使徒行传 9
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
掃羅悔改歸主(A)
9 掃羅仍向主的門徒發恐嚇兇殺的話。他到大祭司那裡， 2 要求他發公函給大馬士革各會堂，如果發現奉行這道的人，准他連男帶女緝拿到耶路撒冷。 3 他快到大馬士革的時候，忽然有光從天上向他四面照射。 4 他仆倒在地，聽見有聲音對他說：“掃羅，掃羅！你為甚麼迫害我？” 5 他說：“主啊，你是誰？”主說：“我就是你所迫害的耶穌。 6 起來，進城去！你應當作的事，一定有人告訴你。” 7 同行的人，聽見聲音，卻看不見人，只是目瞪口呆地站在那裡。 8 掃羅從地上爬起來，睜開眼睛，卻甚麼也看不見。他們牽著他的手，領他進大馬士革。 9 他三天都不能看見甚麼，不吃也不喝。
10 在大馬士革，有一個門徒名叫亞拿尼亞，主在異象中對他說：“亞拿尼亞！”他說：“主啊，我在這裡。” 11 主說：“起來，到那叫直街的路上去，要在猶大家裡找一個大數人，名叫掃羅。你看，他正在禱告， 12 在異象中他看見一個人，名叫亞拿尼亞，進來為他按手，使他可以再看得見。” 13 但亞拿尼亞回答：“主啊，我聽見許多人說起這個人，他在耶路撒冷作了許多苦害你聖徒的事； 14 並且他在這裡得到祭司長的授權，要捆綁所有求告你名的人。” 15 主對他說：“你去吧！這人是我揀選的器皿，為要把我的名傳給外族人、君王和以色列人。 16 我要指示他，為了我的名他必須受許多的苦。” 17 亞拿尼亞就去了，進了那家，為掃羅按手，說：“掃羅弟兄，在你來的路上向你顯現的耶穌，就是主，差我來使你可以看見，又被聖靈充滿。” 18 立刻有鱗狀的東西，從掃羅的眼裡掉下來，他就能看見了。於是起來，受了洗， 19 吃過了飯，就有氣力了。
掃羅在大馬士革傳道
他和大馬士革的門徒一同住了幾天， 20 隨即在各會堂傳講耶穌，說他是 神的兒子。 21 聽見的人都很驚奇，說：“在耶路撒冷殘害求告這名的，不是這個人嗎？他來這裡不是要緝拿他們交給祭司長嗎？” 22 然而掃羅更加有能力，駁倒住在大馬士革的猶太人，證明耶穌是基督。
掃羅逃脫猶太人的謀害
23 過了許多日子，猶太人商議要殺掉掃羅； 24 但他們的計謀給掃羅知道了。他們就在各城門日夜把守，要殺掉他。 25 於是他的門徒就趁夜用大籃子把他從城牆上縋下去。
26 掃羅到了耶路撒冷，想要接近門徒，但大家都怕他，不信他是個門徒。 27 只有巴拿巴接待他，帶他去見使徒，把他怎樣在路上看見主，主向他說話，和他怎樣在大馬士革奉耶穌的名放膽講道，都講了出來。 28 於是掃羅在耶路撒冷和門徒一同出入，奉主的名放膽講道， 29 並且與講希臘話的猶太人談論辯駁，那些人卻想下手殺他。 30 弟兄們知道了，就送他到該撒利亞，差他往大數去。
31 那時猶太、加利利、撒瑪利亞各處的教會，都得到平安，被建立起來，存著敬畏主的心過生活，並且因著聖靈的激勵，人數增多起來。
彼得醫好以尼雅
32 彼得周遊各地的時候，也到了住在呂大的聖徒那裡。 33 他遇見一個人，名叫以尼雅，害了癱瘓病，在床上躺臥了八年。 34 彼得對他說：“以尼雅，耶穌基督醫好你了！起來，收好你的褥子！”他就立刻起來。 35 所有住在呂大和沙崙的人，看見了他就歸向主。
彼得使多加復活
36 在約帕有一個女門徒，名叫戴比莎，希臘話叫多加；她為人樂善好施。 37 那時，她因病死了；有人把她洗淨了，停放在樓上。 38 呂大靠近約帕，門徒聽說彼得在那邊，就派兩個人去求他，說：“請到我們那邊去，不要耽延！” 39 彼得就動身，跟他們一同去。到了之後，他們領他上樓。所有寡婦站在彼得旁邊哭，把多加和她們在一起的時候所做的內衣外衣拿給他看。 40 彼得叫大家出去之後，就跪下來禱告，然後轉過身來對著屍體說：“戴比莎，起來！”她就睜開眼睛，一看見彼得，就坐了起來。 41 彼得伸手扶她起來，叫聖徒們和寡婦都進來，把多加活活地交給他們。 42 這事傳遍了約帕，就有很多人信了主。 43 此後，彼得在約帕一個製皮工人西門的家裡住了許多日子。
Acts 9
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 9
Saul’s Conversion. 1 [a]Now Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord,(A) went to the high priest(B) 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that, if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way,[b] he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains. 3 On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him.(C) 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”(D) 5 He said, “Who are you, sir?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.(E) 6 Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.”(F) 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, for they heard the voice but could see no one.(G) 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing;[c] so they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus.(H) 9 For three days he was unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank.
Saul’s Baptism. 10 (I)There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is there praying,(J) 12 and [in a vision] he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay [his] hands on him, that he may regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias replied, “Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man, what evil things he has done to your holy ones[d] in Jerusalem.(K) 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to imprison all who call upon your name.”(L) 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and Israelites,(M) 16 and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name.” 17 So Ananias went and entered the house; laying his hands on him, he said, “Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. He got up and was baptized, 19 and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength.[e]
Saul Preaches in Damascus. He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus, 20 and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.[f] 21 All who heard him were astounded and said, “Is not this the man who in Jerusalem ravaged those who call upon this name, and came here expressly to take them back in chains to the chief priests?” 22 But Saul grew all the stronger and confounded [the] Jews who lived in Damascus, proving that this is the Messiah.
Saul Visits Jerusalem. 23 After a long time had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, 24 (N)but their plot became known to Saul. Now they were keeping watch on the gates day and night so as to kill him, 25 but his disciples took him one night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
26 (O)When he arrived in Jerusalem[g] he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 27 Then Barnabas took charge of him and brought him to the apostles, and he reported to them how on the way he had seen the Lord and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 He moved about freely with them in Jerusalem, and spoke out boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists,[h] but they tried to kill him. 30 And when the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him on his way to Tarsus.(P)
The Church at Peace. 31 [i]The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the holy Spirit it grew in numbers.
Peter Heals Aeneas at Lydda. 32 As Peter was passing through every region, he went down to the holy ones living in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been confined to bed for eight years, for he was paralyzed. 34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed.” He got up at once. 35 And all the inhabitants of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
Peter Restores Tabitha to Life. 36 Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated means Dorcas).[j] She was completely occupied with good deeds and almsgiving. 37 Now during those days she fell sick and died, so after washing her, they laid [her] out in a room upstairs. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, “Please come to us without delay.” 39 So Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs where all the widows came to him weeping and showing him the tunics and cloaks that Dorcas had made while she was with them. 40 Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed. Then he turned to her body and said, “Tabitha, rise up.” She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up.(Q) 41 He gave her his hand and raised her up, and when he had called the holy ones and the widows, he presented her alive. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many came to believe in the Lord. 43 [k](R)And he stayed a long time in Joppa with Simon, a tanner.
Footnotes
- 9:1–19 This is the first of three accounts of Paul’s conversion (with Acts 22:3–16 and Acts 26:2–18) with some differences of detail owing to Luke’s use of different sources. Paul’s experience was not visionary but was precipitated by the appearance of Jesus, as he insists in 1 Cor 15:8. The words of Jesus, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” related by Luke with no variation in all three accounts, exerted a profound and lasting influence on the thought of Paul. Under the influence of this experience he gradually developed his understanding of justification by faith (see the letters to the Galatians and Romans) and of the identification of the Christian community with Jesus Christ (see 1 Cor 12:27). That Luke would narrate this conversion three times is testimony to the importance he attaches to it. This first account occurs when the word is first spread to the Gentiles. At this point, the conversion of the hero of the Gentile mission is recounted. The emphasis in the account is on Paul as a divinely chosen instrument (Acts 9:15).
- 9:2 The Way: a name used by the early Christian community for itself (Acts 18:26; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22). The Essene community at Qumran used the same designation to describe its mode of life.
- 9:8 He could see nothing: a temporary blindness (Acts 9:18) symbolizing the religious blindness of Saul as persecutor (cf. Acts 26:18).
- 9:13 Your holy ones: literally, “your saints.”
- 9:19–30 This is a brief resume of Paul’s initial experience as an apostolic preacher. At first he found himself in the position of being regarded as an apostate by the Jews and suspect by the Christian community of Jerusalem. His acceptance by the latter was finally brought about through his friendship with Barnabas (Acts 9:27).
- 9:20 Son of God: the title “Son of God” occurs in Acts only here, but cf. the citation of Ps 2:7 in Paul’s speech at Antioch in Pisidia (Acts 13:33).
- 9:26 This visit of Paul to Jerusalem is mentioned by Paul in Gal 1:18.
- 9:29 Hellenists: see note on Acts 6:1–7.
- 9:31–43 In the context of the period of peace enjoyed by the community through the cessation of Paul’s activities against it, Luke introduces two traditions concerning the miraculous power exercised by Peter as he was making a tour of places where the Christian message had already been preached. The towns of Lydda, Sharon, and Joppa were populated by both Jews and Gentiles and their Christian communities may well have been mixed.
- 9:36 Tabitha (Dorcas), respectively the Aramaic and Greek words for “gazelle,” exemplifies the right attitude toward material possessions expressed by Jesus in the Lucan Gospel (Lk 6:30; 11:41; 12:33; 18:22; 19:8).
- 9:43 The fact that Peter lodged with a tanner would have been significant to both the Gentile and Jewish Christians, for Judaism considered the tanning occupation unclean.
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.