< 馬太福音 13 >
Later that day Jesus left the house, and sat down to teach beside the lake.
2 有許多人到他那裏聚集,他只得上船坐下,眾人都站在岸上。
So many people gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down there to teach, while all the crowds stood on the beach.
3 他用比喻對他們講許多道理,說:「有一個撒種的出去撒種;
He explained many things to them, using stories as illustrations. “The sower went out to sow,” he began.
“As he was sowing, some of the seeds fell on the path. The birds came and ate them up.
Other seeds fell on stony ground where there wasn't much earth where they sprouted quickly.
The sun rose and scorched them and they withered because they had no roots.
Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked them.
8 又有落在好土裏的,就結實,有一百倍的,有六十倍的,有三十倍的。
Still other seeds fell on good soil. They produced a harvest—some one hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what had been planted.
Anybody who has ears should be listening!”
10 門徒進前來,問耶穌說:「對眾人講話,為甚麼用比喻呢?」
The disciples came to Jesus and asked him, “Why do you use illustrations when you speak to the people?”
11 耶穌回答說:「因為天國的奧祕只叫你們知道,不叫他們知道。
“You're privileged to have revealed to you the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but they're not given such insights,” Jesus replied.
12 凡有的,還要加給他,叫他有餘;凡沒有的,連他所有的,也要奪去。
“Those who already have will have more given to them, more than enough. But those who don't have, whatever they have will be taken away from them.
13 所以我用比喻對他們講,是因他們看也看不見,聽也聽不見,也不明白。
That's why I speak to them in illustrations. For even though they see, they do not see; and even though they hear, they do not hear; nor do they understand.
14 在他們身上,正應了以賽亞的預言,說: 你們聽是要聽見,卻不明白; 看是要看見,卻不曉得;
The prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled in them: ‘Even though you hear, you won't understand, and even though you see, you won't perceive.
15 因為這百姓油蒙了心, 耳朵發沉, 眼睛閉着, 恐怕眼睛看見, 耳朵聽見, 心裏明白,回轉過來, 我就醫治他們。
They have a hard-hearted attitude, they don't want to listen, and they've closed their eyes. If they didn't they might be able to see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand in their minds. Then they could return to me and I would heal them.’
16 「但你們的眼睛是有福的,因為看見了;你們的耳朵也是有福的,因為聽見了。
Your eyes are blessed, for they see. Your ears are blessed too, for they hear.
17 我實在告訴你們,從前有許多先知和義人要看你們所看的,卻沒有看見,要聽你們所聽的,卻沒有聽見。」
I'm telling you, many prophets and good people longed to see what you're seeing, but didn't see it. They longed to hear what you're hearing, but didn't hear it.
So listen to the story of the sower.
19 凡聽見天國道理不明白的,那惡者就來,把所撒在他心裏的奪了去;這就是撒在路旁的了。
When people hear the message about the kingdom and don't understand it, the evil one comes along and rips out what was sown in them. This is what happens to the seeds sown on the path.
20 撒在石頭地上的,就是人聽了道,當下歡喜領受,
The seeds sown on stony ground are people who hear the message and happily accept it straight away.
21 只因心裏沒有根,不過是暫時的,及至為道遭了患難,或是受了逼迫,立刻就跌倒了。
They last for a while, but because they don't have roots, when problems and troubles come, they quickly fall away.
22 撒在荊棘裏的,就是人聽了道,後來有世上的思慮、錢財的迷惑把道擠住了,不能結實。 (aiōn )
The seeds sown among thorns are people who hear the message, but then life's worries and the temptation of money choke the message so that they become fruitless. (aiōn )
23 撒在好地上的,就是人聽道明白了,後來結實,有一百倍的,有六十倍的,有三十倍的。」
The seeds sown on good soil are people who hear the message, and understand it, and who produce a good harvest—some one hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what was sown.”
24 耶穌又設個比喻對他們說:「天國好像人撒好種在田裏,
Then he told them another illustrated story: “The kingdom of heaven is like a farmer who sowed good seeds in his field.
25 及至人睡覺的時候,有仇敵來,將稗子撒在麥子裏就走了。
But while his workers were sleeping, an enemy came and sowed weed seeds on top of the wheat. Then they left.
So when the wheat grew and produced ears of grain, the weeds also grew up.
27 田主的僕人來告訴他說:『主啊,你不是撒好種在田裏嗎?從哪裏來的稗子呢?』
The farmer's workers came and asked him, ‘Sir, didn't you sow good seeds in your field? Where did the weeds come from?’
28 主人說:『這是仇敵做的。』僕人說:『你要我們去薅出來嗎?』
‘Some enemy has done this,’ he replied. ‘Do you want us to go and pull up the weeds?’ they asked him.
29 主人說:『不必,恐怕薅稗子,連麥子也拔出來。
‘No,’ he answered, ‘as you pull up the weeds, you might uproot the wheat too.
30 容這兩樣一齊長,等着收割。當收割的時候,我要對收割的人說,先將稗子薅出來,捆成捆,留着燒;惟有麥子要收在倉裏。』」
Let them both grow until harvest, and then at harvest-time I'll tell the reapers to first gather the weeds, tie them up into bundles and burn them, and then gather the wheat and store it in my barn.’”
31 他又設個比喻對他們說:「天國好像一粒芥菜種,有人拿去種在田裏。
He gave them another illustration: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a farmer sowed in his field.
32 這原是百種裏最小的,等到長起來,卻比各樣的菜都大,且成了樹,天上的飛鳥來宿在它的枝上。」
Even though it's the tiniest of seeds it grows much bigger than other plants. In fact it grows into a tree big enough for birds to roost in its branches.”
33 他又對他們講個比喻說:「天國好像麵酵,有婦人拿來,藏在三斗麵裏,直等全團都發起來。」
He told them another illustrated story: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman mixed with a large quantity of flour, until all the dough was raised.”
34 這都是耶穌用比喻對眾人說的話;若不用比喻,就不對他們說甚麼。
Jesus explained all these things to the crowds using illustrated stories—in fact he didn't speak to them without using stories.
35 這是要應驗先知的話,說: 我要開口用比喻, 把創世以來所隱藏的事發明出來。
This fulfilled the prophet's words: “I will speak using stories, and I will explain things hidden from the creation of the world.”
36 當下,耶穌離開眾人,進了房子。他的門徒進前來,說:「請把田間稗子的比喻講給我們聽。」
Then he left the crowds and went into a house. His disciples came over to him, and asked him, “Please explain to us the story about the weeds in the field.”
“The one who sows the good seed is the Son of man,” Jesus explained.
38 田地就是世界;好種就是天國之子;稗子就是那惡者之子;
“The field is the world. The good seeds are the children of the kingdom. The weed seeds are the children of the evil one.
39 撒稗子的仇敵就是魔鬼;收割的時候就是世界的末了;收割的人就是天使。 (aiōn )
The enemy that sowed the weed seeds is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world. The reapers are angels. (aiōn )
40 將稗子薅出來用火焚燒,世界的末了也要如此。 (aiōn )
Just as the weeds are harvested and burned so it will be at the end of the world. (aiōn )
41 人子要差遣使者,把一切叫人跌倒的和作惡的,從他國裏挑出來,
The Son of man will send out his angels, and they will gather up every sinful thing and everyone who does evil,
and will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.
43 那時,義人在他們父的國裏,要發出光來,像太陽一樣。有耳可聽的,就應當聽!」
Then those who live right will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their father. Anybody with ears should be listening!
44 「天國好像寶貝藏在地裏,人遇見了就把它藏起來,歡歡喜喜地去變賣一切所有的,買這塊地。
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. A man found it, reburied it, and then full of joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
The kingdom of heaven is also like a trader looking for good pearls.
46 遇見一顆重價的珠子,就去變賣他一切所有的,買了這顆珠子。
When he found the most expensive pearl ever he went and sold all he had and bought it.
Once more, the kingdom of heaven is like a fishing net thrown into the sea that caught all kinds of fish.
48 網既滿了,人就拉上岸來,坐下,揀好的收在器具裏,將不好的丟棄了。
When it was full it was dragged ashore. The good fish were put into baskets while the bad ones were thrown away.
49 世界的末了也要這樣。天使要出來,從義人中把惡人分別出來, (aiōn )
That's the way it will be when the end of the world comes. The angels will go out and separate the evil people from the good, (aiōn )
and throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.
51 耶穌說:「這一切的話你們都明白了嗎?」他們說:「我們明白了。」
Now do you understood everything?” “Yes,” they replied.
52 他說:「凡文士受教作天國的門徒,就像一個家主從他庫裏拿出新舊的東西來。」
“Every religious teacher who's learned about the kingdom of heaven is like a house-owner who brings out from his storeroom both new and old treasures,” Jesus said.
After Jesus finished telling these stories, he left.
54 來到自己的家鄉,在會堂裏教訓人,甚至他們都希奇,說:「這人從哪裏有這等智慧和異能呢?
He went back to his home town and taught in the synagogue there. People were amazed, and asked, “Where does he get his wisdom and miracles from?
55 這不是木匠的兒子嗎?他母親不是叫馬利亞嗎?他弟兄們不是叫雅各、約西 、 西門、猶大嗎?
Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and his brothers James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas?
56 他妹妹們不是都在我們這裏嗎?這人從哪裏有這一切的事呢?」
Don't his sisters live here among us? So where does he get all this from?”
57 他們就厭棄他。耶穌對他們說:「大凡先知,除了本地本家之外,沒有不被人尊敬的。」
And so they refused to believe in him. “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his homeland and in his family,” Jesus told them.
Since they failed to trust in him, he did not do many miracles there.