今日讀經

神命令滅絕亞瑪力人

¹撒母耳對掃羅說：「耶和華差遣我膏你為王，治理他的百姓以色列；所以你當聽從耶和華的話。Then Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people Israel. Now therefore, listen to the words of the LORD.

²萬軍之耶和華如此說：『以色列人出埃及的時候，在路上亞瑪力人怎樣待他們，怎樣抵擋他們，我都沒忘。This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘I witnessed what the Amalekites did to the Israelites when they opposed them on their way up from Egypt.

³現在你要去擊打亞瑪力人，滅盡他們所有的，不可憐惜他們，將男女、孩童、吃奶的，並牛、羊、駱駝，和驢盡行殺死。』」Now go and attack the Amalekites and devote to destruction all that belongs to them. Do not spare them, but put to death men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”

掃羅攻打亞瑪力

⁴於是掃羅招聚百姓在提拉因，數點他們，共有步兵二十萬，另有猶大人一萬。So Saul summoned the troops and numbered them at Telaim—200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah.

⁵掃羅到了亞瑪力的京城，在谷中設下埋伏。Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley.

⁶掃羅對基尼人說：「你們離開亞瑪力人下去吧，恐怕我將你們和亞瑪力人一同殺滅；因為以色列人出埃及的時候，你們曾恩待他們。」於是基尼人離開亞瑪力人去了。And he warned the Kenites, “Since you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt, go on and get away from the Amalekites. Otherwise I will sweep you away with them.” So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.

⁷掃羅擊打亞瑪力人，從哈腓拉直到埃及前的書珥，Then Saul struck down the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, which is east of Egypt.

⁸生擒了亞瑪力王亞甲，用刀殺盡亞瑪力的眾民。He captured Agag king of Amalek alive, but devoted all the others to destruction with the sword.

留下亞甲和上好的牛羊

⁹掃羅和百姓卻憐惜亞甲，也愛惜上好的牛、羊、牛犢、羊羔，並一切美物，不肯滅絕。凡下賤瘦弱的，盡都殺了。Saul and his troops spared Agag, along with the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs, and the best of everything else. They were unwilling to devote them to destruction, but they devoted to destruction all that was despised and worthless.

神後悔立掃羅為王

¹⁰耶和華的話臨到撒母耳說：Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying,

¹¹「我立掃羅為王，我後悔了；因為他轉去不跟從我，不遵守我的命令。」撒母耳便甚憂愁，終夜哀求耶和華。“I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned away from following Me and has not carried out My instructions.” And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all that night.

掃羅立碑自誇

¹²撒母耳清早起來，迎接掃羅。有人告訴撒母耳說：「掃羅到了迦密，在那裡立了紀念碑，又轉身下到吉甲。」Early in the morning Samuel got up to confront Saul, but he was told, “Saul has gone to Carmel, and behold, he has set up a monument for himself and has turned and gone down to Gilgal.”

¹³撒母耳到了掃羅那裡，掃羅對他說：「願耶和華賜福與你，耶和華的命令我已遵守了。」When Samuel reached him, Saul said to him, “May the LORD bless you. I have carried out the LORD’s instructions.”

羊叫牛鳴從哪裡來

¹⁴撒母耳說：「我耳中聽見有羊叫、牛鳴，是從哪裡來的呢？」But Samuel replied, “Then what is this bleating of sheep and lowing of cattle that I hear?”

¹⁵掃羅說：「這是百姓從亞瑪力人那裡帶來的；因為他們愛惜上好的牛羊，要獻與耶和華─你的　神；其餘的，我們都滅盡了。」Saul answered, “The troops brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but the rest we devoted to destruction.”

¹⁶撒母耳對掃羅說：「你住口吧！等我將耶和華昨夜向我所說的話告訴你。」掃羅說：「請講。」“Stop!” exclaimed Samuel. “Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.” “Tell me,” Saul replied.

¹⁷撒母耳對掃羅說：「從前你雖然以自己為小，豈不是被立為以色列支派的元首嗎？耶和華膏你作以色列的王。And Samuel said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, have you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel

¹⁸耶和華差遣你，吩咐你說，你去擊打那些犯罪的亞瑪力人，將他們滅絕淨盡。and sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and devote to destruction the sinful Amalekites. Fight against them until you have wiped them out.’

¹⁹你為何沒有聽從耶和華的命令，急忙擄掠財物，行耶和華眼中看為惡的事呢？」So why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you rush upon the plunder and do evil in the sight of the LORD?”

²⁰掃羅對撒母耳說：「我實在聽從了耶和華的命令，行了耶和華所差遣我行的路，擒了亞瑪力王亞甲來，滅盡了亞瑪力人。“But I did obey the LORD,” Saul replied. “I went on the mission that the LORD gave me. I brought back Agag king of Amalek and devoted the Amalekites to destruction.

²¹百姓卻在所當滅的物中，取了最好的牛羊，要在吉甲獻與耶和華─你的　神。」The troops took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of the things devoted to destruction, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal.”

聽命勝於獻祭

²²撒母耳說：耶和華喜悅燔祭和平安祭，豈如喜悅人聽從他的話呢？聽命勝於獻祭；順從勝於公羊的脂油。But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams.

²³悖逆的罪與行邪術的罪相等；頑梗的罪與拜虛神和偶像的罪相同。你既厭棄耶和華的命令，耶和華也厭棄你作王。For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like the wickedness of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.”

掃羅認罪，衣襟撕斷

²⁴掃羅對撒母耳說：「我有罪了，我因懼怕百姓，聽從他們的話，就違背了耶和華的命令和你的言語。Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; I have transgressed the LORD’s commandment and your instructions, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.

²⁵現在求你赦免我的罪，同我回去，我好敬拜耶和華。」Now therefore, please forgive my sin and return with me so I can worship the LORD.”

²⁶撒母耳對掃羅說：「我不同你回去；因為你厭棄耶和華的命令，耶和華也厭棄你作以色列的王。」“I will not return with you,” Samuel replied. “For you have rejected the word of the LORD, and He has rejected you as king over Israel.”

²⁷撒母耳轉身要走，掃羅就扯住他外袍的衣襟，衣襟就撕斷了。As Samuel turned to go, Saul grabbed the hem of his robe, and it tore.

²⁸撒母耳對他說：「如此，今日耶和華使以色列國與你斷絕，將這國賜與比你更好的人。So Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.

²⁹以色列的大能者必不致說謊，也不致後悔；因為他迥非世人，決不後悔。」Moreover, the Glory of Israel does not lie or change His mind, for He is not a man, that He should change His mind.”

撒母耳隨掃羅回去

³⁰掃羅說：「我有罪了，雖然如此，求你在我百姓的長老和以色列人面前抬舉我，同我回去，我好敬拜耶和華─你的　神。」“I have sinned,” Saul replied. “Please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel. Come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God.”

³¹於是撒母耳轉身跟隨掃羅回去，掃羅就敬拜耶和華。So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the LORD.

撒母耳殺亞甲

³²撒母耳說：「要把亞瑪力王亞甲帶到我這裡來。」亞甲就歡歡喜喜地來到他面前，心裡說，死亡的苦難必定過去了。Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag king of the Amalekites.” Agag came to him cheerfully, for he thought, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”

³³撒母耳說：「你既用刀使婦人喪子，這樣，你母親在婦人中也必喪子。」於是，撒母耳在吉甲耶和華面前將亞甲殺死。But Samuel declared: “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.

撒母耳為掃羅悲傷

³⁴撒母耳回了拉瑪。掃羅上他所住的基比亞，回自己的家去了。Then Samuel went to Ramah, but Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul.

³⁵撒母耳直到死的日子，再沒有見掃羅；但撒母耳為掃羅悲傷，是因耶和華後悔立他為以色列的王。And to the day of his death, Samuel never again visited Saul. Samuel mourned for Saul, and the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.

你仗著甚麼權柄

¹有一天，耶穌在殿裡教訓百姓，講福音的時候，祭司長和文士並長老上前來，One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the gospel, the chief priests and scribes, together with the elders, came up to Him.

²問他說：「你告訴我們，你仗著甚麼權柄做這些事？給你這權柄的是誰呢？」“Tell us,” they said, “by what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?”

耶穌反問約翰的洗禮

³耶穌回答說：「我也要問你們一句話，你們且告訴我。“I will also ask you a question,” Jesus replied. “Tell Me:

⁴約翰的洗禮是從天上來的？是從人間來的呢？」John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or from men?”

⁵他們彼此商議說：「我們若說『從天上來』，他必說：『你們為甚麼不信他呢？』They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why did you not believe him?’

⁶若說『從人間來』，百姓都要用石頭打死我們，因為他們信約翰是先知。」But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.”

⁷於是回答說：「不知道是從哪裡來的。」So they answered that they did not know where it was from.

⁸耶穌說：「我也不告訴你們，我仗著甚麼權柄做這些事。」And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

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惡園戶的比喻

⁹耶穌就設比喻對百姓說：「有人栽了一個葡萄園，租給園戶，就往外國去住了許久。Then He proceeded to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it out to some tenants, and went away for a long time.

¹⁰到了時候，打發一個僕人到園戶那裡去，叫他們把園中當納的果子交給他；園戶竟打了他，叫他空手回去。At harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat the servant and sent him away empty-handed.

¹¹又打發一個僕人去，他們也打了他，並且凌辱他，叫他空手回去。So he sent another servant, but they beat him and treated him shamefully, sending him away empty-handed.

¹²又打發第三個僕人去，他們也打傷了他，把他推出去了。Then he sent a third, but they wounded him and threw him out.

園主打發愛子

¹³園主說：『我怎麼辦呢？我要打發我的愛子去，或者他們尊敬他。』‘What shall I do?’ asked the owner of the vineyard. ‘I will send my beloved son. Perhaps they will respect him.’

¹⁴不料，園戶看見他，就彼此商量說：『這是承受產業的，我們殺他吧，使產業歸於我們！』But when the tenants saw the son, they discussed it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’

¹⁵於是把他推出葡萄園外，殺了。這樣，葡萄園的主人要怎樣處治他們呢？So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?

¹⁶他要來除滅這些園戶，將葡萄園轉給別人。」聽見的人說：「這是萬不可的！」He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” And when the people heard this, they said, “May such a thing never happen!”

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匠人所棄的石頭

¹⁷耶穌看著他們說：「經上記著：匠人所棄的石頭已作了房角的頭塊石頭。這是甚麼意思呢？But Jesus looked directly at them and said, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?

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¹⁸凡掉在那石頭上的，必要跌碎；那石頭掉在誰的身上，就要把誰砸得稀爛。」Everyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”

宗教領袖想要拿耶穌

¹⁹文士和祭司長看出這比喻是指著他們說的，當時就想要下手拿他，只是懼怕百姓。When the scribes and chief priests realized that Jesus had spoken this parable against them, they sought to arrest Him that very hour. But they were afraid of the people.

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