< 加拉太書 4 >

1 再說:承繼人幾時還是孩童,雖然他是一切家業的主人,卻與奴隸沒有分別,
NOW I affirm, that as long as the heir is an infant, he differeth nothing from a servant, though he be master of all;
2 仍屬於監護人和代理人的權下,直到父親預定的期限。
but is under tutors and trustees until the time fixed by his father.
3 同樣,當我們以前還作孩童的時候,我們是隸屬今世的蒙學權下;
So we also, when we were infants, were in bondage under the first elementary principles of the world:
4 但時期一滿,天主就派遣了自己的兒子來,生於女人,生於法律之下,
but when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son born of a woman, born under the law,
5 為把在法律之下的人贖出來,使我們獲得義子的地位。
that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6 為證實你們確實的天主的子女,天主派遣了自己兒子的聖神,到我們內心喊說:「阿爸,父啊! 」
But because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father!
7 所以你已不再是奴隸,而是兒子了;如果是兒子,賴天主的恩寵,也成了承繼人。
Therefore thou art no more a slave, but a son, and if a son, an heir also of God through Christ.
8 當你們還不認識天主的時候,服事了一些本來不是神的神;
But at that time when ye knew not God, ye served those who by nature are not gods.
9 但如今你們認識了天主,更好說為天主所認識;那麼,你們怎麼又再回到那無能無用的蒙學裏去,情願再作他們的奴隸呢﹖
But now after having known God, or rather being known of God, how turn ye back again to those weak and beggarly elements, to which again a second time ye desire to be in bondage?
10 你們竟又謹守某日、某月、某時、某年!
Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
11 我真為你們擔心,怕我白白地為你們辛苦了。
I am afraid for you, lest haply I have bestowed on you labour in vain.
12 弟兄們! 我懇求你們要像我一樣,因為我曾一度也像你們一樣。你們一點也沒有虧負過我。
Be as I am, for I also am as ye are, brethren―this is my request to you: ye have not injured me in the least.
13 你們知道:當我初次給你們宣講福音時,正當我身患重病,
Ye know that with infirmity of flesh I preached to you the gospel at the first.
14 雖然我的病勢為你們是個試探,你們卻沒有輕看我,也沒有厭棄我,反接待我有如一位天主的天使,有如基督耶穌。
And my temptation, which was in my flesh, ye despised not, nor rejected with disgust; but as an angel of God ye received me, even as Christ Jesus himself.
15 那麼,你們當日所慶幸的在那裡呢﹖我敢為你們作證:如若可能,你們那時也會把你們的眼睛挖出來給我。
What then was your blessedness, for I bear witness to you that, if it were possible, ye would have plucked out your eyes, and given them to me.
16 那麼,只因我給你們說實話,就成了你們的仇人嗎﹖
Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?
17 那些人對你們表示關心,並不懷好好意; 他們只是願意使你們與我隔絕,好叫你們也關心他們。
They affect zeal for you, not honourably; but they wish to exclude us, that you may be zealously attached to them.
18 受人關心固然是好的,但應懷好意,且該常常如此,並不單是我在你們中間的時候。
It is good indeed to be zealously affected in a good cause always, and not only when I am present with you.
19 我的孩子們! 我願為你們再受產痛,直到基督在你們內形成為止。
My little children of whom I travail in birth again, until Christ be formed in you,
20 恨不得我現今就在你們跟前,改變我的聲調,因為我對你們實在放心不下。
I wish I could be with you now, and change my address; for I am in doubt about you.
21 你們願意屬於法律的,請告訴我:你們沒有聽見法律說什麼嗎﹖
Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
22 法律曾記載說:亞巴郎有兩個兒子:一個生於婢女,一個生於自由的婦人。
For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondwoman, and the other by a free.
23 那生於婢女的,是按常例而生的;但那生於自由婦人的,卻是因恩許而生的。
Now the son of the bond-maid was born after the flesh, but that by the free woman was by promise.
24 這都含有寓意:那兩個婦人是代表兩個盟約:一是出於西乃山,生子為奴,那即是哈加爾──
Which things are allegorical; for these are the two covenants, the one from mount Sinai, gendering unto bondage, which is represented by Agar.
25 西乃山是在阿剌伯──這哈加爾相當於現在的耶路撒冷,因為耶路撒冷與她的子女同為奴隸。
For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds with Jerusalem that now is, and is in bondage with her children.
26 然而那屬於天上的耶路撒冷卻是自由的,她就是我們的母親:
But the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.
27 誠如經上記載說:『不生育的石女,喜樂罷! 未經產痛的女人,歡呼高唱罷! 因為被棄者的子女比有夫者的子女還多。』
For it is written, “Rejoice, thou barren who bearest not, cry out and shout for joy, thou that travailest not, for more are the children of her that was desolate, than of her which had an husband.”
28 弟兄們! 你們像依撒格一樣,是恩許的子女。
So we, brethren, as Isaac, are the children of the promise.
29 但是,先前那按常例而生的怎樣迫害了那按神恩而生的,如今還是這樣。
But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so is it now.
30 然而經上說了什麼﹖『你將婢女和她的兒子趕走,因為婢女的兒子不能與自由婦人的兒子,一同承受家業。』
But what saith the scripture? “Cast out the bond-woman and her son for the son of the bond-maid shall in no wise inherit with the son of the free woman.”
31 所以,弟兄們,我們不是婢女的子女,而是自由婦人的子女。
So then, brethren, we are not the children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

< 加拉太書 4 >