使徒行傳10:34-48

10:34 彼得就開口說：「我真看出上帝是不偏待人。
10:35 原來，各國中那敬畏主、行義的人都為主所悅納。
10:36 上帝藉著耶穌基督（他是萬有的主）傳和平的福音，將這道賜給以色列人。
10:37 這話在約翰宣傳洗禮以後，從加利利起，傳遍了猶太。
10:38 上帝怎樣以聖靈和能力膏拿撒勒人耶穌，這都是你們知道的。他周流四方，行善事，醫好凡被魔鬼壓制的人，因為上帝與他同在。
10:39 他在猶太人之地，並耶路撒冷所行的一切事，有我們作見證。他們竟把他掛在木頭上殺了。
10:40 第三日，上帝叫他復活，顯現出來；
10:41 不是顯現給眾人看，乃是顯現給上帝預先所揀選為他作見證的人看，就是我們這些在他從死裡復活以後和他同吃同喝的人。
10:42 他吩咐我們傳道給眾人，證明他是上帝所立定的，要作審判活人、死人的主。
10:43 眾先知也為他作見證說：『凡信他的人必因他的名得蒙赦罪。』」
10:44 彼得還說這話的時候，聖靈降在一切聽道的人身上。
10:45 那些奉割禮、和彼得同來的信徒，見聖靈的恩賜也澆在外邦人身上，就都希奇；
10:46 因聽見他們說方言，稱讚上帝為大。
10:47 於是彼得說：「這些人既受了聖靈，與我們一樣，誰能禁止用水給他們施洗呢？」
10:48 就吩咐奉耶穌基督的名給他們施洗。他們又請彼得住了幾天。

 

³⁴ Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism ³⁵ but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. ³⁶ You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. ³⁷ You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— ³⁸ how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

³⁹ “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, ⁴⁰ but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. ⁴¹ He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴² He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³ All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. ⁴⁵ The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. ⁴⁶ For they heard them speaking in tongues^[b] and praising God.

Then Peter said, ⁴⁷ “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” ⁴⁸ So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

 

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    彼得和那些同來的猶大基督徒，在這裡感受到讓他們跌破眼鏡的事：就是這些外邦人，竟然聽見福音之後，就馬上有聖靈在他們的身上動工，使他們說方言，稱讚上帝為大。

 

    這樣的情景比看見所謂的神蹟奇事發生還震撼，上帝竟然能讓這些被猶太人看不起的外邦人，有得救的現象產生！讓人感受到這真是上帝的工作，不是彼得講到講得很好，這是上帝超然的工作，事上帝使人得救！

 

    於是彼得說：「這些人既受了聖靈，與我們一樣，誰能禁止用水給他們施洗呢？」就吩咐奉耶穌基督的名給他們施洗！

 

    這也告訴我們：「我不以福音為恥；這福音本是上帝的大能，要救一切相信的，先是猶太人，後是希臘人。」(羅馬書1:16)

 

    因此，我們不可以為自己傳福音令人歸主而誇口，這本是上帝奇妙的作為！

 

使徒行傳10:23-33

 

10:23 彼得就請他們進去，住了一宿。次日，起身和他們同去，還有約帕的幾個弟兄同著他去；
10:24 又次日，他們進入凱撒利亞，哥尼流已經請了他的親屬密友等候他們。
10:25 彼得一進去，哥尼流就迎接他，俯伏在他腳前拜他。
10:26 彼得卻拉他，說：「你起來，我也是人。」
10:27 彼得和他說著話進去，見有好些人在那裡聚集，
10:28 就對他們說：「你們知道，猶太人和別國的人親近來往本是不合例的，但上帝已經指示我，無論甚麼人都不可看作俗而不潔淨的。
10:29 所以我被請的時候，就不推辭而來。現在請問：你們叫我來有甚麼意思呢？」
10:30 哥尼流說：「前四天，這個時候，我在家中守著申初的禱告，忽然有一個人穿著光明的衣裳，站在我面前，
10:31 說：『哥尼流，你的禱告已蒙垂聽，你的賙濟達到上帝面前已蒙記念了。
10:32 你當打發人往約帕去，請那稱呼彼得的西門來，他住在海邊一個硝皮匠西門的家裡。』
10:33 所以我立時打發人去請你。你來了很好；現今我們都在上帝面前，要聽主所吩咐你的一切話。」

 

²³ Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers from Joppa went along. ²⁴ The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵ As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. ²⁶ But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”

²⁷ While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. ²⁸ He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. ²⁹ So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?”

³⁰ Cornelius answered: “Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me ³¹ and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. ³² Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ ³³ So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”

 

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    我們從彼得對哥泥流說的話，感受到非常無奈，正如他所說的：「「你們知道，猶太人和別國的人親近來往本是不合例的，但上帝已經指示我，無論甚麼人都不可看作俗而不潔淨的。所以我被請的時候，就不推辭而來。現在請問：你們叫我來有甚麼意思呢？」

 

    然而哥泥流卻是對比得很恭敬：彼得一進去，哥尼流就迎接他，俯伏在他腳前拜他。甚至還請親友一起來，準備要聽上帝的福音！看見他對福音的反應，讓我們覺得很慚愧，因為我們從未如此熱切於福音呢！

 

    求主保守與賜下火熱的心，讓我們熱氣愛慕福音，非得瞻仰到基督的榮光不可！

 

   

使徒行傳10:9-22

 

10:9 第二天，他們行路將近那城。彼得約在午正，上房頂去禱告，
10:10 覺得餓了，想要吃。那家的人正預備飯的時候，彼得魂遊象外，
10:11 看見天開了，有一物降下，好像一塊大布，繫著四角，縋在地上，
10:12 裡面有地上各樣四足的走獸和昆蟲，並天上的飛鳥；
10:13 又有聲音向他說：「彼得，起來，宰了吃！」
10:14 彼得卻說：「主啊，這是不可的！凡俗物和不潔淨的物，我從來沒有吃過。」
10:15 第二次有聲音向他說：「上帝所潔淨的，你不可當作俗物。」
10:16 這樣一連三次，那物隨即收回天上去了。
10:17 彼得心裡正在猜疑之間，不知所看見的異象是甚麼意思。哥尼流所差來的人已經訪問到西門的家，站在門外，
10:18 喊著問：「有稱呼彼得的西門住在這裡沒有？」
10:19 彼得還思想那異象的時候，聖靈向他說：「有三個人來找你。
10:20 起來，下去，和他們同往，不要疑惑，因為是我差他們來的。」
10:21 於是彼得下去見那些人，說：「我就是你們所找的人。你們來是為甚麼緣故？」
10:22 他們說：「百夫長哥尼流是個義人，敬畏上帝，為猶太通國所稱讚。他蒙一位聖天使指示，叫他請你到他家裡去，聽你的話。」

 

⁹ About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. ¹⁰ He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. ¹¹ He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. ¹² It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. ¹³ Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”

¹⁴ “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”

¹⁵ The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

¹⁶ This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

¹⁷ While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. ¹⁸ They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.

¹⁹ While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three^[a] men are looking for you. ²⁰ So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”

²¹ Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?”

²² The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.”

 

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    上帝對哥泥流做工似乎較容易，他馬上有反應派人去找彼得。然而彼得這邊似乎比較困難，需要較特別的方法。不只是一次，還要連續三次呢！上帝讓彼得看見：「看見天開了，有一物降下，好像一塊大布，繫著四角，縋在地上，裡面有地上各樣四足的走獸和昆蟲，並天上的飛鳥。」

 

    又有聲音向他說：「彼得，起來，宰了吃！」

 

    然而彼得反應是：「主啊，這是不可的！凡俗物和不潔淨的物，我從來沒有吃過。」

 

    在第二次上帝還說：「上帝所潔淨的，你不可當作俗物。」

 

    這樣三次彼得都沒有行動，聖經說：「彼得心裡正在猜疑之間，不知所看見的異象是甚麼意思。」

 

    的確，要改變根深蒂固的想法是不容易的，但是上帝願意耐心一次又一次來改變，直到人願意有行動！也因為這樣，不是人不要主動，而是人在許多時候受制於傳統或成見，尤其是越敬虔的人，越是有不能打破的限制！

 

    求主幫助也常常動工，讓我們可以突破心中的限制，真正能自由自在讓主來使用我們！

使徒行傳10:1-8

 

10:1 在凱撒利亞有一個人，名叫哥尼流，是「意大利營」的百夫長。
10:2 他是個虔誠人，他和全家都敬畏上帝，多多賙濟百姓，常常禱告上帝。
10:3 有一天，約在申初，他在異象中明明看見上帝的一個使者進去，到他那裡，說：「哥尼流。」
10:4 哥尼流定睛看他，驚怕說：「主啊，甚麼事呢？」天使說：「你的禱告和你的賙濟達到上帝面前，已蒙記念了。
10:5 現在你當打發人往約帕去，請那稱呼彼得的西門來。
10:6 他住在海邊一個硝皮匠西門的家裡，房子在海邊上。」
10:7 向他說話的天使去後，哥尼流叫了兩個家人和常伺候他的一個虔誠兵來，
10:8 把這事都述說給他們聽，就打發他們往約帕去。

 

 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. ² He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. ³ One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”

⁴ Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked.

The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. ⁵ Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. ⁶ He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”

⁷ When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. ⁸ He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.

 

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    上帝的工作是平行進行的，是可以互相映證的！正如福音傳向外邦的事情，不單是彼得一方受感動，上帝也會在哥尼流這個羅馬軍官身上做事，讓他看見異象，聽見天使說話：「你的禱告和你的賙濟達到上帝面前，已蒙記念了。現在你當打發人往約帕去，請那稱呼彼得的西門來。他住在海邊一個硝皮匠西門的家裡，房子在海邊上。」

 

    很有意思的是，天使既然向他顯現了，竟然沒有把福音傳給他，還要他去找彼得來，讓彼得來將福音傳給哥泥流。可見上帝有祂的作為，祂寧可讓福音透過人來傳揚，不給天使來傳！

 

    正如保羅說到：「耶穌基督的僕人保羅，奉召為使徒，特派傳上帝的福音。」(羅馬書1:1)

 

    上帝把傳福音的特權留給人，是天使無法取代的，所以我們要珍惜上帝給我們這樣的權利，忠心的傳講上帝的福音！