使徒行傳20:13-24

 

20:13 我們先上船，開往亞朔去，意思要在那裡接保羅；因為他是這樣安排的，他自己打算要步行。
20:14 他既在亞朔與我們相會，我們就接他上船，來到米推利尼。
20:15 從那裡開船，次日到了基阿的對面；又次日，在撒摩靠岸；又次日，來到米利都。
20:16 乃因保羅早已定意越過以弗所，免得在亞細亞耽延，他急忙前走，巴不得趕五旬節能到耶路撒冷。
20:17 保羅從米利都打發人往以弗所去，請教會的長老來。
20:18 他們來了，保羅就說：「你們知道，自從我到亞細亞的日子以來，在你們中間始終為人如何，
20:19 服事主，凡事謙卑，眼中流淚，又因猶太人的謀害，經歷試煉。
20:20 你們也知道，凡與你們有益的，我沒有一樣避諱不說的，或在眾人面前，或在各人家裡，我都教導你們；
20:21 又對猶太人和希臘人證明當向上帝悔改，信靠我主耶穌基督。
20:22 現在我往耶路撒冷去，心甚迫切（原文是心被捆綁），不知道在那裡要遇見甚麼事；
20:23 但知道聖靈在各城裡向我指證，說有捆鎖與患難等待我。
20:24 我卻不以性命為念，也不看為寶貴，只要行完我的路程，成就我從主耶穌所領受的職事，證明上帝恩惠的福音。

 

¹³ We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot. ¹⁴ When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. ¹⁵ The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Chios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus. ¹⁶ Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.

¹⁷ From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. ¹⁸ When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. ¹⁹ I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. ²⁰ You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. ²¹ I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

²² “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. ²³ I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. ²⁴ However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

 

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   保羅知道自己這一生奔跑的方向：「但知道聖靈在各城裡向我指證，說有捆鎖與患難等待我。我卻不以性命為念，也不看為寶貴，只要行完我的路程，成就我從主耶穌所領受的職事，證明上帝恩惠的福音。」

 

    這也就是告訴我們服事主必定要有勇敢的心，甚至要願意為主面對各樣的苦難和考驗，因為主耶穌說：「若有人要跟從我，就當捨己，背起他的十字架來跟從我。因為，凡要救自己生命（生命：或譯靈魂；下同）的，必喪掉生命；凡為我喪掉生命的，必得著生命。」(5)

 

    因此，我們要將自己的生命勇敢交託給主耶穌，正如保羅一樣！主耶穌也應許說：「人子要在他父的榮耀裡，同著眾使者降臨；那時候，他要照各人的行為報應各人。」(馬太福音16:27)