今日讀經

城牆的告成禮

²⁷耶路撒冷城牆告成的時候，眾民就把各處的利未人招到耶路撒冷，要稱謝、歌唱、敲鈸、鼓瑟、彈琴，歡歡喜喜地行告成之禮。At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from all their homes and brought to Jerusalem to celebrate the joyous dedication with thanksgiving and singing, accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres.

^28–29歌唱的人從耶路撒冷的周圍和尼陀法的村莊與伯‧吉甲，又從迦巴和押瑪弗的田地聚集，因為歌唱的人在耶路撒冷四圍為自己立了村莊。The singers were also assembled from the region around Jerusalem, from the villages of the Netophathites, from Beth-gilgal, and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for they had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem.

³⁰祭司和利未人就潔淨自己，也潔淨百姓和城門，並城牆。After the priests and Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.

兩隊稱謝的人

³¹我帶猶大的首領上城，使稱謝的人分為兩大隊，排列而行：第一隊在城上往右邊向糞廠門行走，Then I brought the leaders of Judah up on the wall, and I appointed two great thanksgiving choirs. One was to proceed along the top of the wall to the right, toward the Dung Gate.

³²在他們後頭的有何沙雅與猶大首領的一半，Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed,

³³又有亞撒利雅、以斯拉、米書蘭、along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,

³⁴猶大、便雅憫、示瑪雅、耶利米。Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah,

³⁵還有些吹號之祭司的子孫，約拿單的兒子撒迦利亞。約拿單是示瑪雅的兒子；示瑪雅是瑪他尼的兒子；瑪他尼是米該亞的兒子；米該亞是撒刻的兒子；撒刻是亞薩的兒子；and some of the priests with trumpets, and also Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph,

³⁶又有撒迦利亞的弟兄示瑪雅、亞撒利、米拉萊、基拉萊、瑪艾、拿坦業、猶大、哈拿尼，都拿著神人大衛的樂器，文士以斯拉引領他們。and his associates—Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani—with the musical instruments prescribed by David the man of God. Ezra the scribe led the procession.

³⁷他們經過泉門往前，從大衛城的臺階隨地勢而上，在大衛宮殿以上，直行到朝東的水門。At the Fountain Gate they went directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall and passed above the house of David to the Water Gate on the east.

³⁸第二隊稱謝的人要與那一隊相迎而行。我和民的一半跟隨他們，在城牆上過了爐樓，直到寬牆；The second thanksgiving choir proceeded to the left, and I followed it with half the people along the top of the wall, past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall,

³⁹又過了以法蓮門、古門、魚門、哈楠業樓、哈米亞樓，直到羊門，就在護衛門站住。over the Gate of Ephraim, the Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate. And they stopped at the Gate of the Guard.

⁴⁰於是，這兩隊稱謝的人連我和官長的一半，站在　神的殿裡。The two thanksgiving choirs then stood in the house of God, as did I, along with the half of the officials accompanying me,

⁴¹還有祭司以利亞金、瑪西雅、米拿民、米該亞、以利約乃、撒迦利亞、哈楠尼亞吹號；as well as the priests with their trumpets—Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah—

⁴²又有瑪西雅、示瑪雅、以利亞撒、烏西、約哈難、瑪基雅、以攔，和以謝奏樂。歌唱的就大聲歌唱，伊斯拉希雅管理他們。and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. Then the choirs sang out under the direction of Jezrahiah.

歡聲聽到遠處

⁴³那日，眾人獻大祭而歡樂；因為　神使他們大大歡樂，連婦女帶孩童也都歡樂，甚至耶路撒冷中的歡聲聽到遠處。On that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar.

管理庫房、供給祭司利未人

⁴⁴當日，派人管理庫房，將舉祭、初熟之物和所取的十分之一，就是按各城田地，照律法所定歸給祭司和利未人的分，都收在裡頭。猶大人因祭司和利未人供職，就歡樂了。And on that same day men were appointed over the rooms that housed the supplies, contributions, firstfruits, and tithes. The portions specified by the Law for the priests and Levites were gathered into these storerooms from the fields of the villages, because Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who were serving.

⁴⁵祭司利未人遵守　神所吩咐的，並守潔淨的禮。歌唱的、守門的，照著大衛和他兒子所羅門的命令也如此行。They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, along with the singers and gatekeepers, as David and his son Solomon had prescribed.

⁴⁶古時，在大衛和亞薩的日子，有歌唱的伶長，並有讚美稱謝　神的詩歌。For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there were directors for the singers and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.

⁴⁷當所羅巴伯和尼希米的時候，以色列眾人將歌唱的、守門的，每日所當得的分供給他們，又給利未人當得的分；利未人又給亞倫的子孫當得的分。So in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the singers and gatekeepers. They also set aside daily portions for the Levites, and the Levites set aside daily portions for the descendants of Aaron.

與閒雜人絕交

¹當日，人念摩西的律法書給百姓聽，遇見書上寫著說，亞捫人和摩押人永不可入　神的會；At that time the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people, and in it they found the passage stating that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God,

²因為他們沒有拿食物和水來迎接以色列人，且雇了巴蘭咒詛他們，但我們的　神使那咒詛變為祝福。because they had not met the Israelites with food and water, but had hired Balaam to call down a curse against them (although our God had turned the curse into a blessing).

³以色列民聽見這律法，就與一切閒雜人絕交。As soon as the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all of foreign descent.

把多比雅趕出聖殿庫房

⁴先是蒙派管理我們　神殿中庫房的祭司以利亞實與多比雅結親，Now before this, Eliashib the priest, a relative of Tobiah, had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God

⁵便為他預備一間大屋子，就是從前收存素祭、乳香、器皿，和照命令供給利未人、歌唱的、守門的五穀、新酒，和油的十分之一，並歸祭司舉祭的屋子。and had prepared for Tobiah a large room where they had previously stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the temple articles, and the tithes of grain, new wine, and oil prescribed for the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, along with the contributions for the priests.

⁶那時我不在耶路撒冷；因為巴比倫王亞達薛西三十二年，我回到王那裡。過了多日，我向王告假。While all this was happening, I was not in Jerusalem, because I had returned to Artaxerxes king of Babylon in the thirty-second year of his reign. Some time later I obtained leave from the king

⁷我來到耶路撒冷，就知道以利亞實為多比雅在　神殿的院內預備屋子的那件惡事。to return to Jerusalem. Then I discovered the evil that Eliashib had done on behalf of Tobiah by providing him a room in the courts of the house of God.

⁸我甚惱怒，就把多比雅的一切家具從屋裡都拋出去，And I was greatly displeased and threw all of Tobiah’s household goods out of the room.

⁹吩咐人潔淨這屋子，遂將　神殿的器皿和素祭、乳香又搬進去。Then I ordered that the rooms be purified, and I had the articles of the house of God restored to them, along with the grain offerings and frankincense.

恢復利未人的供給

¹⁰我見利未人所當得的分無人供給他們，甚至供職的利未人與歌唱的俱各奔回自己的田地去了。I also learned that because the portions for the Levites had not been given to them, all the Levites and singers responsible for performing the service had gone back to their own fields.

¹¹我就斥責官長說：「為何離棄　神的殿呢？」我便招聚利未人，使他們照舊供職。So I rebuked the officials and asked, “Why has the house of God been neglected?” Then I gathered the Levites and singers together and stationed them at their posts,

¹²猶大眾人就把五穀、新酒，和油的十分之一送入庫房。and all Judah brought a tenth of the grain, new wine, and oil into the storerooms.

¹³我派祭司示利米雅、文士撒督，和利未人毘大雅作庫官管理庫房；副官是哈難。哈難是撒刻的兒子；撒刻是瑪他尼的兒子。這些人都是忠信的，他們的職分是將所供給的分給他們的弟兄。I appointed as treasurers over the storerooms Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, with Hanan son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, to assist them, because they were considered trustworthy. They were responsible for distributing the supplies to their fellow Levites.

¹⁴我的　神啊，求你因這事記念我，不要塗抹我為　神的殿與其中的禮節所行的善。Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out my deeds of loving devotion for the house of my God and for its services.

整頓安息日

¹⁵那些日子，我在猶大見有人在安息日醡酒（原文是踹酒醡），搬運禾捆馱在驢上，又把酒、葡萄、無花果，和各樣的擔子在安息日擔入耶路撒冷，我就在他們賣食物的那日警戒他們。In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, and figs. All kinds of goods were being brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them against selling food on that day.

¹⁶又有泰爾人住在耶路撒冷；他們把魚和各樣貨物運進來，在安息日賣給猶大人。Additionally, men of Tyre who lived there were importing fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem.

¹⁷我就斥責猶大的貴冑說：「你們怎麼行這惡事犯了安息日呢？Then I rebuked the nobles of Judah and asked, “What is this evil you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day?

¹⁸從前你們列祖豈不是這樣行，以致我們　神使一切災禍臨到我們和這城嗎？現在你們還犯安息日，使忿怒越發臨到以色列！」Did not your forefathers do the same things, so that our God brought all this disaster on us and on this city? And now you are rekindling His wrath against Israel by profaning the Sabbath!”

¹⁹在安息日的前一日，耶路撒冷城門有黑影的時候，我就吩咐人將門關鎖，不過安息日不准開放。我又派我幾個僕人管理城門，免得有人在安息日擔甚麼擔子進城。When the evening shadows began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem, just before the Sabbath, I ordered that the gates be shut and not opened until after the Sabbath. I posted some of my servants at the gates so that no load could enter on the Sabbath day.

²⁰於是商人和販賣各樣貨物的，一兩次住宿在耶路撒冷城外。Once or twice, the merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods camped outside Jerusalem,

²¹我就警戒他們說：「你們為何在城外住宿呢？若再這樣，我必下手拿辦你們。」從此以後，他們在安息日不再來了。but I warned them, “Why are you camping in front of the wall? If you do it again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on, they did not return on the Sabbath.

²²我吩咐利未人潔淨自己，來守城門，使安息日為聖。我的　神啊，求你因這事記念我，照你的大慈愛憐恤我。Then I instructed the Levites to purify themselves and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this as well, O my God, and show me mercy according to Your abundant loving devotion.

斥責與外族通婚

²³那些日子，我也見猶大人娶了亞實突、亞捫、摩押的女子為妻。In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.

²⁴他們的兒女說話，一半是亞實突的話，不會說猶大的話，所說的是照著各族的方言。Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or of the other peoples, but could not speak the language of Judah.

²⁵我就斥責他們，咒詛他們，打了他們幾個人，拔下他們的頭髮，叫他們指著　神起誓，必不將自己的女兒嫁給外邦人的兒子，也不為自己和兒子娶他們的女兒。I rebuked them and called down curses on them. I beat some of these men and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath before God and said, “You must not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves!

²⁶我又說：「以色列王所羅門不是在這樣的事上犯罪嗎？在多國中並沒有一王像他，且蒙他　神所愛，　神立他作以色列全國的王；然而連他也被外邦女子引誘犯罪。Did not King Solomon of Israel sin in matters like this? There was not a king like him among many nations, and he was loved by his God, who made him king over all Israel—yet foreign women drew him into sin.

²⁷如此，我豈聽你們行這大惡，娶外邦女子干犯我們的　神呢？」Must we now hear that you too are doing all this terrible evil and acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?”

²⁸大祭司以利亞實的孫子、耶何耶大的一個兒子是和倫人參巴拉的女婿，我就從我這裡把他趕出去。Even one of the sons of Jehoiada son of Eliashib the high priest had become a son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I drove him away from me.

²⁹我的　神啊，求你記念他們的罪；因為他們玷污了祭司的職任，違背你與祭司利未人所立的約。Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.

潔淨祭司、派定班次

³⁰這樣，我潔淨他們，使他們離絕一切外邦人，派定祭司和利未人的班次，使他們各盡其職。Thus I purified the priests and Levites from everything foreign, and I assigned specific duties to each of the priests and Levites.

³¹我又派百姓按定期獻柴和初熟的土產。我的　神啊，求你記念我，施恩與我。I also arranged for contributions of wood at the appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, with favor.

從特羅亞到米利都

¹³我們先上船，開往亞朔去，意思要在那裡接保羅；因為他是這樣安排的，他自己打算要步行。We went on ahead to the ship and sailed to Assos, where we were to take Paul aboard. He had arranged this because he was going there on foot.

¹⁴他既在亞朔與我們相會，我們就接他上船，來到米推利尼。And when he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene.

¹⁵從那裡開船，次日到了基阿的對面；又次日，在撒摩靠岸；又次日，來到米利都。Sailing on from there, we arrived the next day opposite Chios. The day after that we arrived at Samos, and on the following day we came to Miletus.

¹⁶乃因保羅早已定意越過以弗所，免得在亞細亞耽延，他急忙前走，巴不得趕五旬節能到耶路撒冷。Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.

請以弗所的長老來

¹⁷保羅從米利都打發人往以弗所去，請教會的長老來。From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.

回顧在亞細亞的服事

¹⁸他們來了，保羅就說：「你們知道，自從我到亞細亞的日子以來，在你們中間始終為人如何，When they came to him, he said, “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I arrived in the province of Asia.

¹⁹服事主，凡事謙卑，眼中流淚，又因猶太人的謀害，經歷試煉。I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, especially in the trials that came upon me through the plots of the Jews.

²⁰你們也知道，凡與你們有益的，我沒有一樣避諱不說的，或在眾人面前，或在各人家裡，我都教導你們；I did not shrink back from declaring anything that was helpful to you as I taught you publicly and from house to house,

²¹又對猶太人和希臘人證明當向　神悔改，信靠我主耶穌基督。testifying to Jews and Greeks alike about repentance to God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

往耶路撒冷，不以性命為念

²²現在我往耶路撒冷去，心甚迫切（原文是心被捆綁），不知道在那裡要遇見甚麼事；And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.

²³但知道聖靈在各城裡向我指證，說有捆鎖與患難等待我。I only know that in town after town the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and afflictions await me.

²⁴我卻不以性命為念，也不看為寶貴，只要行完我的路程，成就我從主耶穌所領受的職事，證明　神恩惠的福音。But I consider my life of no value to me, if only I may finish my course and complete the ministry I have received from the Lord Jesus—the ministry of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

不再見面，罪不在我身上

²⁵「我素常在你們中間來往，傳講　神國的道；如今我曉得，你們以後都不得再見我的面了。Now I know that none of you among whom I have preached the kingdom will see my face again.

²⁶所以我今日向你們證明，你們中間無論何人死亡，罪不在我身上（原文是我於眾人的血是潔淨的）。Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.

²⁷因為　神的旨意，我並沒有一樣避諱不傳給你們的。For I did not shrink back from declaring to you the whole will of God.

勉勵長老牧養神的教會

²⁸聖靈立你們作全群的監督，你們就當為自己謹慎，也為全群謹慎，牧養　神的教會，就是他用自己血所買來的（或譯：救贖的）。Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.

提防兇暴的豺狼

²⁹我知道，我去之後必有兇暴的豺狼進入你們中間，不愛惜羊群。I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.

³⁰就是你們中間，也必有人起來說悖謬的話，要引誘門徒跟從他們。Even from your own number, men will rise up and distort the truth to draw away disciples after them.

³¹所以你們應當警醒，記念我三年之久晝夜不住地流淚、勸戒你們各人。Therefore be alert and remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.

交託神和祂恩惠的道

³²如今我把你們交託　神和他恩惠的道；這道能建立你們，叫你們和一切成聖的人同得基業。And now I commit you to God and to the word of His grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all who are sanctified.

勞苦扶助軟弱的人

³³我未曾貪圖一個人的金、銀、衣服。I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.

³⁴我這兩隻手常供給我和同人的需用，這是你們自己知道的。You yourselves know that these hands of mine have ministered to my own needs and those of my companions.

³⁵我凡事給你們作榜樣，叫你們知道應當這樣勞苦，扶助軟弱的人，又當記念主耶穌的話，說：『施比受更為有福。』」In everything, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus Himself: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

跪下禱告，痛哭送別

³⁶保羅說完了這話，就跪下同眾人禱告。When Paul had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.

³⁷眾人痛哭，抱著保羅的頸項，和他親嘴。They all wept openly as they embraced Paul and kissed him.

³⁸叫他們最傷心的，就是他說「以後不能再見我的面」那句話，於是送他上船去了。They were especially grieved by his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.