< 路加福音 1 >
Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled amongst us,
2 關於在我們中間所完的事蹟,己有許多人,依照那些自始親眼見過,並為真道服役的人所傳給我們的,著手編成了記述,
even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us,
3 我也從頭仔細查訪的一切,遂立意按著次第給你寫出來,
it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus;
that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed.
5 在猶太王黑落德的時候,阿彼雅班中有一位司祭名叫匝加利亞,他的妻子是出於亞郎的後代,名叫依撒伯爾。
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6 二人在天主前是義人,都照上主的一切誡命和禮規行事,無可指摘。
They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
7 但是,他們沒有孩子,因為依撒伯爾素不生育,兩人又都上了年紀。
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.
8 正逢匝加利亞輪著他的班次,在天主前盡司祭的職務時,
Now while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his division
9 按著司祭的常例,他抽中了籤,得進上主的聖所獻香。
according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.
An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.
13 但天使向他說:「匝加利亞,不要害怕! 因為你的祈禱己蒙應允,你的妻子依撒伯爾要給你生一個兒子,你要給他起名叫若翰。
But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
14 你必要喜樂歡躍,許多人也要因他的誕生而喜樂,
You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
15 因為他在上主面將是偉大的,淡酒濃酒他不喝,而且他在母胎中就要充滿聖神;
For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.
He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
17 他要以厄利亞的精神和能力,在祂在前面先行,為使父的心轉向兒子,使悖逆者轉向義人的心意,並為上主準備一個善良的百姓。」
He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for the Lord.”
18 匝加利亞遂向天主說:「我憑什麼能知道這事呢? 因為我已經老了,我的妻子也上了年紀。」
Zacharias said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
19 天使回答說:「我是站在天主在前面的加俾額爾,奉命來向你說話,報告給你這個喜訊。
The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
20 看,你必成為啞吧,不能說話,宜到這事成就的那一天,因為你沒有相信我的話;但我的話屆時必要應驗。」
Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak until the day that these things will happen, because you didn’t believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”
The people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marvelled that he delayed in the temple.
22 及至他出來後,不能與他們講話,他們這才知道他在聖所中見了異象,他已成了啞吧,只給他們打手勢
When he came out, he could not speak to them. They perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute.
When the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house.
24 幾天以後,他的妻子依撒伯爾了孕,自己躲藏了五個月,說:
After these days Elizabeth his wife conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying,
25 「上主在眷顧的日子這樣待了我,除去了我在人間的恥辱。
“Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach amongst men.”
26 到了第六個月,天使加俾額爾奉天主差遺,往加利肋亞一座名叫納匝肋的城去,
Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
27 到一位童貞女那裡,她已與達味家族中一個名若瑟的男子訂了婚,童貞女的名叫瑪利亞。
to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary.
28 天使進去向她說:「萬福! 充滿恩寵者,上主與妳同在! 」[在女人中妳是蒙祝福的。]
Having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, you highly favoured one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you amongst women!”
29 她卻因這話驚惶不安,便思慮這樣的請安有什麼意思。
But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be.
30 天使對她說:「瑪利亞,不要害怕,因為妳在天主在面前獲得了寵幸。
The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and shall name him ‘Jesus.’
32 祂將是偉大的,並被稱為至高者的兒子,上主天主要把祂祖先達味的御座賜給祂。
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
33 祂要為王統治雅各伯家,直到永遠;祂的王權沒有終結。」 (aiōn )
and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.” (aiōn )
34 瑪利亞便向天使說:「這事怎能成就? 因為我不認識男人。」
Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?”
35 天使答覆她說:「聖神要臨於妳,至高者的能要庇廕妳,因此,那要誕生的聖者,將稱為天主的兒子。
The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God.
36 且看,妳的親戚依撒伯爾,她雖在老年,卻懷了男胎,本月已六個月了,她原是素稱不生育的
Behold, Elizabeth your relative also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
For nothing spoken by God is impossible.”
38 瑪利亞說:「看,上主的婢女,願照你的話成就於我吧! 」天使便離開她去了。
Mary said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
39 瑪利亞就在那幾日動身,急速往山區去,到了猶太的一座城。
Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah,
and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
41 依撒伯爾一聽到瑪利亞安,胎兒就在她腹中歡躍。依撒伯爾遂充滿聖神,
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leapt in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 大聲呼喊說:「在女人中妳是蒙祝福的,妳的胎兒也是蒙祝福的。
She called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
Why am I so favoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 看,妳安的聲音一入我耳,胎兒就在我腹中歡喜跳躍。
For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leapt in my womb for joy!
45 那信了由上主傳於她的話必要完成的,是有福的。」
Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfilment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!”
Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord.
My spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour,
48 因為祂垂顧了祂婢女的卑微,今後萬世萬都要稱我有福;
for he has looked at the humble state of his servant. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.
For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name.
His mercy is for generations and generations on those who fear him.
He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 祂從高座上推下權勢者,卻舉揚了卑微貧困的人。
He has put down princes from their thrones, and has exalted the lowly.
53 祂曾使飢餓者飽饗美物,反使那富有者空手而去。
He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty.
54 祂曾回憶起自己的仁慈,扶助了祂的僕人以色列,
He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,
55 正如祂向我們的祖先所說過的思許,施思於亞巴郎和他的子孫,直到永遠。」 (aiōn )
as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his offspring forever.” (aiōn )
56 瑪利亞同依撒作爾住了三個月左右,就回本家去了。
Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.
Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she gave birth to a son.
58 她的鄰居和親戚聽說上主向她大施仁慈,都和她一同歡樂。
Her neighbours and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her, and they rejoiced with her.
59 到了第八天,人們來給這孩子行割損禮,並願意照他父親的名字叫他匝加利亞。
On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
His mother answered, “Not so; but he will be called John.”
61 他們就向她說:「在妳親戚中沒有叫這個名子的。」
They said to her, “There is no one amongst your relatives who is called by this name.”
They made signs to his father, what he would have him called.
63 他要了一塊小板,寫道:「若翰是他的名字。」群人都驚訝起來。
He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, “His name is John.” They all marvelled.
64 匝加利亞的口和舌頭立時開了,遂開口讚美天主。
His mouth was opened immediately and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God.
65 於是,所有的鄰居都滿懷怕情;這一切事就傳遍了全猶太山區,
Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea.
66 凡聽見的人都將這事存在人中,說:「這孩子將成為什麼人物啊? 」因為上主的手與他同在。
All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” The hand of the Lord was with him.
His father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,
68 「上主,以色列的天主應受讚美,因祂眷顧救贖了自己的民族,
“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people;
69 並在自己的僕人達味家中,為我們興起了大能的救主,
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
70 正如祂藉歷代諸聖先知的口所說過的, (aiōn )
(as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets who have been from of old), (aiōn )
salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;
to show mercy towards our fathers, to remember his holy covenant,
the oath which he swore to Abraham our father,
to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should serve him without fear,
in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.
76 至於你,小孩,你要稱為至高者的先知,因你要走在上主的在面前,為祂預備道路,
And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the dawn from on high will visit us,
79 為光照那坐在黑暗和死影中的人,並引我們的腳步,走向和平的道路。」
to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
80 這小孩漸漸長大,心神堅強。他住在荒野中,直到他在以色列人前出現的日期。
The child was growing and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.