以斯拉記9:1-15

 

9:1 這事做完了，眾首領來見我，說：「以色列民和祭司並利未人，沒有離絕迦南人、赫人、比利洗人、耶布斯人、亞捫人、摩押人、埃及人、亞摩利人，仍效法這些國的民，行可憎的事。
9:2 因他們為自己和兒子娶了這些外邦女子為妻，以致聖潔的種類和這些國的民混雜；而且首領和官長在這事上為罪魁。」
9:3 我一聽見這事，就撕裂衣服和外袍，拔了頭髮和鬍鬚，驚懼憂悶而坐。
9:4 凡為以色列上帝言語戰兢的，都因這被擄歸回之人所犯的罪聚集到我這裡來。我就驚懼憂悶而坐，直到獻晚祭的時候。
9:5 獻晚祭的時候我起來，心中愁苦，穿著撕裂的衣袍，雙膝跪下向耶和華─我的上帝舉手，
9:6 說：「我的上帝啊，我抱愧蒙羞，不敢向我上帝仰面；因為我們的罪孽滅頂，我們的罪惡滔天。
9:7 從我們列祖直到今日，我們的罪惡甚重；因我們的罪孽，我們和君王、祭司都交在外邦列王的手中，殺害、擄掠、搶奪、臉上蒙羞正如今日的光景。
9:8 現在耶和華─我們的上帝暫且施恩與我們，給我們留些逃脫的人，使我們安穩如釘子釘在他的聖所，我們的上帝好光照我們的眼目，使我們在受轄制之中稍微復興。
9:9 我們是奴僕，然而在受轄制之中，我們的上帝仍沒有丟棄我們，在波斯王眼前向我們施恩，叫我們復興，能重建我們上帝的殿，修其毀壞之處，使我們在猶大和耶路撒冷有牆垣。
9:10 「我們的上帝啊，既是如此，我們還有甚麼話可說呢？因為我們已經離棄你的命令，
9:11 就是你藉你僕人眾先知所吩咐的說：『你們要去得為業之地是污穢之地；因列國之民的污穢和可憎的事，叫全地從這邊直到那邊滿了污穢。
9:12 所以不可將你們的女兒嫁他們的兒子，也不可為你們的兒子娶他們的女兒，永不可求他們的平安和他們的利益，這樣你們就可以強盛，吃這地的美物，並遺留這地給你們的子孫永遠為業。』
9:13 上帝啊，我們因自己的惡行和大罪，遭遇了這一切的事，並且你刑罰我們輕於我們罪所當得的，又給我們留下這些人。
9:14 我們豈可再違背你的命令，與這行可憎之事的民結親呢？若這樣行，你豈不向我們發怒，將我們滅絕，以致沒有一個剩下逃脫的人嗎？
9:15 耶和華─以色列的上帝啊，因你是公義的，我們這剩下的人才得逃脫，正如今日的光景。看哪，我們在你面前有罪惡，因此無人在你面前站立得住。」

 

 After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. ² They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.”

³ When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled. ⁴ Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice.

⁵ Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the Lord my God ⁶ and prayed:

“I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. ⁷ From the days of our ancestors until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.

⁸ “But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place^[a] in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. ⁹ Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.

¹⁰ “But now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have forsaken the commands ¹¹ you gave through your servants the prophets when you said: ‘The land you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices they have filled it with their impurity from one end to the other. ¹² Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them at any time, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.’

¹³ “What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins deserved and have given us a remnant like this. ¹⁴ Shall we then break your commands again and intermarry with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would you not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor? ¹⁵ Lord, the God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in your presence.”

 

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    聖經不是反對異族通婚，因為天下萬族本由一對夫妻開始。洪水過後，也只有挪亞一家存留。所以，最原始人都是一家人，沒有「異族」的問題好擔心和憂慮的！

 

    然而以色列族是上帝揀選出來敬拜祂的民族；其他的民族沒有被上帝挑選出來，是敬拜偶像的！而已斯拉憂慮的就是，以色列人與外族通婚之後，就不再敬拜上帝，敬拜上帝的以色列民就愈來愈少了！

 

    同樣，今日很多基督徒在婚姻上沒有考慮到，要與同樣敬拜主的人結婚建立基督化家庭，產生了許多婚上的問題與摩擦，甚至失去信仰，這是我們不能不考慮的人生問題。

 

    保羅也說過：「不要跟不信的人同負一軛。正和邪怎能合作呢？光明和黑暗怎能共存呢？基督和魔鬼怎能協調呢？信和不信的人有甚麼共同的地方呢？上帝的聖殿和偶像怎能並立呢？我們是永生上帝的聖殿。正如上帝說：我要與我的子民同住，在他們當中往來。我要作他們的上帝；他們要作我的子民。因此主說：你們要離開他們，從他們當中分離出來。不要沾染不潔之物，我就接納你們。我要作你們的父親；你們要作我的兒女。這話是我─全能的主說的。」(哥林多後書6:14-18)

 

    今日我們不要忘記「分別為聖」的教訓，我們是屬乎上帝的兒女，是光明之子！

 

 

 

使徒行傳13:13-52

 

13:13 保羅和他的同人從帕弗開船，來到旁非利亞的別加，約翰就離開他們，回耶路撒冷去。
13:14 他們離了別加往前行，來到彼西底的安提阿，在安息日進會堂坐下。
13:15 讀完了律法和先知的書，管會堂的叫人過去，對他們說：「二位兄台，若有甚麼勸勉眾人的話，請說。」
13:16 保羅就站起來，舉手，說：「以色列人和一切敬畏上帝的人，請聽。
13:17 這以色列民的上帝揀選了我們的祖宗，當民寄居埃及的時候抬舉他們，用大能的手領他們出來；
13:18 又在曠野容忍（或譯：撫養）他們，約有四十年。
13:19 既滅了迦南地七族的人，就把那地分給他們為業；
13:20 此後給他們設立士師，約有四百五十年，直到先知撒母耳的時候。
13:21 後來他們求一個王，上帝就將便雅憫支派中基士的兒子掃羅，給他們作王四十年。
13:22 既廢了掃羅，就選立大衛作他們的王，又為他作見證說：『我尋得耶西的兒子大衛，他是合我心意的人，凡事要遵行我的旨意。』
13:23 從這人的後裔中，上帝已經照著所應許的，為以色列人立了一位救主，就是耶穌。
13:24 在他沒有出來以先，約翰向以色列眾民宣講悔改的洗禮。
13:25 約翰將行盡他的程途說：『你們以為我是誰？我不是基督；只是有一位在我以後來的，我解他腳上的鞋帶也是不配的。』
13:26 「弟兄們，亞伯拉罕的子孫和你們中間敬畏上帝的人哪，這救世的道是傳給我們的。
13:27 耶路撒冷居住的人和他們的官長，因為不認識基督，也不明白每安息日所讀眾先知的書，就把基督定了死罪，正應了先知的預言；
13:28 雖然查不出他有當死的罪來，還是求彼拉多殺他；
13:29 既成就了經上指著他所記的一切話，就把他從木頭上取下來，放在墳墓裡。
13:30 上帝卻叫他從死裡復活。
13:31 那從加利利同他上耶路撒冷的人多日看見他，這些人如今在民間是他的見證。
13:32 我們也報好信息給你們，就是那應許祖宗的話，
13:33 神已經向我們這作兒女的應驗，叫耶穌復活了。正如詩篇第二篇上記著說：你是我的兒子，我今日生你。
13:34 論到上帝叫他從死裡復活，不再歸於朽壞，就這樣說：我必將所應許大衛那聖潔、可靠的恩典賜給你們。
13:35 又有一篇上說：你必不叫你的聖者見朽壞。
13:36 「大衛在世的時候遵行了上帝的旨意，就睡了（或譯：大衛按上帝的旨意服事了他那一世的人，就睡了），歸到他祖宗那裡，已見朽壞；
13:37 惟獨上帝所復活的，他並未見朽壞。
13:38 所以，弟兄們，你們當曉得：赦罪的道是由這人傳給你們的。
13:39 你們靠摩西的律法，在一切不得稱義的事上信靠這人，就都得稱義了。
13:40 所以，你們務要小心，免得先知書上所說的臨到你們。
13:41 主說：你們這輕慢的人要觀看，要驚奇，要滅亡；因為在你們的時候，我行一件事，雖有人告訴你們，你們總是不信。」
13:42 他們出會堂的時候，眾人請他們到下安息日再講這話給他們聽。
13:43 散會以後，猶太人和敬虔進猶太教的人多有跟從保羅、巴拿巴的。二人對他們講道，勸他們務要恆久在上帝的恩中。
13:44 到下安息日，合城的人幾乎都來聚集，要聽上帝的道。
13:45 但猶太人看見人這樣多，就滿心嫉妒，硬駁保羅所說的話，並且毀謗。
13:46 保羅和巴拿巴放膽說：「上帝的道先講給你們原是應當的；只因你們棄絕這道，斷定自己不配得永生，我們就轉向外邦人去。
13:47 因為主曾這樣吩咐我們說：我已經立你作外邦人的光，叫你施行救恩，直到地極。」
13:48 外邦人聽見這話，就歡喜了，讚美上帝的道；凡預定得永生的人都信了。
13:49 於是主的道傳遍了那一帶地方。
13:50 但猶太人挑唆虔敬、尊貴的婦女和城內有名望的人，逼迫保羅、巴拿巴，將他們趕出境外。
13:51 二人對著眾人跺下腳上的塵土，就往以哥念去了。
13:52 門徒滿心喜樂，又被聖靈充滿。

 

¹³ From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down. ¹⁵ After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have a word of exhortation for the people, please speak.”

¹⁶ Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: “Fellow Israelites and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! ¹⁷ The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt; with mighty power he led them out of that country; ¹⁸ for about forty years he endured their conduct^[a] in the wilderness; ¹⁹ and he overthrew seven nations in Canaan, giving their land to his people as their inheritance. ²⁰ All this took about 450 years.

“After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet. ²¹ Then the people asked for a king, and he gave them Saul son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years. ²² After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’

²³ “From this man’s descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised. ²⁴ Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel. ²⁵ As John was completing his work, he said: ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not the one you are looking for. But there is one coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’

²⁶ “Fellow children of Abraham and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent. ²⁷ The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. ²⁸ Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. ²⁹ When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb. ³⁰ But God raised him from the dead, ³¹ and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.

³² “We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors ³³ he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm:

“‘You are my son;
    today I have become your father.’^[b]

³⁴ God raised him from the dead so that he will never be subject to decay. As God has said,

“‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’^[c]

³⁵ So it is also stated elsewhere:

“‘You will not let your holy one see decay.’^[d]

³⁶ “Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed. ³⁷ But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.

³⁸ “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. ³⁹ Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses. ⁴⁰ Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:

⁴¹ “‘Look, you scoffers,
    wonder and perish,
for I am going to do something in your days
    that you would never believe,
    even if someone told you.’^[e]”

⁴² As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. ⁴³ When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.

⁴⁴ On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. ⁴⁵ When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him.

⁴⁶ Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. ⁴⁷ For this is what the Lord has commanded us:

“‘I have made you^[f] a light for the Gentiles,
    that you^[g] may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’^[h]”

⁴⁸ When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

⁴⁹ The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. ⁵⁰ But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. ⁵¹ So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. ⁵² And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

 

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    保羅於安息日在彼西底的安提阿得會堂傳講福音的信息，特別指明：「所以，弟兄們，你們當曉得：赦罪的道是由這人傳給你們的。你們靠摩西的律法，在一切不得稱義的事上信靠這人，就都得稱義了。所以，你們務要小心，免得先知書上所說的臨到你們。」這也就是說一是從信靠主耶穌來的，不是遵守摩西律法來的！

 

    會堂的人聽見了保羅的信息之後，猶太人和敬虔進猶太教的人多有跟從保羅、巴拿巴的。二人對他們講道，勸他們務要恆久在上帝的恩中。而接下來的安息日，合城的人幾乎都來聚集，要聽上帝的道。

 

    然而上帝工作，魔鬼也做破壞的工作，正如經文所敘述：「但猶太人看見人這樣多，就滿心嫉妒，硬駁保羅所說的話，並且毀謗。」

 

    也因為這'樣保羅和巴拿巴放膽說：「上帝的道先講給你們原是應當的；只因你們棄絕這道，斷定自己不配得永生，我們就轉向外邦人去。因為主曾這樣吩咐我們說：我已經立你作外邦人的光，叫你施行救恩，直到地極。」外邦人聽見這話，就歡喜了，讚美上帝的道；凡預定得永生的人都信了。

 

    外邦人的信主，使保羅體會到：「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。因為上帝的義正在這福音上顯明出來；這義是本於信，以至於信。如經上所記：『義人必因信得生。』」(羅馬書1:16-17)

 

    讓我們一起在信靠主耶穌和傳揚福音當中，經歷上帝的大能！

 

 

 

 

使徒行傳13:4-12

 

13:4 他們既被聖靈差遣，就下到西流基，從那裡坐船往塞浦路斯去。
13:5 到了撒拉米，就在猶太人各會堂裡傳講上帝的道，也有約翰作他們的幫手。
13:6 經過全島，直到帕弗，在那裡遇見一個有法術、假充先知的猶太人，名叫巴•耶穌。
13:7 這人常和方伯士求•保羅同在。士求•保羅是個通達人，他請了巴拿巴和掃羅來，要聽上帝的道。
13:8 只是那行法術的以呂馬（這名翻出來就是行法術的意思）敵擋使徒，要叫方伯不信真道。
13:9 掃羅又名保羅，被聖靈充滿，定睛看他，
13:10 說：「你這充滿各樣詭詐奸惡，魔鬼的兒子，眾善的仇敵，你混亂主的正道還不止住嗎？
13:11 現在主的手加在你身上，你要瞎眼，暫且不見日光。」他的眼睛立刻昏蒙黑暗，四下裡求人拉著手領他。
13:12 方伯看見所做的事，很希奇主的道，就信了。

 

⁴ The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. ⁵ When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.

⁶ They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, ⁷ who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. ⁸ But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. ⁹ Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, ¹⁰ “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? ¹¹ Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.”

Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. ¹² When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

 

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    傳福音不是出去遊玩，是要為主整拯救靈魂，並且與魔鬼征戰的。正如保羅為了拯救方伯士求•保羅，但是那行邪術以呂馬（這名翻出來就是行法術的意思）敵擋使徒，要叫方伯不信真道。這時保羅靠聖靈的力量說：「你這充滿各樣詭詐奸惡，魔鬼的兒子，眾善的仇敵，你混亂主的正道還不止住嗎？現在主的手加在你身上，你要瞎眼，暫且不見日光。」他的眼睛立刻昏蒙黑暗，四下裡求人拉著手領他。方伯看見所做的事，很希奇主的道，就信了。

 

    求主幫助我們也有這樣熱切的心，來帶領人信靠主耶穌！因為保羅有這樣的經歷，所以他說：「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。」(哥林多後書10:3-5)

 

    因此，我們不要忘記，傳福音就是一場戰爭，我們要在這場征戰中求勝利，就是要靠主剛強，做基督勇敢的精兵，並且相信勝利是屬於主和祂的子民，勇敢為主征戰吧！

 

 

 

使徒行傳13章

    使徒行傳13:1-3   ,

    使徒行傳13:4-12 ,

    使徒行傳13:13-52  ,