今日读经

百姓禁食认罪

¹这月二十四日，以色列人聚集禁食，身穿麻衣，头蒙灰尘。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：原文是种类）就与一切外邦人离绝，站着承认自己的罪恶和列祖的罪孽。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华—他们　神的律法书，又四分之一认罪，敬拜耶和华—他们的　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耶书亚、巴尼、甲篾、示巴尼、布尼、示利比、巴尼、基拿尼站在利未人的台上，大声哀求耶和华—他们的　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.

称颂创造的主

⁵利未人耶书亚、甲篾、巴尼、哈沙尼、示利比、荷第雅、示巴尼、毗他希雅说：“你们要站起来称颂耶和华—你们的　神，永世无尽。耶和华啊，你荣耀之名是应当称颂的！超乎一切称颂和赞美。”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，惟独你是耶和华！你造了天和天上的天，并天上的万象，地和地上的万物，海和海中所有的；这一切都是你所保存的。天军也都敬拜你。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.

拣选亚伯拉罕

⁷你是耶和华　神，曾拣选亚伯兰，领他出迦勒底的吾珥，给他改名叫亚伯拉罕。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你见他在你面前心里诚实，就与他立约，应许把迦南人、赫人、亚摩利人、比利洗人、耶布斯人、革迦撒人之地赐给他的后裔，且应验了你的话，因为你是公义的。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、在西奈赐律法

⁹“你曾看见我们列祖在埃及所受的困苦，垂听他们在红海边的哀求，You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt; You heard their cry at the Red Sea.

¹⁰就施行神迹奇事在法老和他一切臣仆，并他国中的众民身上。你也得了名声，正如今日一样，因为你知道他们向我们列祖行事狂傲。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你又在我们列祖面前把海分开，使他们在海中行走干地，将追赶他们的人抛在深海，如石头抛在大水中；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并且白昼用云柱引导他们，黑夜用火柱照亮他们当行的路。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你也降临在西奈山，从天上与他们说话，赐给他们正直的典章、真实的律法、美好的条例与诫命，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又使他们知道你的安息圣日，并借你仆人摩西传给他们诫命、条例、律法。You revealed to them Your holy Sabbath and gave them commandments and statutes and laws through Your servant Moses.

¹⁵从天上赐下粮食充他们的饥，从磐石使水流出解他们的渴，又吩咐他们进去得你起誓应许赐给他们的地。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.

列祖硬着颈项，神仍不丢弃

¹⁶但我们的列祖行事狂傲，硬着颈项不听从你的诫命；But they and our fathers became arrogant and stiff-necked and did not obey Your commandments.

¹⁷不肯顺从，也不记念你在他们中间所行的奇事，竟硬着颈项，居心背逆，自立首领，要回他们为奴之地。但你是乐意饶恕人，有恩典，有怜悯，不轻易发怒，有丰盛慈爱的　神，并不丢弃他们。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他们虽然铸了一只牛犊，彼此说‘这是领你出埃及的　神’，因而大大惹动你的怒气；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你还是大施怜悯，在旷野不丢弃他们。白昼，云柱不离开他们，仍引导他们行路；黑夜，火柱也不离开他们，仍照亮他们当行的路。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你也赐下你良善的灵教训他们；未尝不赐吗哪使他们糊口，并赐水解他们的渴。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在旷野四十年，你养育他们，他们就一无所缺：衣服没有穿破，脚也没有肿。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.

赐下迦南地

²²并且你将列国之地照分赐给他们，他们就得了西宏之地、希实本王之地，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你也使他们的子孙多如天上的星，带他们到你所应许他们列祖进入得为业之地。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这样，他们进去得了那地，你在他们面前制伏那地的居民，就是迦南人；将迦南人和其君王，并那地的居民，都交在他们手里，让他们任意而待。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他们得了坚固的城邑、肥美的地土、充满各样美物的房屋、凿成的水井、葡萄园、橄榄园，并许多果木树。他们就吃而得饱，身体肥胖，因你的大恩，心中快乐。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.

背叛与拯救的循环

²⁶“然而，他们不顺从，竟背叛你，将你的律法丢在背后，杀害那劝他们归向你的众先知，大大惹动你的怒气。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所以你将他们交在敌人的手中，磨难他们。他们遭难的时候哀求你，你就从天上垂听，照你的大怜悯赐给他们拯救者，救他们脱离敌人的手。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但他们得平安之后，又在你面前行恶，所以你丢弃他们在仇敌的手中，使仇敌辖制他们。然而他们转回哀求你，你仍从天上垂听，屡次照你的怜悯拯救他们，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又警戒他们，要使他们归服你的律法。他们却行事狂傲，不听从你的诫命，干犯你的典章（人若遵行就必因此活着），扭转肩头，硬着颈项，不肯听从。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但你多年宽容他们，又用你的灵借众先知劝戒他们，他们仍不听从，所以你将他们交在列国之民的手中。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然而你大发怜悯，不全然灭绝他们，也不丢弃他们；因为你是有恩典、有怜悯的　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.

求神看顾今日的苦难

³²“我们的　神啊，你是至大、至能、至可畏、守约施慈爱的　神。我们的君王、首领、祭司、先知、列祖，和你的众民，从亚述列王的时候直到今日所遭遇的苦难，现在求你不要以为小。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在一切临到我们的事上，你却是公义的；因你所行的是诚实，我们所做的是邪恶。You are just in all that has befallen us, because You have acted faithfully, while we have acted wickedly.

³⁴我们的君王、首领、祭司、列祖都不遵守你的律法，不听从你的诫命和你警戒他们的话。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他们在本国里沾你大恩的时候，在你所赐给他们这广大肥美之地上不事奉你，也不转离他们的恶行。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我们现今作了奴仆；至于你所赐给我们列祖享受其上的土产，并美物之地，看哪，我们在这地上作了奴仆！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这地许多出产归了列王，就是你因我们的罪所派辖制我们的。他们任意辖制我们的身体和牲畜，我们遭了大难。”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.

立确实的约

³⁸因这一切的事，我们立确实的约，写在册上。我们的首领、利未人，和祭司都签了名。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.”

签名的人

¹签名的是：哈迦利亚的儿子—省长尼希米，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：西莱雅、亚撒利雅、耶利米、Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,

³巴施户珥、亚玛利雅、玛基雅、Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah,

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

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

⁶但以理、近顿、巴录、Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,

⁷米书兰、亚比雅、米雅民、Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,

⁸玛西亚、璧该、示玛雅；Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.

⁹又有利未人，就是亚散尼的儿子耶书亚、希拿达的子孙宾内、甲篾；The Levites: Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel,

¹⁰还有他们的弟兄示巴尼、荷第雅、基利他、毗莱雅、哈难、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又有民的首领，就是巴录、巴哈·摩押、以拦、萨土、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亚多尼雅、比革瓦伊、亚丁、Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,

¹⁷亚特、希西家、押朔、Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,

¹⁸荷第雅、哈顺、比赛、Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,

¹⁹哈拉、亚拿突、尼拜、Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,

²⁰抹比押、米书兰、希悉、Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,

²¹米示萨别、撒督、押杜亚、Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,

²²毗拉提、哈难、亚奈雅、Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,

²³何细亚、哈拿尼雅、哈述、Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub,

²⁴哈罗黑、毗利哈、朔百、Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,

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

²⁶亚希雅、哈难、亚难、Ahijah, Hanan, Anan,

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

众人起誓遵行律法

²⁸其余的民、祭司、利未人、守门的、歌唱的、尼提宁，和一切离绝邻邦居民归服　神律法的，并他们的妻子、儿女，凡有知识能明白的，“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都随从他们贵胄的弟兄，发咒起誓，必遵行　神借他仆人摩西所传的律法，谨守遵行耶和华—我们主的一切诫命、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并不将我们的女儿嫁给这地的居民，也不为我们的儿子娶他们的女儿。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这地的居民若在安息日，或什么圣日，带了货物或粮食来卖给我们，我们必不买。每逢第七年必不耕种，凡欠我们债的必不追讨。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.

承担圣殿的费用

³²我们又为自己定例，每年各人捐银一舍客勒三分之一，为我们　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就是为陈设饼、常献的素祭，和燔祭，安息日、月朔、节期所献的与圣物，并以色列人的赎罪祭，以及我们　神殿里一切的费用。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我们的祭司、利未人，和百姓都掣签，看每年是哪一族按定期将献祭的柴奉到我们　神的殿里，照着律法上所写的，烧在耶和华—我们　神的坛上。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.

奉献初熟之物和十分之一

³⁵又定每年将我们地上初熟的土产和各样树上初熟的果子都奉到耶和华的殿里。We will also bring the firstfruits of our land and of every fruit tree to the house of the LORD year by year.

³⁶又照律法上所写的，将我们头胎的儿子和首生的牛羊都奉到我们　神的殿，交给我们　神殿里供职的祭司；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并将初熟之麦子所磨的面和举祭、各样树上初熟的果子、新酒与油奉给祭司，收在我们　神殿的库房里，把我们地上所产的十分之一奉给利未人，因利未人在我们一切城邑的土产中当取十分之一。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时候，亚伦的子孙中，当有一个祭司与利未人同在。利未人也当从十分之一中取十分之一，奉到我们　神殿的屋子里，收在库房中。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将五谷、新酒，和油为举祭，奉到收存圣所器皿的屋子里，就是供职的祭司、守门的、歌唱的所住的屋子。这样，我们就不离弃我们　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.”

保罗定意往耶路撒冷和罗马

²¹这些事完了，保罗心里定意经过了马其顿、亚该亚，就往耶路撒冷去；又说：“我到了那里以后，也必须往罗马去看看。”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于是从帮助他的人中打发提摩太、以拉都二人往马其顿去，自己暂时等在亚细亚。He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed for a time in the province of Asia.

银匠底米丢煽动同业

²³那时，因为这道起的扰乱不小。About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.

²⁴有一个银匠，名叫底米丢，是制造亚底米神银龛的，他使这样手艺人生意发达。It began with a silversmith named Demetrius who made silver shrines of Artemis, bringing much business to the craftsmen.

²⁵他聚集他们和同行的工人，说：“众位，你们知道我们是倚靠这生意发财。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这保罗不但在以弗所，也几乎在亚细亚全地，引诱迷惑许多人，说：‘人手所做的，不是神。’这是你们所看见所听见的。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这样，不独我们这事业被人藐视，就是大女神亚底米的庙也要被人轻忽，连亚细亚全地和普天下所敬拜的大女神之威荣也要消灭了。”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.”

全城轰动，拥进戏园

²⁸众人听见，就怒气填胸，喊着说：“大哉，以弗所人的亚底米啊！”When the men heard this, they were enraged and began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

²⁹满城都轰动起来。众人拿住与保罗同行的马其顿人该犹和亚里达古，齐心拥进戏园里去。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保罗想要进去，到百姓那里，门徒却不许他去。Paul wanted to go before the assembly, but the disciples would not allow him.

³¹还有亚细亚几位首领，是保罗的朋友，打发人来劝他，不要冒险到戏园里去。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聚集的人纷纷乱乱，有喊叫这个的，有喊叫那个的；大半不知道是为什么聚集。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.

亚历山大想要分诉

³³有人把亚历山大从众人中带出来，犹太人推他往前，亚历山大就摆手，要向百姓分诉；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只因他们认出他是犹太人，就大家同声喊着说：“大哉！以弗所人的亚底米啊。”如此约有两小时。But when they realized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

书记安抚众人

³⁵那城里的书记安抚了众人，就说：“以弗所人哪，谁不知道以弗所人的城是看守大亚底米的庙和从宙斯那里落下来的像呢？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这事既是驳不倒的，你们就当安静，不可造次。Since these things are undeniable, you ought to be calm and not do anything rash.

³⁷你们把这些人带来，他们并没有偷窃庙中之物，也没有谤讟我们的女神。For you have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed our temple nor blasphemed our goddess.

³⁸若是底米丢和他同行的人有控告人的事，自有放告的日子（或译：自有公堂），也有方伯可以彼此对告。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你们若问别的事，就可以照常例聚集断定。But if you are seeking anything beyond this, it must be settled in a legal assembly.

⁴⁰今日的扰乱本是无缘无故，我们难免被查问。论到这样聚众，我们也说不出所以然来。”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说了这话，便叫众人散去。After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.