今日讀經

寫信給被擄的人

¹先知耶利米從耶路撒冷寄信與被擄的祭司、先知，和眾民，並生存的長老，就是尼布甲尼撒從耶路撒冷擄到巴比倫去的。This is the text of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets, and all the others Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.

²（這在耶哥尼雅王和太后、太監，並猶大、耶路撒冷的首領，以及工匠、鐵匠都離了耶路撒冷以後。）(This was after King Jeconiah, the queen mother, the court officials, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metalsmiths had been exiled from Jerusalem.)

³他藉沙番的兒子以利亞薩和希勒家的兒子基瑪利的手寄去。他們二人是猶大王西底家打發往巴比倫去見尼布甲尼撒王的。The letter was entrusted to Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It stated:

安家落戶，為那城求平安

⁴信上說：「萬軍之耶和華─以色列的　神對一切被擄去的（就是我使他們從耶路撒冷被擄到巴比倫的人）如此說：This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles who were carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon:

⁵你們要蓋造房屋，住在其中；栽種田園，吃其中所產的；“Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat their produce.

⁶娶妻生兒女，為你們的兒子娶妻，使你們的女兒嫁人，生兒養女。在那裡生養眾多，不致減少。Take wives and have sons and daughters. Take wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Multiply there; do not decrease.

⁷我所使你們被擄到的那城，你們要為那城求平安，為那城禱告耶和華；因為那城得平安，你們也隨著得平安。Seek the prosperity of the city to which I have sent you as exiles. Pray to the LORD on its behalf, for if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

不要聽假先知

⁸萬軍之耶和華─以色列的　神如此說：不要被你們中間的先知和占卜的誘惑，也不要聽信自己所做的夢；For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Do not be deceived by the prophets and diviners among you, and do not listen to the dreams you elicit from them.

⁹因為他們託我的名對你們說假預言，我並沒有差遣他們。這是耶和華說的。For they are falsely prophesying to you in My name; I have not sent them, declares the LORD.”

七十年滿了必回來

¹⁰「耶和華如此說：為巴比倫所定的七十年滿了以後，我要眷顧你們，向你們成就我的恩言，使你們仍回此地。For this is what the LORD says: “When Babylon’s seventy years are complete, I will attend to you and confirm My promise to restore you to this place.

¹¹耶和華說：我知道我向你們所懷的意念是賜平安的意念，不是降災禍的意念，要叫你們末後有指望。For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope.

¹²你們要呼求我，禱告我，我就應允你們。Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.

¹³你們尋求我，若專心尋求我，就必尋見。You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

¹⁴耶和華說：我必被你們尋見，我也必使你們被擄的人歸回，將你們從各國中和我所趕你們到的各處招聚了來，又將你們帶回我使你們被擄掠離開的地方。這是耶和華說的。I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore you from captivity and gather you from all the nations and places to which I have banished you, declares the LORD. I will restore you to the place from which I sent you into exile.”

留在耶路撒冷的人要受罰

¹⁵「你們說：『耶和華在巴比倫為我們興起先知』；Because you may say, “The LORD has raised up for us prophets in Babylon,”

¹⁶所以耶和華論到坐大衛寶座的王和住在這城裡的一切百姓，就是未曾與你們一同被擄的弟兄，this is what the LORD says about the king who sits on David’s throne and all the people who remain in this city, your brothers who did not go with you into exile—

¹⁷萬軍之耶和華如此說：『看哪，我必使刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫臨到他們，使他們像極壞的無花果，壞得不可吃。this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “I will send against them sword and famine and plague, and I will make them like rotten figs, so bad they cannot be eaten.

¹⁸我必用刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫追趕他們，使他們在天下萬國拋來拋去，在我所趕他們到的各國中，令人咒詛、驚駭、嗤笑、羞辱。I will pursue them with sword and famine and plague. I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth—a curse, a desolation, and an object of scorn and reproach among all the nations to which I banish them.

¹⁹耶和華說：這是因為他們沒有聽從我的話，就是我從早起來差遣我僕人眾先知去說的，無奈他們不聽。這是耶和華說的。I will do this because they have not listened to My words, declares the LORD, which I sent to them again and again through My servants the prophets. And neither have you exiles listened, declares the LORD.”

²⁰所以你們一切被擄去的，就是我從耶路撒冷打發到巴比倫去的，當聽耶和華的話。』」So hear the word of the LORD, all you exiles I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.

假先知亞哈和西底家

²¹萬軍之耶和華─以色列的　神論到哥賴雅的兒子亞哈，並瑪西雅的兒子西底家，如此說：「他們是託我名向你們說假預言的，我必將他們交在巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒的手中；他要在你們眼前殺害他們。This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying to you lies in My name: “I will deliver them to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will kill them before your very eyes.

²²住巴比倫一切被擄的猶大人必藉這二人賭咒說：『願耶和華使你像巴比倫王在火中燒的西底家和亞哈一樣。』Because of them, all the exiles of Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse: ‘May the LORD make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire!’

²³這二人是在以色列中行了醜事，與鄰舍的妻行淫，又假託我名說我未曾吩咐他們的話。知道的是我，作見證的也是我。這是耶和華說的。」For they have committed an outrage in Israel by committing adultery with the wives of their neighbors and speaking lies in My name, which I did not command them to do. I am He who knows, and I am a witness, declares the LORD.”

示瑪雅的信

²⁴「論到尼希蘭人示瑪雅，你當說，You are to tell Shemaiah the Nehelamite that

²⁵萬軍之耶和華─以色列的　神如此說：你曾用自己的名寄信給耶路撒冷的眾民和祭司瑪西雅的兒子西番雅，並眾祭司，說：this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “In your own name you have sent out letters to all the people of Jerusalem, to the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, and to all the priests. You said to Zephaniah:

²⁶『耶和華已經立你西番雅為祭司，代替祭司耶何耶大，使耶和華殿中有官長，好將一切狂妄自稱為先知的人用枷枷住，用鎖鎖住。‘The LORD has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada, to be the chief officer in the house of the LORD, responsible for any madman who acts like a prophet—you must put him in stocks and neck irons.

²⁷現在亞拿突人耶利米向你們自稱為先知，你們為何沒有責備他呢？So now, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth, who poses as a prophet among you?

²⁸因為他寄信給我們在巴比倫的人說：被擄的事必長久。你們要蓋造房屋，住在其中；栽種田園，吃其中所產的。』」For he has sent to us in Babylon, claiming: Since the exile will be lengthy, build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat their produce.’”

²⁹祭司西番雅就把這信念給先知耶利米聽。(Zephaniah the priest, however, had read this letter to Jeremiah the prophet.)

示瑪雅必受刑罰

³⁰於是耶和華的話臨到耶利米說：Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:

³¹「你當寄信給一切被擄的人說：『耶和華論到尼希蘭人示瑪雅說：因為示瑪雅向你們說預言，我並沒有差遣他，他使你們倚靠謊言；“Send a message telling all the exiles what the LORD says concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite. Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you—though I did not send him—and has made you trust in a lie,

³²所以耶和華如此說：我必刑罰尼希蘭人示瑪雅和他的後裔，他必無一人存留住在這民中，也不得見我所要賜與我百姓的福樂，因為他向耶和華說了叛逆的話。這是耶和華說的。』」this is what the LORD says: ‘I will surely punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants. He will have no one left among this people, nor will he see the good that I will bring to My people, declares the LORD, for he has preached rebellion against the LORD.’”

務要傳道

¹我在　神面前，並在將來審判活人死人的基督耶穌面前，憑著他的顯現和他的國度囑咐你：I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His kingdom:

²務要傳道，無論得時不得時，總要專心，並用百般的忍耐、各樣的教訓責備人，警戒人，勸勉人。Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction.

人要厭煩純正的道理

³因為時候要到，人必厭煩純正的道理，耳朵發癢，就隨從自己的情慾增添好些師傅，For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires.

⁴並且掩耳不聽真道，偏向荒渺的言語。So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

⁵你卻要凡事謹慎，忍受苦難，做傳道的工夫，盡你的職分。But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

美好的仗已經打過

⁶我現在被澆奠，我離世的時候到了。For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.

⁷那美好的仗我已經打過了，當跑的路我已經跑盡了，所信的道我已經守住了。I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

⁸從此以後，有公義的冠冕為我存留，就是按著公義審判的主到了那日要賜給我的；不但賜給我，也賜給凡愛慕他顯現的人。From now on there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but to all who crave His appearing.

你要趕緊到我這裡來

⁹你要趕緊地到我這裡來。Make every effort to come to me quickly,

¹⁰因為底馬貪愛現今的世界，就離棄我往帖撒羅尼迦去了；革勒士往加拉太去；提多往撻馬太去；because Demas, in his love of this world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.

¹¹獨有路加在我這裡。你來的時候，要把馬可帶來，因為他在傳道（或譯：服事我）的事上於我有益處。Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is useful to me in the ministry.

¹²我已經打發推基古往以弗所去。Tychicus, however, I have sent to Ephesus.

帶外衣和書卷來

¹³我在特羅亞留於加布的那件外衣，你來的時候可以帶來，那些書也要帶來，更要緊的是那些皮卷。When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.

防備銅匠亞歷山大

¹⁴銅匠亞歷山大多多地害我；主必照他所行的報應他。Alexander the coppersmith did great harm to me. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds.

¹⁵你也要防備他，因為他極力敵擋了我們的話。You too should beware of him, for he has vigorously opposed our message.

惟有主站在我旁邊

¹⁶我初次申訴，沒有人前來幫助，竟都離棄我；但願這罪不歸與他們。At my first defense, no one stood with me, but everyone deserted me. May it not be charged against them.

¹⁷惟有主站在我旁邊，加給我力量，使福音被我盡都傳明，叫外邦人都聽見；我也從獅子口裡被救出來。But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed, and all the Gentiles would hear it. So I was delivered from the mouth of the lion.

¹⁸主必救我脫離諸般的凶惡，也必救我進他的天國。願榮耀歸給他，直到永永遠遠。阿們。And the Lord will rescue me from every evil action and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

最後的問安

¹⁹問百基拉、亞居拉，和阿尼色弗一家的人安。Greet Prisca and Aquila, as well as the household of Onesiphorus.

²⁰以拉都在哥林多住下了。特羅非摩病了，我就留他在米利都。Erastus has remained at Corinth, and Trophimus I left sick in Miletus.

²¹你要趕緊在冬天以前到我這裡來。有友布羅、布田、利奴、革老底亞，和眾弟兄都問你安。Make every effort to come to me before winter. Eubulus sends you greetings, as do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers.

²²願主與你的靈同在！願恩惠常與你們同在！The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all.