马太福音 10
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
差遣使徒
10 耶稣叫了十二位门徒来，将权柄赐给他们，使他们能够赶出污鬼、医治各样的疾病。 2 以下是这十二位使徒的名字：
首先是西门，又名彼得，还有彼得的兄弟安得烈、西庇太的儿子雅各、雅各的兄弟约翰、 3 腓力、巴多罗买、多马、税吏马太、亚勒腓的儿子雅各、达太、 4 激进党人[a]西门和出卖耶稣的加略人犹大。
5 耶稣差遣这十二个人出去，嘱咐他们：“外族人的地方不要去，撒玛利亚人的城镇也不要进， 6 要到以色列人当中寻找迷失的羊。
7 “你们要边走边传，‘天国临近了！’ 8 要医好病人，叫死人复活，使麻风病人痊愈，赶走邪灵。你们白白地得来，也应当白白地给人。 9 出门时钱袋里不要带金、银、铜币， 10 不要带行李、备用的衣服、鞋子或手杖，因为做工的理应得到供应。 11 你们无论到哪座城、哪个村，要在那里寻找愿意接待你们的人，然后住在他家，一直住到离开。 12 你们进他家的时候，要为他们祝福。 13 如果那家配得福气，你们的祝福必临到他们；如果那家不配蒙福，祝福仍归给你们。 14 如果有人不接待你们，不听你们传的信息，你们离开那家或那城时，就把脚上的尘土跺掉作为对他们的警告。 15 我实在告诉你们，在审判之日，他们所受的痛苦比所多玛和蛾摩拉所受的还大！
将临的迫害
16 “听着，我差你们出去，就好像使羊走进狼群一般。所以，你们要像蛇一样机灵，像鸽子一样驯良。
17 “你们要小心谨慎，因为人们要把你们送上法庭，也要在会堂里鞭打你们。 18 你们要因我的缘故被带到官长和君王面前，在他们和外族人面前为我做见证。 19 当你们被押送公堂时，不用顾虑如何应对，或说什么话，那时必会赐给你们当说的话。 20 因为那时候说话的不是你们自己，乃是你们父的灵借着你们说话。
21 “那时，人必把自己的弟兄置于死地，父亲必把儿子置于死地，儿女必反叛父母，置他们于死地。 22 你们将为我的名而被众人憎恨，但坚忍到底的必定得救。 23 如果你们在一个地方遭迫害，就避到另一个地方。我实在告诉你们，没等你们走遍以色列的城镇，人子就来了。
24 “学生不能高过老师，奴仆也不能大过主人。 25 学生顶多和老师一样，奴仆顶多和主人一样。连一家之主都被骂成是别西卜[b]，更何况祂的家人呢？
26 “不要害怕那些迫害你们的人。因为掩盖的事终会暴露出来，隐藏的秘密终会被人知道。 27 你们要把我私下告诉你们的当众讲出来，你们要在屋顶上把听到的悄悄话宣告出来。 28 那些只能杀害身体，不能毁灭灵魂的人，不用怕他们。但要畏惧那位有权将身体和灵魂一同毁灭在地狱里的上帝。 29 两只麻雀不是只卖一个铜钱吗？然而没有天父的许可，一只也不会掉在地上。 30 就连你们的头发都被数过了。 31 所以不要害怕，你们比许多麻雀更贵重！
32 “凡公开承认我的，我在天父面前也必承认他； 33 凡公开不承认我的，我在天父面前也必不承认他。
跟从主的代价
34 “不要以为我来了会让天下太平，我并非带来和平，乃是带来刀剑。 35 因为我来是要叫儿子与父亲作对，女儿与母亲作对，媳妇与婆婆作对， 36 家人之间反目成仇。
37 “爱父母过于爱我的人不配做我的门徒；爱儿女过于爱我的人不配做我的门徒； 38 不肯背起他的十字架跟从我的人不配做我的门徒。 39 试图保全自己生命的反而会失去生命，但为我舍弃生命的反而会得到生命。
得赏赐
40 “人接待你们就是接待我，接待我就是接待差我来的那位。 41 因为某人是先知而接待他的，必得到和先知一样的赏赐；因为某人是义人而接待他的，必得到和义人一样的赏赐。 42 人若接待我门徒中最卑微的人，并因为他是我的门徒而给他一杯凉水喝，我实在告诉你们，那人必得到赏赐。”
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.
Chinese Contemporary Bible Copyright © 1979, 2005, 2007, 2011 by Biblica® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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