< Ephesians 4 >
1 I, the prisoner of the LORD, then call on you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called,
所以我在這主內為囚犯的懇求你們,行動務要與你們所受的寵召相稱,
2 with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love,
凡事要謙遜、溫和、忍耐,在愛德中彼此擔待,
3 being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace;
盡力以和平的聯繫,保持心神的合一,
4 one body and one Spirit, according as you were also called in one hope of your calling;
因為只有一個身體和一個聖神,正如你們蒙召,同有一個希望一樣。
5 one Lord, one faith, one immersion,
只有一個主,一個信德,一個洗禮;
6 one God and Father of all, who [is] over all, and through all, and in you all,
只有一個天主和眾人之父,祂超越眾人,貫通眾人,且在眾人之內。
7 and to each one of you was given grace, according to the measure of the gift of Christ,
但我們各人所領受的恩寵,卻是按照基督賜恩的尺度。
8 for this reason, it says, “Having gone up on high He led captive captivity, and gave gifts to men.”
為此經上說:『祂帶領俘虜,升上高天,且把恩惠賜與人。』
9 And that, He went up, what is it except that He also went down first into the lower parts of the earth?
說祂上升了,豈不是說祂曾下降到地下嗎﹖
10 He who went down is the same who also went up far above all the heavens, that He may fill all things—
那下降的,正是上升超乎諸之上,以充滿萬有的那一位,
11 and He gave some [as] apostles, and some [as] prophets, and some [as] proclaimers of good news, and some [as] shepherds and teachers,
就是祂賜與這些人作宗徒,那些人作先知,有的作傳福音者,有的作司牧和教師,
12 to the perfecting of the holy ones, for a work of ministry, for a building up of the body of the Christ,
為成全聖徒,使之各盡其職;為建樹基督的身體,
13 until we may all come to the unity of faith and of the recognition of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to a measure of stature of the fullness of the Christ,
直到我們眾人都達到對於天主子,有有一致的信仰和認識,成為成年人,達到基督圓滿年齡的程度;
14 that we may no longer be children, being tossed by waves and being carried around by every wind of the teaching, in the cunning of men, in craftiness, to the scheming of leading astray,
使我們不再作小孩子,為各種教義之風所飄盪,所捲去,而中了人的陰謀,陷於入荒謬的詭計;
15 and [speaking] truth in love, we may increase to Him [in] all things, who is the head—the Christ;
反而在愛德中持守真理,在各方面長進,而歸於那為元首的基督,
16 from whom the whole body, being fitly joined together and united, through the supply of every joint, according to the working in the measure of each single part, the increase of the body makes for the building up of itself in love.
本著祂,全身都結構緊湊,藉著各關節的互相補助,按照各肢體的功用,各盡其職,使身體不斷增長,在愛德中將它建立起來。
17 This, then, I say, and I testify in the LORD: you are no longer to walk, as also the other nations walk, in the vanity of their mind,
為此我說,且在主內苦勸你們,生活不要再像外邦人,順隨自己的虛妄思念而生活;
18 being darkened in the understanding, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart,
他們的理智受了蒙蔽,因著他們的無知和固執,與天主的生命隔絕了。
19 who, having ceased to feel, gave themselves up to the licentiousness, for the working of all uncleanness in greediness;
這樣的人既已麻木,便縱情恣慾,貪行各種不潔。
20 and you did not so learn the Christ,
但你們卻不是這樣學了基督。
21 if [it] so be [that] you heard Him, and were taught in Him, as truth is in Jesus;
如果你們真聽過祂,按照在耶穌內的真理,在祂內受過教,
22 concerning the former behavior you are to put off the old man, that is corrupt according to the desires of the deceit,
就該脫去你們照從前生活的舊人,就是因順從享樂的慾念而敗壞的舊人,
23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
應在心思念慮上大改換一新,
24 and to put on the new man, which, according to God, was created in righteousness and kindness of the truth.
穿上新人,就是按天主的肖像所造,具有真實的正義和聖善的新人。
25 For this reason, putting away the lying, each speak truth with his neighbor, because we are members of one another;
為此,你們應該戒絕謊言,彼此應該說實話,因為我們彼此都是一身的肢體。
26 be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
『你們縱然動怒,但是不可犯罪;』不可讓太陽在你們含怒時西落,
27 neither give place to the Devil;
也不可給魔鬼留有餘地。
28 whoever is stealing let him no longer steal, but rather let him labor, working the thing that is good with the hands, that he may have to impart to him having need.
那以前偷竊的,不要再偷竊,卻更要勞苦,親手賺取正當的利潤,好能賙濟貧乏的人。
29 Let no corrupt word go forth out of your mouth, but what is good to the necessary building up, that it may give grace to the hearers;
一切壞話都不可出於你們的口;但看事情的需要,說造就人的話,叫聽眾獲得益處。
30 and do not make the Holy Spirit of God sorrowful, in which you were sealed to [the] day of redemption.
你們不要叫天主的聖神憂鬱,因為你們是在祂內受了印證,以待得救的日子。
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and slander, be put away from you, with all malice,
一切毒辣、怨恨、忿怒、爭吵、毀謗以及弓切邪惡,都要從你們中除掉;
32 and become kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, according as God also forgave you in Christ.
彼此相待,要良善,要仁慈,互相寬恕,如同天主在基督內寬恕了你們一樣。