使徒行傳9:19b-31

 

掃羅和大馬士革的門徒同住了些日子，
9:20 就在各會堂裡宣傳耶穌，說他是上帝的兒子。
9:21 凡聽見的人都驚奇，說：「在耶路撒冷殘害求告這名的，不是這人嗎？並且他到這裡來，特要捆綁他們，帶到祭司長那裡。」
9:22 但掃羅越發有能力，駁倒住大馬士革的猶太人，證明耶穌是基督。
9:23 過了好些日子，猶太人商議要殺掃羅，
9:24 但他們的計謀被掃羅知道了。他們又晝夜在城門守候，要殺他。
9:25 他的門徒就在夜間用筐子把他從城牆上縋下去。
9:26 掃羅到了耶路撒冷，想與門徒結交，他們卻都怕他，不信他是門徒。
9:27 惟有接待他，領去見使徒，把他在路上怎麼看見主，主怎麼向他說話，他在大馬士革怎麼奉耶穌的名放膽傳道，都述說出來。
9:28 於是掃羅在耶路撒冷和門徒出入來往，
9:29 奉主的名放膽傳道，並與說希臘話的猶太人講論辯駁；他們卻想法子要殺他。
9:30 弟兄們知道了就送他下凱撒利亞，打發他往大數去。
9:31 那時，猶太、加利利、撒馬利亞各處的教會都得平安，被建立；凡事敬畏主，蒙聖靈的安慰，人數就增多了。

 

Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. ²⁰ At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. ²¹ All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” ²² Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.

²³ After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, ²⁴ but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. ²⁵ But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.

²⁶ When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. ²⁸ So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews,^[a] but they tried to kill him. ³⁰ When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

³¹ Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.

 

***********

 

    掃羅信主之後，就大發熱心傳揚福音。雖然在這種景況要面對雙重的壓力，但是主讓他一一度過，也安排巴拿巴來接納他，使得他可以和使徒見面，很快融入教會之中。

 

    從保羅的信主讓我們看見：教會要勇接納新人，不管他過去如何，信主之後就是新造的人，就是基督身體的一部分了，就有基督的新生命湧流在他的心裡面了！

 

    我們信主之後，也同樣是新創造的人，舊事已過都變成新了！我們要為這新生命來讚美主！

 

 

 

使徒行傳9章

      使徒行傳9:1-19a ,    使徒行傳9:11-12 ,

      使徒行傳9:19b-31 , 

      使徒行傳9:32-43 ,

使徒行傳9:1-19a

 

9:1 掃羅仍然向主的門徒口吐威嚇凶煞的話，去見大祭司，

9:2 求文書給大馬士革的各會堂，若是找著信奉這道的人，無論男女，都准他捆綁帶到耶路撒冷。

9:3 掃羅行路，將到大馬士革，忽然從天上發光，四面照著他；

9:4 他就仆倒在地，聽見有聲音對他說：「掃羅！掃羅！你為甚麼逼迫我？」

9:5 他說：「主啊！你是誰？」主說：「我就是你所逼迫的耶穌。

9:6 起來！進城去，你所當做的事，必有人告訴你。」

9:7 同行的人站在那裡，說不出話來，聽見聲音，卻看不見人。

9:8 掃羅從地上起來，睜開眼睛，竟不能看見甚麼。有人拉他的手，領他進了大馬士革；

9:9 三日不能看見，也不吃也不喝。

9:10 當下，在大馬士革有一個門徒，名叫亞拿尼亞。主在異象中對他說：「亞拿尼亞。」他說：「主，我在這裡。」

9:11 主對他說：「起來！往直街去，在猶大的家裡，訪問一個大數人，名叫掃羅。他正禱告，

9:12 又看見了一個人，名叫亞拿尼亞，進來按手在他身上，叫他能看見。」

9:13 亞拿尼亞回答說：「主啊，我聽見許多人說：這人怎樣在耶路撒冷多多苦害你的聖徒，

9:14 並且他在這裡有從祭司長得來的權柄捆綁一切求告你名的人。」

9:15 主對亞拿尼亞說：「你只管去！他是我所揀選的器皿，要在外邦人和君王，並以色列人面前宣揚我的名。

9:16 我也要指示他，為我的名必須受許多的苦難。」

9:17 亞拿尼亞就去了，進入那家，把手按在掃羅身上，說：「兄弟掃羅，在你來的路上向你顯現的主，就是耶穌，打發我來，叫你能看見，又被聖靈充滿。」

9:18 掃羅的眼睛上，好像有鱗立刻掉下來，他就能看見。於是起來受了洗；

9:19 吃過飯就健壯了。

 

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest ² and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. ³ As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴ He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

⁵ “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. ⁶ “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

⁷ The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. ⁸ Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. ⁹ For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

¹⁰ In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”

“Yes, Lord,” he answered.

¹¹ The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. ¹² In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

¹³ “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

¹⁵ But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. ¹⁶ I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

¹⁷ Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸ Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, ¹⁹ and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

 

 

***********

 

    保羅(掃羅)信主的過程完全是上帝的作為，因為他本是逼迫教會的人，並不是對福音有好感的人，在他的心中教會是一群異端和拜「偶像」之人。祂不相信主耶穌是基督，可是主耶穌卻用奇特的方式向他顯現，並且對他說話。

 

    當然為了迎接保羅的信主，主耶穌也透過異象向亞拿尼亞來顯現，使他清楚保羅的角色：「你只管去！他是我所揀選的器皿，要在外邦人和君王，並以色列人面前宣揚我的名。我也要指示他，為我的名必須受許多的苦難。」

 

    也因為這樣亞拿尼亞勇敢的去為掃羅(保羅)施洗，並且宣告：「兄弟掃羅，在你來的路上向你顯現的主，就是耶穌，打發我來，叫你能看見，又被聖靈充滿。」

 

    而保羅在這一次經歷之後，深深感受到：人能夠信主是出於上帝的恩典，教會是基督的身體，逼迫教會就是逼迫基督。這樣的認知也讓他相信上帝的主權，確認得救是上帝的揀選，而這一切是上帝在永恆之中預備的。

 

    其實我們每一位信主的人，也像保羅一樣確認這是出於上帝的奇妙作為。我們會為所蒙的恩，來讚美上帝！

 

 

以斯拉記4章

       以斯拉記4:1-24   ,

以斯拉記4:1-24

 

4:1 猶大和便雅憫的敵人聽說被擄歸回的人為耶和華─以色列的上帝建造殿宇，
4:2 就去見所羅巴伯和以色列的族長，對他們說：「請容我們與你們一同建造；因為我們尋求你們的上帝，與你們一樣。自從亞述王以撒哈頓帶我們上這地以來，我們常祭祀上帝。」
4:3 但所羅巴伯、耶書亞，和其餘以色列的族長對他們說：「我們建造上帝的殿與你們無干，我們自己為耶和華─以色列的上帝協力建造，是照波斯王塞魯士所吩咐的。」
4:4 那地的民，就在猶大人建造的時候，使他們的手發軟，擾亂他們；
4:5 從波斯王塞魯士年間，直到波斯王大流士登基的時候，賄買謀士，要敗壞他們的謀算。
4:6 在亞哈隨魯才登基的時候，上本控告猶大和耶路撒冷的居民。
4:7 亞達薛西年間，比施蘭、米特利達、他別，和他們的同黨上本奏告波斯王亞達薛西。本章是用亞蘭文字，亞蘭方言。
4:8 省長利宏、書記伸帥要控告耶路撒冷人，也上本奏告亞達薛西王。
4:9 省長利宏、書記伸帥，和同黨的底拿人、亞法薩提迦人、他毘拉人、亞法撒人、亞基衛人、巴比倫人、書珊迦人、底亥人、以攔人，
4:10 和尊大的亞斯那巴所遷移、安置在撒馬利亞城，並大河西一帶地方的人等，
4:11 上奏亞達薛西王說：「河西的臣民云云：
4:12 王該知道，從王那裡上到我們這裡的猶大人，已經到耶路撒冷重建這反叛惡劣的城，築立根基，建造城牆。
4:13 如今王該知道，他們若建造這城，城牆完畢就不再與王進貢，交課，納稅，終久王必受虧損。
4:14 我們既食御鹽，不忍見王吃虧，因此奏告於王。
4:15 請王考察先王的實錄，必在其上查知這城是反叛的城，與列王和各省有害；自古以來，其中常有悖逆的事，因此這城曾被拆毀。
4:16 我們謹奏王知，這城若再建造，城牆完畢，河西之地王就無分了。」
4:17 那時王諭覆省長利宏、書記伸帥，和他們的同黨，就是住撒馬利亞並河西一帶地方的人，說：「願你們平安云云。
4:18 你們所上的本，已經明讀在我面前。
4:19 我已命人考查，得知此城古來果然背叛列王，其中常有反叛悖逆的事。
4:20 從前耶路撒冷也有大君王統管河西全地，人就給他們進貢，交課，納稅。
4:21 現在你們要出告示命這些人停工，使這城不得建造，等我降旨。
4:22 你們當謹慎，不可遲延，為何容害加重，使王受虧損呢？」
4:23 亞達薛西王的上諭讀在利宏和書記伸帥，並他們的同黨面前，他們就急忙往耶路撒冷去見猶大人，用勢力強迫他們停工。
4:24 於是，在耶路撒冷上帝殿的工程就停止了，直停到波斯王大流士第二年。

 

When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, ² they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.”

³ But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.”

⁴ Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.^{[a] 5} They bribed officials to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.

⁶ At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes,^[b] they lodged an accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.

⁷ And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic script and in the Aramaic language.^[c][d]

⁸ Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows:

⁹ Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary, together with the rest of their associates—the judges, officials and administrators over the people from Persia, Uruk and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa, ¹⁰ and the other people whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the city of Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates.

¹¹ (This is a copy of the letter they sent him.)

To King Artaxerxes,

From your servants in Trans-Euphrates:

¹² The king should know that the people who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring the walls and repairing the foundations.

¹³ Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and eventually the royal revenues will suffer.^{[e] 14} Now since we are under obligation to the palace and it is not proper for us to see the king dishonored, we are sending this message to inform the king, ¹⁵ so that a search may be made in the archives of your predecessors. In these records you will find that this city is a rebellious city, troublesome to kings and provinces, a place with a long history of sedition. That is why this city was destroyed. ¹⁶ We inform the king that if this city is built and its walls are restored, you will be left with nothing in Trans-Euphrates.

¹⁷ The king sent this reply:

To Rehum the commanding officer, Shimshai the secretary and the rest of their associates living in Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates:

Greetings.

¹⁸ The letter you sent us has been read and translated in my presence. ¹⁹ I issued an order and a search was made, and it was found that this city has a long history of revolt against kings and has been a place of rebellion and sedition. ²⁰ Jerusalem has had powerful kings ruling over the whole of Trans-Euphrates, and taxes, tribute and duty were paid to them. ²¹ Now issue an order to these men to stop work, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order. ²² Be careful not to neglect this matter. Why let this threat grow, to the detriment of the royal interests?

²³ As soon as the copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum and Shimshai the secretary and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and compelled them by force to stop.

²⁴ Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

 

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

 

    聖殿的重建並不是很順利，遇見了仇敵的破壞，甚至還上奏波斯皇帝，以致讓聖殿的建造停頓了一段時間呢！

 

    這也讓我們知道，上帝的事工不見的都是順順利利的，常常會遇見一些阻力，甚至讓我們非常沮喪的事情發生。這時候，我們更是需要相信上帝是永不放棄的上帝，祂一定會讓祂的旨意成全，雖然有所阻攔，也是一時的！

 

    為主事工而努力服事的弟兄姊妹，讓我們在面對這些考驗時，藉由對上帝的話語的堅信和不住的禱告還面對這樣的考驗，怪不得主耶穌勉勵我們「禱告不可灰心」(路加福音18:1)

 

    求主常常加添我們心力，因為在主耶穌再來之前，我們必定遭遇許多的磨難，但是我們相信：「惟有忍耐到底的，必然得救！」(馬太福音24:13)