1 亞波羅在哥林多的時候、保羅經過了上邊一帶地方、就來到以弗所.在那裡遇見幾個門徒.
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples |
2 問他們說、你們信的時候、受了聖靈沒有.他們回答說、沒有、也未曾聽見有聖靈賜下來。
and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." |
3 保羅說、這樣、你們受的是甚麼洗呢。他們說、是約翰的洗。
So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism," they replied. |
4 保羅說、約翰所行的是悔改的洗、告訴百姓、當信那在他以後要來的、就是那穌。
Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." |
5 他們聽見這話、就奉主耶穌的名受洗。
On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. |
6 保羅按手在他們頭上、聖靈便降在他們身上.他們就說方言、又說豫言。〔或作又講道〕
When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. |
7 一共約有十二個人。
There were about twelve men in all. |
8 保羅進會堂、放膽講道、一連三個月、辯論 神國的事、勸化眾人。
Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. |
9 後來有些人、心裡剛硬不信、在眾人面前毀謗這道、保羅就離開他們、也叫門徒與他們分離、便在推喇奴的學房、天天辯論。
But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. |
10 這樣有兩年之久、叫一切住在亞西亞的、無論是猶太人、是希利尼人、都聽見主的道。
This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. |
11 神藉保羅的手、行了些非常的奇事.
God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, |
12 甚至有人從保羅身上拿手巾、或圍裙、放在病人身上、病就退了、惡鬼也出去了。
so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them. |
13 那時、有幾個遊行各處、念咒趕鬼的猶太人、向那被惡鬼附的人、擅自稱主耶穌的名、說、我奉保羅所傳的耶穌、敕令你們出來。
Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out." |
14 作這事的、有猶太祭司長士基瓦的七個兒子。
Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. |
15 惡鬼回答他們說、耶穌我認識、保羅我也知道.你們卻是誰呢。
One day the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" |
16 惡鬼所附的人、就跳在他們身上、勝了其中二人、制伏他們、叫他們赤著身子受了傷、從那房子裡逃出去了。
Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. |
17 凡住在以弗所的、無論是猶太人、是希利尼人、都知道這事、也都懼伯、主耶穌的名從此就尊大了。
When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. |
18 那已經信的、多有人來承認訴說自己所行的事。
Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. |
19 平素行邪術的、也有許多人把書拿來、堆積在眾人面前焚燒.他們算計書價、便知道共合五萬塊錢。
A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. |
20 主的道大大興旺而且得勝、就是這樣。
In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power. |
21 這些事完了、保羅心裡定意、經過了馬其頓亞該亞、就往耶路撒冷去、又說、我到了那裡以後、也必須往羅馬去看看。
After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. "After I have been there," he said, "I must visit Rome also." |
22 於是從幫助他的人中、打發提摩太以拉都二人、往馬其頓去.自己暫時等在亞西亞。
He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer. |
23 那時、因為這道起的擾亂不小。
About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. |
24 有一個銀匠、名叫底米丟、是製造亞底米神銀龕的、他使這樣手藝人生意發達。
A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in no little business for the craftsmen. |
25 他聚集他們和同行的工人、說、眾位、你們知道我們是倚靠這生意發財。
He called them together, along with the workmen in related trades, and said: "Men, you know we receive a good income from this business. |
26 這保羅不但在以弗所、也幾乎在亞西亞全地、引誘迷惑許多人、說、人手所作的不是神、這是你們所看見所聽見的.
And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all. |
27 這樣、不獨我們這事業、被人藐視、就是大女神亞底米的廟、也要被人輕忽、連亞西亞全地、和普天下、所敬拜的大女神之威榮、也要銷滅了。
There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited, and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty." |
28 眾人聽見、就怒氣填胸、喊著說、大哉以弗所人的亞底米阿。
When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" |
29 滿城都轟動起來.眾人拿住與保羅同行的馬其頓人該猶、和亞里達古、齊心擁進戲園裡去。
Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's traveling companions from Macedonia, and rushed as one man into the theater. |
30 保羅想要進去、到百姓那裡、門徒卻不許他去。
Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. |
31 還有亞西亞幾位首領、是保羅的朋友、打發人來勸他、不要冒險到戲園裡去。
Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater. |
32 聚集的人、紛紛亂亂、有喊叫這個的、有喊叫那個的、大半不知道是為甚麼聚集。
The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there. |
33 有人把亞力山大從眾人中帶出來、猶太人推他往前、亞力山大就擺手、要向百姓分訴.
The Jews pushed Alexander to the front, and some of the crowd shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defense before the people. |
34 只因他們認出他是猶太人、就大家同聲喊著說、大哉以弗所人的亞底米阿.如此約有兩小時。
But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" |
35 那城裡的書記、安撫了眾人、就說、以弗所人哪、誰不知道以弗所人的城、是看守大亞底米的廟、和從丟斯那裡落下來的像呢。
The city clerk quieted the crowd and said: "Men of Ephesus, doesn't all the world know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? |
36 這事既是駁不倒的、你們就當安靜、不可造次。
Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to be quiet and not do anything rash. |
37 你們把這些人帶來、他們並沒有偷竊廟中之物、也沒有謗讟我們的女神。
You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our goddess. |
38 若是底米丟和他同行的人、有控告人的事、自有放告的日子.〔或作自有公堂〕也有方伯、可以彼此對告。
If, then, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. They can press charges. |
39 你們若問別的事、就可以照常例聚集斷定。
If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly. |
40 今日的擾亂、本是無緣無故、我們難免被查問.論到這樣聚眾、我們也說不出所以然來。
As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of today's events. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it." |
41 說了這話、便叫眾人散去。
After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly. |