9:1 掃羅仍然向主的門徒口吐威嚇凶煞的話,去見大祭司,
9:2 求文書給大馬士革的各會堂,若是找著信奉這道的人,無論男女,都准他捆綁帶到耶路撒冷。
9:3 掃羅行路,將到大馬士革,忽然從天上發光,四面照著他;
9:4 他就仆倒在地,聽見有聲音對他說:「掃羅!掃羅!你為甚麼逼迫我?」
9:5 他說:「主啊!你是誰?」主說:「我就是你所逼迫的耶穌。
9:6 起來!進城去,你所當做的事,必有人告訴你。」
9:7 同行的人站在那裡,說不出話來,聽見聲音,卻看不見人。
9:8 掃羅從地上起來,睜開眼睛,竟不能看見甚麼。有人拉他的手,領他進了大馬士革;
9:9 三日不能看見,也不吃也不喝。
9:10 當下,在大馬士革有一個門徒,名叫亞拿尼亞。主在異象中對他說:「亞拿尼亞。」他說:「主,我在這裡。」
9:11 主對他說:「起來!往直街去,在猶大的家裡,訪問一個大數人,名叫掃羅。他正禱告,
9:12 又看見了一個人,名叫亞拿尼亞,進來按手在他身上,叫他能看見。」
9:13 亞拿尼亞回答說:「主啊,我聽見許多人說:這人怎樣在耶路撒冷多多苦害你的聖徒,
9:14 並且他在這裡有從祭司長得來的權柄捆綁一切求告你名的人。」
9:15 主對亞拿尼亞說:「你只管去!他是我所揀選的器皿,要在外邦人和君王,並以色列人面前宣揚我的名。
9:16 我也要指示他,為我的名必須受許多的苦難。」
9:17 亞拿尼亞就去了,進入那家,把手按在掃羅身上,說:「兄弟掃羅,在你來的路上向你顯現的主,就是耶穌,打發我來,叫你能看見,又被聖靈充滿。」
9:18 掃羅的眼睛上,好像有鱗立刻掉下來,他就能看見。於是起來受了洗;
9:19 吃過飯就健壯了。
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered.
11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
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保羅(掃羅)信主的過程完全是上帝的作為,因為他本是逼迫教會的人,並不是對福音有好感的人,在他的心中教會是一群異端和拜「偶像」之人。祂不相信主耶穌是基督,可是主耶穌卻用奇特的方式向他顯現,並且對他說話。
當然為了迎接保羅的信主,主耶穌也透過異象向亞拿尼亞來顯現,使他清楚保羅的角色:「你只管去!他是我所揀選的器皿,要在外邦人和君王,並以色列人面前宣揚我的名。我也要指示他,為我的名必須受許多的苦難。」
也因為這樣亞拿尼亞勇敢的去為掃羅(保羅)施洗,並且宣告:「兄弟掃羅,在你來的路上向你顯現的主,就是耶穌,打發我來,叫你能看見,又被聖靈充滿。」
而保羅在這一次經歷之後,深深感受到:人能夠信主是出於上帝的恩典,教會是基督的身體,逼迫教會就是逼迫基督。這樣的認知也讓他相信上帝的主權,確認得救是上帝的揀選,而這一切是上帝在永恆之中預備的。
其實我們每一位信主的人,也像保羅一樣確認這是出於上帝的奇妙作為。我們會為所蒙的恩,來讚美上帝!
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