哥林多後書12:1-10

12:1 我自誇固然無益，但我是不得已的。如今我要說到主的顯現和啟示。
12:2 我認得一個在基督裡的人，他前十四年被提到第三層天上去；（或在身內，我不知道；或在身外，我也不知道；只有上帝知道。）
12:3 我認得這人；（或在身內，或在身外，我都不知道，只有上帝知道。）
12:4 他被提到樂園裡，聽見隱祕的言語，是人不可說的。
12:5 為這人，我要誇口；但是為我自己，除了我的軟弱以外，我並不誇口。
12:6 我就是願意誇口也不算狂，因為我必說實話；只是我禁止不說，恐怕有人把我看高了，過於他在我身上所看見、所聽見的。
12:7 又恐怕我因所得的啟示甚大，就過於自高，所以有一根刺加在我肉體上，就是撒但的差役要攻擊我，免得我過於自高。
12:8 為這事，我三次求過主，叫這刺離開我。
12:9 他對我說：「我的恩典夠你用的，因為我的能力是在人的軟弱上顯得完全。」所以，我更喜歡誇自己的軟弱，好叫基督的能力覆庇我。
12:10 我為基督的緣故，就以軟弱、凌辱、急難、逼迫、困苦為可喜樂的；因我甚麼時候軟弱，甚麼時候就剛強了。

 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. ² I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. ³ And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— ⁴ was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. ⁵ I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. ⁶ Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, ⁷ or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. ⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

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    保羅在此說到自己有神祕的經驗，但是這經驗並不是給他有很榮耀的感覺，也沒有到處向人誇口，為什麼會這樣呢？因為這樣的經驗之後，他遇見魔鬼的攻擊，讓他自己快受不了！求主讓他免去這樣的攻擊，但是主並沒有挪去！

    保羅要說的就是，不要拿自己的神祕經驗來誇耀，這反而是讓自己落入更大的攻擊，要面對更大的試探，讓我們覺得像刺一般，使我們認識到自己是軟弱無能的，是靠己力無法應付的，必須靠主的恩典才可以來面對。既然是主的能力覆庇，就當誇耀主不是誇耀自己！

    保羅的經驗是不是讓你覺得吃驚，在信仰上越有經歷，不是越好嗎？越是剛強嗎？卻反而覺得自己軟弱呢？這是正常的反應，因為越有這樣感覺的人，越會倚靠主的恩典，不是倚靠自己的才能和恩賜！

    然而保羅也讓我們看見，惟有承認自己的軟弱，我們才會倚靠基督的大能，基督的大能才會藉我們展現出來！因為主說：「我的恩典夠你用的，因為我的能力是在人的軟弱上顯得完全。」

哥林多後書11:16-33

11:16 我再說，人不可把我看作愚妄的。縱然如此，也要把我當作愚妄人接納，叫我可以略略自誇。
11:17 我說的話不是奉主命說的，乃是像愚妄人放膽自誇；
11:18 既有好些人憑著血氣自誇，我也要自誇了。
11:19 你們既是精明人，就能甘心忍耐愚妄人。
11:20 假若有人強你們作奴僕，或侵吞你們，或擄掠你們，或侮慢你們，或打你們的臉，你們都能忍耐他。
11:21 我說這話是羞辱自己，好像我們從前是軟弱的。然而，人在何事上勇敢，（我說句愚妄話，）我也勇敢。
11:22 他們是希伯來人嗎？我也是。他們是以色列人嗎？我也是。他們是亞伯拉罕的後裔嗎？我也是。
11:23 他們是基督的僕人嗎？（我說句狂話，）我更是。我比他們多受勞苦，多下監牢，受鞭打是過重的，冒死是屢次有的。
11:24 被猶太人鞭打五次，每次四十減去一下；
11:25 被棍打了三次；被石頭打了一次；遇著船壞三次，一晝一夜在深海裡。
11:26 又屢次行遠路，遭江河的危險、盜賊的危險、同族的危險、外邦人的危險、城裡的危險、曠野的危險、海中的危險、假弟兄的危險。
11:27 受勞碌、受困苦，多次不得睡，又飢又渴，多次不得食，受寒冷，赤身露體。
11:28 除了這外面的事，還有為眾教會掛心的事，天天壓在我身上。
11:29 有誰軟弱，我不軟弱呢？有誰跌倒，我不焦急呢？
11:30 我若必須自誇，就誇那關乎我軟弱的事便了。
11:31 那永遠可稱頌之主耶穌的父上帝知道我不說謊。
11:32 在大馬士革的亞哩達王手下的提督把守大馬士革城，要捉拿我，
11:33 我就從窗戶中，在筐子裡，從城牆上被人縋下去，脫離了他的手。

¹⁶ I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting. ¹⁷ In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would, but as a fool. ¹⁸ Since many are boasting in the way the world does, I too will boast. ¹⁹ You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise! ²⁰ In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. ²¹ To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that!
Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about. ²² Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. ²³ Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. ²⁴ Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, ²⁶ I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. ²⁷ I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. ²⁸ Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. ²⁹ Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
³⁰ If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. ³¹ The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying. ³² In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me. ³³ But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.

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    保羅將自己所遭的經歷向哥林多教會信徒表達，他沒有說上帝用神蹟拯救他，反而老老實實說到自己為信仰所受的苦，一五一十地說出來。他不怕人說自己是受到咒詛，反倒勇敢的說：「我若必須自誇，就誇那關乎我軟弱的事便了。那永遠可稱頌之主耶穌的父上帝知道我不說謊。」

    從保羅的見證中我們可以認識真正上帝的僕人是怎樣的！是不說誇大的話，也不高抬自己的成就，不說到自己多麼厲害、多麼有辦法！不像許多高抬自己，自以為是的「成功神學」牧者，說到上帝多麼賜福給他，讓他的事工多麼順利，多麼有果效，多麼造就人！

    因此，當你覺得事工推動得不順利，阻力很多、很困難做，不見得不是上帝的旨意！反而覺得很困難做、沒有什麼果效，但是內心卻不願意放棄的事工，才真得是上帝的旨意，才是真的上帝要我們做的，因為這樣的情況我們會更倚靠上帝，把榮耀歸給上帝！正如保羅為了服事上帝，反而遇到更多苦難一般！

    我不會為上帝說好話，正如保羅也不為上帝說好話，因為事奉上帝本來就是不容易的事，本來就是看不到明顯的果效，需要耐心等候與投入的事情！甚至是吃力不討好，也因為這樣有呼召很重要！

哥林多後書11:12-15

11:12 我現在所做的，後來還要做，為要斷絕那些尋機會人的機會，使他們在所誇的事上也不過與我們一樣。
11:13 那等人是假使徒，行事詭詐，裝作基督使徒的模樣。
11:14 這也不足為怪，因為連撒但也裝作光明的天使。
11:15 所以他的差役，若裝作仁義的差役，也不算希奇。他們的結局必然照著他們的行為。

¹² And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. ¹³ For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. ¹⁵ It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

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    保羅在這裡的感慨：「那等人是假使徒，行事詭詐，裝作基督使徒的模樣。這也不足為怪，因為連撒但也裝作光明的天使。所以他的差役，若裝作仁義的差役，也不算希奇。」

    的確許多迷惑人的，不是高舉基督，是高舉自己或他們所崇敬的人！甚至還會稱他們為使徒或是先知，好像他們有如同基督的權柄一般，人都要來跟隨和服從他們的教導。

    其實要成為上帝所用的傳道人，還是要從「自我否定」開始，不要高舉自己，要高舉基督，要承認自己是僕人、是器皿，真正的主權在上帝，不是自己的敬虔、聖潔、恩賜，要承認自己是無用的僕人，因為若不是上帝允許和賞賜，我們能擁有甚麼呢？我們所有的一切都是領受來的，當將榮耀歸給上帝！

哥林多後書11章

               哥林多後書11:1-15 ,  哥林多後書11:1-11   ,

               哥林多後書11:3  , 哥林多後書11:12-15  ,

              哥林多後書11:16-33  , 哥林多後書11:16-33  ,

哥林多後書11:1-11

11:1 但願你們寬容我這一點愚妄，其實你們原是寬容我的。
11:2 我為你們起的憤恨，原是上帝那樣的憤恨。因為我曾把你們許配一個丈夫，要把你們如同貞潔的童女，獻給基督。
11:3 我只怕你們的心或偏於邪，失去那向基督所存純一清潔的心，就像蛇用詭詐誘惑了夏娃一樣。
11:4 假如有人來另傳一個耶穌，不是我們所傳過的；或者你們另受一個靈，不是你們所受過的；或者另得一個福音，不是你們所得過的；你們容讓他也就罷了。
11:5 但我想，我一點不在那些最大的使徒以下。
11:6 我的言語雖然粗俗，我的知識卻不粗俗。這是我們在凡事上向你們眾人顯明出來的。
11:7 我因為白白傳上帝的福音給你們，就自居卑微，叫你們高升，這算是我犯罪嗎？
11:8 我虧負了別的教會，向他們取了工價來給你們效力。
11:9 我在你們那裡缺乏的時候，並沒有累著你們一個人；因我所缺乏的，那從馬其頓來的弟兄們都補足了。我向來凡事謹守，後來也必謹守，總不至於累著你們。
11:10 既有基督的誠實在我裡面，就無人能在亞該亞一帶地方阻擋我這自誇。
11:11 為甚麼呢？是因我不愛你們嗎？這有上帝知道。

I hope you will put up with me in a little foolishness. Yes, please put up with me! ² I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. ³ But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. ⁴ For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.

⁵ I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.”^{[a] 6} I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. ⁷ Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge? ⁸ I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. ⁹ And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. ¹⁰ As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine. ¹¹ Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!

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    保羅在這裡提醒哥林多教會：「我為你們起的憤恨，原是上帝那樣的憤恨。因為我曾把你們許配一個丈夫，要把你們如同貞潔的童女，獻給基督。我只怕你們的心或偏於邪，失去那向基督所存純一清潔的心，就像蛇用詭詐誘惑了夏娃一樣。」

    在教會當中最害怕的救世傳異端的事情，而且異端通常會說自己是直接從基督那裡得到啟示，不是一般教會所傳的道理！不是說自己最合乎聖經，不然就說別的基督徒不能得救，就只有與他說一樣的才可以得救！

    也因為這樣，教會的傳道人既然是上帝真理的管家與執事，就不要怕被弟兄姊妹取代，而將上帝的真理保留，傳的不完全，這樣就不好了！我們要勇敢的將上帝所交付得道說明清楚，好使弟兄姊妹明白教會所教導得是什麼！

    說到這裡，就讓我們知道教會為什麼要有「信仰告白」和「信條」、「信經」，就是要弟兄姊妹不受異端的影響！當然這些沒有聖經擁有最高的權威，但是對於那些傳異端的綽綽有餘了！