liyaphila njalo liyasebenza. Libukhali kulenkemba esika inxa zombili, ingena ize yehlukanise umphefumulo lomoya, amalunga lomnkantsho; lahlulela imicabango lomumo wenhliziyo.”​—KumaHebheru 4:12.

19, 20. (a) IBhayibhili lingakunceda njani ukuthi uzihlole? (b) Ungatshengisa njani ukuthi uyasiqakathekisa isipho esihle esiliBhayibhili esisinikwe nguNkulunkulu?

¹⁹ Ukubala “ilizwi” kumbe umlayezo kaNkulunkulu eBhayibhilini kungantshintsha izimpilo zethu. Kungasinceda ukuthi sizihlole ngendlela esingakaze sizihlole ngayo. Singathi siyamthanda uNkulunkulu, kodwa indlela esilalela ngayo okufundiswa liLizwi lakhe eliphefumulelweyo iBhayibhili izaveza imicabango yethu yeqiniso kanye lomumo wezinhliziyo zethu.

²⁰ IBhayibhili libhuku elivela kuNkulunkulu sibili. Libhuku okumele silibale, silifunde njalo silithande. Tshengisa ukuthi uyasiqakathekisa isipho lesi esivela kuNkulunkulu ngokuqhubeka uhlola okuphakathi kwaso. Njengoba uqhubeka usenza njalo, uzayizwisisa ngcono injongo kaNkulunkulu ngabantu. Esihlokweni esilandelayo sizaxoxa ngokuthi injongo leyo iyini njalo izagcwaliseka njani.