今日读经

敌人嗤笑

¹参巴拉听见我们修造城墙就发怒，大大恼恨，嗤笑犹大人，Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he was furious and filled with indignation. He ridiculed the Jews

²对他弟兄和撒马利亚的军兵说：“这些软弱的犹大人做什么呢？要保护自己吗？要献祭吗？要一日成功吗？要从土堆里拿出火烧的石头再立墙吗？”before his associates and the army of Samaria, saying, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Can they restore the wall by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?”

³亚扪人多比雅站在旁边，说：“他们所修造的石墙，就是狐狸上去也必跐倒。”Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, “If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!”

尼希米的祷告

⁴我们的　神啊，求你垂听，因为我们被藐视。求你使他们的毁谤归于他们的头上，使他们在掳到之地作为掠物。Hear us, O God, for we are despised. Turn their scorn back upon their own heads, and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity.

⁵不要遮掩他们的罪孽，不要使他们的罪恶从你面前涂抹，因为他们在修造的人眼前惹动你的怒气。Do not cover up their iniquity or let their sin be blotted out from Your sight, for they have provoked the builders.

百姓专心做工

⁶这样，我们修造城墙，城墙就都连络，高至一半，因为百姓专心做工。So we rebuilt the wall until all of it was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.

敌人同谋攻击

⁷参巴拉、多比雅、阿拉伯人、亚扪人、亚实突人听见修造耶路撒冷城墙，着手进行堵塞破裂的地方，就甚发怒。When Sanballat and Tobiah, together with the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed, they were furious,

⁸大家同谋要来攻击耶路撒冷，使城内扰乱。and all of them conspired to come and fight against Jerusalem and create a hindrance.

祷告并派人看守

⁹然而，我们祷告我们的　神，又因他们的缘故，就派人看守，昼夜防备。So we prayed to our God and posted a guard against them day and night.

¹⁰犹大人说：“灰土尚多，扛抬的人力气已经衰败，所以我们不能建造城墙。”Meanwhile, the people of Judah said: “The strength of the laborer fails, and there is so much rubble that we will never be able to rebuild the wall.”

¹¹我们的敌人且说：“趁他们不知不见，我们进入他们中间，杀他们，使工作止住。”And our enemies said, “Before they know or see a thing, we will come into their midst, kill them, and put an end to the work.”

¹²那靠近敌人居住的犹大人十次从各处来见我们，说：“你们必要回到我们那里。”At that time the Jews who lived nearby came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”

¹³所以我使百姓各按宗族拿刀、拿枪、拿弓站在城墙后边低洼的空处。So I stationed men behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows.

¹⁴我察看了，就起来对贵胄、官长，和其余的人说：“不要怕他们！当记念主是大而可畏的。你们要为弟兄、儿女、妻子、家产争战。”After I had made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”

¹⁵仇敌听见我们知道他们的心意，见　神也破坏他们的计谋，就不来了。我们都回到城墙那里，各做各的工。When our enemies heard that we were aware of their scheme and that God had frustrated it, each of us returned to his own work on the wall.

一手做工，一手拿兵器

¹⁶从那日起，我的仆人一半做工，一半拿枪、拿盾牌、拿弓、穿（或译：拿）铠甲，官长都站在犹大众人的后边。And from that day on, half of my servants did the work while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor. The officers stationed themselves behind all the people of Judah

¹⁷修造城墙的，扛抬材料的，都一手做工一手拿兵器。who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried materials worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other.

¹⁸修造的人都腰间佩刀修造，吹角的人在我旁边。And each of the builders worked with his sword strapped at his side. But the trumpeter stayed beside me.

¹⁹我对贵胄、官长，和其余的人说：“这工程浩大，我们在城墙上相离甚远；Then I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: “The work is great and extensive, and we are spread out far from one another along the wall.

²⁰你们听见角声在哪里，就聚集到我们那里去。我们的　神必为我们争战。”Wherever you hear the sound of the horn, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!”

²¹于是，我们做工，一半拿兵器，从天亮直到星宿出现的时候。So we continued the work, while half of the men held spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out.

²²那时，我又对百姓说：“各人和他的仆人当在耶路撒冷住宿，好在夜间保守我们，白昼做工。”At that time I also said to the people, “Let every man and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they can stand guard by night and work by day.”

²³这样，我和弟兄仆人，并跟从我的护兵都不脱衣服，出去打水也带兵器。So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the guards with me changed out of our clothes; each carried his weapon, even to go for water.

穷人的呼号

¹百姓和他们的妻大大呼号，埋怨他们的弟兄犹大人。About that time there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews.

²有的说：“我们和儿女人口众多，要去得粮食度命”；Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive.”

³有的说：“我们典了田地、葡萄园、房屋，要得粮食充饥”；Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to get grain during the famine.”

⁴有的说：“我们已经指着田地、葡萄园，借了钱给王纳税。Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.

⁵我们的身体与我们弟兄的身体一样；我们的儿女与他们的儿女一般。现在我们将要使儿女作人的仆婢，我们的女儿已有为婢的；我们并无力拯救，因为我们的田地、葡萄园已经归了别人。”We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to redeem them because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

尼希米斥责放债取利

⁶我听见他们呼号说这些话，便甚发怒。When I heard their outcry and these complaints, I became extremely angry,

⁷我心里筹划，就斥责贵胄和官长说：“你们各人向弟兄取利！”于是我招聚大会攻击他们。and after serious thought I rebuked the nobles and officials, saying, “You are exacting usury from your own brothers!” So I called a large assembly against them

⁸我对他们说：“我们尽力赎回我们弟兄，就是卖与外邦的犹大人；你们还要卖弟兄，使我们赎回来吗？”他们就静默不语，无话可答。and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish brothers who were sold to foreigners, but now you are selling your own brothers, that they may be sold back to us!” But they remained silent, for they could find nothing to say.

⁹我又说：“你们所行的不善！你们行事不当敬畏我们的　神吗？不然，难免我们的仇敌外邦人毁谤我们。So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our foreign enemies?

¹⁰我和我的弟兄与仆人也将银钱粮食借给百姓；我们大家都当免去利息。I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending the people money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury.

¹¹如今我劝你们将他们的田地、葡萄园、橄榄园、房屋，并向他们所取的银钱、粮食、新酒，和油，百分之一的利息都归还他们。”Please restore to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses, along with the percentage of the money, grain, new wine, and oil that you have been assessing them.”

¹²众人说：“我们必归还，不再向他们索要，必照你的话行。”我就召了祭司来，叫众人起誓，必照着所应许的而行。“We will restore it,” they replied, “and will require nothing more from them. We will do as you say.” So I summoned the priests and required of the nobles and officials an oath that they would do what they had promised.

¹³我也抖着胸前的衣襟，说：“凡不成就这应许的，愿　神照样抖他离开家产和他劳碌得来的，直到抖空了。”会众都说：“阿们！”又赞美耶和华。百姓就照着所应许的去行。I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “May God likewise shake out of his house and possessions every man who does not keep this promise. May such a man be shaken out and have nothing!” The whole assembly said, “Amen,” and they praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised.

尼希米不吃省长的俸禄

¹⁴自从我奉派作犹大地的省长，就是从亚达薛西王二十年直到三十二年，共十二年之久，我与我弟兄都没有吃省长的俸禄。Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah, from his twentieth year until his thirty-second year (twelve years total), neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor.

¹⁵在我以前的省长加重百姓的担子，每日索要粮食和酒，并银子四十舍客勒，就是他们的仆人也辖制百姓；但我因敬畏　神不这样行。The governors before me had heavily burdened the people, taking from them bread and wine plus forty shekels of silver. Their servants also oppressed the people. But I did not do this, because of my fear of God.

¹⁶并且我恒心修造城墙，并没有置买田地；我的仆人也都聚集在那里做工。Instead, I devoted myself to the construction of the wall, and all my servants were gathered there for the work; we did not acquire any land.

¹⁷除了从四围外邦中来的犹大人以外，有犹大平民和官长一百五十人在我席上吃饭。There were 150 Jews and officials at my table, besides the guests from the surrounding nations.

¹⁸每日预备一只公牛，六只肥羊，又预备些飞禽；每十日一次，多预备各样的酒。虽然如此，我并不要省长的俸禄，因为百姓服役甚重。Each day one ox, six choice sheep, and some fowl were prepared for me, and once every ten days an abundance of all kinds of wine was provided. But I did not demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was so heavy.

¹⁹我的　神啊，求你记念我为这百姓所行的一切事，施恩与我。Remember me favorably, O my God, for all that I have done for this people.

敌人设计谋害

¹参巴拉、多比雅、阿拉伯人基善和我们其余的仇敌听见我已经修完了城墙，其中没有破裂之处（那时我还没有安门扇）的，When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left—though to that time I had not yet installed the doors in the gates—

²参巴拉和基善就打发人来见我，说：“请你来，我们在阿挪平原的一个村庄相会。”他们却想害我。Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” But they were planning to harm me.

³于是我差遣人去见他们，说：“我现在办理大工，不能下去。焉能停工下去见你们呢？”So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it to go down to you?”

⁴他们这样四次打发人来见我，我都如此回答他们。Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave the same reply.

⁵参巴拉第五次打发仆人来见我，手里拿着未封的信，The fifth time, Sanballat sent me this same message by his young servant, who had in his hand an unsealed letter

⁶信上写着说：“外邦人中有风声，迦施慕（就是基善，见二章十九节）也说，你和犹大人谋反，修造城墙，你要作他们的王；that read: “It is reported among the nations—and Geshem agrees—that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and this is why you are building the wall. According to these reports, you are to become their king,

⁷你又派先知在耶路撒冷指着你宣讲，说在犹大有王。现在这话必传与王知；所以请你来，与我们彼此商议。”and you have even appointed prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim on your behalf: ‘There is a king in Judah.’ Soon these rumors will reach the ears of the king. So come, let us confer together.”

⁸我就差遣人去见他，说：“你所说的这事，一概没有，是你心里捏造的。”Then I sent him this reply: “There is nothing to these rumors you are spreading; you are inventing them in your own mind.”

⁹他们都要使我们惧怕，意思说，他们的手必软弱，以致工作不能成就。　神啊，求你坚固我的手。For they were all trying to frighten us, saying, “Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will never be finished.” But now, my God, strengthen my hands.

假先知恐吓

¹⁰我到了米希大别的孙子、第来雅的儿子示玛雅家里；那时，他闭门不出。他说：“我们不如在　神的殿里会面，将殿门关锁；因为他们要来杀你，就是夜里来杀你。”Later, I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his house. He said: “Let us meet at the house of God inside the temple. Let us shut the temple doors because they are coming to kill you—by night they are coming to kill you!”

¹¹我说：“像我这样的人岂要逃跑呢？像我这样的人岂能进入殿里保全生命呢？我不进去！”But I replied, “Should a man like me run away? Should one like me go into the temple to save his own life? I will not go!”

¹²我看明　神没有差遣他，是他自己说这话攻击我，是多比雅和参巴拉贿买了他。I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had uttered this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

¹³贿买他的缘故，是要叫我惧怕，依从他犯罪，他们好传扬恶言毁谤我。He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would sin by doing as he suggested, so they could give me a bad name in order to discredit me.

¹⁴我的　神啊，多比雅、参巴拉、女先知挪亚底，和其余的先知要叫我惧怕，求你记念他们所行的这些事。O my God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat for what they have done, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the other prophets who tried to intimidate me.

五十二天城墙完工

¹⁵以禄月二十五日，城墙修完了，共修了五十二天。So the wall was completed in fifty-two days, on the twenty-fifth of Elul.

¹⁶我们一切仇敌、四围的外邦人听见了便惧怕，愁眉不展；因为见这工作完成是出乎我们的　神。When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and disheartened, for they realized that this task had been accomplished by our God.

¹⁷在那些日子，犹大的贵胄屡次寄信与多比雅，多比雅也来信与他们。Also in those days, the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters kept coming to them.

¹⁸在犹大有许多人与多比雅结盟；因他是亚拉的儿子，示迦尼的女婿，并且他的儿子约哈难娶了比利迦儿子米书兰的女儿为妻。For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, since he was a son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah.

¹⁹他们常在我面前说多比雅的善行，也将我的话传与他。多比雅又常寄信来，要叫我惧怕。Moreover, these nobles kept reporting to me Tobiah’s good deeds, and they relayed my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.

派人管理城门

¹城墙修完，我安了门扇，守门的、歌唱的，和利未人都已派定。When the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed.

²我就派我的弟兄哈拿尼和营楼的宰官哈拿尼雅管理耶路撒冷；因为哈拿尼雅是忠信的，又敬畏　神过于众人。Then I put my brother Hanani in charge of Jerusalem, along with Hananiah the commander of the fortress, because he was a faithful man who feared God more than most.

³我吩咐他们说：“等到太阳上升才可开耶路撒冷的城门；人尚看守的时候就要关门上闩；也当派耶路撒冷的居民各按班次看守自己房屋对面之处。”And I told them, “Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot. While the guards are on duty, keep the doors shut and securely fastened. And appoint the residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some at their own homes.”

⁴城是广大，其中的民却稀少，房屋还没有建造。Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt.

在哥林多与亚居拉、百基拉同住做工

¹这事以后，保罗离了雅典，来到哥林多。After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.

²遇见一个犹太人，名叫亚居拉，他生在本都；因为革老丢命犹太人都离开罗马，新近带着妻百基拉，从意大利来。保罗就投奔了他们。There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to visit them,

³他们本是制造帐棚为业。保罗因与他们同业，就和他们同住做工。and he stayed and worked with them because they were tentmakers by trade, just as he was.

每逢安息日在会堂辩论

⁴每逢安息日，保罗在会堂里辩论，劝化犹太人和希腊人。Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks alike.

转向外邦人

⁵西拉和提摩太从马其顿来的时候，保罗为道迫切，向犹太人证明耶稣是基督。And when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself fully to the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.

⁶他们既抗拒、毁谤，保罗就抖着衣裳，说：“你们的罪（原文是血）归到你们自己头上，与我无干（原文是我却干净）。从今以后，我要往外邦人那里去。”But when they opposed and insulted him, he shook out his garments and told them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

⁷于是离开那里，到了一个人的家中；这人名叫提多犹士都，是敬拜　神的，他的家靠近会堂。So Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titus Justus, a worshiper of God.

⁸管会堂的基利司布和全家都信了主，还有许多哥林多人听了，就相信受洗。Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his whole household believed in the Lord. And many of the Corinthians who heard the message believed and were baptized.

主在异象中鼓励保罗

⁹夜间，主在异象中对保罗说：“不要怕，只管讲，不要闭口，One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking; do not be silent.

¹⁰有我与你同在，必没有人下手害你，因为在这城里我有许多的百姓。”For I am with you and no one will lay a hand on you, because I have many people in this city.”

¹¹保罗在那里住了一年零六个月，将　神的道教训他们。So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching the word of God among the Corinthians.

迦流不受理控告

¹²到迦流作亚该亚方伯的时候，犹太人同心起来攻击保罗，拉他到公堂，While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews coordinated an attack on Paul and brought him before the judgment seat.

¹³说：“这个人劝人不按着律法敬拜　神。”“This man is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law,” they said.

¹⁴保罗刚要开口，迦流就对犹太人说：“你们这些犹太人！如果是为冤枉或奸恶的事，我理当耐性听你们。But just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio told the Jews, “If this matter involved a wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to hear your complaint.

¹⁵但所争论的，若是关乎言语、名目，和你们的律法，你们自己去办吧！这样的事我不愿意审问”；But since it is a dispute about words and names and your own law, settle it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of such things.”

¹⁶就把他们撵出公堂。And he drove them away from the judgment seat.

¹⁷众人便揪住管会堂的所提尼，在堂前打他。这些事迦流都不管。At this, the crowd seized Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the judgment seat. But none of this was of concern to Gallio.

经以弗所回到安提阿

¹⁸保罗又住了多日，就辞别了弟兄，坐船往叙利亚去；百基拉、亚居拉和他同去。他因为许过愿，就在坚革哩剪了头发。Paul remained in Corinth for quite some time before saying goodbye to the brothers. He had his head shaved in Cenchrea to keep a vow he had made, and then he sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila.

¹⁹到了以弗所，保罗就把他们留在那里，自己进了会堂，和犹太人辩论。When they reached Ephesus, Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue there and reasoned with the Jews.

²⁰众人请他多住些日子，他却不允，When they asked him to stay for a while longer, he declined.

²¹就辞别他们，说：“　神若许我，我还要回到你们这里”；于是开船离了以弗所。But as he left, he said, “I will come back to you if God is willing.” And he set sail from Ephesus.

²²在凯撒利亚下了船，就上耶路撒冷去问教会安，随后下安提阿去。When Paul had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church at Jerusalem. Then he went down to Antioch.