哥林多後書10:7-18

10:7 你們是看眼前的嗎？倘若有人自信是屬基督的，他要再想想，他如何屬基督，我們也是如何屬基督的。
10:8 主賜給我們權柄，是要造就你們，並不是要敗壞你們；我就是為這權柄稍微誇口，也不至於慚愧。
10:9 我說這話，免得你們以為我寫信是要威嚇你們；
10:10 因為有人說：「他的信又沉重又厲害，及至見面，卻是氣貌不揚，言語粗俗的。」
10:11 這等人當想，我們不在那裡的時候，信上的言語如何，見面的時候，行事也必如何。
10:12 因為我們不敢將自己和那自薦的人同列相比。他們用自己度量自己，用自己比較自己，乃是不通達的。
10:13 我們不願意分外誇口，只要照上帝所量給我們的界限搆到你們那裡。
10:14 我們並非過了自己的界限，好像搆不到你們那裡；因為我們早到你們那裡，傳了基督的福音。
10:15 我們不仗著別人所勞碌的，分外誇口；但指望你們信心增長的時候，所量給我們的界限，就可以因著你們更加開展，
10:16 得以將福音傳到你們以外的地方；並不是在別人界限之內，藉著他現成的事誇口。
10:17 但誇口的，當指著主誇口。
10:18 因為蒙悅納的，不是自己稱許的，乃是主所稱許的。

⁷ You are judging by appearances.^[a] If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ, they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do. ⁸ So even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of it. ⁹ I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. ¹⁰ For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing.” ¹¹ Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.
¹² We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. ¹³ We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us, a sphere that also includes you. ¹⁴ We are not going too far in our boasting, as would be the case if we had not come to you, for we did get as far as you with the gospel of Christ. ¹⁵ Neither do we go beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others. Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand, ¹⁶ so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else’s territory. ¹⁷ But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”¹⁸ For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

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    保羅說到自己被論斷的情形，或許是修辭學上故意的描述法，但是也提醒我們，不要在意別人對我們的論斷，因為人的論斷是相對性，是比較性，沒有絕對性的，僅供參考！

    然而我們要對準真正的基準，就是上帝！也惟有上帝才是標準的所在，更何況我們是蒙主揀選成為屬呼主的人，做任何事是要討主的喜悅，不是討人的喜悅！更重要，一切的榮耀應該歸給主，不是歸給我們！也因為如此保羅說：「但誇口的，當指著主誇口。因為蒙悅納的，不是自己稱許的，乃是主所稱許的。」

    所以，我們是奉上帝不要期待人得稱許，也不是要討人的喜悅，是要以上帝給我們的樣式，好好來宣揚福音，服務弟兄姊妹，而不要在乎人的言論與批評，尤其是關乎我們的性格和外表的事情。這些說實在，很難每個人都滿意、都喜歡！

哥林多後書10:1-6

10:1 我－保羅，就是與你們見面的時候是謙卑的，不在你們那裡的時候向你們是勇敢的，如今親自藉著基督的溫柔、和平勸你們。
10:2 有人以為我是憑著血氣行事，我也以為必須用勇敢待這等人；求你們不要叫我在你們那裡的時候，有這樣的勇敢。
10:3 因為我們雖然在血氣中行事，卻不憑著血氣爭戰。
10:4 我們爭戰的兵器本不是屬血氣的，乃是在上帝面前有能力，可以攻破堅固的營壘，
10:5 將各樣的計謀，各樣攔阻人認識上帝的那些自高之事，一概攻破了，又將人所有的心意奪回，使他都順服基督。
10:6 並且我已經預備好了，等你們十分順服的時候，要責罰那一切不順服的人。

By the humility and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away! ² I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. ³ For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. ⁴ The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. ⁵ We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. ⁶ And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.

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    保羅在這裡告訴哥林多信徒：「因為我們雖然在血氣中行事，卻不憑著血氣爭戰。我們爭戰的兵器本不是屬血氣的，乃是在上帝面前有能力，可以攻破堅固的營壘，將各樣的計謀，各樣攔阻人認識上帝的那些自高之事，一概攻破了，又將人所有的心意奪回，使他都順服基督。」

    讓我們有很大的提醒，尤其是說到『我們雖然在血氣中行事』，這是非常真實的，而且我們受到身體的因素影響很大，不管是那一方面，基督徒和一般人是很像而且幾乎一模一樣！也因為這樣，我們可以真真實實體會與瞭解人的狀況！這就是最真實的「處境化」，我們無須去思考、去描述我們所處的族群之文化如何，我們本就在其中受到潛移默化！

    但是，我們生活在這個世界，被這個世界影響得很深，甚至也沾染了罪惡重重！但是，上帝在基督裡的大能大力，已經超越了！因為福音本是上帝的大能，祂要透過信來拯救我們，也要透過我們拯救悖逆的人！只要我們堅定仰望，祂會讓聖靈在我們心中運行到一個程度，讓我們一開口說福音的時候，就拯救祂要拯救的人了！

    記得不要只看眼前的果效，要相信上帝必定完成祂的旨意，是沒有任何事物與權勢能與上帝相抗衡的，祂的指意必定會成就，最終上帝的榮耀必充滿全地！

哥林多後書9:6-15

9:6 「少種的少收，多種的多收」，這話是真的。
9:7 各人要隨本心所酌定的，不要作難，不要勉強，因為捐得樂意的人是上帝所喜愛的。
9:8 上帝能將各樣的恩惠多多地加給你們，使你們凡事常常充足，能多行各樣善事。
9:9 如經上所記：他施捨錢財，賙濟貧窮；他的仁義存到永遠。
9:10 那賜種給撒種的，賜糧給人吃的，必多多加給你們種地的種子，又增添你們仁義的果子；
9:11 叫你們凡事富足，可以多多施捨，就藉著我們使感謝歸於上帝。
9:12 因為辦這供給的事，不但補聖徒的缺乏，而且叫許多人越發感謝上帝。
9:13 他們從這供給的事上得了憑據，知道你們承認基督順服他的福音，多多地捐錢給他們和眾人，便將榮耀歸與上帝。
9:14 他們也因上帝極大的恩賜顯在你們心裡，就切切地想念你們，為你們祈禱。
9:15 感謝上帝，因他有說不盡的恩賜！

⁶ Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. ⁷ Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. ⁹ As it is written:

“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
    their righteousness endures forever.”^[a]

¹⁰ Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. ¹¹ You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

¹² This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. ¹³ Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. ¹⁴ And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. ¹⁵ Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

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    保羅鼓勵哥林多教會弟兄姊妹奉獻的事，在這裡的奉獻是幫補了聖徒的需要，使他們在得到從哥林多信徒來的奉獻時，就歸榮耀和感謝給上帝，等於也是為上帝工作！這是很美的事奉，不僅上帝記念，人也為他們的慷慨來禱告！

    保羅也告訴他們上帝的應許：「上帝能將各樣的恩惠多多地加給你們，使你們凡事常常充足，能多行各樣善事。如經上所記：他施捨錢財，賙濟貧窮；他的仁義存到永遠」。這也就是說，越奉獻會越富有的，上帝一定會更多的供應和賞賜的！

    所以，我們要勇敢的奉獻，只要是甘心樂意的奉獻，都會蒙上帝的悅納，上帝會大大的使用我們的奉獻來使事工和有需要的弟兄姊妹大大受益，完成上帝的旨意，使我們積財寶在天上喔！

哥林多後書9:1-5

9:1 論到供給聖徒的事，我不必寫信給你們；
9:2 因為我知道你們樂意的心，常對馬其頓人誇獎你們，說亞該亞人預備好了，已經有一年了；並且你們的熱心激動了許多人。
9:3 但我打發那幾位弟兄去，要叫你們照我的話預備妥當，免得我們在這事上誇獎你們的話落了空。
9:4 萬一有馬其頓人與我同去，見你們沒有預備，就叫我們所確信的，反成了羞愧；你們羞愧，更不用說了。
9:5 因此，我想不得不求那幾位弟兄先到你們那裡去，把從前所應許的捐貲預備妥當，就顯出你們所捐的是出於樂意，不是出於勉強。

There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the Lord’s people. ² For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. ³ But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be. ⁴ For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to say anything about you—would be ashamed of having been so confident. ⁵ So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.

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    保羅要哥林多教會的弟兄姊妹預備好奉獻的事，展現他行政事工方面的長才。