使徒行傳12:1-19

 

12:1 那時，希律王下手苦害教會中幾個人，
12:2 用刀殺了約翰的哥哥雅各。
12:3 他見猶太人喜歡這事，又去捉拿彼得。那時正是除酵的日子。
12:4 希律拿了彼得，收在監裡，交付四班兵丁看守，每班四個人，意思要在逾越節後把他提出來，當著百姓辦他。
12:5 於是彼得被囚在監裡；教會卻為他切切地禱告上帝。
12:6 希律將要提他出來的前一夜，彼得被兩條鐵鍊鎖著，睡在兩個兵丁當中；看守的人也在門外看守。
12:7 忽然，有主的一個使者站在旁邊，屋裡有光照耀，天使拍彼得的肋旁，拍醒了他，說：「快快起來！」那鐵鍊就從他手上脫落下來。
12:8 天使對他說：「束上帶子，穿上鞋。」他就那樣做。天使又說：「披上外衣，跟著我來。」
12:9 彼得就出來跟著他，不知道天使所做是真的，只當見了異象。
12:10 過了第一層第二層監牢，就來到臨街的鐵門，那門自己開了。他們出來，走過一條街，天使便離開他去了。
12:11 彼得醒悟過來，說：「我現在真知道主差遣他的使者，救我脫離希律的手和猶太百姓一切所盼望的。」
12:12 想了一想，就往那稱呼馬可的約翰、他母親馬利亞家去，在那裡有好些人聚集禱告。
12:13 彼得敲外門，有一個使女，名叫羅大，出來探聽，
12:14 聽得是彼得的聲音，就歡喜的顧不得開門，跑進去告訴眾人說：「彼得站在門外。」
12:15 他們說：「你是瘋了！」使女極力地說：「真是他！」他們說：「必是他的天使！」
12:16 彼得不住地敲門。他們開了門，看見他，就甚驚奇。
12:17 彼得擺手，不要他們作聲，就告訴他們主怎樣領他出監；又說：「你們把這事告訴雅各和眾弟兄。」於是出去，往別處去了。
12:18 到了天亮，兵丁擾亂得很，不知道彼得往哪裡去了。
12:19 希律找他，找不著，就審問看守的人，吩咐把他們拉去殺了。後來希律離開猶太，下凱撒利亞去，住在那裡。

 

It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. ² He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. ³ When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. ⁴ After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.

⁵ So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

⁶ The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. ⁷ Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.

⁸ Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. ⁹ Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. ¹⁰ They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.

¹¹ Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.”

¹² When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. ¹³ Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. ¹⁴ When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!”

¹⁵ “You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”

¹⁶ But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. ¹⁷ Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this,” he said, and then he left for another place.

¹⁸ In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. ¹⁹ After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed.

Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.

 

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    約翰的哥哥雅各是第一位為主殉道的使徒，是死在希律王的迫害。然而彼得卻在天使的拯救下，從監獄裡出來。這一切都是在上帝的安排，不是人可以決定的。

 

    我們的生命也是如此，在世的長短不是我們能夠決定。然而能夠決定的就是要為主而活或為主而死！保羅也說過：「我們沒有一個人為自己活，也沒有一個人為自己死。我們若活著，是為主而活；若死了，是為主而死。所以，我們或活或死總是主的人。因此，基督死了，又活了，為要作死人並活人的主。」（羅馬書14:7-9）

 

    求主保守我們，讓我們時時而刻刻為主而活，因為主位我們死在十字架上償還我們的罪債，又藉著復活賜給我們新的生命！就像保羅說說：「我已經與基督同釘十字架，現在活著的不再是我，乃是基督在我裡面活著；並且我如今在肉身活著，是因信上帝的兒子而活；他是愛我，為我捨己。」(加拉太書2:20)

 

 

以斯拉記7:11-28

 

7:11 祭司以斯拉是通達耶和華誡命和賜以色列之律例的文士。亞達薛西王賜給他們諭旨，上面寫著說：
7:12 「諸王之王亞達薛西，達於祭司以斯拉通達天上上帝律法大德的文士，云云。
7:13 住在我國中的以色列人、祭司、利未人，凡甘心上耶路撒冷去的，我降旨准他們與你同去。
7:14 王與七個謀士既然差你去，照你手中上帝的律法書察問猶大和耶路撒冷的景況；
7:15 又帶金銀，就是王和謀士甘心獻給住耶路撒冷、以色列上帝的，
7:16 並帶你在巴比倫全省所得的金銀，和百姓、祭司樂意獻給耶路撒冷─他們上帝殿的禮物。
7:17 所以你當用這金銀，急速買公牛、公綿羊、綿羊羔，和同獻的素祭奠祭之物，獻在耶路撒冷─你們上帝殿的壇上。
7:18 剩下的金銀，你和你的弟兄看著怎樣好，就怎樣用，總要遵著你們上帝的旨意。
7:19 所交給你上帝殿中使用的器皿，你要交在耶路撒冷上帝面前。
7:20 你上帝殿裡若再有需用的經費，你可以從王的府庫裡支取。
7:21 「我─亞達薛西王又降旨與河西的一切庫官，說：『通達天上上帝律法的文士祭司以斯拉，無論向你們要甚麼，你們要速速地備辦，
7:22 就是銀子直到一百他連得，麥子一百柯珥，酒一百罷特，油一百罷特，鹽不計其數，也要給他。
7:23 凡天上之上帝所吩咐的，當為天上上帝的殿詳細辦理。為何使忿怒臨到王和王眾子的國呢？
7:24 我又曉諭你們，至於祭司、利未人、歌唱的、守門的，和尼提寧，並在上帝殿當差的人，不可叫他們進貢，交課，納稅。』
7:25 「以斯拉啊，要照著你上帝賜你的智慧，將所有明白你上帝律法的人立為士師、審判官，治理河西的百姓，使他們教訓一切不明白上帝律法的人。
7:26 凡不遵行你上帝律法和王命令的人就當速速定他的罪，或治死，或充軍，或抄家，或囚禁。」
7:27 以斯拉說：「耶和華─我們列祖的上帝是應當稱頌的！因他使王起這心意修飾耶路撒冷耶和華的殿，
7:28 又在王和謀士，並大能的軍長面前施恩於我。因耶和華─我上帝的手幫助我，我就得以堅強，從以色列中招聚首領，與我一同上來。」

 

¹¹ This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest, a teacher of the Law, a man learned in matters concerning the commands and decrees of the Lord for Israel:

¹² Artaxerxes, king of kings,

To Ezra the priest, teacher of the Law of the God of heaven:

Greetings.

¹³ Now I decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including priests and Levites, who volunteer to go to Jerusalem with you, may go. ¹⁴ You are sent by the king and his seven advisers to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem with regard to the Law of your God, which is in your hand. ¹⁵ Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his advisers have freely given to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, ¹⁶ together with all the silver and gold you may obtain from the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests for the temple of their God in Jerusalem. ¹⁷ With this money be sure to buy bulls, rams and male lambs, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and sacrifice them on the altar of the temple of your God in Jerusalem.

¹⁸ You and your fellow Israelites may then do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, in accordance with the will of your God. ¹⁹ Deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles entrusted to you for worship in the temple of your God. ²⁰ And anything else needed for the temple of your God that you are responsible to supply, you may provide from the royal treasury.

²¹ Now I, King Artaxerxes, decree that all the treasurers of Trans-Euphrates are to provide with diligence whatever Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law of the God of heaven, may ask of you— ²² up to a hundred talents^[a] of silver, a hundred cors^[b] of wheat, a hundred baths^[c] of wine, a hundred baths^[d] of olive oil, and salt without limit. ²³ Whatever the God of heaven has prescribed, let it be done with diligence for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should his wrath fall on the realm of the king and of his sons? ²⁴ You are also to know that you have no authority to impose taxes, tribute or duty on any of the priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers, temple servants or other workers at this house of God.

²⁵ And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God, which you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people of Trans-Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach any who do not know them. ²⁶ Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king must surely be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.^[e]

²⁷ Praise be to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king’s heart to bring honor to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem in this way ²⁸ and who has extended his good favor to me before the king and his advisers and all the king’s powerful officials. Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.

 

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    以斯拉也帶一群人歸回耶路撒冷，而切還帶了不少財物以及以前聖殿的物品，這一切都是波斯王亞達薛西的心意。可見上帝的做為是多麼奇妙，竟然藉用世上最強大的君王，來完成自己中的旨意！

 

    或許我們會因為以斯拉受到這樣的待遇，也期盼政府能多多支持教會福音的傳揚，優待基督徒，給更多的福利。但是，我們回頭看歷史就不會盼望這事發生，正如羅馬帝國以基督教為國教，和中世紀教皇的力量高於國家君王，不是使教會得到助益，反讓教會腐化，失去了屬靈的能力！

 

    也因為這樣，我們不要太期盼教會與國家關係太近，反倒是我們不要忘記基督徒在世是寄居的與客旅，因為我們盼望的不是人權力集中的國度，而是上帝做主、做王的上帝國！

 

    不要忘記《啟示錄》所說的：「第七位天使吹號，天上就有大聲音說：世上的國成了我主和主基督的國；他要作王，直到永永遠遠。」(11:15)

 

    惟有上帝的國是永遠長存，世上的國終將過去，真正的權柄者是上帝！

 

 

 

以斯拉記7章

       以斯拉記7:1-10 ,

      以斯拉記7:11-28   ,

以斯拉記7:1-10

 

7:1 這事以後，波斯王亞達薛西年間，有個以斯拉，他是西萊雅的兒子，西萊雅是亞撒利雅的兒子，亞撒利雅是希勒家的兒子，
7:2 希勒家是沙龍的兒子，沙龍是撒督的兒子，撒督是亞希突的兒子，
7:3 亞希突是亞瑪利雅的兒子，亞瑪利雅是亞撒利雅的兒子，亞撒利雅是米拉約的兒子，
7:4 米拉約是西拉希雅的兒子，西拉希雅是烏西的兒子，烏西是布基的兒子，
7:5 布基是亞比書的兒子，亞比書是非尼哈的兒子，非尼哈是以利亞撒的兒子，以利亞撒是大祭司亞倫的兒子。
7:6 這以斯拉從巴比倫上來，他是敏捷的文士，通達耶和華─以色列上帝所賜摩西的律法書。王允准他一切所求的，是因耶和華─他上帝的手幫助他。
7:7 亞達薛西王第七年，以色列人、祭司、利未人、歌唱的、守門的、尼提寧，有上耶路撒冷的。
7:8 王第七年五月，以斯拉到了耶路撒冷。
7:9 正月初一日，他從巴比倫起程；因他上帝施恩的手幫助他，五月初一日就到了耶路撒冷。
7:10 以斯拉定志考究遵行耶和華的律法，又將律例典章教訓以色列人。

 

After these things, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, ² the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, ³ the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, ⁴ the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, ⁵ the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest— ⁶ this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him. ⁷ Some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers and temple servants, also came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.

⁸ Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king. ⁹ He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was on him. ¹⁰ For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.

 

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    祭司在古代是重要的知識分子，正如以斯拉雖稱為文士，其實他也是祭司，是亞倫的後裔。然他的心智令人佩服：「以斯拉定志考究遵行耶和華的律法，又將律例典章教訓以色列人。」

 

    今日教會雖然有牧師和講道的人，可是多少人願意話時間和精神好好的研究上帝的話語？有多少人想以教導上帝的話語為職志呢？雖然傳道人是上帝的呼召，但是成為基督徒本身也是呼召，而且是被上帝呼招來跟隨耶穌基督，並且還帶著「大使命」而活呢！「大使命」就是使萬民成為主的門徒，所以要準備好自己成為可以做「門徒訓練」的人呢！

 

    保羅勉勵提摩太說：「我兒啊，你要在基督耶穌的恩典上剛強起來。你在許多見證人面前聽見我所教訓的，也要交託那忠心能教導別人的人。」(提摩太後書2:1-2)

 

    親愛的弟兄姊妹，讓我們也如提摩太一般，「在許多見證人面前聽見主界聖經所教訓的，也要交託那忠心能教導別人的人」。