尼希米記5:1-19

5:1 百姓和他們的妻大大呼號，埋怨他們的弟兄猶大人。
5:2 有的說：「我們和兒女人口眾多，要去得糧食度命」；
5:3 有的說：「我們典了田地、葡萄園、房屋，要得糧食充飢」；
5:4 有的說：「我們已經指著田地、葡萄園，借了錢給王納稅。
5:5 我們的身體與我們弟兄的身體一樣；我們的兒女與他們的兒女一般。現在我們將要使兒女作人的僕婢，我們的女兒已有為婢的；我們並無力拯救，因為我們的田地、葡萄園已經歸了別人。」
5:6 我聽見他們呼號說這些話，便甚發怒。
5:7 我心裡籌劃，就斥責貴冑和官長說：「你們各人向弟兄取利！」於是我招聚大會攻擊他們。
5:8 我對他們說：「我們盡力贖回我們弟兄，就是賣與外邦的猶大人；你們還要賣弟兄，使我們贖回來嗎？」他們就靜默不語，無話可答。
5:9 我又說：「你們所行的不善！你們行事不當敬畏我們的上帝嗎？不然，難免我們的仇敵外邦人毀謗我們。
5:10 我和我的弟兄與僕人也將銀錢糧食借給百姓；我們大家都當免去利息。
5:11 如今我勸你們將他們的田地、葡萄園、橄欖園、房屋，並向他們所取的銀錢、糧食、新酒，和油，百分之一的利息都歸還他們。」
5:12 眾人說：「我們必歸還，不再向他們索要，必照你的話行。」我就召了祭司來，叫眾人起誓，必照著所應許的而行。
5:13 我也抖著胸前的衣襟，說：「凡不成就這應許的，願上帝照樣抖他離開家產和他勞碌得來的，直到抖空了。」會眾都說：「阿們！」又讚美耶和華。百姓就照著所應許的去行。
5:14 自從我奉派作猶大地的省長，就是從亞達薛西王二十年直到三十二年，共十二年之久，我與我弟兄都沒有吃省長的俸祿。
5:15 在我以前的省長加重百姓的擔子，每日索要糧食和酒，並銀子四十舍客勒，就是他們的僕人也轄制百姓；但我因敬畏上帝不這樣行。
5:16 並且我恆心修造城牆，並沒有置買田地；我的僕人也都聚集在那裡做工。
5:17 除了從四圍外邦中來的猶大人以外，有猶大平民和官長一百五十人在我席上吃飯。
5:18 每日預備一隻公牛，六隻肥羊，又預備些飛禽；每十日一次，多預備各樣的酒。雖然如此，我並不要省長的俸祿，因為百姓服役甚重。
5:19 我的上帝啊，求你記念我為這百姓所行的一切事，施恩與我。

 

Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews. ² Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.”

³ Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine.”

⁴ Still others were saying, “We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. ⁵ Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.”

⁶ When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. ⁷ I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, “You are charging your own people interest!” So I called together a large meeting to deal with them ⁸ and said: “As far as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!” They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say.

⁹ So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies? ¹⁰ I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest! ¹¹ Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest you are charging them—one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.”

¹² “We will give it back,” they said. “And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.”

Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised. ¹³ I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!”

At this the whole assembly said, “Amen,” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.

¹⁴ Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year—twelve years—neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. ¹⁵ But the earlier governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels^[a] of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that. ¹⁶ Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we^[b] did not acquire any land.

¹⁷ Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations. ¹⁸ Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people.

¹⁹ Remember me with favor, my God, for all I have done for these people.

 

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    尼希米表現出牧者的樣式，來照顧一起重建耶路撒冷城的百姓，更要求官長不要利用權勢來對奪取百姓的錢財，更要求富有的人不要像弟兄們取利息，讓大家共度難關，專心重建城牆。

 

 

 

使徒行傳19:23-41

 

19:23 那時，因為這道起的擾亂不小。
19:24 有一個銀匠，名叫底米丟，是製造亞底米神銀龕的，他使這樣手藝人生意發達。
19:25 他聚集他們和同行的工人，說：「眾位，你們知道我們是倚靠這生意發財。
19:26 這保羅不但在以弗所，也幾乎在亞細亞全地，引誘迷惑許多人，說：『人手所做的，不是神。』這是你們所看見所聽見的。
19:27 這樣，不獨我們這事業被人藐視，就是大女神亞底米的廟也要被人輕忽，連亞細亞全地和普天下所敬拜的大女神之威榮也要消滅了。」
19:28 眾人聽見，就怒氣填胸，喊著說：「大哉，以弗所人的亞底米啊！」
19:29 滿城都轟動起來。眾人拿住與保羅同行的馬其頓人該猶和亞里達古，齊心擁進戲園裡去。
19:30 保羅想要進去，到百姓那裡，門徒卻不許他去。
19:31 還有亞細亞幾位首領，是保羅的朋友，打發人來勸他，不要冒險到戲園裡去。
19:32 聚集的人紛紛亂亂，有喊叫這個的，有喊叫那個的；大半不知道是為甚麼聚集。
19:33 有人把亞歷山大從眾人中帶出來，猶太人推他往前，亞歷山大就擺手，要向百姓分訴；
19:34 只因他們認出他是猶太人，就大家同聲喊著說：「大哉！以弗所人的亞底米啊。」如此約有兩小時。
19:35 那城裡的書記安撫了眾人，就說：「以弗所人哪，誰不知道以弗所人的城是看守大亞底米的廟和從宙斯那裡落下來的像呢？
19:36 這事既是駁不倒的，你們就當安靜，不可造次。
19:37 你們把這些人帶來，他們並沒有偷竊廟中之物，也沒有謗讟我們的女神。
19:38 若是底米丟和他同行的人有控告人的事，自有放告的日子（或譯：自有公堂），也有方伯可以彼此對告。
19:39 你們若問別的事，就可以照常例聚集斷定。
19:40 今日的擾亂本是無緣無故，我們難免被查問。論到這樣聚眾，我們也說不出所以然來。」
19:41 說了這話，便叫眾人散去。

 

²³ About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. ²⁴ A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. ²⁵ He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. ²⁶ And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. ²⁷ There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”

²⁸ When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” ²⁹ Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and all of them rushed into the theater together. ³⁰ Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. ³¹ Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater.

³² The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there. ³³ The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front, and they shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defense before the people. ³⁴ But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

³⁵ The city clerk quieted the crowd and said: “Fellow Ephesians, doesn’t all the world know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? ³⁶ Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to calm down and not do anything rash. ³⁷ You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our goddess. ³⁸ If, then, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. They can press charges. ³⁹ If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly. ⁴⁰ As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of what happened today. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it.” ⁴¹ After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.

 

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    從以弗所發生的暴動，讓人感覺群眾是盲目的，常常不知青紅皂白的跟隨別人搖旗吶喊，最後就弄到不可收拾的局面，以弗所發生的這件事也是如此！

 

    教會任何的福音運動，也要有明確的目標、思想清楚的領導人，才不會落到這種下場！

 

 

 

使徒行傳19:8-22

 

19:8 保羅進會堂，放膽講道，一連三個月，辯論上帝國的事，勸化眾人。
19:9 後來，有些人心裡剛硬不信，在眾人面前毀謗這道，保羅就離開他們，也叫門徒與他們分離，便在推喇奴的學房天天辯論。
19:10 這樣有兩年之久，叫一切住在亞細亞的，無論是猶太人，是希臘人，都聽見主的道。
19:11 上帝藉保羅的手行了些非常的奇事；
19:12 甚至有人從保羅身上拿手巾或圍裙放在病人身上，病就退了，惡鬼也出去了。
19:13 那時，有幾個遊行各處、念咒趕鬼的猶太人，向那被惡鬼附的人擅自稱主耶穌的名，說：「我奉保羅所傳的耶穌敕令你們出來！」
19:14 做這事的，有猶太祭司長士基瓦的七個兒子。
19:15 惡鬼回答他們說：「耶穌我認識，保羅我也知道。你們卻是誰呢？」
19:16 惡鬼所附的人就跳在他們身上，勝了其中二人，制伏他們，叫他們赤著身子受了傷，從那房子裡逃出去了。
19:17 凡住在以弗所的，無論是猶太人，是希臘人，都知道這事，也都懼怕；主耶穌的名從此就尊大了。
19:18 那已經信的，多有人來承認訴說自己所行的事。
19:19 平素行邪術的，也有許多人把書拿來，堆積在眾人面前焚燒。他們算計書價，便知道共合五萬塊錢。
19:20 主的道大大興旺，而且得勝，就是這樣。
19:21 這些事完了，保羅心裡定意經過了馬其頓、亞該亞，就往耶路撒冷去；又說：「我到了那裡以後，也必須往羅馬去看看。」
19:22 於是從幫助他的人中打發提摩太、以拉都二人往馬其頓去，自己暫時等在亞細亞。

 

⁸ Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. ⁹ But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. ¹⁰ This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.

¹¹ God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, ¹² so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.

¹³ Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” ¹⁴ Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. ¹⁵ One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” ¹⁶ Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

¹⁷ When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. ¹⁸ Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. ¹⁹ A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.^{[c] 20} In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

²¹ After all this had happened, Paul decided^[d] to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must visit Rome also.” ²² He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer.

 

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    保羅在以弗所有兩年的時間，而上帝也透過他大大的在當地做工，竟然有件大事發生：平素行邪術的，也有許多人把書拿來，堆積在眾人面前焚燒。他們算計書價，便知道共合五萬塊錢。

 

    可見福音是有改變社會的力量，使行行邪術的人，願意將一些所謂的「魔法書」來燒毀！怪不得保羅可以宣告：「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:16)

 

    福音的內容就是主耶穌是基督、是上帝的兒子！也因為主耶穌使人和上帝重新連結，得回人該有的地位，使罪和死的勢力從人身上慢慢除去，人就有盼望、有未來，不再前途茫然。

 

    今日主耶穌仍然用祂的大能仍然在改變人心，使人有永生的盼望，讓我們成為耶穌基督的忠僕，來乎召人透過祂與上帝恢復和好的關係，領受上帝兒女的身分！

使徒行傳19章

      使徒行傳19:1-7  ,

      使徒行傳19:8-22  ,

      使徒行傳19:23-41  ,

使徒行傳19:1-7

 

19:1 亞波羅在哥林多的時候，保羅經過了上邊一帶地方，就來到以弗所；在那裡遇見幾個門徒，
19:2 問他們說：「你們信的時候受了聖靈沒有？」他們回答說：「沒有，也未曾聽見有聖靈賜下來。」
19:3 保羅說：「這樣，你們受的是甚麼洗呢？」他們說：「是約翰的洗。」
19:4 保羅說：「約翰所行的是悔改的洗，告訴百姓當信那在他以後要來的，就是耶穌。」
19:5 他們聽見這話，就奉主耶穌的名受洗。
19:6 保羅按手在他們頭上，聖靈便降在他們身上，他們就說方言，又說預言（或譯：又講道）。
19:7 一共約有十二個人。

 

While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples ² and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when^[a] you believed?”

They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

³ So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”

“John’s baptism,” they replied.

⁴ Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” ⁵ On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues^[b] and prophesied. ⁷ There were about twelve men in all.

 

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    領受聖靈使信耶穌之後的記號，正如保羅在以弗所書中有說到：「你們既聽見真理的道，就是那叫你們得救的福音，也信了基督，既然信他，就受了所應許的聖靈為印記。」(1:13)

 

     因此基督徒與其他宗教的信徒是不同的，不是認為：透過好行為才可上天堂得永生。基督是認為：我們必須先接受耶穌基督為救主，才能夠有能力行善，蒙上帝的喜悅。

 

    我們行善的力量不是來自於自己的本能，因為原本的人已經因為亞當夏娃犯罪之後而敗壞！必須因為信靠主耶穌之後，有聖靈為印記，才能夠有真正行善的能力！並且也凗有透過主耶穌，才能與上帝和好，才能回到上帝的家中，並在上帝國實現時得以進入那榮耀境！