10:23 彼得就請他們進去,住了一宿。次日,起身和他們同去,還有約帕的幾個弟兄同著他去;
10:24 又次日,他們進入凱撒利亞,哥尼流已經請了他的親屬密友等候他們。
10:25 彼得一進去,哥尼流就迎接他,俯伏在他腳前拜他。
10:26 彼得卻拉他,說:「你起來,我也是人。」
10:27 彼得和他說著話進去,見有好些人在那裡聚集,
10:28 就對他們說:「你們知道,猶太人和別國的人親近來往本是不合例的,但上帝已經指示我,無論甚麼人都不可看作俗而不潔淨的。
10:29 所以我被請的時候,就不推辭而來。現在請問:你們叫我來有甚麼意思呢?」
10:30 哥尼流說:「前四天,這個時候,我在家中守著申初的禱告,忽然有一個人穿著光明的衣裳,站在我面前,
10:31 說:『哥尼流,你的禱告已蒙垂聽,你的賙濟達到上帝面前已蒙記念了。
10:32 你當打發人往約帕去,請那稱呼彼得的西門來,他住在海邊一個硝皮匠西門的家裡。』
10:33 所以我立時打發人去請你。你來了很好;現今我們都在上帝面前,要聽主所吩咐你的一切話。」
23 Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers from Joppa went along. 24 The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. 26 But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”
27 While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28 He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?”
30 Cornelius answered: “Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. 32 Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ 33 So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”
***********
我們從彼得對哥泥流說的話,感受到非常無奈,正如他所說的:「「你們知道,猶太人和別國的人親近來往本是不合例的,但上帝已經指示我,無論甚麼人都不可看作俗而不潔淨的。所以我被請的時候,就不推辭而來。現在請問:你們叫我來有甚麼意思呢?」
然而哥泥流卻是對比得很恭敬:彼得一進去,哥尼流就迎接他,俯伏在他腳前拜他。甚至還請親友一起來,準備要聽上帝的福音!看見他對福音的反應,讓我們覺得很慚愧,因為我們從未如此熱切於福音呢!
求主保守與賜下火熱的心,讓我們熱氣愛慕福音,非得瞻仰到基督的榮光不可!