1:1 耶和華的僕人摩西死了以後，耶和華曉諭摩西的幫手，嫩的兒子約書亞，說：
1:2 「我的僕人摩西死了。現在你要起來，和眾百姓過這約旦河，往我所要賜給以色列人的地去。
1:3 凡你們腳掌所踏之地，我都照著我所應許摩西的話賜給你們了。
1:4 從曠野和這黎巴嫩，直到幼發拉底大河，赫人的全地，又到大海日落之處，都要作你們的境界。
1:5 你平生的日子，必無一人能在你面前站立得住。我怎樣與摩西同在，也必照樣與你同在；我必不撇下你，也不丟棄你。
1:6 你當剛強壯膽！因為你必使這百姓承受那地為業，就是我向他們列祖起誓應許賜給他們的地。
1:7 只要剛強，大大壯膽，謹守遵行我僕人摩西所吩咐你的一切律法，不可偏離左右，使你無論往哪裡去，都可以順利。
1:8 這律法書不可離開你的口，總要晝夜思想，好使你謹守遵行這書上所寫的一切話。如此，你的道路就可以亨通，凡事順利。
1:9 我豈沒有吩咐你嗎？你當剛強壯膽！不要懼怕，也不要驚惶；因為你無論往哪裡去，耶和華─你的上帝必與你同在。」
1:10 於是，約書亞吩咐百姓的官長說：
1:11 「你們要走遍營中，吩咐百姓說：『當預備食物；因為三日之內你們要過這約旦河，進去得耶和華─你們上帝賜你們為業之地。』」
1:12 約書亞對流便人、迦得人，和瑪拿西半支派的人說：
1:13 「你們要追念耶和華的僕人摩西所吩咐你們的話說：『耶和華─你們的上帝使你們得享平安，也必將這地賜給你們。』
1:14 你們的妻子、孩子，和牲畜都可以留在約旦河東、摩西所給你們的地；但你們中間一切大能的勇士都要帶著兵器在你們的弟兄前面過去，幫助他們，
1:15 等到耶和華使你們的弟兄像你們一樣得享平安，並且得著耶和華─你們上帝所賜他們為業之地，那時才可以回你們所得之地，承受為業，就是耶和華的僕人摩西在約旦河東、向日出之地所給你們的。」
1:16 他們回答約書亞說：「你所吩咐我們行的，我們都必行；你所差遣我們去的，我們都必去。
1:17 我們從前在一切事上怎樣聽從摩西，現在也必照樣聽從你；惟願耶和華─你的上帝與你同在，像與摩西同在一樣。
1:18 無論甚麼人違背你的命令，不聽從你所吩咐他的一切話，就必治死他。你只要剛強壯膽！」
After the death of Moses
the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2 “Moses my
servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the
Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites.
3 I will give you every
place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend
from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the
Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5 No one will be able to stand
against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with
you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead
these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my
servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that
you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law
always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful
to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
9 Have I not commanded
you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the
Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
10 So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: 11 “Go
through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your provisions ready. Three days from
now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the
Lord your God is giving you for your own.’”
12 But to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh,
Joshua said, 13 “Remember the command that Moses the servant of
the Lord gave you after he said, ‘The Lord your God
will give you rest by giving you this land.’ 14 Your wives, your children and your livestock may
stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan, but all your fighting
men, ready for battle, must cross over ahead of your fellow Israelites. You are
to help them 15 until
the Lord gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have
taken possession of the land the Lord your God is
giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses
the servant of the Lord gave you east of the Jordan
toward the sunrise.”
16 Then they answered Joshua, “Whatever you have commanded us we will
do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we fully obeyed
Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be
with you as he was with Moses. 18 Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey
it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and
courageous!”
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要成為上帝百姓的領袖，不是靠自己的才能，也不是培養勢力來的，而是要有上帝的同在！正如在這裡上帝對約書亞說：「我豈沒有吩咐你嗎？你當剛強壯膽！不要懼怕，也不要驚惶；因為你無論往哪裡去，耶和華─你的上帝必與你同在。」
然而約書亞要有上帝的同在是必須遵守上帝的話語，正如上帝也對約書亞這樣說：「只要剛強，大大壯膽，謹守遵行我僕人摩西所吩咐你的一切律法，不可偏離左右，使你無論往哪裡去，都可以順利。這律法書不可離開你的口，總要晝夜思想，好使你謹守遵行這書上所寫的一切話。如此，你的道路就可以亨通，凡事順利。」
同樣今日要在教會當信徒的領袖的，更是要如此，要尊重聖經，就是上帝的話！尊重聖經的，就是尊重上帝！我們不可以隨著今世的風俗偏左偏右，要真真實實的明白與遵行上帝的話，然後才可以成為弟兄姊妹的表率，才能領導弟兄姊妹來走天路！
要記住，我們和弟兄姊妹都是主用重價買回來的，要用上帝的話來餵養與保護，正如使徒彼得所說：「我這作長老、作基督受苦的見證、同享後來所要顯現之榮耀的，勸你們中間與我同作長老的人：務要牧養在你們中間上帝的群羊，按著上帝旨意照管他們；不是出於勉強，乃是出於甘心；也不是因為貪財，乃是出於樂意；也不是轄制所託付你們的，乃是作群羊的榜樣。到了牧長顯現的時候，你們必得那永不衰殘的榮耀冠冕。」（彼得前書1:1-4）
