中英文雙語團契 第四十九課 - 使徒行傳16:26

Lesson #49 – 7/15/2017                      講員：Kevin Berg      翻譯：Melissa Feliz

We are currently in Acts chapter 16. We have gone from verse 16 through verse 25. We have seen two men, Paul and Silas, run across a little slave girl with a spirit of divination. The Apostle Paul cast out the demon from the little girl. The girl’s owners lost income because she could no longer do the fortune telling show. They then drug Paul and Silas into the town square and accused them of committing a crime. The local authorities sentenced them to a beating, threw them into the inner portion of the prison, and bound their feet.

我们已经学到了使徒行传16章，一起看了16节到25节，了解到保罗和西拉遇到了一个被巫鬼所附的使女。使徒保罗便将鬼从使女的身上驱逐出来。使女不能继续施法术，因而，她的主人便不能继续从她身上得财力了。于是，她的主人们揪住了保罗和西拉，拉他们到市上，告他们犯罪。官长判他们棍打，将他们下在监里，两脚上了木狗。

Then last week we saw how Paul and Silas responded to the situation: They were praying and singing praises to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. They had a captive audience. They did the right thing, they had the right attitude, and they kept in mind that God was with them, He wouldn’t fail them, and He wouldn’t turn His back on them.

于是，上个星期，我们一起看了保罗与西拉是如何应对这样的情况：他们祷告唱诗赞美神，众囚犯也侧耳而听。他们拥有俘虏的观众。他们做了正确的事，保持了正确的态度，时刻记得神与他们同在，并不会丢弃他们。

Last week we also asked the question of why would we look at a passage of scripture like this. Obviously, we want to learn from it, but further it allows us to see how people who are serving God would handle difficult situations like this. We see one example of the proper way to handle adversity in our life. Adversity will not take this same form in our life; however, we will run across different things that may take a similar application of faith in our life.

上个星期我们也问了为什么我们要看这节经文，很明显，我们想要从中学习，此外，也帮助我们了解到服侍神的人在这样的困境下，是如何应对的。我们看到了一个在困境中正确应对的例子。困境/苦难在生活中并不会以同样的形式出现，但是，当我们遇到这些以不同形式呈现的困境时，我们是可以用同样的信心来应对的。

This account also allows us to evaluate how we are doing in our own spiritual life. This isn’t for us to evaluate how others are doing, but for us to evaluate how we are doing. Are we making progress? Is our faith growing? Are we consistently utilizing God’s provision for forgiveness? Are we able to remember some promises that God has provided us and apply them to a difficult situation?

这个故事也能帮助我们来评估一下我们自己的属灵生命。当然，我们是用其来评估自己的作为，不要用其来评价他人的作为。我们是否在属灵生命上进步了？我们的信心是否也增长了？我们是否利用了神的宽恕？我们是否记得神的应许，并能将其应用于困难中？

We have all failed in the past. However, we are not studying this section of scripture to become discouraged. We might think, “I could never pass a test like this. And, we might be right. If we give up, if we don’t keep at it, if we don’t have patience, and if we stop growing, we may never be able to pass such a test as this. But, if we do keep pressing on, and if our faith does continue to get stronger, then maybe in the future we can.

过去我们都失败过。但是，我们学习这个部分的目的并不是要我们因此变得沮丧。 我们可能会认为，“我永远不会通过这样的试炼。我们可能是对的，因为如果我们放弃，如果我们不坚持下去，如果我们没有耐心，如果我们停止增长，我们可能永远无法通过这样的试炼。但是，如果我们继续坚持下去，如果我们的信心会继续增强，那么也许在将来我们可以做到。

So, please don’t get discouraged. Let’s not throw in the towel and say that this could never apply to us; it can, and it will if we stick with it. The real question is will we pass the future test or not. Will we depend upon God, claim His promises, and come to a proper conclusion to the situation? Will we develop a divine viewpoint, or will we stick with a human viewpoint? Will we be able to develop the proper attitude in difficult times?

所以，请不要气馁。不要认输，认为我们做不到; 如果我们坚持下去的话，是可以的。 真正的问题是我们是否会通过未来的试炼。我们是否会依靠神，谨记他的应许，对这种情况作出正确的判断？ 我们会不会以神的观点来看，还是我们会继续坚持属世的观点？我们能够在困境中形成正确的态度吗？

Right here, right now, we are in the right place to continue the process. And, we need to learn, we need to understand, and we need to apply these things in real world situations. We have all had failures in the past. We have all sinned in the past. We may have done something in the past that really shocks us and we can’t let it go. But, we need to keep in mind that God never abandons us, no matter what we have done in the past. His plan for our lives is still in effect. Nothing can separate us from His love. We shouldn’t focus on our past failures, we shouldn’t feel guilt; we should press on. We want to see the solution, and recognize the faithfulness of God, no matter where we have come from.

此时、此刻，我们来到了这个正确的地方来进行这个过程，我们需要学习、理解，并将其在现实生活中应用。我们都失败过，也都犯过罪，甚至在过去发生过让我们备受打击的事情，以至于我们至今都无法释怀/走出。但是我们要记得，不管我们在过去做过什么，神永远不会丢弃我们。没有任何事物能将我们与神的爱隔绝。我们不该关注于过去的失败，也不该感觉有罪，而应该坚定地继续。不管我们经历过什么，我们都要看解决的办法和神的信实。

Philippians  3:12-14, says it best:

“12Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

腓立比书3章12至14节，对其做了最好的诠释：

12这不是说我已经得着了，已经完全了；而是竭力追求，或许可以得着基督耶稣（#所要我得着的#或译#所以得着我的#）。 13弟兄们，我不是以为自己已经得着了；我只有一件事，就是忘记背后，努力面前的，14向着标竿直跑，要得上帝在基督耶稣里从上面召我来得的奖赏。

God’s grace is greater than our failures. Our Lord Jesus Christ has taken our place on the cross. All of our sins were poured out on him and judged. Sin is no longer the issue, forgiveness is available to us by simply naming the sins we know about privately to God the Father; He is faithful and justified to forgive those sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) However, it is up to us to make the decision to utilize what God has provided for us. It is a free gift, through grace, we just need to know about it, believe it, and then accept it by utilizing it.

神的恩典大过我们的失败。我们的主耶稣基督已经替我们钉于十字架上，也替我们的罪受了审判。罪已经不是关键的问题，我们若将我们所犯的罪告诉神，祂便会饶恕我们。正如约翰一书1章9节所说：“我们若认自己的罪，神是信实的，是公义的，必要赦免我们的罪，洗净我们的一切不义”。但是决定在于我们，在于我们如何使用神所预备给我们的。这是一个免费的礼物，通过恩典，我们只需知道它，相信它，通过运用而接受它。

Okay, so let’s see what happens next in Acts chapter 16. Let’s go onto verse 26.

好了，让我们一起看看使徒行传16章26节会发生什么。

“26and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened.”

“忽然，地大震动，甚至监牢的地基都摇动了，监门立刻全开，众囚犯的锁链也都解开了。”

Okay, put yourself in these men’s shoes. What is the first thing that comes to mind?

好吧，让我们来设身处地来想一下，这个时候，你马上想到的是什么？

Did you think, “Hallelujah, our prayers have been answered!, Let’s get out of this place, we are free!”? But, let’s pause to think, “Is this the right thing to do?” Why or Why not? Has God revealed Himself? How? Has He shown them the way? Or, is this another test?

你是不是在想“哈利路亚，我们的祷告终于被应答了，我们赶紧走吧，我们自由了！”但是，我们需要想一想，“这是正确的事情吗？”为什么是或为什么不是？神是不是向我们显现了祂自己？祂是如何向他们显现的呢？或者，这又是另一个试炼吗？

We won’t do it, but we could do the same thing that we did the last two weeks. We could brainstorm on what the normal reaction would be to the earthquake. Then we could also list what an abnormal response to being apparently set free by the earthquake would be.

我们不能真的设身处地，但是我们可以继续用我们两周前用过的头脑风暴，一起想一想如果地震发生，什么是我们正常的反应。然后我们也可以一起设想一下如果地震的发生是让我们得救，我们哪些“非正常”的反应会是哪些。

There is an expression of how to know the will or plan of God for us. It is either the door closed or the door is opened to a particular situation or opportunity. Common advice is that if God closes the door, that you accept it, and that you don’t try to kick it down. Also, if God opens doors for you, that you have the faith to walk through them. So, this situation takes a lot of thought and you need to think about other things. If it seems as though a door is opening for you (as it looks like here for Paul and Silas), you have to evaluate whether going through the apparent open door is in conflict with anything else you know about God and His plan for your life.

我们常常会说“我们如何知道这是不是神的计划”。其实这是关乎在这个情况下神会为我们开这扇门还是关这扇门。一般来说，如果神把这扇门关起来，我们应该接受这个事实，别试图踹开门。当然，如果神为我们开一扇门，我们也该满有信心地继续走下去。因此，在这样的情况下，我们要多思考，并要考虑其他的事情。如果看起来，门真的为你打开（正如我们这里提及的保罗与西拉），我们就要好好思考一下，这个明显打开的门是不是与你所了解的神和祂为你预备的计划相冲突。

So, if it looks like a door is opening in your life, but by going through it you are breaking the law, either in your land, or breaking one of God’s laws, you can be assured that it isn’t God opening that door for you. As an example, say someone is completely out of money, and we are all praying that God would provide, so that they can feed their family. Let’s say someone comes to offer them a really good plan to rob a bank. It will provide them with plenty of money for their family and will get them out of the financial hole. Do you say, “Hallelujah, God has answered our prayers.”? Why not? Do you think that by saying no to something wrong, even if it looks like an open door, requires faith?

所以，如果在你的生活中，似乎有一扇门向你打开，但是走出这扇门是违法的，不管是这世上的法或是神的律法，你都可以确定这并不是神在为你开门。举一个例子，说一个人没有钱了，我们就都为他祷告，祈祷神的供应，供应他的全家。这时，有一个人建议他该去抢银行，因为这样就能有足够的钱来弥补家用了。你会说“哈利路亚，神回答了我的祷告？”为什么不？是不是对一件事情说不，即便这看起来是打开的门，也需要信心呢？

So, what is the situation here in the prison for Paul and Silas? Why should they resist leaving right away? Asked in a different way, what if there was a convicted murderer in the same prison. What if they escaped after the earthquake, would they be set free? Or, would they be hunted down and be put back into prison? I think we know the answer.

那么现在保罗和西拉的情况又如何呢?他们为什么要拒绝离开呢？换一种问法，如果是一个已决犯也在相同的监狱。他们即便也是从地震中逃跑了，他们会真正自由吗？或者他们会被再抓捕回来呢？我想我们都知道这个答案。

So, the authorities of the area have not released Paul and Silas, correct? So, is it right for them to leave and call it God’s plan? No. Are we to obey the authorities in our life? Do we have to follow the laws of the land? Do the laws apply to us? The answer is yes, with one exception: if the law contradicts God’s laws. We follow His laws first and foremost. But, other than that situation, we are commanded to follow the authorities that are over us.

这个地区的官长并未放了保罗与西拉，对吗？那么，他们这样的离开是否可被叫做神的计划呢？不是的。我们在生活中是否也该服从掌权的呢？我们是否该遵守属世的法律呢？法律对我们是否适用？答案是“是的”。但是只有一种特例，那就是如果这个律法是违背我们神的律法。我们要先遵守神的律法再遵守其他的法律。但是，除此之外，我们应当服从掌权的。

Let’s look quickly at some passages of scripture that explain this, first 1 Peter 2:13-17:

让我们一起快速看看彼得前书2章13到17节：

“13Be subject, for the Lord's sake, to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.”

13你们为主的缘故要顺服人的一切制度，或是在上的君王， 14或是君王所派惩恶赏善的官员/臣宰。 15因为上帝的旨意原是要你们以行善来堵住糊涂无知人的口。 16虽然你们是自由的，却不可藉着自由遮盖恶毒，总要作上帝的仆人。 17务要尊重众人；要敬爱教中的弟兄姊妹；要敬畏上帝；要尊敬君王。

Yes, but this doesn’t mean the IRS too, does it? Do we as Christians have to pay our taxes? Well, let’s look at Mark 12:14-17:

是的，但是这并不意味着IRS（国税局），是吗？作为基督徒的我们，要不要交税呢？我们一起看看马可福音12章14到17节是如何说的。

“14And they came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?" 15But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it."  16And they brought one. And he said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" They said to him, "Caesar's." 17Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they marveled at him.”

14他们来了，就对他说：「夫子，我们知道你是诚实的，什么人你都不徇情面；因为你不看人的外貌，乃是诚诚实实传上帝的道。纳税给凯撒可以不可以？ 15我们该纳不该纳？」耶稣知道他们的假意，就对他们说：「你们为什么试探我？拿一个银钱来给我看！」 16他们就拿了来。耶稣说：「这像和这号是谁的？」他们说：「是凯撒的。」 17耶稣说：「凯撒的物当归给凯撒，上帝的物当归给上帝。」他们就很希奇他。

Okay, just to make it clear, let’s look at one more: Romans 13:1-7

为了我们可以更加清楚地明白，我们再一起看看罗马书13章的1到7节。

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.”

1在上有权柄的，人人当顺服他，因为没有权柄不是出于神的。凡掌权的都是神所命的。 2所以，抗拒掌权的就是抗拒神的命；抗拒的必自取刑罚。 3作官的原不是叫行善的惧怕，乃是叫作恶的惧怕。你愿意不惧怕掌权的吗？你只要行善，就可得他的称赞； 4因为他是神的用人，是与你有益的。你若作恶，却当惧怕，因为他不是空空地佩剑；他是神的用人，是伸冤的，刑罚那作恶的。 5所以，你们必须顺服，不但是因为刑罚，也是因为良心。 6你们纳粮，也为这个缘故；因他们是神的差役，常常特管这事。 7凡人所当得的，就给他。当得粮的，给他纳粮；当得税的，给他上税；当惧怕的，惧怕他；当恭敬的，恭敬他。

Yes, we are to pay our taxes. Yes, we are to follow the rules and laws of where we live. Yes, we are to submit to the governing authorities. There is an important principle that comes out of this, “Just because everyone is doing it, it doesn’t mean that it is right.” How do we know what is right? God let’s us know clearly. Here in these past three passages of scripture it is made perfectly clear that we are to be subject to the governing authorities. This applies to local, county, state, and federal authorities.

是的，我们当纳税。是的，我们也当遵从规则与法律。是的，我们当顺服掌权的。因而，在这当中，也有一条很重要的法则“就因为所有人都在做，并不意味着这就是对的”。我们如何知道对错与否呢？神才会清晰地让我们了解。刚刚我们所找的三段经文就非常充分地说明了我们当顺服掌权的。这既包括我们的区、县、州也包括我们的联邦当局。

So, in Acts 16, verse 25 the earthquake opens all of the doors, and releases all of the chains that bind the prisoners, including Paul and Silas. What are they to do? What is the right thing for them to do? Are we all clear on this? Okay, next week we will go on and see if they pass this test, or if they make a mistake and fail to do the right thing. And, next week we will also talk about honor and integrity and how it applies to Paul and Silas, and how it can possibly apply to us as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.

因此，在使徒行传16章的25节的大震动，震开了监门，震开了囚犯的锁链，这其中也包括保罗与西拉。他们接下里会怎么做？什么才是正确的事呢？我们都清晰了吗？好，下周我们会继续看他们是否通过了这个试炼，还是犯了错，并未做正确的事。下周我们也会继续讨论在保罗与西拉身上所体现的尊严与正直，并讨论如何可以在我们这些信徒身上体现同样的品质。

Let’s pray.

我们祷告。