使 徒 行 傳 13
Chinese New Testament: Easy-to-Read Version
巴拿巴和扫罗得到特殊的任务
13 安提阿教会里有一些先知和老师，他们是巴拿巴、西面（人们也叫他“黑人”）、古利奈人路求、马念（他是和希律王一起长大的）和扫罗。 2 一天，他们正在侍奉主和禁食 [a]的时候，圣灵对他们说∶“你们指派巴拿巴和扫罗，去做我召唤他们做的工作。”
3 先知和老师禁食和祷告后，就把手放在巴拿巴和扫罗的身上 [b]，然后，派他们出去了。
巴拿巴和扫罗在塞浦路斯
4 受到圣灵的派遣，巴拿巴和扫罗受圣灵派遣去了西流基，然后又从那儿坐船到了塞浦路斯。 5 他们一到撒拉米，便在犹太会堂里宣讲上帝的信息。约翰马可做为助手，与他们同行。
6 他们走遍了整个岛屿，直至帕弗。在那里，他们遇见一个名叫巴耶稣的法术师，也是个假先知，他是犹太人。自称是先知。 7 他与本地总督士求保罗很接近，士求保罗是个机智的人，他派人请来巴拿巴和扫罗，要听上帝之道。 8 但是，扫罗和巴拿巴遭到了法术师以吕马的反对（以吕马这名字在希腊语中是巴耶稣的意思），他试图阻碍总督信仰耶稣， 9 可是扫罗（人们又叫他保罗）却被圣灵充满。他直视着以吕马， 10 说∶“你这个魔鬼的儿子！你处处与美好的为敌，你充满了各种欺诈和诡计。你到什么时候才停止对主的真理的歪曲？ 11 看吧，主将触到你，你会失明。有一段时间，你看不见任何东西，甚至是太阳的光芒。”
立刻，以吕马的眼前一片漆黑。他四周摸索着，想找个人拉着他的手，给他带路。 12 总督亲眼目睹了发生的一切，便相信了上帝，因为对于有关主的教导，他感到非常惊奇。
保罗和巴拿巴去彼西底的安提阿
13 保罗一行人从帕弗航行到了旁非利亚的别加。但是，约翰马可离开了他们，回耶路撒冷去了。 14 他们则从别加继续他们的旅程，到达了彼西底附近的安提阿。安息日那天，保罗和巴拿巴走进了会堂，坐了下来。 15 读完了律法和先知的著作后，会堂的官员派人对他们说∶“兄弟们，如果你们有鼓舞的话要对人们说，请讲。”
16 保罗起身，挥手说道∶“以色列同胞和所有来此敬拜上帝的外族人，请听我说。 17 以色列的上帝选择了我们的祖先，在他们还居住在埃及的时候，就使我们的民族成为伟大的民族，并用他的伟力带领他们离开了那块土地。 18 他在旷野里容忍他们达四十年之久。 19 他在迦南地区打败了七个国家，把他们的土地赐给了他的子民， 20 历时约四百五十年。
“这之后，他赐给了以色列人士师，直到先知撒母耳 [c]的时代。 21 后来，他们要求上帝为他们立一个王。上帝便把扫罗封为国王。扫罗是便雅悯支派基士的儿子，他统治了大约四十年。 22 罢免扫罗之后，他又立大卫做他们的君王。上帝关于他是这么说的∶‘我发现耶西的儿子大卫，是合我心意的人。他会执行我的意旨。’ 23 上帝按照他的许诺，从大卫的后代里，为以色列带来了救世主耶稣。 24 在耶稣到来之前，约翰向所有的以色列人传道，告诉他们应受洗礼以示他们要悔过自新。 25 约翰在完成自己的使命时，说∶‘你们以为我是谁？我不是他，绝不是，但是，在我之后来的那个人，我连给他解鞋带都不配。’
26 诸位同胞，亚伯拉罕家族的后代们，还有你们这些敬拜上帝的外族人，这拯救的信息已送给了我们。 27 因为住在耶路撒冷的人和他们的统治者没有认出耶稣来，他们给他定罪，应验了每逢安息日时所读到的先知的话。 28 尽管他们找不到判他死罪的任何理由，他们还是请求彼拉多把他杀害了。 29 他们做完了《经》上记载的有关他的一切事情后，便把他从十字架上解下来，放在一个墓穴里。 30 上帝却让他从死里复活了， 31 此后很多天，他出现在那些和他从加利利同行到耶路撒冷去的人们中间。现在，他们在以色列人中间，是他的见证人。 32 我们现在把福音告诉你们，这福音是关于上帝应许给我们祖先的诺言。 33 我们是他们的后代，上帝通过让耶稣死而复活，为了我们使这诺言得以实现。正如诗篇第二篇所说：
‘你是我的儿子，
今日我成为你的父亲。’ (A)
34 上帝让他起死回生，不会重归腐朽。他是这样说的：
‘我要把应许给大卫的神圣、可靠的祝福赐给你们。’ (B)
35 他在另外一处说：
‘你不会让你的圣者经历腐朽。’ (C)
36 大卫在世时，执行了上帝的意旨。他死了，与祖先葬在一起，经历了腐朽。 37 但是，上帝起死回生的那位却没有经历腐朽。
41 ‘看吧，你们这些嘲弄者，
尽管纳闷和灭亡吧，
因为在你们的时代，我进行着一项工作，
即使有人告诉过你们。
你们就是不相信！’” (D)
42 保罗和巴拿巴离开那里时，人们都请求他们在下一个安息日里，再多讲一些这样的事情， 43 散会后，许多犹太人和皈依了犹太教的人都跟随着保罗与巴拿巴。保罗、巴拿巴和他们谈话，并劝勉他们要继续生活在上帝的恩典里。
44 下一个安息日里，全城的人几乎都聚在一起，聆听主的信息。 45 犹太人见到人群，充满了嫉妒。他们反对保罗所说的话，并抵毁他们。 46 但是保罗和巴拿巴却勇敢的说道∶“上帝的教导先告诉你们，是必要的，既然你们拒弃它，并认为自己配不上得到永生，那么，我们要到非犹太人那里去。 47 主是这样指示我们的：
‘我已经使你们成为照亮外邦的一束光明，
好让你们把拯救带到天涯海角。’
48 外族人听到这里，非常高兴。他们赞美主的信息。那些已被挑选来接受永恒生命的人都相信了。
49 主的话传遍了整个地区。 50 犹太人挑唆这个城里的虔诚、上流社会的妇女和有名望的男人，开始迫害保罗和巴拿巴。他们强迫他俩离开了他们的地区。 51 保罗和巴拿巴抖掉脚上的灰尘 [d]，以示对他们的警告，然后到以哥念去了。 52 安提阿的门徒们充满了快乐和圣灵。
Footnotes
- 使 徒 行 傳 13:2 禁食： 在祷告和崇拜上帝的一段特殊时间内，不吃任何食物。
- 使 徒 行 傳 13:3 身上： 在此表示把上帝的一项特殊任务交给了这些人。
- 使 徒 行 傳 13:20 撒母耳： 最后一位士师（领袖）和以色列的第一位先知。
- 使 徒 行 傳 13:51 抖掉脚上的灰尘： 一个警告，表示他们结束了对这些人的讲话。
Acts 13
International Children’s Bible
Barnabas and Saul Are Chosen
13 In the church at Antioch there were these prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon (also called Niger), Lucius (from the city of Cyrene), Manaen (who had grown up with Herod, the ruler) and Saul. 2 They were all worshiping the Lord and giving up eating.[a] The Holy Spirit said to them, “Give Barnabas and Saul to me to do a special work. I have chosen them for it.”
3 So they gave up eating and prayed. They laid their hands on[b] Barnabas and Saul and sent them out.
Barnabas and Saul in Cyprus
4 Barnabas and Saul were sent out by the Holy Spirit. They went to the city of Seleucia. From there they sailed to the island of Cyprus. 5 When they came to Salamis, they preached the Good News of God in the Jewish synagogues. John Mark was with them to help.
6 They went across the whole island to Paphos. In Paphos they met a Jew who was a magician. His name was Bar-Jesus. He was a false prophet, 7 who always stayed close to Sergius Paulus, the governor. Sergius Paulus was a smart man. He asked Barnabas and Saul to come to him, because he wanted to hear the message of God. 8 But Elymas, the magician (that is what his name means), was against them. He tried to stop the governor from believing in Jesus. 9 But Saul was filled with the Holy Spirit. (Saul’s other name was Paul.) He looked straight at Elymas 10 and said, “You son of the devil! You are an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of evil tricks and lies. You are always trying to change the Lord’s truths into lies! 11 Now the Lord will touch you, and you will be blind. For a time you will not be able to see anything—not even the light from the sun.”
Then everything became dark for Elymas. He walked around, trying to find someone to lead him by the hand. 12 When the governor saw this, he believed. He was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.
Paul and Barnabas Leave Cyprus
13 Paul and those with him sailed away from Paphos. They came to Perga, in Pamphylia. But John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem. 14 They continued their trip from Perga and went to Antioch, a city in Pisidia. On the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15 The law of Moses and the writings of the prophets were read. Then the leaders of the synagogue sent a message to Paul and Barnabas: “Brothers, if you have any message that will encourage the people, please speak!”
16 Paul stood up. He raised his hand and said, “Men of Israel and you other people who worship God, please listen! 17 The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors. He made the people great during the time they lived in Egypt. He brought them out of that country with great power. 18 And he was patient with them[c] for 40 years in the desert. 19 God destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan and gave the land to his people. 20 All this happened in about 450 years.
“After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet. 21 Then the people asked for a king. God gave them Saul son of Kish. Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin. He was king for 40 years. 22 After God took him away, God made David their king. This is what God said about him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse. He is the kind of man I want. He will do all that I want him to do.’ 23 So God has brought one of David’s descendants to Israel to be their Savior. That descendant is Jesus. And God promised to do this. 24 Before Jesus came, John[d] preached to all the people of Israel. He told them about a baptism of changed hearts and lives. 25 When he was finishing his work, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not the Christ. He is coming later. I am not worthy to untie his sandals.’
26 “Brothers, sons in the family of Abraham, and you non-Jews who worship God, listen! The news about this salvation has been sent to us. 27 Those who live in Jerusalem and their leaders did not realize that Jesus was the Savior. They did not understand the words that the prophets wrote, which are read every Sabbath day. But they made them come true when they said Jesus was guilty. 28 They could not find any real reason for Jesus to die, but they asked Pilate to have him killed. 29 They did to him all that the Scriptures had said. Then they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him up from death! 31 After this, for many days, the people who had gone with Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem saw him. They are now his witnesses to the people. 32 We tell you the Good News about the promise God made to our ancestors. 33 We are their children, and God has made this promise come true for us. God did this by raising Jesus from death. We read about this also in Psalm 2:
‘You are my Son.
Today I have become your Father.’ Psalm 2:7
34 God raised Jesus from death. He will never go back to the grave and become dust. So God said:
‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings
that I promised to David.’ Isaiah 55:3
35 But in another place God says:
‘You will not let your Holy One
rot in the grave.’ Psalm 16:10
36 David did God’s will during his lifetime. Then he died and was buried with his fathers. And his body did rot in the grave! 37 But the One God raised from death did not rot in the grave. 38-39 Brothers, you must understand what we are telling you: You can have forgiveness of your sins through Jesus. The law of Moses could not free you from your sins. But everyone who believes is free from all sins through him. 40 Be careful! Don’t let what the prophets said happen to you:
41 ‘Listen, you people who doubt!
You can wonder, and then die.
I will do something in your lifetime that will amaze you.
You won’t believe it even when you are told about it!’” Habakkuk 1:5
42 While Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people asked them to tell them more about these things on the next Sabbath. 43 After the meeting, many Jews followed Paul and Barnabas from that place. With the Jews there were many who had changed to the Jewish religion and worshiped God. Paul and Barnabas were persuading them to continue trusting in God’s kindness.
44 On the next Sabbath day, almost all the people in the city came to hear the word of the Lord. 45 Seeing the crowd, the Jews became very jealous. They said insulting things and argued against what Paul said. 46 But Paul and Barnabas spoke very boldly. They said, “We must speak the message of God to you first. But you refuse to listen. You are judging yourselves not worthy of having eternal life! So we will now go to the people of other nations! 47 This is what the Lord told us to do. The Lord said:
‘I have made you a light for the non-Jewish nations.
You will show people all over the world the way to be saved.’” Isaiah 49:6
48 When the non-Jewish people heard Paul say this, they were happy. They gave honor to the message of the Lord. And many of the people believed the message. They were the ones chosen to have life forever.
49 And so the message of the Lord was spreading through the whole country. 50 But the Jews stirred up some of the important religious women and the leaders of the city against Paul and Barnabas. They started trouble against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their area. 51 So Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet[e] and went to Iconium. 52 But the followers were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.
Footnotes
- 13:2 giving up eating This is called “fasting.” The people would give up eating for a special time of prayer and worship to God. It was also done to show sadness.
- 13:3 laid their hands on Here, this was a sign to show that these men were given a special work of God.
- 13:18 And . . . them Some Greek copies read “And he cared for them.”
- 13:24 John John the Baptist, who preached to people about Christ’s coming (Matthew 3; Luke 3).
- 13:51 shook . . . feet A warning. It showed that they were finished talking to these people.
Copyright © 2004 by World Bible Translation Center
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
