使徒行传 20
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
往馬其頓及希臘
20 騷亂平息以後，保羅派人把門徒請了來，勸勉一番，就辭別起行，往馬其頓去。 2 他走遍那一帶地方，用許多話勸勉眾人，然後來到希臘。 3 他在那裡住了三個月，正要坐船往敘利亞去的時候，有些猶太人設計要害他，他就決意路經馬其頓回去。 4 與他同行的有比里亞人畢羅斯的兒子所巴特，帖撒羅尼迦人亞里達古和西公都，特庇人該猶和提摩太，亞西亞人推基古和特羅非摩。 5 這些人先走，在特羅亞等候我們。 6 至於我們，過了除酵節才從腓立比開船，五天後到特羅亞他們那裡，逗留了七天。
在特羅亞使猶推古復活
7 禮拜日，我們聚會擘餅的時候，保羅對大家講道，他因第二天就要起行，就一直講到半夜。 8 我們聚會的那座樓上，有許多燈火。 9 有一個少年人，名叫猶推古，坐在窗臺上，因為保羅講得很長，他很困倦，沉沉地睡著了，就從三樓跌下來；把他扶起來的時候，已經死了。 10 保羅走下去，伏在他身上；把他抱住，說：“你們不要驚慌，他還活著。” 11 隨即回到樓上，擘餅吃了，又講了很久，直到天亮才走。 12 他們把活著的孩子帶走，得到很大的安慰。
從特羅亞往米利都
13 我們先上船，開往亞朔，照著保羅的安排，要在那邊接他，因為他自己要走陸路去。 14 他在亞朔與我們會合，我們接他上船，去到米推利尼。 15 從那裡開船，第二天到了基阿對面，過了一天就在撒摩靠岸，再過一天到了米利都。 16 原來保羅決定越過以弗所，免得在亞西亞耽擱時間，因為他希望能在五旬節趕到耶路撒冷。
保羅勸勉以弗所的長老
17 他從米利都派人去以弗所，請教會的長老來。 18 他們到了，保羅說：“你們知道，自從我到了亞西亞的第一天，我一直怎樣跟你們相處， 19 怎樣服事主，凡事謙卑，常常流淚，忍受猶太人謀害的試煉。 20 你們也知道，我從來沒有留下一件有益的事，不在眾人面前或在各人家裡告訴你們，教導你們。 21 我對猶太人和希臘人都作過見證，要他們悔改歸向 神，信靠我們的主耶穌。 22 現在，我的心靈受到催逼，要去耶路撒冷，我不知道在那裡會遭遇甚麼事， 23 只知道在各城裡聖靈都向我指明，說有捆鎖和患難在等著我。 24 但我並不珍惜自己的性命，只求跑完我的路程，完成我從主耶穌所領受的職分，為 神恩惠的福音作見證。
25 “我曾在你們那裡走遍各地，宣揚 神的國。現在，我知道你們眾人不會再見我的面了。 26 所以我今天向你們作證，我是清白的，與眾人的罪（“罪”原文作“血”）無關。 27 因為 神的全部計劃，我已經毫無保留地傳給你們了。 28 聖靈既然立你們為全群的監督，牧養 神用自己的血所贖來的教會，你們就應當為自己謹慎，也為全群謹慎。 29 我知道在我離開之後，必有兇暴的豺狼進入你們中間，不顧惜羊群。 30 你們自己中間也必有人起來，講些歪曲悖謬的話，引誘門徒跟從他們。 31 所以你們應當警醒，記念我三年之久，晝夜不停地帶著眼淚勸戒你們各人。 32 現在我把你們交託給 神和他恩惠的道；這道能建立你們，也能在所有成聖的人中賜基業給你們。 33 我從來沒有貪圖任何人的金銀或衣服。 34 我這兩隻手，供應了我和同伴的需要，這是你們自己知道的。 35 我凡事以身作則，你們必須照樣辛勞，扶助軟弱的人，並且記念主耶穌的話：‘施比受更為有福。’”
36 他說了這些話，就跪下來同大家一起禱告。 37 眾人都痛哭，抱著保羅，與他親吻。 38 他們最傷心的，是保羅說他們不會再見他的面那句話。最後他們送他上了船。
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.
