使徒行傳 13
巴拿巴和掃羅奉差遣
1 安提阿教會中,有幾位先知和教師,就是巴拿巴、名叫尼結的西面、古利奈人路求、與分封王希律一同長大的馬念,和掃羅。2 他們事奉主,並且禁食的時候,聖靈說:“要為我把巴拿巴和掃羅分別出來,去作我呼召他們作的工。”
3 於是他們禁食禱告,為兩人按手,就派他們去了。
第一次宣教旅程
4 他們既然奉聖靈差遣,就下到西流基,從那裡坐船往塞浦路斯。5 他們到了撒拉米,就在猶太人的各會堂裡宣講 神的道,還有約翰作他們的助手。6 他們走遍全島,到了帕弗,遇見一個猶太人,名叫巴.耶穌,是個術士,又是個假先知。7 他常常和省長士求.保羅在一起;省長是個聰明人,他請了巴拿巴和掃羅來,要聽聽 神的道。8 但術士以呂馬與使徒作對,要使省長轉離真道。9 掃羅,也就是保羅,卻被聖靈充滿,定睛看著他,10 說:“你這充滿各樣詭詐和各樣奸惡的人,魔鬼的兒子,公義的仇敵!你歪曲了主的正路,還不停止嗎?11 你看,現在主的手臨到你,你要瞎了眼睛,暫時看不見陽光。”他就立刻被霧和黑暗籠罩著,周圍找人牽他的手,給他領路。
12 那時,省長看見了所發生的事,就信了,因為他驚奇主的教訓。
在彼西底的安提阿
13 保羅和同伴從帕弗開船,來到旁非利亞的別加,約翰卻離開他們,回耶路撒冷去了。14 他們從別加往前走,到了彼西底的安提阿,在安息日進了會堂,就坐下來。15 宣讀了律法和先知書以後,會堂的理事們派人到他們那裡來,說:“弟兄們,如果有甚麼勸勉眾人的話,請說吧!”
16 保羅就站起來,作了一個手勢,說:
“以色列人和敬畏 神的人,請聽!17 以色列民的 神,揀選了我們的祖先;當他們在埃及地寄居的時候, 神抬舉這民,用大能的膀臂,把他們從那地領出來;18 又在曠野容忍他們,約有四十年之久;19 滅了迦南地的七族之後,就把那地分給他們為業;20 這一切歷時約四百五十年。後來 神賜給他們士師,直到撒母耳先知為止。21 那時,他們要求立一個王, 神就把便雅憫支派中一個人,基士的兒子掃羅,賜給他們作王,共四十年之久。22 廢去掃羅之後,又為他們興起大衛作王,並且為他作證說:‘我找到耶西的兒子大衛,他是合我心意的人,必遵行我的一切旨意。’23 神照著應許,已經從這人的後裔中,給以色列帶來了一位救主,就是耶穌。24 在他來臨之前,約翰早已向以色列全民宣講悔改的洗禮。
25 約翰快要跑完他的路程的時候,說:‘你們以為我是誰?我不是基督。他是在我以後來的,我就是給他解腳上的鞋帶也不配。’
26 “弟兄們,亞伯拉罕的子孫,和你們中間敬畏 神的人哪,這救恩之道是傳給我們的。27 住在耶路撒冷的人和他們的官長,因為不認識基督,也不明白每逢安息日所讀的先知的話,就把他定了罪,正好應驗了先知的話。28 他們雖然找不出該死的罪狀,還是要求彼拉多殺害他。29 他們把所記載一切關於他的事作成了,就把他從木頭上取下來,放在墳墓裡。30 但 神卻使他從死人中復活了。31 有許多日子,他向那些跟他一同從加利利上耶路撒冷的人顯現,現在這些人在民眾面前作了他的見證人,32 我們報好信息給你們: 神給列祖的應許,
33 藉著耶穌的復活,向我們這些作子孫的應驗了。就如詩篇第二篇所記的:
‘你是我的兒子,
我今日生了你。’
34 至於 神使他從死人中復活,不再歸於朽壞,他曾這樣說:‘我必把應許大衛的、神聖可靠的恩福賜給你們。’
35 所以他在另一篇說:‘你必不容你的聖者見朽壞。’
36 “大衛在他自己的世代裡,遵行了 神的計劃,就睡了,歸回他列祖那裡,見了朽壞。37 唯獨 神所復活的那一位,沒有見過朽壞。38 所以弟兄們,你們當知道,赦罪之道是由這位耶穌傳給你們的。在你們靠摩西律法不能稱義的一切事上,39 信靠他的人就得稱義了。
40 你們要小心,免得先知書上所說的臨到你們:
41 ‘傲慢的人哪!你們要看、要驚奇、要滅亡,
因為在你們的日子,我要作一件事,
就算有人告訴你們,你們總是不信。’”
42 保羅和巴拿巴出來的時候,眾人請求他們下一個安息日再對他們講這些話。
43 散會以後,許多猶太人和歸信猶太教的虔誠人,跟從了保羅和巴拿巴。兩人對他們談話,勉勵他們要恆久住在 神的恩典中。
44 下一個安息日,幾乎全城的人都聚了來,要聽主的道。45 猶太人看見這麼多人,就滿心嫉妒,反駁保羅所講的,並且毀謗他們。46 保羅和巴拿巴卻放膽說:“ 神的道,先講給你們聽,是應該的。但因為你們棄絕這道,斷定自己不配得永生,所以我們現在就轉向外族人去了。
47 因為主曾這樣吩咐我們說:
‘我已立你作外族人的光,
使你把救恩帶到地極去。’”
48 外族人聽見了就歡喜,讚美主的道,凡指定得永生的都信了。49 於是主的道傳遍那地。50 但猶太人唆使虔誠尊貴的婦女和城內的顯要,煽動大家迫害保羅和巴拿巴,把他們驅逐出境。51 兩人當眾跺掉腳上的塵土,往以哥念去了。
52 門徒滿有喜樂,又被聖靈充滿。
Acts 13
The Church at Antioch Commissions Barnabas and Saul
1 Now there were these prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch:ss Barnabas, Simeon called Niger,s Lucius the Cyrenian,s Manaen (a close friend of Herods the tetrarchts from childhoodt) and Saul.2 While they were servingt the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apartt for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
3 Then, after they had fastedt andt prayed and placed their handss on them, they sent them off.
Paul and Barnabas Preach in Cyprus
4 So Barnabas and Saul,t sent out by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia,s and from there they sailed to Cyprus.s5 Whent they arrivedt in Salamis,s they began to proclaimt the word of God in the Jewish synagogues.s (Now they also had Johns as their assistant.)ts6 When they had crossed overt the whole island as far as Paphos,s they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus,s7 who was with the proconsuls Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. The proconsult summonedt Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hears the word of God.8 But the magician Elymast (for that is the way his name is translated)s opposed them, trying to turn the proconsuls away from the faith.9 But Saul (also known as Paul),s filled with the Holy Spirit,s stared straightt at him10 and said, “You who are full of all deceit and all wrongdoing,t you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness – will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?s11 Nowt look, the hand of the Lord is againstt you, and you will be blind, unable to see the sun for a time!” Immediately mistinesss and darkness came overt him, and he went around seeking peoplet to lead him by the hand.
12 Then when the proconsuls saw what had happened, he believed,s because he was greatly astoundedt at the teaching aboutt the Lord.
Paul and Barnabas at Pisidian Antioch
13 Then Paul and his companions put out to seat from Paphoss and came to Pergas in Pamphylia,s but Johns left them and returned to Jerusalem.ss14 Moving on fromt Perga,s they arrived at Pisidian Antioch,tss and on the Sabbath day they went intot the synagogues and sat down.15 After the reading from the law and the prophets,s the leaders of the synagoguet sent them a message,t saying, “Brothers,t if you have any messaget of exhortationt for the people, speak it.”t
16 So Paul stood up,t gesturedt with his hand and said,
“Men of Israel,t and you Gentiles who fear God,t listen:17 The God of this people Israelt chose our ancestorsts and made the people greatt during their stay as foreignerst in the countryt of Egypt, and with uplifted arms he led them out of it.18 Fort a period of about forty years he put up witht them in the wilderness.t19 Aftert he had destroyedt seven nationss in the land of Canaan, he gave his people their land as an inheritance.t20 All this tookt about four hundred fifty years. After thist he gave them judges until the time oft Samuel the prophet.21 Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, who ruledt forty years.22 After removing him, Godt raised ups David their king. He testified about him:t ‘I have found Davids the son of Jesse to be a man after my heart,s who will accomplish everything I want him to do.’t23 From the descendantsts of this mans God brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, just as he promised.ts24 Beforet Jesust arrived, Johns had proclaimed a baptism for repentancet to all the people of Israel.25 But while John was completing his mission,t he said repeatedly,t ‘What do you think I am? I am not he. But look, one is coming after me. I am not worthy to untie the sandals on his feet!’t26 Brothers,t descendantst of Abraham’s family,t and those Gentiles among you who fear God,t the messaget of this salvation has been sent to us.27 For the people who live in Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognizet him,t and they fulfilled the sayingsts of the prophets that are read every Sabbath by condemningt him.t28 Thought they foundt no basiss for a death sentence,t they asked Pilate to have him executed.29 When they had accomplishedt everything that was writtens about him, they took him downt from the crosst and placed himt in a tomb.30 But God raiseds him from the dead,31 andt for many days he appeared to those who had accompanieds him from Galilee to Jerusalem. Theset are now his witnesses to the people.32 And we proclaim to you the good news about the promise to our ancestors,t33 that this promisets God has fulfilled to us, their children, by raisingts Jesus, as also it is written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son;stoday I have fathered you.’ts34 But regarding the fact that he has raised Jesust from the dead, nevert again to bet in a state of decay, Godt has spoken in this way: ‘I will give youtthe holy and trustworthy promisestmade to David.’s35 Therefore he also says in another psalm,t ‘You will not permit your Holy Onetto experiencetdecay.’s36 For David, after he had servedt God’s purpose in his own generation, died,t was buried with his ancestors,t and experiencedt decay,37 but the ones whom God raised up did not experiencet decay.38 Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through this onet forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,39 and by this ones everyone who believes is justifiedt from everything from which the law of Moses could not justifyt you.t
40 Watch out,s then, that what is spoken about byt the prophets does not happen to you:
41 ‘Look, you scoffers; be amazed and perish!t
For I am doing a work in your days,
a work you would never believe, even if someone tells you.’”s
42 As Paul and Barnabast were going out,t the peoplet were urgingt them to speak about these thingst on the next Sabbath.
43 When the meeting of the synagogues had broken up,t many of the Jews and God-fearing proselytest followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and were persuadingt themt to continuet in the grace of God.
44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city assembled together to hear the word of the Lord.ss45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy,s and they began to contradictt what Paul was sayingt by reviling him.t46 Both Paul and Barnabas replied courageously,t “It was necessary to speak the word of Godt to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthyt of eternal life, wet are turning to the Gentiles.s47 For thist is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have appointedtyou to be a lightsfor the Gentiles, to bring salvationtto the ends of the earth.’”s48 When the Gentiles heard this, they began to rejoicet and praiset the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed for eternal lifes believed.49 So the word of the Lord was spreadingt through the entire region.50 But the Jews incitedt the God-fearing women of high social standing and the prominent men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them outt of their region.51 So after they shookt the dust off their feets in protest against them, they went to Iconium.s
52 And the disciples were filled with joys and with the Holy Spirit.