路加福音3:1-20

 

3:1 凱撒提庇留在位第十五年，本丟•彼拉多作猶太巡撫，希律作加利利分封的王，他兄弟腓力作以土利亞和特拉可尼地方分封的王，呂撒聶作亞比利尼分封的王，
3:2 亞那和該亞法作大祭司。那時，撒迦利亞的兒子約翰在曠野裡，上帝的話臨到他。
3:3 他就來到約旦河一帶地方，宣講悔改的洗禮，使罪得赦。
3:4 正如先知以賽亞書上所記的話，說：在曠野有人聲喊著說：預備主的道，修直他的路！
3:5 一切山窪都要填滿；大小山岡都要削平！彎彎曲曲的地方要改為正直；高高低低的道路要改為平坦！
3:6 凡有血氣的，都要見上帝的救恩！
3:7 約翰對那出來要受他洗的眾人說：「毒蛇的種類！誰指示你們逃避將來的忿怒呢？
3:8 你們要結出果子來，與悔改的心相稱。不要自己心裡說：『有亞伯拉罕為我們的祖宗。』我告訴你們，上帝能從這些石頭中，給亞伯拉罕興起子孫來。
3:9 現在斧子已經放在樹根上，凡不結好果子的樹就砍下來，丟在火裡。」
3:10 眾人問他說：「這樣，我們當做甚麼呢？」
3:11 約翰回答說：「有兩件衣裳的，就分給那沒有的；有食物的，也當這樣行。」
3:12 又有稅吏來要受洗，問他說：「夫子，我們當做甚麼呢？」
3:13 約翰說：「除了例定的數目，不要多取。」
3:14 又有兵丁問他說：「我們當做甚麼呢？」約翰說：「不要以強暴待人，也不要訛詐人，自己有錢糧就當知足。」
3:15 百姓指望基督來的時候，人都心裡猜疑，或者約翰是基督。
3:16 約翰說：「我是用水給你們施洗，但有一位能力比我更大的要來，我就是給他解鞋帶也不配。他要用聖靈與火給你們施洗。
3:17 他手裡拿著簸箕，要揚淨他的場，把麥子收在倉裡，把糠用不滅的火燒盡了。」
3:18 約翰又用許多別的話勸百姓，向他們傳福音。
3:19 只是分封的王希律，因他兄弟之妻希羅底的緣故，並因他所行的一切惡事，受了約翰的責備；
3:20 又另外添了一件，就是把約翰收在監裡。

 

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— ² during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. ³ He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁴ As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.
⁵ Every valley shall be filled in,
    every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
    the rough ways smooth.
⁶ And all people will see God’s salvation.’”^[a]

⁷ John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ⁹ The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

¹⁰ “What should we do then?” the crowd asked.

¹¹ John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”

¹² Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”

¹³ “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.

¹⁴ Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”

He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”

¹⁵ The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. ¹⁶ John answered them all, “I baptize you with^[b] water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with^[c] the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷ His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” ¹⁸ And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.

¹⁹ But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done, ²⁰ Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.

 

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    路加不斷地留下立是的軌跡在這福音書中，正如：「凱撒提庇留在位第十五年，本丟•彼拉多作猶太巡撫，希律作加利利分封的王，他兄弟腓力作以土利亞和特拉可尼地方分封的王，呂撒聶作亞比利尼分封的王，亞那和該亞法作大祭司。那時，撒迦利亞的兒子約翰在曠野裡，上帝的話臨到他。」

 

    然而施洗約翰的出現是應驗先知以賽亞所說的：「在曠野有人聲喊著說：預備主的道，修直他的路！一切山窪都要填滿；大小山岡都要削平！彎彎曲曲的地方要改為正直；高高低低的道路要改為平坦！凡有血氣的，都要見上帝的救恩！」

 

    也因為他的出現，使人想到上帝所預備的基督，但是他不趁這個機會自稱為基督。反到宣告基督的特質：「我是用水給你們施洗，但有一位能力比我更大的要來，我就是給他解鞋帶也不配。他要用聖靈與火給你們施洗。他手裡拿著簸箕，要揚淨他的場，把麥子收在倉裡，把糠用不滅的火燒盡了。」

 

    然而先知或上帝真正的僕人，當然不會受到世人的歡迎，尤其是當權者。正如施洗約翰指責希律王的作為，讓他被下到監裡，最後是被殺！所以，成為上帝的牧者要覺悟，不是為了討人喜歡，而是要討上帝喜歡！

 

 

歷代志上5:23-26

 

5:23 瑪拿西半支派的人住在那地。從巴珊延到巴力‧黑們、示尼珥與黑門山。
5:24 他們的族長是以弗、以示、以列、亞斯列、耶利米、何達威雅、雅疊，都是大能的勇士，是有名的人，也是作族長的。
5:25 他們得罪了他們列祖的上帝，隨從那地之民的神行邪淫；這民就是上帝在他們面前所除滅的。
5:26 故此，以色列的上帝激動亞述王普勒和亞述王提革拉．毘列色的心，他們就把流便人、迦得人、瑪拿西半支派的人擄到哈臘、哈博、哈拉與歌散河邊，直到今日還在那裡。

 

²³ The people of the half-tribe of Manasseh were numerous; they settled in the land from Bashan to Baal Hermon, that is, to Senir (Mount Hermon).

²⁴ These were the heads of their families: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah and Jahdiel. They were brave warriors, famous men, and heads of their families. ²⁵ But they were unfaithful to the God of their ancestors and prostituted themselves to the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. ²⁶ So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria (that is, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria), who took the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. He took them to Halah, Habor, Hara and the river of Gozan, where they are to this day.

 

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    作者在這裡警界以色列人：關於以色列人知道在約旦河東的支派，因為得罪上帝，所以最早被亞述帝國所滅！因此要以色列人謹記於心。不可以敬拜別神，招惹上帝的憤怒！

 

歷代志上5:11-22

5:11 迦得的子孫在流便對面，住在巴珊地，延到撒迦。
5:12 他們中間有作族長的約珥，有作副族長的沙番，還有雅乃和住在巴珊的沙法。
5:13 他們族弟兄是米迦勒、米書蘭、示巴、約賴、雅干、細亞、希伯，共七人。
5:14 這都是亞比孩的兒子。亞比孩是戶利的兒子；戶利是耶羅亞的兒子；耶羅亞是基列的兒子；基列是米迦勒的兒子；米迦勒是耶示篩的兒子；耶示篩是耶哈多的兒子；耶哈多是布斯的兒子。
5:15 還有古尼的孫子、押比疊的兒子亞希。這都是作族長的。
5:16 他們住在基列與巴珊和巴珊的鄉村，並沙崙的郊野，直到四圍的交界。
5:17 這些人在猶大王約坦並在以色列王耶羅波安年間，都載入家譜。
5:18 流便人、迦得人，和瑪拿西半支派的人，能拿盾牌和刀劍、拉弓射箭、出征善戰的勇士共有四萬四千七百六十名。
5:19 他們與夏甲人、伊突人、拿非施人、挪答人爭戰。
5:20 他們得了上帝的幫助，夏甲人和跟隨夏甲的人都交在他們手中；因為他們在陣上呼求上帝，倚賴上帝，上帝就應允他們。
5:21 他們擄掠了夏甲人的牲畜，有駱駝五萬，羊二十五萬，驢二千；又有人十萬。
5:22 敵人被殺仆倒的甚多，因為這爭戰是出乎上帝。他們就住在敵人的地上，直到被擄的時候。

 

¹¹ The Gadites lived next to them in Bashan, as far as Salekah:

¹² Joel was the chief, Shapham the second, then Janai and Shaphat, in Bashan.

¹³ Their relatives, by families, were:

Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jakan, Zia and Eber—seven in all.

¹⁴ These were the sons of Abihail son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz.

¹⁵ Ahi son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, was head of their family.

¹⁶ The Gadites lived in Gilead, in Bashan and its outlying villages, and on all the pasturelands of Sharon as far as they extended.

¹⁷ All these were entered in the genealogical records during the reigns of Jotham king of Judah and Jeroboam king of Israel.

¹⁸ The Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men ready for military service—able-bodied men who could handle shield and sword, who could use a bow, and who were trained for battle. ¹⁹ They waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish and Nodab. ²⁰ They were helped in fighting them, and God delivered the Hagrites and all their allies into their hands, because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him. ²¹ They seized the livestock of the Hagrites—fifty thousand camels, two hundred fifty thousand sheep and two thousand donkeys. They also took one hundred thousand people captive, ²² and many others fell slain, because the battle was God’s. And they occupied the land until the exile.

 

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    迦得的子孫的子孫之所以可以成為得勝的軍隊，是有原因的，「因為他們在陣上呼求上帝，倚賴上帝，上帝就應允他們」。不僅如此，「敵人被殺仆倒的甚多，因為這爭戰是出乎上帝。他們就住在敵人的地上，直到被擄的時候」。

 

    也因為這樣，我們也要像迦得的子孫，要「呼求上帝、倚賴上帝」，就會獲得上帝的應許！

 

 

歷代志上5章

     歷代志上5:1-10 ,

    歷代志上5:11-22  ,

    歷代志上5:23-26  ,

歷代志上5:1-10

 

5:1 以色列的長子原是流便；因他污穢了父親的床，他長子的名分就歸了約瑟。只是按家譜他不算長子。
5:2 猶大勝過一切弟兄，君王也是從他而出；長子的名分卻歸約瑟。
5:3 以色列長子流便的兒子是哈諾、法路、希斯倫、迦米。
5:4 約珥的兒子是示瑪雅；示瑪雅的兒子是歌革；歌革的兒子是示每；
5:5 示每的兒子是米迦；米迦的兒子是利‧亞雅；利‧亞雅的兒子是巴力；
5:6 巴力的兒子是備‧拉。這備‧拉作流便支派的首領，被亞述王提革拉‧毘列色擄去。
5:7 他的弟兄照著宗族，按著家譜作族長的是耶利、撒迦利雅、比拉。
5:8 比拉是亞撒的兒子；亞撒是示瑪的兒子；示瑪是約珥的兒子；約珥所住的地方是從亞羅珥直到尼波和巴力‧免，
5:9 又向東延到幼發拉底河這邊的曠野，因為他們在基列地牲畜增多。
5:10 掃羅年間，他們與夏甲人爭戰，夏甲人倒在他們手下，他們就在基列東邊的全地，住在夏甲人的帳棚裡。

 

he sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father’s marriage bed, his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel; so he could not be listed in the genealogical record in accordance with his birthright, ² and though Judah was the strongest of his brothers and a ruler came from him, the rights of the firstborn belonged to Joseph)— ³ the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel:

Hanok, Pallu, Hezron and Karmi.

⁴ The descendants of Joel:

Shemaiah his son, Gog his son,

Shimei his son, ⁵ Micah his son,

Reaiah his son, Baal his son,

⁶ and Beerah his son, whom Tiglath-Pileser^[a] king of Assyria took into exile. Beerah was a leader of the Reubenites.

⁷ Their relatives by clans, listed according to their genealogical records:

Jeiel the chief, Zechariah, ⁸ and Bela son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel. They settled in the area from Aroer to Nebo and Baal Meon. ⁹ To the east they occupied the land up to the edge of the desert that extends to the Euphrates River, because their livestock had increased in Gilead.

¹⁰ During Saul’s reign they waged war against the Hagrites, who were defeated at their hands; they occupied the dwellings of the Hagrites throughout the entire region east of Gilead.

 

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     不管是流便或是猶大，都無法被稱為長子，但是「長子的名分卻歸約瑟」！也因為這樣約瑟的後代有兩個支派：以法蓮和瑪拿西！

 

    雖然強調約瑟是長子，這裡記載的是流便的子孫！