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.

 

***********

 

    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.

 

***********

 

    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  ,

使徒行傳13:1-3

 

13:1 在安提阿的教會中，有幾位先知和教師，就是巴拿巴和稱呼尼結的西面、古利奈人路求，與分封之王希律同養的馬念，並掃羅。
13:2 他們事奉主、禁食的時候，聖靈說：「要為我分派巴拿巴和掃羅，去做我召他們所做的工。」
13:3 於是禁食禱告，按手在他們頭上，就打發他們去了。

 

 ¹ Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. ² While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” ³ So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

 

***********

 

    在《使徒行傳》我們看見聖靈的位格很明顯，甚至還有話語出現，正如這裡所描述！因此聖靈不是隱藏的上帝，也是行事的上帝，會表達其意志：「要為我分派巴拿巴和掃羅，去做我召他們所做的工。」

 

    《帖撒羅尼迦前書》1章5節，保羅也宣告：「因為我們的福音傳到你們那裡，不獨在乎言語，也在乎權能和聖靈，並充足的信心。正如你們知道，我們在你們那裡，為你們的緣故是怎樣為人。」

 

    也因為這樣，我們不要將聖靈當作是不出聲的上帝，祂是充滿大能，而且一切的福音事工，都是聖靈在運行，讓我們不要忘記聖靈可是全能的上帝，也是我們要堅心倚賴的上帝！

 

 

 

以斯拉記8:15-36

 

8:15 我招聚這些人在流入亞哈瓦的河邊，我們在那裡住了三日。我查看百姓和祭司，見沒有利未人在那裡，
8:16 就召首領以利以謝、亞列、示瑪雅、以利拿單、雅立、以利拿單、拿單、撒迦利亞、米書蘭，又召教習約雅立和以利拿單。
8:17 我打發他們往迦西斐雅地方去見那裡的首領易多，又告訴他們當向易多和他的弟兄尼提寧說甚麼話，叫他們為我們上帝的殿帶使用的人來。
8:18 蒙我們上帝施恩的手幫助我們，他們在以色列的曾孫、利未的孫子、抹利的後裔中帶一個通達人來；還有示利比和他的眾子與弟兄共一十八人。
8:19 又有哈沙比雅，同著他有米拉利的子孫耶篩亞，並他的眾子和弟兄共二十人。
8:20 從前大衛和眾首領派尼提寧服事利未人，現在從這尼提寧中也帶了二百二十人來，都是按名指定的。
8:21 那時，我在亞哈瓦河邊宣告禁食，為要在我們上帝面前克苦己心，求他使我們和婦人孩子，並一切所有的，都得平坦的道路。
8:22 我求王撥步兵馬兵幫助我們抵擋路上的仇敵，本以為羞恥；因我曾對王說：「我們上帝施恩的手必幫助一切尋求他的；但他的能力和忿怒必攻擊一切離棄他的。」
8:23 所以我們禁食祈求我們的上帝，他就應允了我們。
8:24 我分派祭司長十二人，就是示利比、哈沙比雅，和他們的弟兄十人，
8:25 將王和謀士、軍長，並在那裡的以色列眾人為我們上帝殿所獻的金銀和器皿，都秤了交給他們。
8:26 我秤了交在他們手中的銀子有六百五十他連得；銀器重一百他連得；金子一百他連得；
8:27 金碗二十個，重一千達利克；上等光銅的器皿兩個，寶貴如金。
8:28 我對他們說：「你們歸耶和華為聖，器皿也為聖；金銀是甘心獻給耶和華─你們列祖之上帝的。
8:29 你們當警醒看守，直到你們在耶路撒冷耶和華殿的庫內，在祭司長和利未族長，並以色列的各族長面前過了秤。」
8:30 於是，祭司、利未人按著分量接受金銀和器皿，要帶到耶路撒冷我們上帝的殿裡。
8:31 正月十二日，我們從亞哈瓦河邊起行，要往耶路撒冷去。我們上帝的手保佑我們，救我們脫離仇敵和路上埋伏之人的手。
8:32 我們到了耶路撒冷，在那裡住了三日。
8:33 第四日，在我們上帝的殿裡把金銀和器皿都秤了，交在祭司烏利亞的兒子米利末的手中。同著他有非尼哈的兒子以利亞撒，還有利未人耶書亞的兒子約撒拔和賓內的兒子挪亞底。
8:34 當時都點了數目，按著分量寫在冊上。
8:35 從擄到之地歸回的人向以色列的上帝獻燔祭，就是為以色列眾人獻公牛十二隻，公綿羊九十六隻，綿羊羔七十七隻，又獻公山羊十二隻作贖罪祭，這都是向耶和華焚獻的。
8:36 他們將王的諭旨交給王所派的總督與河西的省長，他們就幫助百姓，又供給上帝殿裡所需用的。

 

¹⁵ I assembled them at the canal that flows toward Ahava, and we camped there three days. When I checked among the people and the priests, I found no Levites there. ¹⁶ So I summoned Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah and Meshullam, who were leaders, and Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of learning, ¹⁷ and I ordered them to go to Iddo, the leader in Kasiphia. I told them what to say to Iddo and his fellow Levites, the temple servants in Kasiphia, so that they might bring attendants to us for the house of our God. ¹⁸ Because the gracious hand of our God was on us, they brought us Sherebiah, a capable man, from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel, and Sherebiah’s sons and brothers, 18 in all; ¹⁹ and Hashabiah, together with Jeshaiah from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and nephews, 20 in all. ²⁰ They also brought 220 of the temple servants—a body that David and the officials had established to assist the Levites. All were registered by name.

²¹ There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. ²² I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.” ²³ So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.

²⁴ Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, namely, Sherebiah, Hashabiah and ten of their brothers, ²⁵ and I weighed out to them the offering of silver and gold and the articles that the king, his advisers, his officials and all Israel present there had donated for the house of our God. ²⁶ I weighed out to them 650 talents^[c] of silver, silver articles weighing 100 talents,^[d] 100 talents^[e] of gold, ²⁷ 20 bowls of gold valued at 1,000 darics,^[f] and two fine articles of polished bronze, as precious as gold.

²⁸ I said to them, “You as well as these articles are consecrated to the Lord. The silver and gold are a freewill offering to the Lord, the God of your ancestors. ²⁹ Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem before the leading priests and the Levites and the family heads of Israel.” ³⁰ Then the priests and Levites received the silver and gold and sacred articles that had been weighed out to be taken to the house of our God in Jerusalem.

³¹ On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way. ³² So we arrived in Jerusalem, where we rested three days.

³³ On the fourth day, in the house of our God, we weighed out the silver and gold and the sacred articles into the hands of Meremoth son of Uriah, the priest. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him, and so were the Levites Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui. ³⁴ Everything was accounted for by number and weight, and the entire weight was recorded at that time.

³⁵ Then the exiles who had returned from captivity sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven male lambs and, as a sin offering,^[g] twelve male goats. All this was a burnt offering to the Lord. ³⁶ They also delivered the king’s orders to the royal satraps and to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, who then gave assistance to the people and to the house of God.

 

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    「沒有利未人」是一個很大的提醒：有資格服事的人竟然不服事！

 

    當然這不單是個人的問題，有可能被擄到巴比倫的利未人忘記自己的身分，是整個族群的問題！因為，這七十年沒有聖殿，在聖殿服事的人失去了自己的使命！

 

    今天基督徒若忘記自己是上帝呼召的人，忘記自己有天國子民的身分，忘記自己是上帝的見證人，是傳揚福音的人；天天只為眼前的事奔忙，忘記上帝國的事，這是虧欠上帝，和利未人不再聖殿服事是一樣的！

 

    讓我們快快回轉，回應上帝的呼召吧！

 

 

 

以斯拉記8章

     以斯拉記8:1-14  ,

     以斯拉記8:15-36  ,