使徒行传 1
Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified)
应许得圣灵的能力
1 提阿非罗啊，我已经作了前书，论到耶稣开头一切所行所教训的， 2 直到他借着圣灵吩咐所拣选的使徒以后，被接上升的日子为止。 3 他受害之后，用许多的凭据将自己活活地显给使徒看，四十天之久向他们显现，讲说神国的事。 4 耶稣和他们聚集的时候，嘱咐他们说：“不要离开耶路撒冷，要等候父所应许的，就是你们听见我说过的。 5 约翰是用水施洗，但不多几日，你们要受圣灵的洗。”
主被接上升
6 他们聚集的时候，问耶稣说：“主啊，你复兴以色列国就在这时候吗？” 7 耶稣对他们说：“父凭着自己的权柄所定的时候、日期，不是你们可以知道的。 8 但圣灵降临在你们身上，你们就必得着能力，并要在耶路撒冷、犹太全地和撒马利亚，直到地极，作我的见证。” 9 说了这话，他们正看的时候，他就被取上升，有一朵云彩把他接去，便看不见他了。 10 当他往上去，他们定睛望天的时候，忽然有两个人身穿白衣站在旁边，说： 11 “加利利人哪，你们为什么站着望天呢？这离开你们被接升天的耶稣，你们见他怎样往天上去，他还要怎样来。”
门徒在楼房祈祷
12 有一座山名叫橄榄山，离耶路撒冷不远，约有安息日可走的路程。当下，门徒从那里回耶路撒冷去， 13 进了城，就上了所住的一间楼房。在那里有彼得、约翰、雅各、安得烈、腓力、多马、巴多罗买、马太、亚勒腓的儿子雅各、奋锐党的西门和雅各的儿子[a]犹大。 14 这些人同着几个妇人和耶稣的母亲马利亚，并耶稣的弟兄，都同心合意地恒切祷告。
犹大的结局
15 那时，有许多人聚会，约有一百二十名，彼得就在弟兄中间站起来， 16 说：“弟兄们，圣灵借大卫的口在圣经上预言领人捉拿耶稣的犹大，这话是必须应验的。 17 他本来列在我们数中，并且在使徒的职任上得了一份。 18 这人用他作恶的工价买了一块田，以后身子仆倒，肚腹崩裂，肠子都流出来。 19 住在耶路撒冷的众人都知道这事，所以按着他们那里的话给那块田起名叫亚革大马，就是‘血田’的意思。 20 因为诗篇上写着说：‘愿他的住处变为荒场，无人在内居住’，又说：‘愿别人得他的职分。’
拣选马提亚
21 “所以主耶稣在我们中间始终出入的时候， 22 就是从约翰施洗起，直到主离开我们被接上升的日子为止，必须从那常与我们做伴的人中立一位与我们同作耶稣复活的见证。” 23 于是选举两个人，就是那叫做巴撒巴、又称呼犹士都的约瑟和马提亚。 24 众人就祷告说：“主啊，你知道万人的心，求你从这两个人中指明你所拣选的是谁，叫他得这使徒的位分。这位分犹大已经丢弃，往自己的地方去了。” 26 于是众人为他们摇签，摇出马提亚来，他就和十一个使徒同列。
Footnotes
- 使徒行传 1:13 或作：兄弟。
Acts 1
The Voice
Luke, in this his second volume concerning the genesis of the Christian movement, doesn’t preserve Jesus’ teachings during those mysterious meetings with His emissaries after His death. Surely they are filled with joy, curiosity, and amazement as His followers hang on His every word and gaze on the reality of His bodily resurrection as He describes the kingdom of God. His words are undoubtedly intended to prepare each of them for this journey, a journey with a clear destination in sight—the kingdom of God.
An integral part of this kingdom is the activity of the Holy Spirit to empower the people of God as they expand the kingdom beyond the region of Palestine. Luke records surprisingly little about the day-to-day life of these early Christians, about how they integrated their faith into their culture; but he does emphasize the work of the Spirit who empowers miracles and gives believers the means to testify of their faith before Jews and the outsiders.
1 To a lover of God, Theophilus: In my first book, I recounted the events of Jesus’ life—His actions, His teachings— 2-3 from the beginning of His life until He was taken up into heaven. After His great suffering and vindication, He showed His apostles that He was alive—appearing to them repeatedly over a period of 40 days, giving them many convincing proofs of His resurrection. As before, He spoke constantly of the kingdom of God. During these appearances, He had instructed His chosen messengers through the Holy Spirit, 4 prohibiting them from leaving Jerusalem, but rather requiring them to wait there until they received what He called “the promise of the Father.”
Jesus: This is what you heard Me teach— 5 that just as John ritually cleansed people with water through baptism,[a] so you will be washed with the Holy Spirit very soon.
6 When they had gathered just outside Jerusalem at the Mount of Olives, they asked Jesus,
Disciples: Is now the time, Lord—the time when You will reestablish Your kingdom in our land of Israel?
Jesus: 7 The Father, on His own authority, has determined the ages and epochs of history, but you have not been given this knowledge. 8 Here’s the knowledge you need: you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. And you will be My witnesses, first here in Jerusalem, then beyond to Judea and Samaria, and finally to the farthest places on earth.
9 As He finished this commission, He began to rise from the ground before their eyes until the clouds obscured Him from their vision. 10 As they strained to get one last glimpse of Him going into heaven, the Lord’s emissaries[b] realized two men in white robes were standing among them.
Two Men: 11 You Galileans, why are you standing here staring up into the sky? This Jesus who is leaving you and ascending to heaven will return in the same way you see Him departing.
12 Then the disciples returned to Jerusalem—their short journey from the Mount of Olives was an acceptable Sabbath Day’s walk.
13-14 Back in the city, they went to the room where they were staying—a second-floor room. This whole group devoted themselves to constant prayer with one accord: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (the Zealot), Judas (son of James), a number of women including Mary (Jesus’ mother), and some of Jesus’ brothers.
15 As the disciples prayed, Peter stood among the group of about 120 people and made this proposal:
The Creator of heaven and earth is orchestrating a redemptive story that will radically change the course of history. The most significant supernatural event in the history of this newly formed church will be the filling of the Holy Spirit. Through the Holy Spirit, God will direct the church’s growth. But how does the early church make important decisions before the Holy Spirit descends on them?
The company of disciples turns to the practice of “drawing lots,” a practice used by saints for centuries to discover God’s providential leading. After much prayer, Joseph and Matthias most likely write their names on scraps; then someone draws the replacement’s name out of a bag. What seems like a 50/50 chance is, in fact, God’s way of imparting His will. The disciples aren’t putting their faith in “chance”; they are putting their faith in a God who lives. This living God isn’t distant; He is a player in their lives, active when His people seek Him and His will. They know God directs the process, start to finish, and determines whose name is drawn to join the eleven.
Peter: 16-17 My friends, everything in the Hebrew Scriptures had to be fulfilled, including what the Holy Spirit foretold through David about Judas. As you know, Judas was one of us and participated in our ministry until he guided the authorities to arrest Jesus. 18 (He was paid handsomely for his betrayal, and he bought a field with the blood money. But he died on that land—falling so that his abdomen burst and his internal organs gushed out. 19 News of this death spread to everyone in Jerusalem, so Judas’s property is known as Hakeldama, which means “field of blood.”) 20 In this way, one of David’s psalms was fulfilled: “May their camps be bleak, with not one left in any tent.”[c] But the psalms also include these words: “Let his position of oversight be given to another.”[d] 21 So we need to determine his replacement from among the men who have been with us during all of the Lord Jesus’ travels among us— 22 from His baptism[e] by John until His ascension. We need someone to join us as a witness of Jesus’ resurrection.
23 The group put forward two men: Joseph (who was also known as Barsabbas or Justus) and Matthias.
Disciples: 24 Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Make it clear to us which of these two is Your choice 25 to take on this ministry as Your apostle, replacing Judas who went his own way to his own destination.
26 Then they drew lots, and the lot fell to Matthias, so he was added to the eleven apostles to reconstitute the twelve.
Footnotes
- 1:5 Literally, immersed, to show repentance
- 1:10 Literally, apostles
- 1:20 Psalm 69:25–26
- 1:20 Psalm 109:8
- 1:22 Literally, immersion, an act to show repentance
Copyright © 2011 by Global Bible Initiative
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.