使徒行传 13
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
巴拿巴和掃羅奉差遣
13 安提阿教會中，有幾位先知和教師，就是巴拿巴、名叫尼結的西面、古利奈人路求、與分封王希律一同長大的馬念，和掃羅。 2 他們事奉主，並且禁食的時候，聖靈說：“要為我把巴拿巴和掃羅分別出來，去作我呼召他們作的工。” 3 於是他們禁食禱告，為兩人按手，就派他們去了。
第一次宣教旅程
4 他們既然奉聖靈差遣，就下到西流基，從那裡坐船往塞浦路斯。 5 他們到了撒拉米，就在猶太人的各會堂裡宣講 神的道，還有約翰作他們的助手。 6 他們走遍全島，到了帕弗，遇見一個猶太人，名叫巴．耶穌，是個術士，又是個假先知。 7 他常常和省長士求．保羅在一起；省長是個聰明人，他請了巴拿巴和掃羅來，要聽聽 神的道。 8 但術士以呂馬（以呂馬就是“術士”的意思）與使徒作對，要使省長轉離真道。 9 掃羅，也就是保羅，卻被聖靈充滿，定睛看著他， 10 說：“你這充滿各樣詭詐和各樣奸惡的人，魔鬼的兒子，公義的仇敵！你歪曲了主的正路，還不停止嗎？ 11 你看，現在主的手臨到你，你要瞎了眼睛，暫時看不見陽光。”他就立刻被霧和黑暗籠罩著，周圍找人牽他的手，給他領路。 12 那時，省長看見了所發生的事，就信了，因為他驚奇主的教訓。
在彼西底的安提阿
13 保羅和同伴從帕弗開船，來到旁非利亞的別加，約翰卻離開他們，回耶路撒冷去了。 14 他們從別加往前走，到了彼西底的安提阿，在安息日進了會堂，就坐下來。 15 宣讀了律法和先知書以後，會堂的理事們派人到他們那裡來，說：“弟兄們，如果有甚麼勸勉眾人的話，請說吧！” 16 保羅就站起來，作了一個手勢，說：
“以色列人和敬畏 神的人，請聽！ 17 以色列民的 神，揀選了我們的祖先；當他們在埃及地寄居的時候， 神抬舉這民，用大能（“大能”原文作“高”）的膀臂，把他們從那地領出來； 18 又在曠野容忍（“容忍”有些抄本作“養育”）他們，約有四十年之久； 19 滅了迦南地的七族之後，就把那地分給他們為業； 20 這一切歷時約四百五十年。後來 神賜給他們士師，直到撒母耳先知為止。 21 那時，他們要求立一個王， 神就把便雅憫支派中一個人，基士的兒子掃羅，賜給他們作王，共四十年之久。 22 廢去掃羅之後，又為他們興起大衛作王，並且為他作證說：‘我找到耶西的兒子大衛，他是合我心意的人，必遵行我的一切旨意。’ 23 神照著應許，已經從這人的後裔中，給以色列帶來了一位救主，就是耶穌。 24 在他來臨之前，約翰早已向以色列全民宣講悔改的洗禮。 25 約翰快要跑完他的路程的時候，說：‘你們以為我是誰？我不是基督。他是在我以後來的，我就是給他解腳上的鞋帶也不配。’
26 “弟兄們，亞伯拉罕的子孫，和你們中間敬畏 神的人哪，這救恩之道是傳給我們的。 27 住在耶路撒冷的人和他們的官長，因為不認識基督，也不明白每逢安息日所讀的先知的話，就把他定了罪，正好應驗了先知的話。 28 他們雖然找不出該死的罪狀，還是要求彼拉多殺害他。 29 他們把所記載一切關於他的事作成了，就把他從木頭上取下來，放在墳墓裡。 30 但 神卻使他從死人中復活了。 31 有許多日子，他向那些跟他一同從加利利上耶路撒冷的人顯現，現在這些人在民眾面前作了他的見證人， 32 我們報好信息給你們： 神給列祖的應許， 33 藉著耶穌的復活，向我們這些作子孫的應驗了。就如詩篇第二篇所記的：
‘你是我的兒子，
我今日生了你。’
34 至於 神使他從死人中復活，不再歸於朽壞，他曾這樣說：
‘我必把應許大衛的、神聖可靠的恩福賜給你們。’
35 所以他在另一篇說：
‘你必不容你的聖者見朽壞。’
36 “大衛在他自己的世代裡，遵行了 神的計劃，就睡了，歸回他列祖那裡，見了朽壞。 37 唯獨 神所復活的那一位，沒有見過朽壞。 38 所以弟兄們，你們當知道，赦罪之道是由這位耶穌傳給你們的。在你們靠摩西律法不能稱義的一切事上， 39 信靠他的人就得稱義了。 40 你們要小心，免得先知書上所說的臨到你們：
41 ‘傲慢的人哪！
你們要看、要驚奇、要滅亡，
因為在你們的日子，我要作一件事，
就算有人告訴你們，你們總是不信。’”
42 保羅和巴拿巴出來的時候，眾人請求他們下一個安息日再對他們講這些話。 43 散會以後，許多猶太人和歸信猶太教的虔誠人，跟從了保羅和巴拿巴。兩人對他們談話，勉勵他們要恆久住在 神的恩典中。
44 下一個安息日，幾乎全城的人都聚了來，要聽主的道。 45 猶太人看見這麼多人，就滿心嫉妒，反駁保羅所講的，並且毀謗他們。 46 保羅和巴拿巴卻放膽說：“ 神的道，先講給你們聽，是應該的。但因為你們棄絕這道，斷定自己不配得永生，所以我們現在就轉向外族人去了。 47 因為主曾這樣吩咐我們說：
‘我已立你作外族人的光，
使你把救恩帶到地極去。’”
48 外族人聽見了就歡喜，讚美主的道，凡指定得永生的都信了。 49 於是主的道傳遍那地。 50 但猶太人唆使虔誠尊貴的婦女和城內的顯要，煽動大家迫害保羅和巴拿巴，把他們驅逐出境。 51 兩人當眾跺掉腳上的塵土，往以哥念去了。 52 門徒滿有喜樂，又被聖靈充滿。
Acts 13
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 13
1 [a]Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who was a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then, completing their fasting and prayer, they laid hands on them and sent them off.
First Mission Begins in Cyprus. 4 [b]So they, sent forth by the holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived in Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. They had John[c] also as their assistant. 6 When they had traveled through the whole island as far as Paphos, they met a magician named Bar-Jesus who was a Jewish false prophet.[d] 7 He was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who had summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the magician (for that is what his name means) opposed them in an attempt to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 But Saul, also known as Paul,[e] filled with the holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10 and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all that is right, full of every sort of deceit and fraud. Will you not stop twisting the straight paths of [the] Lord? 11 Even now the hand of the Lord is upon you. You will be blind, and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately a dark mist fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. 12 When the proconsul saw what had happened, he came to believe, for he was astonished by the teaching about the Lord.
Paul’s Arrival at Antioch in Pisidia. 13 From Paphos, Paul and his companions set sail and arrived at Perga in Pamphylia. But John left them and returned to Jerusalem.(A) 14 They continued on from Perga and reached Antioch in Pisidia. On the sabbath they entered [into] the synagogue and took their seats. 15 After the reading of the law and the prophets, the synagogue officials sent word to them, “My brothers, if one of you has a word of exhortation for the people, please speak.”
Paul’s Address in the Synagogue. 16 [f]So Paul got up, motioned with his hand, and said, “Fellow Israelites and you others who are God-fearing,[g] listen. 17 The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors and exalted the people during their sojourn in the land of Egypt.(B) With uplifted arm he led them out of it 18 and for about forty years he put up with[h] them in the desert.(C) 19 When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance(D) 20 at the end of about four hundred and fifty years.[i] After these things he provided judges up to Samuel [the] prophet.(E) 21 Then they asked for a king. God gave them Saul, son of Kish, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.(F) 22 Then he removed him and raised up David as their king; of him he testified, ‘I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will carry out my every wish.’(G) 23 From this man’s descendants God, according to his promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus.(H) 24 John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel;(I) 25 and as John was completing his course, he would say, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. Behold, one is coming after me; I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.’(J)
26 “My brothers, children of the family of Abraham, and those others among you who are God-fearing, to us this word of salvation has been sent. 27 The inhabitants of Jerusalem and their leaders failed to recognize him, and by condemning him they fulfilled the oracles of the prophets that are read sabbath after sabbath. 28 For even though they found no grounds for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him put to death,(K) 29 and when they had accomplished all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and placed him in a tomb.(L) 30 But God raised him from the dead,(M) 31 and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem.(N) These are [now] his witnesses before the people.[j] 32 We ourselves are proclaiming this good news to you that what God promised our ancestors 33 he has brought to fulfillment for us, [their] children, by raising up Jesus, as it is written in the second psalm, ‘You are my son; this day I have begotten you.’(O) 34 And that he raised him from the dead never to return to corruption he declared in this way, ‘I shall give you the benefits assured to David.’(P) 35 That is why he also says in another psalm, ‘You will not suffer your holy one to see corruption.’(Q) 36 Now David, after he had served the will of God in his lifetime, fell asleep, was gathered to his ancestors, and did see corruption.(R) 37 But the one whom God raised up did not see corruption. 38 You must know, my brothers, that through him forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you, [and] in regard to everything from which you could not be justified[k] under the law of Moses, 39 in him every believer is justified.(S) 40 Be careful, then, that what was said in the prophets not come about:
41 ‘Look on, you scoffers,
be amazed and disappear.
For I am doing a work in your days,
a work that you will never believe
even if someone tells you.’”(T)
42 As they were leaving, they invited them to speak on these subjects the following sabbath. 43 After the congregation had dispersed, many Jews and worshipers who were converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to remain faithful to the grace of God.
Address to the Gentiles. 44 On the following sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45 When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said. 46 (U)Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first, but since you reject it and condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.[l] 47 For so the Lord has commanded us, ‘I have made you a light to the Gentiles, that you may be an instrument of salvation to the ends of the earth.’”(V)
48 The Gentiles were delighted when they heard this and glorified the word of the Lord. All who were destined for eternal life came to believe, 49 and the word of the Lord continued to spread through the whole region. 50 The Jews, however, incited the women of prominence who were worshipers and the leading men of the city, stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their territory. 51 (W)So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.[m] 52 The disciples were filled with joy and the holy Spirit.
Footnotes
- 13:1–3 The impulse for the first missionary effort in Asia Minor is ascribed to the prophets of the Antiochene community, under the inspiration of the holy Spirit. Just as the Jerusalem community had earlier been the center of missionary activity, so too Antioch becomes the center from which the missionaries Barnabas and Saul are sent out.
- 13:4–14:27 The key event in Luke’s account of the first missionary journey is the experience of Paul and Barnabas at Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:14–52). The Christian kerygma proclaimed by Paul in the synagogue was favorably received. Some Jews and “God-fearers” (see note on Acts 8:26–40) became interested and invited the missionaries to speak again on the following sabbath (Acts 13:42). By that time, however, the appearance of a large number of Gentiles from the city had so disconcerted the Jews that they became hostile toward the apostles (Acts 13:44–50). This hostility of theirs appears in all three accounts of Paul’s missionary journeys in Acts, the Jews of Iconium (Acts 14:1–2) and Beroea (Acts 17:11) being notable exceptions.
- 13:5 John: that is, John Mark (see Acts 12:12, 25).
- 13:6 A magician named Bar-Jesus who was a Jewish false prophet: that is, he posed as a prophet. Again Luke takes the opportunity to dissociate Christianity from the magical acts of the time (Acts 13:7–11); see also Acts 8:18–24.
- 13:9 Saul, also known as Paul: there is no reason to believe that his name was changed from Saul to Paul upon his conversion. The use of a double name, one Semitic (Saul), the other Greco-Roman (Paul), is well attested (cf. Acts 1:23, Joseph Justus; Acts 12:12, 25, John Mark).
- 13:16–41 This is the first of several speeches of Paul to Jews proclaiming that the Christian church is the logical development of Pharisaic Judaism (see also Acts 24:10–21; 26:2–23).
- 13:16 Who are God-fearing: see note on Acts 8:26–40.
- 13:18 Put up with: some manuscripts read “sustained.”
- 13:20 At the end of about four hundred and fifty years: the manuscript tradition makes it uncertain whether the mention of four hundred and fifty years refers to the sojourn in Egypt before the Exodus, the wilderness period and the time of the conquest (see Ex 12:40–41), as the translation here suggests, or to the time between the conquest and the time of Samuel, the period of the judges, if the text is read, “After these things, for about four hundred and fifty years, he provided judges.”
- 13:31 The theme of the Galilean witnesses is a major one in the Gospel of Luke and in Acts and is used to signify the continuity between the teachings of Jesus and the teachings of the church and to guarantee the fidelity of the church’s teachings to the words of Jesus.
- 13:38–39 Justified: the verb is the same as that used in Paul’s letters to speak of the experience of justification and, as in Paul, is here connected with the term “to have faith” (“every believer”). But this seems the only passage about Paul in Acts where justification is mentioned. In Lucan fashion it is paralleled with “forgiveness of sins” (a theme at Acts 2:38; 3:19; 5:31; 10:43) based on Jesus’ resurrection (Acts 13:37) rather than his cross, and is put negatively (Acts 13:38). Therefore, some would translate, “in regard to everything from which you could not be acquitted…every believer is acquitted.”
- 13:46 The refusal to believe frustrates God’s plan for his chosen people; however, no adverse judgment is made here concerning their ultimate destiny. Again, Luke, in the words of Paul, speaks of the priority of Israel in the plan for salvation (see Acts 10:36).
- 13:51 See note on Lk 9:5.
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
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