使徒行传 20
Chinese New Version (Simplified)
往马其顿及希腊
20 骚乱平息以后，保罗派人把门徒请了来，劝勉一番，就辞别起行，往马其顿去。 2 他走遍那一带地方，用许多话劝勉众人，然后来到希腊。 3 他在那里住了三个月，正要坐船往叙利亚去的时候，有些犹太人设计要害他，他就决意路经马其顿回去。 4 与他同行的有比里亚人毕罗斯的儿子所巴特，帖撒罗尼迦人亚里达古和西公都，特庇人该犹和提摩太，亚西亚人推基古和特罗非摩。 5 这些人先走，在特罗亚等候我们。 6 至于我们，过了除酵节才从腓立比开船，五天后到特罗亚他们那里，逗留了七天。
在特罗亚使犹推古复活
7 礼拜日，我们聚会擘饼的时候，保罗对大家讲道，他因第二天就要起行，就一直讲到半夜。 8 我们聚会的那座楼上，有许多灯火。 9 有一个少年人，名叫犹推古，坐在窗台上，因为保罗讲得很长，他很困倦，沉沉地睡着了，就从三楼跌下来；把他扶起来的时候，已经死了。 10 保罗走下去，伏在他身上；把他抱住，说：“你们不要惊慌，他还活着。” 11 随即回到楼上，擘饼吃了，又讲了很久，直到天亮才走。 12 他们把活着的孩子带走，得到很大的安慰。
从特罗亚往米利都
13 我们先上船，开往亚朔，照着保罗的安排，要在那边接他，因为他自己要走陆路去。 14 他在亚朔与我们会合，我们接他上船，去到米推利尼。 15 从那里开船，第二天到了基阿对面，过了一天就在撒摩靠岸，再过一天到了米利都。 16 原来保罗决定越过以弗所，免得在亚西亚耽搁时间，因为他希望能在五旬节赶到耶路撒冷。
保罗劝勉以弗所的长老
17 他从米利都派人去以弗所，请教会的长老来。 18 他们到了，保罗说：“你们知道，自从我到了亚西亚的第一天，我一直怎样跟你们相处， 19 怎样服事主，凡事谦卑，常常流泪，忍受犹太人谋害的试炼。 20 你们也知道，我从来没有留下一件有益的事，不在众人面前或在各人家里告诉你们，教导你们。 21 我对犹太人和希腊人都作过见证，要他们悔改归向 神，信靠我们的主耶稣。 22 现在，我的心灵受到催逼，要去耶路撒冷，我不知道在那里会遭遇甚么事， 23 只知道在各城里圣灵都向我指明，说有捆锁和患难在等着我。 24 但我并不珍惜自己的性命，只求跑完我的路程，完成我从主耶稣所领受的职分，为 神恩惠的福音作见证。
25 “我曾在你们那里走遍各地，宣扬 神的国。现在，我知道你们众人不会再见我的面了。 26 所以我今天向你们作证，我是清白的，与众人的罪（“罪”原文作“血”）无关。 27 因为 神的全部计划，我已经毫无保留地传给你们了。 28 圣灵既然立你们为全群的监督，牧养 神用自己的血所赎来的教会，你们就应当为自己谨慎，也为全群谨慎。 29 我知道在我离开之后，必有凶暴的豺狼进入你们中间，不顾惜羊群。 30 你们自己中间也必有人起来，讲些歪曲悖谬的话，引诱门徒跟从他们。 31 所以你们应当警醒，记念我三年之久，昼夜不停地带着眼泪劝戒你们各人。 32 现在我把你们交托给 神和他恩惠的道；这道能建立你们，也能在所有成圣的人中赐基业给你们。 33 我从来没有贪图任何人的金银或衣服。 34 我这两只手，供应了我和同伴的需要，这是你们自己知道的。 35 我凡事以身作则，你们必须照样辛劳，扶助软弱的人，并且记念主耶稣的话：‘施比受更为有福。’”
36 他说了这些话，就跪下来同大家一起祷告。 37 众人都痛哭，抱着保罗，与他亲吻。 38 他们最伤心的，是保罗说他们不会再见他的面那句话。最后他们送他上了船。
Acts 20
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 20
Journey to Macedonia and Greece.[a] 1 When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them, he embraced them and set out on his journey to Macedonia.[b] 2 As he traveled through those areas, he gave the believers much encouragement. Then he arrived in Greece, 3 where he stayed for three months.
Return to Troas. He was about to set sail for Syria when a plot against him was devised by the Jews, and so he decided to return by way of Macedonia. 4 He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Beroea, by Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, by Gaius from Derbe, and by Timothy, as well as by Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia.[c] 5 They went ahead and were waiting for us in Troas.[d] 6 We sailed from Philippi after the feast of Unleavened Bread, and five days later we joined them in Troas, where we stayed for seven days.
Paul’s Witness and Testament[e]
Paul Raises Eutychus to Life. 7 On the first day of the week, when we gathered for the breaking of the bread, Paul spoke to the people, and because he was going to leave on the next day, he continued speaking until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upper room where we were assembled, 9 and a young man named Eutychus, who was sitting on the window ledge, became ever more drowsy as Paul talked on and on. Finally, overcome by sleep, he fell to the ground three floors below, and when they picked him up, he was dead.
10 Paul went down, threw himself upon him, and took him in his arms. “Do not be alarmed,” he said. “He is still alive.”[f] 11 Then he went back upstairs and broke bread and ate. He went on to converse with them until dawn, at which time he left. 12 Meanwhile, they had taken the boy home, greatly relieved that he was alive.
13 Journey to Miletus. We went on ahead to the ship and set sail for Assos, where we were to take Paul aboard, since he intended to continue his journey by land. 14 When he met us in Assos, we took him aboard and went to Mitylene.
15 We sailed from there, and on the following day we reached a point opposite Chios. A day later, we reached Samos; and the day after that, we came to Miletus. 16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus in order to avoid spending time in the province of Asia. He was eager to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.
17 Paul’s Farewell Speech at Miletus.[g] From Miletus, he sent a message to Ephesus, summoning the elders of the Church. 18 When they came to him, he addressed them as follows:
“You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in the province of Asia. 19 I served the Lord with all humility and with tears, enduring the trials that befell me as a result of the intrigues of the Jews. 20 I did not hesitate to tell you what was for your benefit as I proclaimed the word to you and taught you publicly as well as from house to house. 21 I have attested to Jews and Gentiles alike about repentance before God and faith in our Lord Jesus.
22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem without knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that I will face imprisonment and hardships. 24 As for me, I do not regard my life as of any value, only that I finish the race and complete the mission that I received from the Lord Jesus—to bear witness to the gospel of God’s grace.
25 “I have gone among you proclaiming the kingdom, but now I realize that none of you will ever see my face again. 26 Therefore, I solemnly declare to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you, 27 for I did not shrink from proclaiming to you the entire plan of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, and be shepherds of the Church of God that he purchased with the price of his own blood.
29 “I know that after I have gone, savage wolves will come among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own ranks men will come distorting the truth in order to entice the disciples to follow them. 31 Therefore, be on your guard. Remember that for three years I never ceased night and day to warn every one of you with tears.
32 “And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace that is able to build you up and give you your inheritance among all who are sanctified. 33 I have never coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You are aware that I worked with my own hands to support myself and my companions. 35 In all this, I have shown you that by such hard work we must help the weak, keeping in mind the words of the Lord Jesus who himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”[h]
36 When he had finished speaking, he knelt down and prayed with them. 37 They were all weeping loudly as they embraced Paul and kissed him, 38 for they were deeply distressed at his words that they would never see his face again. Then they escorted him to the ship.
Footnotes
- Acts 20:1 This departure constitutes an important moment as indicated by the fact that Luke inserts a list of Paul’s companions. Then he describes three brief journeys: one to Greece, to revisit the communities, especially that of Corinth, which had caused some trouble; the second to Troas; and the third to Miletus, on the return route to Jerusalem.
In connection with these journeys we discover new aspects of the life of the communities. The Eucharist, which had been mentioned at the beginning of Acts (2:46), is clearly referred to here: Christians came together on Sunday (“the first day of the week”) in order to “break bread,” after a lengthy hearing of the Gospel and a communal reflection on it. The raising of the boy is a sign of the presence of the Lord; through his Resurrection, life is possible in its fullness. - Acts 20:1 Paul had apparently been seeking to preach in Troas on his way to Macedonia, meet Titus at Troas with a report from Corinth (see 2 Cor 2:12f), and continue collecting the offering for Judea (see Rom 15:25-28; 1 Cor 16:1-4; 2 Cor 8:1—9:15).
- Acts 20:4 These men have no doubt been assigned to accompany Paul and the collection for the needy in Judea (see 2 Cor 8:23).
- Acts 20:5 Here begins the second so-called “we-section” of Acts (see note on Acts 16:9-15).
- Acts 20:7 In this chapter, it is no longer a case of proclaiming the word or creating a Church; it is a moment of respite and retreat that clears up Paul’s personal destiny and expresses the principal concerns for the development and perseverance of a Church. Paul is aware that he will never return (see Acts 21:14), and he envisages undergoing the same suffering as Christ. The Book of Acts will not recount his martyrdom, no more than it will enlighten us about Peter’s martyrdom, for this Book is not intended to be a biography of the apostles. Its purpose is to make known the life of the Churches and the power of the Spirit who animates them, the great realities that ensure their development, their relationships and their unity. The communities are to find themselves devoted to one another, but with the Spirit (v. 28) and the living tradition that carries them along. The atmosphere recalls Christ’s discourse after the Last Supper (Jn 14–16). Paul gives his testament.
- Acts 20:10 Paul’s action of throwing himself upon a boy thought to be dead recalls that of Elijah in raising the son of the widow of Zarephath (1 Ki 17:21) and that of Elisha in raising the son of the Shunammite (2 Ki 4:34). Thus, as Peter had raised Tabitha (Acts 9:40), so now Paul raises Eutychus.
- Acts 20:17 This farewell scene is especially important for the history of the Church as an institution. Those whom Paul summons are the “elders” (in Greek: presbyteroi, whence our “priests”), whom he describes (v. 28) as “shepherds” and “overseers” (Greek: episkopoi, whence our “bishops”; see 1 Pet 2:25), i.e., as responsible for the spiritual nourishment, guidance, and protection of the People of God. This authority they receive not from the assembly of the faithful but from the Spirit.
Here, in substance, is the ecclesial structure in which we live today (although only later would a distinction be made between “presbyters” and “bishops”). - Acts 20:35 It is more blessed to give than to receive: a saying of Jesus that is not found in the canonical Gospels.
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
