以斯帖記2:1-18

 

2:1 這事以後，亞哈隨魯王的忿怒止息，就想念瓦實提和她所行的，並怎樣降旨辦她。
2:2 於是王的侍臣對王說：「不如為王尋找美貌的處女。
2:3 王可以派官在國中的各省招聚美貌的處女到書珊城（或譯：宮）的女院，交給掌管女子的太監希該，給她們當用的香品。
2:4 王所喜愛的女子可以立為王后，代替瓦實提。」王以這事為美，就如此行。
2:5 書珊城有一個猶大人，名叫末底改，是便雅憫人基士的曾孫，示每的孫子，睚珥的兒子。
2:6 從前巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒將猶大王耶哥尼雅（又名約雅斤）和百姓從耶路撒冷擄去，末底改也在其內。
2:7 末底改撫養他叔叔的女兒哈大沙（後名以斯帖），因為她沒有父母。這女子又容貌俊美；她父母死了，末底改就收她為自己的女兒。
2:8 王的諭旨傳出，就招聚許多女子到書珊城，交給掌管女子的希該；以斯帖也送入王宮，交付希該。
2:9 希該喜悅以斯帖，就恩待她，急忙給她需用的香品和她所當得的分，又派所當得的七個宮女服事她，使她和她的宮女搬入女院上好的房屋。
2:10 以斯帖未曾將籍貫宗族告訴人，因為末底改囑咐她不可叫人知道。
2:11 末底改天天在女院前邊行走，要知道以斯帖平安不平安，並後事如何。
2:12 眾女子照例先潔淨身體十二個月：六個月用沒藥油，六個月用香料和潔身之物。滿了日期，然後挨次進去見亞哈隨魯王。
2:13 女子進去見王是這樣：從女院到王宮的時候，凡她所要的都必給她。
2:14 晚上進去，次日回到女子第二院，交給掌管妃嬪的太監沙甲；除非王喜愛她，再提名召她，就不再進去見王。
2:15 末底改叔叔亞比孩的女兒，就是末底改收為自己女兒的以斯帖，按次序當進去見王的時候，除了掌管女子的太監希該所派定給她的，她別無所求。凡看見以斯帖的都喜悅她。
2:16 亞哈隨魯王第七年十月，就是提別月，以斯帖被引入宮見王。
2:17 王愛以斯帖過於愛眾女，她在王眼前蒙寵愛比眾處女更甚。王就把王后的冠冕戴在她頭上，立她為王后，代替瓦實提。
2:18 王因以斯帖的緣故給眾首領和臣僕設擺大筵席，又豁免各省的租稅，並照王的厚意大頒賞賜。

 

Later when King Xerxes’ fury had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what he had decreed about her. ² Then the king’s personal attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. ³ Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them. ⁴ Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This advice appealed to the king, and he followed it.

⁵ Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, ⁶ who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin^[a] king of Judah. ⁷ Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.

⁸ When the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed, many young women were brought to the citadel of Susa and put under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king’s palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem. ⁹ She pleased him and won his favor. Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food. He assigned to her seven female attendants selected from the king’s palace and moved her and her attendants into the best place in the harem.

¹⁰ Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so. ¹¹ Every day he walked back and forth near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her.

¹² Before a young woman’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics. ¹³ And this is how she would go to the king: Anything she wanted was given her to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. ¹⁴ In the evening she would go there and in the morning return to another part of the harem to the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he was pleased with her and summoned her by name.

¹⁵ When the turn came for Esther (the young woman Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her. ¹⁶ She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

¹⁷ Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. ¹⁸ And the king gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality.

 

**************

 

    事件越發展下去越有意思，就是王怒氣消除之後，就想念瓦實提和她所行的，和自己怎樣把她廢掉，似乎有些後悔。然而身邊侍奉他的大臣，竟然提議說：「不如為王尋找美貌的處女。王可以派官在國中的各省招聚美貌的處女到書珊城（或譯：宮）的女院，交給掌管女子的太監希該，給她們當用的香品。王所喜愛的女子可以立為王后，代替瓦實提。」

 

    也因為這樣，就讓以斯帖可以進了王宮，經過一連串的過程之後，竟然被王看上眼了，甚至被王深深喜愛！正如經文所說：「王愛以斯帖過於愛眾女，她在王眼前蒙寵愛比眾處女更甚。王就把王后的冠冕戴在她頭上，立她為王后，代替瓦實提。」

 

    不僅如此，「王因以斯帖的緣故給眾首領和臣僕設擺大筵席，又豁免各省的租稅，並照王的厚意大頒賞賜。」

 

    這也告訴我們，上帝也會透過世上的機會，讓我們享受到一些尊榮！若是有這樣的事情發生，我們也當感謝上帝！但是這樣的事臨到時不可以驕傲，要記念這是上帝的恩典，不是我們有甚麼資格，要將榮耀歸給上帝！

 

    正如保羅所說：「使你與人不同的是誰呢？你有甚麼不是領受的呢？若是領受的，為何自誇，彷彿不是領受的呢？」（哥林多前書4:7）

 

 

詩篇23:4a

 

我雖然行過死蔭的幽谷，也不怕遭害，因為你與我同在；

 

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

 

**************

 

    「死蔭的幽谷」讀起來讓人覺得很浪漫的事情，但是事實上並非如此，應該是說：死亡陰影的山谷！也就是說，死亡如陰影一般籠罩，又身處在山谷中沒有辦法逃跑的感覺！

 

    最近在馬來西亞的親戚，受到變種病毒的威脅，心中的恐懼真的有「死亡陰影的山谷」之感覺，真願主耶穌親自與他們同在，可以度過這樣恐懼的狀態！因為變種病毒的毒性比原先的新冠病毒更強，致死率更高呢！

 

    深願上帝保守一切在病毒威脅下的人，用大衛這個詩句在他們心中安慰他們！也讓他們感受到，上帝與他們一起來面對這兇殘的病毒，而這樣的疫情也能快快過去！

 

 

 

 

使徒行傳28章

     使徒行傳28:1-31 ,

使徒行傳28:1-31

 

28:1 我們既已得救，才知道那島名叫馬耳他。
28:2 土人看待我們，有非常的情分；因為當時下雨，天氣又冷，就生火接待我們眾人。
28:3 那時，保羅拾起一捆柴，放在火上，有一條毒蛇，因為熱了出來，咬住他的手。
28:4 土人看見那毒蛇懸在他手上，就彼此說：「這人必是個兇手，雖然從海裡救上來，天理還不容他活著。」
28:5 保羅竟把那毒蛇甩在火裡，並沒有受傷。
28:6 土人想他必要腫起來，或是忽然仆倒死了；看了多時，見他無害，就轉念，說：「他是個上帝。」
28:7 離那地方不遠，有田產是島長部百流的；他接納我們，盡情款待三日。
28:8 當時，部百流的父親患熱病和痢疾躺著。保羅進去，為他禱告，按手在他身上，治好了他。
28:9 從此，島上其餘的病人也來，得了醫治。
28:10 他們又多方地尊敬我們；到了開船的時候，也把我們所需用的送到船上。
28:11 過了三個月，我們上了亞歷山大的船往前行；這船以「宙斯雙子」為記，是在那海島過了冬的。
28:12 到了敘拉古，我們停泊三日；
28:13 又從那裡繞行，來到利基翁。過了一天，起了南風，第二天就來到部丟利。
28:14 在那裡遇見弟兄們，請我們與他們同住了七天。這樣，我們來到羅馬。
28:15 那裡的弟兄們一聽見我們的信息就出來，到亞比烏市和三館地方迎接我們。保羅見了他們，就感謝上帝，放心壯膽。
28:16 進了羅馬城，（有古卷加：百夫長把眾囚犯交給御營的統領，惟有）保羅蒙准和一個看守他的兵另住在一處。
28:17 過了三天，保羅請猶太人的首領來。他們來了，就對他們說：「弟兄們，我雖沒有做甚麼事干犯本國的百姓和我們祖宗的規條，卻被鎖綁，從耶路撒冷解在羅馬人的手裡。
28:18 他們審問了我，就願意釋放我；因為在我身上，並沒有該死的罪。
28:19 無奈猶太人不服，我不得已，只好上告於凱撒，並非有甚麼事要控告我本國的百姓。
28:20 因此，我請你們來見面說話，我原為以色列人所指望的，被這鍊子捆鎖。」
28:21 他們說：「我們並沒有接著從猶太來論你的信，也沒有弟兄到這裡來報給我們說你有甚麼不好處。
28:22 但我們願意聽你的意見如何；因為這教門，我們曉得是到處被毀謗的。」
28:23 他們和保羅約定了日子，就有許多人到他的寓處來。保羅從早到晚，對他們講論這事，證明上帝國的道，引摩西的律法和先知的書，以耶穌的事勸勉他們。
28:24 他所說的話，有信的，有不信的。
28:25 他們彼此不合，就散了；未散以先，保羅說了一句話，說：「聖靈藉先知以賽亞向你們祖宗所說的話是不錯的。
28:26 他說：你去告訴這百姓說：你們聽是要聽見，卻不明白；看是要看見，卻不曉得；
28:27 因為這百姓油蒙了心，耳朵發沉，眼睛閉著；恐怕眼睛看見，耳朵聽見，心裡明白，回轉過來，我就醫治他們。
28:28 所以你們當知道，上帝這救恩，如今傳給外邦人，他們也必聽受。」（有古卷加：
28:29 保羅說了這話，猶太人議論紛紛地就走了。）
28:30 保羅在自己所租的房子裡住了足足兩年。凡來見他的人，他全都接待，
28:31 放膽傳講上帝國的道，將主耶穌基督的事教導人，並沒有人禁止。

 

Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. ² The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. ³ Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. ⁴ When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” ⁵ But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. ⁶ The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.

⁷ There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and showed us generous hospitality for three days. ⁸ His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. ⁹ When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured. ¹⁰ They honored us in many ways; and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.

¹¹ After three months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered in the island—it was an Alexandrian ship with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux. ¹² We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days. ¹³ From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up, and on the following day we reached Puteoli. ¹⁴ There we found some brothers and sisters who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome. ¹⁵ The brothers and sisters there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these people Paul thanked God and was encouraged. ¹⁶ When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him.

¹⁷ Three days later he called together the local Jewish leaders. When they had assembled, Paul said to them: “My brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. ¹⁸ They examined me and wanted to release me, because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death. ¹⁹ The Jews objected, so I was compelled to make an appeal to Caesar. I certainly did not intend to bring any charge against my own people. ²⁰ For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”

²¹ They replied, “We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you, and none of our people who have come from there has reported or said anything bad about you. ²² But we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect.”

²³ They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus. ²⁴ Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. ²⁵ They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet:

²⁶ “‘Go to this people and say,
“You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
    you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”
²⁷ For this people’s heart has become calloused;
    they hardly hear with their ears,
    and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
    hear with their ears,
    understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’^[a]

²⁸ “Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!” ^[29] [b]

³⁰ For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. ³¹ He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!

 

***********

 

    使徒行傳的結局是完美的，正如經文所說：「保羅在自己所租的房子裡住了足足兩年。凡來見他的人，他全都接待，放膽傳講上帝國的道，將主耶穌基督的事教導人，並沒有人禁止。」

 

    其實不論那個時代、那個地方的基督徒都盼望這個結局。然而感謝上帝，在民主國家似乎享受這樣的福分。然而在共產國家和回教國家中，基督徒可仍然受到許多限制，不只福音的傳揚，甚至人生安全！正如最近的阿富汗，基督徒真的沒有安全！

 

    然而基督徒不是求今世的平安，而是求永世的平安。因為今是的平安如幻影是短暫的，保羅雖有平靜的兩年，後來仍然受迫害，甚至被砍頭而死！但是他相信：「那美好的仗我已經打過了，當跑的路我已經跑盡了，所信的道我已經守住了。從此以後，有公義的冠冕為我存留，就是按著公義審判的主到了那日要賜給我的；不但賜給我，也賜給凡愛慕他顯現的人。」（提摩太後書4:7-8）

 

 

使徒行傳27章

    使徒行傳27:1-44  ,