今日讀經

百姓禁食認罪

¹這月二十四日，以色列人聚集禁食，身穿麻衣，頭蒙灰塵。On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth, with dust on their heads.

²以色列人（人：原文是種類）就與一切外邦人離絕，站著承認自己的罪惡和列祖的罪孽。Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all the foreigners, and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.

³那日的四分之一站在自己的地方念耶和華─他們　神的律法書，又四分之一認罪，敬拜耶和華─他們的　神。While they stood in their places, they read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and they spent another quarter of the day in confession and worship of the LORD their God.

⁴耶書亞、巴尼、甲篾、示巴尼、布尼、示利比、巴尼、基拿尼站在利未人的臺上，大聲哀求耶和華─他們的　神。And the Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani—stood on the raised platform and cried out in a loud voice to the LORD their God.

稱頌創造的主

⁵利未人耶書亞、甲篾、巴尼、哈沙尼、示利比、荷第雅、示巴尼、毘他希雅說：「你們要站起來稱頌耶和華─你們的　神，永世無盡。耶和華啊，你榮耀之名是應當稱頌的！超乎一切稱頌和讚美。」Then the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah—said, “Stand up and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting: Blessed be Your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.

⁶「你，惟獨你是耶和華！你造了天和天上的天，並天上的萬象，地和地上的萬物，海和海中所有的；這一切都是你所保存的。天軍也都敬拜你。You alone are the LORD. You created the heavens, the highest heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all things, and the host of heaven worships You.

揀選亞伯拉罕

⁷你是耶和華　神，曾揀選亞伯蘭，領他出迦勒底的吾珥，給他改名叫亞伯拉罕。You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram, who brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham.

⁸你見他在你面前心裡誠實，就與他立約，應許把迦南人、赫人、亞摩利人、比利洗人、耶布斯人、革迦撒人之地賜給他的後裔，且應驗了你的話，因為你是公義的。You found his heart faithful before You, and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites and Hittites, of the Amorites and Perizzites, of the Jebusites and Girgashites—to give it to his descendants. You have kept Your promise, because You are righteous.

救出埃及、在西奈賜律法

⁹「你曾看見我們列祖在埃及所受的困苦，垂聽他們在紅海邊的哀求，You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt; You heard their cry at the Red Sea.

¹⁰就施行神蹟奇事在法老和他一切臣僕，並他國中的眾民身上。你也得了名聲，正如今日一樣，因為你知道他們向我們列祖行事狂傲。You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, all his officials, and all the people of his land, for You knew they had acted with arrogance against our fathers. You made a name for Yourself that endures to this day.

¹¹你又在我們列祖面前把海分開，使他們在海中行走乾地，將追趕他們的人拋在深海，如石頭拋在大水中；You divided the sea before them, and they crossed through it on dry ground. You hurled their pursuers into the depths like a stone into raging waters.

¹²並且白晝用雲柱引導他們，黑夜用火柱照亮他們當行的路。You led them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they should travel.

¹³你也降臨在西奈山，從天上與他們說話，賜給他們正直的典章、真實的律法、美好的條例與誡命，You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You gave them just ordinances, true laws, and good statutes and commandments.

¹⁴又使他們知道你的安息聖日，並藉你僕人摩西傳給他們誡命、條例、律法。You revealed to them Your holy Sabbath and gave them commandments and statutes and laws through Your servant Moses.

¹⁵從天上賜下糧食充他們的飢，從磐石使水流出解他們的渴，又吩咐他們進去得你起誓應許賜給他們的地。In their hunger You gave them bread from heaven; in their thirst You brought them water from the rock. You told them to go in and possess the land that You had sworn to give them.

列祖硬著頸項，神仍不丟棄

¹⁶但我們的列祖行事狂傲，硬著頸項不聽從你的誡命；But they and our fathers became arrogant and stiff-necked and did not obey Your commandments.

¹⁷不肯順從，也不記念你在他們中間所行的奇事，竟硬著頸項，居心背逆，自立首領，要回他們為奴之地。但你是樂意饒恕人，有恩典，有憐憫，不輕易發怒，有豐盛慈愛的　神，並不丟棄他們。They refused to listen and failed to remember the wonders You performed among them. They stiffened their necks and appointed a leader to return them to their bondage in Egypt. But You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in loving devotion, and You did not forsake them.

¹⁸他們雖然鑄了一隻牛犢，彼此說『這是領你出埃及的　神』，因而大大惹動你的怒氣；Even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and when they committed terrible blasphemies,

¹⁹你還是大施憐憫，在曠野不丟棄他們。白晝，雲柱不離開他們，仍引導他們行路；黑夜，火柱也不離開他們，仍照亮他們當行的路。You in Your great compassion did not forsake them in the wilderness. By day the pillar of cloud never turned away from guiding them on their path; and by the night the pillar of fire illuminated the way they should go.

²⁰你也賜下你良善的靈教訓他們；未嘗不賜嗎哪使他們糊口，並賜水解他們的渴。You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold Your manna from their mouths, and You gave them water for their thirst.

²¹在曠野四十年，你養育他們，他們就一無所缺：衣服沒有穿破，腳也沒有腫。For forty years You sustained them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.

賜下迦南地

²²並且你將列國之地照分賜給他們，他們就得了西宏之地、希實本王之地，和巴珊王噩之地。You gave them kingdoms and peoples and allotted to them every corner of the land. So they took the land of Sihon king of Heshbon and of Og king of Bashan.

²³你也使他們的子孫多如天上的星，帶他們到你所應許他們列祖進入得為業之地。You multiplied their descendants like the stars of heaven and brought them to the land You had told their fathers to enter and possess.

²⁴這樣，他們進去得了那地，你在他們面前制伏那地的居民，就是迦南人；將迦南人和其君王，並那地的居民，都交在他們手裡，讓他們任意而待。So their descendants went in and possessed the land; You subdued before them the Canaanites dwelling in the land. You delivered into their hands the kings and peoples of the land, to do with them as they wished.

²⁵他們得了堅固的城邑、肥美的地土、充滿各樣美物的房屋、鑿成的水井、葡萄園、橄欖園，並許多果木樹。他們就吃而得飽，身體肥胖，因你的大恩，心中快樂。They captured fortified cities and fertile land and took houses full of all goods, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled; they grew fat and delighted in Your great goodness.

背叛與拯救的循環

²⁶「然而，他們不順從，竟背叛你，將你的律法丟在背後，殺害那勸他們歸向你的眾先知，大大惹動你的怒氣。But they were disobedient and rebelled against You; they flung Your law behind their backs. They killed Your prophets, who had admonished them to return to You. They committed terrible blasphemies.

²⁷所以你將他們交在敵人的手中，磨難他們。他們遭難的時候哀求你，你就從天上垂聽，照你的大憐憫賜給他們拯救者，救他們脫離敵人的手。So You delivered them into the hands of enemies who oppressed them, and in their time of distress they cried out to You. From heaven You heard them, and in Your great compassion You gave them deliverers who saved them from the hands of their enemies.

²⁸但他們得平安之後，又在你面前行惡，所以你丟棄他們在仇敵的手中，使仇敵轄制他們。然而他們轉回哀求你，你仍從天上垂聽，屢次照你的憐憫拯救他們，But as soon as they had rest, they again did evil in Your sight. So You abandoned them to the hands of their enemies, who had dominion over them. When they cried out to You again, You heard from heaven, and You delivered them many times in Your compassion.

²⁹又警戒他們，要使他們歸服你的律法。他們卻行事狂傲，不聽從你的誡命，干犯你的典章（人若遵行就必因此活著），扭轉肩頭，硬著頸項，不肯聽從。You admonished them to turn back to Your law, but they were arrogant and disobeyed Your commandments. They sinned against Your ordinances, by which a man will live if he practices them. They turned a stubborn shoulder; they stiffened their necks and would not obey.

³⁰但你多年寬容他們，又用你的靈藉眾先知勸戒他們，他們仍不聽從，所以你將他們交在列國之民的手中。You were patient with them for many years, and Your Spirit admonished them through Your prophets. Yet they would not listen, so You gave them into the hands of the neighboring peoples.

³¹然而你大發憐憫，不全然滅絕他們，也不丟棄他們；因為你是有恩典、有憐憫的　神。But in Your great compassion, You did not put an end to them; nor did You forsake them, for You are a gracious and compassionate God.

求神看顧今日的苦難

³²「我們的　神啊，你是至大、至能、至可畏、守約施慈愛的　神。我們的君王、首領、祭司、先知、列祖，和你的眾民，從亞述列王的時候直到今日所遭遇的苦難，現在求你不要以為小。So now, our God, the great and mighty and awesome God who keeps His gracious covenant, do not view lightly all the hardship that has come upon us, and upon our kings and leaders, our priests and prophets, our ancestors and all Your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today.

³³在一切臨到我們的事上，你卻是公義的；因你所行的是誠實，我們所做的是邪惡。You are just in all that has befallen us, because You have acted faithfully, while we have acted wickedly.

³⁴我們的君王、首領、祭司、列祖都不遵守你的律法，不聽從你的誡命和你警戒他們的話。Our kings and leaders and priests and fathers did not obey Your law or listen to Your commandments and warnings that You gave them.

³⁵他們在本國裡沾你大恩的時候，在你所賜給他們這廣大肥美之地上不事奉你，也不轉離他們的惡行。For even while they were in their kingdom, with the abundant goodness that You had given them, and in the spacious and fertile land that You had set before them, they would not serve You or turn from their wicked ways.

³⁶我們現今作了奴僕；至於你所賜給我們列祖享受其上的土產，並美物之地，看哪，我們在這地上作了奴僕！So here we are today as slaves in the land You gave our fathers to enjoy its fruit and goodness—here we are as slaves!

³⁷這地許多出產歸了列王，就是你因我們的罪所派轄制我們的。他們任意轄制我們的身體和牲畜，我們遭了大難。」Its abundant harvest goes to the kings You have set over us because of our sins. And they rule over our bodies and our livestock as they please. We are in great distress.

立確實的約

³⁸因這一切的事，我們立確實的約，寫在冊上。我們的首領、利未人，和祭司都簽了名。In view of all this, we make a binding agreement, putting it in writing and sealing it with the names of our leaders, Levites, and priests.”

簽名的人

¹簽名的是：哈迦利亞的兒子─省長尼希米，和西底家；Now these were the ones who sealed the document: Nehemiah the governor, son of Hacaliah, and also Zedekiah,

²祭司：西萊雅、亞撒利雅、耶利米、Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,

³巴施戶珥、亞瑪利雅、瑪基雅、Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah,

⁴哈突、示巴尼、瑪鹿、Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,

⁵哈琳、米利末、俄巴底亞、Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,

⁶但以理、近頓、巴錄、Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,

⁷米書蘭、亞比雅、米雅民、Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,

⁸瑪西亞、璧該、示瑪雅；Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.

⁹又有利未人，就是亞散尼的兒子耶書亞、希拿達的子孫賓內、甲篾；The Levites: Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel,

¹⁰還有他們的弟兄示巴尼、荷第雅、基利他、毘萊雅、哈難、and their associates: Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,

¹¹米迦、利合、哈沙比雅、Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah,

¹²撒刻、示利比、示巴尼、Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,

¹³荷第雅、巴尼、比尼努；Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu.

¹⁴又有民的首領，就是巴錄、巴哈‧摩押、以攔、薩土、巴尼、And the leaders of the people: Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,

¹⁵布尼、押甲、比拜、Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,

¹⁶亞多尼雅、比革瓦伊、亞丁、Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,

¹⁷亞特、希西家、押朔、Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,

¹⁸荷第雅、哈順、比賽、Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,

¹⁹哈拉、亞拿突、尼拜、Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,

²⁰抹比押、米書蘭、希悉、Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,

²¹米示薩別、撒督、押杜亞、Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,

²²毘拉提、哈難、亞奈雅、Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,

²³何細亞、哈拿尼雅、哈述、Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub,

²⁴哈羅黑、毘利哈、朔百、Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,

²⁵利宏、哈沙拿、瑪西雅、Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,

²⁶亞希雅、哈難、亞難、Ahijah, Hanan, Anan,

²⁷瑪鹿、哈琳、巴拿。Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.

眾人起誓遵行律法

²⁸其餘的民、祭司、利未人、守門的、歌唱的、尼提寧，和一切離絕鄰邦居民歸服　神律法的，並他們的妻子、兒女，凡有知識能明白的，“The rest of the people—the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, temple servants, and all who had separated themselves from the people of the land to obey the Law of God—along with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand,

²⁹都隨從他們貴冑的弟兄，發咒起誓，必遵行　神藉他僕人摩西所傳的律法，謹守遵行耶和華─我們主的一切誡命、典章、律例；hereby join with their noble brothers and commit themselves with a sworn oath to follow the Law of God given through His servant Moses and to obey carefully all the commandments, ordinances, and statutes of the LORD our Lord.

不通婚、守安息日

³⁰並不將我們的女兒嫁給這地的居民，也不為我們的兒子娶他們的女兒。We will not give our daughters in marriage to the people of the land, and we will not take their daughters for our sons.

³¹這地的居民若在安息日，或甚麼聖日，帶了貨物或糧食來賣給我們，我們必不買。每逢第七年必不耕種，凡欠我們債的必不追討。When the people of the land bring merchandise or any kind of grain to sell on the Sabbath day, we will not buy from them on a Sabbath or holy day. Every seventh year we will let the fields lie fallow and will cancel every debt.

承擔聖殿的費用

³²我們又為自己定例，每年各人捐銀一舍客勒三分之一，為我們　神殿的使用，We also place ourselves under the obligation to contribute a third of a shekel yearly for the service of the house of our God:

³³就是為陳設餅、常獻的素祭，和燔祭，安息日、月朔、節期所獻的與聖物，並以色列人的贖罪祭，以及我們　神殿裡一切的費用。for the showbread, for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings, for the Sabbath offerings, for the New Moons and appointed feasts, for the holy offerings, for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the duties of the house of our God.

³⁴我們的祭司、利未人，和百姓都掣籤，看每年是哪一族按定期將獻祭的柴奉到我們　神的殿裡，照著律法上所寫的，燒在耶和華─我們　神的壇上。We have cast lots among the priests, Levites, and people for the donation of wood by our families at the appointed times each year. They are to bring it to the house of our God to burn on the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the Law.

奉獻初熟之物和十分之一

³⁵又定每年將我們地上初熟的土產和各樣樹上初熟的果子都奉到耶和華的殿裡。We will also bring the firstfruits of our land and of every fruit tree to the house of the LORD year by year.

³⁶又照律法上所寫的，將我們頭胎的兒子和首生的牛羊都奉到我們　神的殿，交給我們　神殿裡供職的祭司；And we will bring the firstborn of our sons and our livestock, as it is written in the Law, and will bring the firstborn of our herds and flocks to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God.

³⁷並將初熟之麥子所磨的麵和舉祭、各樣樹上初熟的果子、新酒與油奉給祭司，收在我們　神殿的庫房裡，把我們地上所產的十分之一奉給利未人，因利未人在我們一切城邑的土產中當取十分之一。Moreover, we will bring to the priests at the storerooms of the house of our God the firstfruits of our dough, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees, and of our new wine and oil. A tenth of our produce belongs to the Levites, so that they shall receive tithes in all the towns where we labor.

³⁸利未人取十分之一的時候，亞倫的子孫中，當有一個祭司與利未人同在。利未人也當從十分之一中取十分之一，奉到我們　神殿的屋子裡，收在庫房中。A priest of Aaron’s line is to accompany the Levites when they collect the tenth, and the Levites are to bring a tenth of these tithes to the storerooms of the treasury in the house of our God.

³⁹以色列人和利未人要將五穀、新酒，和油為舉祭，奉到收存聖所器皿的屋子裡，就是供職的祭司、守門的、歌唱的所住的屋子。這樣，我們就不離棄我們　神的殿。For the Israelites and the Levites are to bring the contributions of grain, new wine, and oil to the storerooms where the articles of the sanctuary are kept and where the ministering priests, the gatekeepers, and the singers stay. Thus we will not neglect the house of our God.”

保羅定意往耶路撒冷和羅馬

²¹這些事完了，保羅心裡定意經過了馬其頓、亞該亞，就往耶路撒冷去；又說：「我到了那裡以後，也必須往羅馬去看看。」After these things had happened, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must see Rome as well.”

²²於是從幫助他的人中打發提摩太、以拉都二人往馬其頓去，自己暫時等在亞細亞。He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed for a time in the province of Asia.

銀匠底米丟煽動同業

²³那時，因為這道起的擾亂不小。About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.

²⁴有一個銀匠，名叫底米丟，是製造亞底米神銀龕的，他使這樣手藝人生意發達。It began with a silversmith named Demetrius who made silver shrines of Artemis, bringing much business to the craftsmen.

²⁵他聚集他們和同行的工人，說：「眾位，你們知道我們是倚靠這生意發財。Demetrius assembled the craftsmen, along with the workmen in related trades. “Men,” he said, “you know that this business is our source of prosperity.

²⁶這保羅不但在以弗所，也幾乎在亞細亞全地，引誘迷惑許多人，說：『人手所做的，不是神。』這是你們所看見所聽見的。And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, this Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.

²⁷這樣，不獨我們這事業被人藐視，就是大女神亞底米的廟也要被人輕忽，連亞細亞全地和普天下所敬拜的大女神之威榮也要消滅了。」There is danger not only that our business will fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited and her majesty deposed—she who is worshiped by all the province of Asia and the whole world.”

全城轟動，擁進戲園

²⁸眾人聽見，就怒氣填胸，喊著說：「大哉，以弗所人的亞底米啊！」When the men heard this, they were enraged and began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

²⁹滿城都轟動起來。眾人拿住與保羅同行的馬其頓人該猶和亞里達古，齊心擁進戲園裡去。Soon the whole city was in disarray. They rushed together into the theatre, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia.

³⁰保羅想要進去，到百姓那裡，門徒卻不許他去。Paul wanted to go before the assembly, but the disciples would not allow him.

³¹還有亞細亞幾位首領，是保羅的朋友，打發人來勸他，不要冒險到戲園裡去。Even some of Paul’s friends who were officials of the province of Asia sent word to him, begging him not to venture into the theatre.

³²聚集的人紛紛亂亂，有喊叫這個的，有喊叫那個的；大半不知道是為甚麼聚集。Meanwhile the assembly was in turmoil. Some were shouting one thing and some another, and most of them did not even know why they were there.

亞歷山大想要分訴

³³有人把亞歷山大從眾人中帶出來，猶太人推他往前，亞歷山大就擺手，要向百姓分訴；The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward to explain himself, and he motioned for silence so he could make his defense to the people.

³⁴只因他們認出他是猶太人，就大家同聲喊著說：「大哉！以弗所人的亞底米啊。」如此約有兩小時。But when they realized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

書記安撫眾人

³⁵那城裡的書記安撫了眾人，就說：「以弗所人哪，誰不知道以弗所人的城是看守大亞底米的廟和從宙斯那裡落下來的像呢？Finally the city clerk quieted the crowd and declared, “Men of Ephesus, doesn’t everyone know that the city of Ephesus is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven?

³⁶這事既是駁不倒的，你們就當安靜，不可造次。Since these things are undeniable, you ought to be calm and not do anything rash.

³⁷你們把這些人帶來，他們並沒有偷竊廟中之物，也沒有謗讟我們的女神。For you have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed our temple nor blasphemed our goddess.

³⁸若是底米丟和他同行的人有控告人的事，自有放告的日子（或譯：自有公堂），也有方伯可以彼此對告。So if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open and proconsuls are available. Let them bring charges against one another there.

³⁹你們若問別的事，就可以照常例聚集斷定。But if you are seeking anything beyond this, it must be settled in a legal assembly.

⁴⁰今日的擾亂本是無緣無故，我們難免被查問。論到這樣聚眾，我們也說不出所以然來。」For we are in jeopardy of being charged with rioting for today’s events, and we have no justification to account for this commotion.”

⁴¹說了這話，便叫眾人散去。After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.