馬太福音 10
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
差遣使徒
10 耶穌叫了十二位門徒來，將權柄賜給他們，使他們能夠趕出污鬼、醫治各樣的疾病。 2 以下是這十二位使徒的名字：
首先是西門，又名彼得，還有彼得的兄弟安得烈、西庇太的兒子雅各、雅各的兄弟約翰、 3 腓力、巴多羅買、多馬、稅吏馬太、亞勒腓的兒子雅各、達太、 4 激進黨人[a]西門和出賣耶穌的加略人猶大。
5 耶穌差遣這十二個人出去，囑咐他們：「外族人的地方不要去，撒瑪利亞人的城鎮也不要進， 6 要到以色列人當中尋找迷失的羊。
7 「你們要邊走邊傳，『天國臨近了！』 8 要醫好病人，叫死人復活，使痲瘋病人痊癒，趕走邪靈。你們白白地得來，也應當白白地給人。 9 出門時錢袋裡不要帶金、銀、銅幣， 10 不要帶行李、備用的衣服、鞋子或手杖，因為做工的理應得到供應。 11 你們無論到哪座城、哪個村，要在那裡尋找願意接待你們的人，然後住在他家，一直住到離開。 12 你們進他家的時候，要為他們祝福。 13 如果那家配得福氣，你們的祝福必臨到他們；如果那家不配蒙福，祝福仍歸給你們。 14 如果有人不接待你們，不聽你們傳的信息，你們離開那家或那城時，就把腳上的塵土跺掉作為對他們的警告。 15 我實在告訴你們，在審判之日，他們所受的痛苦比所多瑪和蛾摩拉所受的還大！
將臨的迫害
16 「聽著，我差你們出去，就好像使羊走進狼群一般。所以，你們要像蛇一樣機靈，像鴿子一樣馴良。
17 「你們要小心謹慎，因為人們要把你們送上法庭，也要在會堂裡鞭打你們。 18 你們要因我的緣故被帶到官長和君王面前，在他們和外族人面前為我做見證。 19 當你們被押送公堂時，不用顧慮如何應對，或說什麼話，那時必會賜給你們當說的話。 20 因為那時候說話的不是你們自己，乃是你們父的靈藉著你們說話。
21 「那時，人必把自己的弟兄置於死地，父親必把兒子置於死地，兒女必反叛父母，置他們於死地。 22 你們將為我的名而被眾人憎恨，但堅忍到底的必定得救。 23 如果你們在一個地方遭迫害，就避到另一個地方。我實在告訴你們，沒等你們走遍以色列的城鎮，人子就來了。
24 「學生不能高過老師，奴僕也不能大過主人。 25 學生頂多和老師一樣，奴僕頂多和主人一樣。連一家之主都被罵成是別西卜[b]，更何況祂的家人呢？
26 「不要害怕那些迫害你們的人。因為掩蓋的事終會暴露出來，隱藏的秘密終會被人知道。 27 你們要把我私下告訴你們的當眾講出來，你們要在屋頂上把聽到的悄悄話宣告出來。 28 那些只能殺害身體，不能毀滅靈魂的人，不用怕他們。但要畏懼那位有權將身體和靈魂一同毀滅在地獄裡的上帝。 29 兩隻麻雀不是只賣一個銅錢嗎？然而沒有天父的許可，一隻也不會掉在地上。 30 就連你們的頭髮都被數過了。 31 所以不要害怕，你們比許多麻雀更貴重！
32 「凡公開承認我的，我在天父面前也必承認他； 33 凡公開不承認我的，我在天父面前也必不承認他。
跟從主的代價
34 「不要以為我來了會讓天下太平，我並非帶來和平，乃是帶來刀劍。 35 因為我來是要叫兒子與父親作對，女兒與母親作對，媳婦與婆婆作對， 36 家人之間反目成仇。
37 「愛父母過於愛我的人不配作我的門徒；愛兒女過於愛我的人不配作我的門徒； 38 不肯背起他的十字架跟從我的人不配作我的門徒。 39 試圖保全自己生命的反而會失去生命，但為我捨棄生命的反而會得到生命。
得賞賜
40 「人接待你們就是接待我，接待我就是接待差我來的那位。 41 因為某人是先知而接待他的，必得到和先知一樣的賞賜；因為某人是義人而接待他的，必得到和義人一樣的賞賜。 42 人若接待我門徒中最卑微的人，並因為他是我的門徒而給他一杯涼水喝，我實在告訴你們，那人必得到賞賜。」
Matthew 10
Contemporary English Version
Jesus Chooses His Twelve Apostles
(Mark 3.13-19; Luke 6.12-16)
10 Jesus called together his twelve disciples. He gave them the power to force out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and sickness. 2 The first of the twelve apostles was Simon, better known as Peter. His brother Andrew was an apostle, and so were James and John, the two sons of Zebedee. 3 Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew the tax collector,[a] James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus were also apostles. 4 The others were Simon, known as the Eager One,[b] and Judas Iscariot,[c] who later betrayed Jesus.
Instructions for the Twelve Apostles
(Mark 6.7-13; Luke 9.1-6)
5 Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with these instructions:
Stay away from the Gentiles and don't go to any Samaritan town. 6 Go only to the people of Israel, because they are like a flock of lost sheep. 7 (A) As you go, announce that the kingdom of heaven will soon be here.[d] 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead to life, heal people who have leprosy,[e] and force out demons. You received without paying, now give without being paid. 9 Don't take along any gold, silver, or copper coins. 10 (B) And don't carry[f] a traveling bag or an extra shirt or sandals or a walking stick.
Workers deserve their food. 11 So when you go to a town or a village, find someone able and willing to have you as their guest and stay with them until you leave. 12 When you go to a home, give it your blessing of peace. 13 If the home is deserving, let your blessing remain with them. But if the home doesn't accept you, take back your blessing of peace. 14 (C) If someone won't welcome you or listen to your message, leave their home or town. And shake the dust from your feet at them.[g] 15 (D) I promise you the day of judgment will be easier for the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah[h] than for that town.
Warning about Trouble
(Mark 13.9-13; Luke 21.12-17)
16 (E) I am sending you like lambs into a pack of wolves. So be as wise as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 (F) Watch out for people who will take you to court and have you beaten in their synagogues. 18 Because of me, you will be dragged before rulers and kings to tell them and the Gentiles about your faith. 19 But when someone arrests you, don't worry about what you will say or how you will say it. At that time you will be given the words to say. 20 But you will not really be the one speaking. The Spirit from your Father will tell you what to say.
21 (G) Brothers and sisters will betray one another and have each other put to death. Parents will betray their own children, and children will turn against their parents and have them killed. 22 (H) Everyone will hate you because of me. But if you remain faithful until the end, you will be saved. 23 When people mistreat you in one town, hurry to another one. I promise you before you have gone to all the towns of Israel, the Son of Man will come.
24 (I) Students are not better than their teacher, and slaves are not better than their master. 25 (J) It is enough for students to be like their teacher and for slaves to be like their master. If people call the head of the family Satan, what will they say about the rest of the family?
The One To Fear
(Luke 12.2-7)
26 (K) Don't be afraid of anyone! Everything that is hidden will be found out, and every secret will be known. 27 Whatever I say to you in the dark, you must tell in the light. And you must announce from the housetops whatever I have whispered to you. 28 (L) Don't be afraid of people. They can kill you, but they cannot harm your soul. Instead, you should fear God who can destroy both your body and your soul in hell. 29 Aren't two sparrows sold for only a penny? But your Father knows when any one of them falls to the ground. 30 Even the hairs on your head are counted. 31 So don't be afraid! You are worth much more than many sparrows.
Telling Others about Christ
(Luke 12.8,9)
32 If you tell others you belong to me, I will tell my Father in heaven you are my followers. 33 (M) But if you reject me, I will tell my Father in heaven you don't belong to me.
Not Peace, but Trouble
(Luke 12.51-53; 14.26,27)
34 Don't think I came to bring peace to the earth! I came to bring trouble, not peace. 35 (N) I came to turn sons against their fathers, daughters against their mothers, and daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law. 36 Your worst enemies will be in your own family.
37 (O) If you love your father or mother or even your sons and daughters more than me, you are not fit to be my disciples. 38 (P) And unless you are willing to take up your cross and follow me, you are not fit to be my disciples. 39 (Q) If you try to save your life, you will lose it. But if you give it up for me, you will surely find it.
Rewards
(Mark 9.41)
40 (R) Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me. And anyone who welcomes me also welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Anyone who welcomes a prophet, just because that person is a prophet, will be given the same reward as a prophet. Anyone who welcomes a good person, just because that person is good, will be given the same reward as a good person. 42 And anyone who gives one of my most humble followers a cup of cool water, just because that person is my follower, will be rewarded.
Footnotes
- 10.3 tax collector: See the note at 5.46.
- 10.4 known as the Eager One: The Greek text has “Cananaean,” which probably comes from a Hebrew word meaning “zealous” (see Luke 6.15). “Zealot” was the name later given to the members of a Jewish group that resisted and fought against the Romans.
- 10.4 Iscariot: This may mean “a man from Kerioth” (a place in Judea). But more probably it means “a man who was a liar” or “a man who was a betrayer.”
- 10.7 will soon be here: Or “is already here.”
- 10.8 leprosy: See the note at 8.2.
- 10.9,10 Don't take along … don't carry: Or “Don't accept … don't accept.”
- 10.14 shake the dust from your feet at them: This was a way of showing rejection (see Acts 13.51).
- 10.15 Sodom and Gomorrah: During the time of Abraham the Lord destroyed these towns because the people there were so evil.
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