< Acts 22 >
1 "Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make to you."
位仁人弟兄,諸位父老!請聽我現在對你們的分辯。」
2 When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were even more quiet. He said,
他們聽見保祿用希伯來話向他們致辭,就更為安靜了。保祿說:
3 "I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the Law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are this day.
「我原是猶太人,生於基里基雅的塔爾索,卻在這城裏長大,在加瑪里耳足前,對祖傳的法律,曾受過精確的教育;對天主我也是熱忱的,就如你們大家今天一樣。
4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
我曾迫害過這道,直到死地;不論男女,逮捕綑綁送入獄中;
5 As also the high priest and all the council of the elders testify, from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and traveled to Damascus to bring them also who were there to Urishlim in bonds to be punished.
就是大司祭和整個長老團,都可給我作證;我從他們那裏領了給弟兄們的文書,往大馬士革去,有意把那裏的這樣的人加以逮捕,帶到耶路撒冷來處罰。
6 It happened that, as I made my journey, and came close to Damascus, about noon, suddenly there shone from the sky a great light around me.
當我前行臨近大馬士革時,約在中午,忽然天上有一道大光,環射到我身上,
7 I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Shaul, Shaul, why are you persecuting me?'
我便跌在地上,聽見有聲音向我說:掃祿,掃祿!你為什麼迫害我﹖
8 I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' He said to me, 'I am Yeshua the Natsraya, whom you persecute.'
我回答說:主,你是誰﹖他向我說:我就是你所迫害的那個納匝肋人耶穌。
9 "Those who were with me indeed saw the light, and were afraid, but they did not understand the voice of him who spoke to me.
同我在一起的人,只看見那光,卻聽不見那對我說話的聲音。
10 I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' The Lord said to me, 'Arise, and go into Damascus. There you will be told about all things which are appointed for you to do.'
我說:主,我當作什麼﹖主向我說:你起來,往大馬士革去,在那裏有人要告訴你,給你派定當作的一切事。
11 When I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.
由於那光的炫耀,我看不見了,就由我的同伴用手領著,進了大馬士革。
12 One Khananya, a devout man according to the Law, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus,
有個人名叫阿納尼雅,是虔誠守法的人,所有住在那裏的猶太人都稱譽他。
13 came to me, and standing by me said to me, 'Brother Shaul, receive your sight.' In that very hour I looked up at him.
他來見我,站在旁邊向我說:掃祿兄弟,你看見罷!我當時向他一望,就看見了他。
14 He said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.
他說:我們祖先的天主,預簡了你,叫你認識他的意願,看見那位義者,並由他口中聽到聲音,
15 For you will be a witness for him to all people of what you have seen and heard.
因為你要向眾人,對你所見所聞的事,為他作證人。
16 Now why do you wait? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'
現在你還遲延什麼﹖起來領洗,呼求他的名,洗除你的罪惡罷!
17 "It happened that, when I had returned to Urishlim, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance,
我回到耶路撒冷,在殿裏祈禱時,就神魂超拔,
18 and saw him saying to me, 'Hurry and get out of Urishlim quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me from you.'
看見主向我說:趕緊,快快離開耶路撒冷,因為這裏的人,將不接受你為我作的證。
19 I said, 'Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue those who believed in you.
我就說:主!這是因為他們知道:我經常把信你的人下在監裏,並在各會堂裏鞭打他們;
20 When the blood of Astapanos, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.'
當你的證人斯德望的血傾流時,我本人還站在旁邊予以贊同,並且看守殺他的人們的衣服!
21 "He said to me, 'Depart, for I will send you out far from here to non-Jewish people.'"
他向我說:你去!因為我要打發你到遠方外邦人那裏去。」
22 They listened to him until he said that; then they lifted up their voice, and said, "Rid the earth of this fellow, for he is not fit to live."
他們聽他說到這句話,便揚聲說:「從地上除掉這樣的人,他不該活著!」
23 As they yelled, and threw off their cloaks, and threw dust into the air,
他們遂喧嘩納喊,扔下衣服,並向空中揚土。
24 the commanding officer commanded him to be brought into the barracks, ordering him to be examined by scourging, that he might know for what crime they yelled at him like that.
千夫長只得下令將保祿帶進營裏,說是要用鞭子拷問他,以便知道他們為什麼緣故這樣喊叫反對他。
25 When they had tied him up with thongs, Paul asked the centurion who stood by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and not found guilty?"
當士兵用皮條將保祿綁好時,保祿向旁邊站著的百夫長說:「一個羅馬人,又沒有被定罪,難道你們就可以鞭打他麼﹖」
26 When the centurion heard it, he went to the commanding officer and told him, "What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman."
百夫長聽了,就來到千夫長前報告說:「你可怎麼辦﹖這個人是羅馬人!」
27 The commanding officer came and asked him, "Tell me, are you a Roman?" He said, "Yes."
千夫長就前來問保祿說:「告訴我,你是羅馬人嗎﹖」保祿說:「是。」
28 The commanding officer answered, "I bought my citizenship for a great price." Paul said, "But I was born a Roman."
千夫長回答說:「我用一大筆錢纔購得這個公民權。」保祿說:「我卻生來就是。」
29 Immediately those who were about to examine him departed from him, and the commanding officer also was afraid when he realized that he was a Roman, because he had bound him.
於是那些要拷問保祿的人,又因為曾綑綁了他,就害怕起來。
30 But on the next day, desiring to know the truth about why he was accused by the Jews, he freed him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them.
第二天,千夫長願意知道,保祿為什麼被猶太人控告的實情,就解開他,並命令司祭長及全體公議會集合;隨後將保祿帶下來,叫他站在他們面前。