< Romans 9 >
1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience bearing witness with me in the Holy Ghost,
我与基督同在,我所说为真相!我的良心和圣灵可以证明
2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing pain in my heart.
我心中的彻骨悲伤,证明我心中从未终结的痛苦,
3 For I could wish that I myself were anathema from Christ for my brethren’s sake, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
这苦痛是为了与我相同之人,我的兄弟姐妹。只要能够帮助他们,我宁愿自己被诅咒,宁愿与基督分离。
4 who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service [of God], and the promises;
他们就是我的以色列同胞,是上帝所选之人。上帝向他们彰显其荣耀,认可接纳他们,赐予他们律法、真正的敬拜和上帝的承诺。
5 whose are the fathers, and of whom is Christ as concerning the flesh, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. (aiōn )
他们就是我们的祖先,从人类角度来说就是基督的祖先,是掌管一切、永远受祝福的上帝。阿门。 (aiōn )
6 But [it is] not as though the word of God hath come to nought. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
上帝的承诺并未落空。因为并非每一位以色列人都是真正的以色列人,
7 neither, because they are Abraham’s seed, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
并且所有亚伯拉罕的后裔都是他真正的孩子。正如经文所说:“以撒所生才算作你的后裔。”
8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh that are children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned for a seed.
所以并非亚伯拉罕的血缘之子即可被视为上帝之子,只有获得上帝承诺方为他的真正后裔。
9 For this is a word of promise, According to this season will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
上帝如此承诺:“明年我会回归,撒拉必生一子。”
10 And not only so; but Rebecca also having conceived by one, [even] by our father Isaac—
不仅如此,我们的祖先以撒也是利百加双胞胎儿子的父亲。
11 for [the children] being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth,
但就在双胞胎出生之前,在他们做出任何正义或错误行为之前,(这样上帝的旨意才能延续,证明上帝并非根据人的行为而对其进行召唤)
12 it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
她就已被告知,“哥哥将会为弟弟服务。”
13 Even as it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.
正如经文所记:“我选择雅各,放弃以扫。”
14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
那么我们应该得出怎样的结论?上帝不公?当然不是!
15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.
正如上帝对摩西所说:“我应该向谁施以怜悯,我应该向谁施以慈悲,由我决定。”
16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that hath mercy.
因此,这并不取决于我们想要什么,也不取决于我们自身的努力,而是取决于上帝的慈悲本性。
17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, For this very purpose did I raise thee up, that I might shew in thee my power, and that my name might be published abroad in all the earth.
经文中记载上帝对法老说:“我将你置于这个地位自有原因,我通过你彰显我的力量,让我的名字传遍世界。”
18 So then he hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardeneth.
所以,上帝以怜悯或强硬的态度对待谁,都是他想要这么做。
19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he still find fault? For who withstandeth his will?
你们可能会争辩:“那他为什么还要责怪我们?谁能抗拒上帝的旨意?”
20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why didst thou make me thus?
不能这么说,你又是谁?一介凡人而已,怎能反驳上帝?被创造的万物怎能对造物主说:“你为什么将我造成这个样子?”
21 Or hath not the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
陶艺家用同一批粘土制作漂亮的碗和常用的锅,他难道没有权利使用吗?
22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering vessels of wrath fitted unto destruction:
好比上帝要表明他反对罪恶,彰显他的能力,容忍这些“注定毁灭之罐”,
23 and that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he afore prepared unto glory,
这样才能通过这些“怜悯之罐”彰显他的伟大荣耀,提前为荣耀做好准备。
24 [even] us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles?
这就是我们——他所召唤之人,不仅来自犹太人,也来自外族人……
25 As he saith also in Hosea, I will call that my people, which was not my people; And her beloved, which was not beloved.
上帝在《何西阿书》中说道:“他们并非我的子民,但我会称其为我的子民,他们并非蒙我所爱,我要称其为蒙我所爱。”
26 And it shall be, [that] in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, There shall they be called sons of the living God.
并且,“如果他们在身处之地被告知:‘你们并非我的子民,’就是在那里,他们将被称为永生上帝之子。”
27 And Isaiah crieth concerning Israel, If the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that shall be saved:
以赛亚向以色列人呼喊:“尽管以色列子孙多如海沙,但得救者却只有少数。
28 for the Lord will execute [his] word upon the earth, finishing it and cutting it short.
因为主将快速而彻底地完成他在人世的审判。”
29 And, as Isaiah hath said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, We had become as Sodom, and had been made like unto Gomorrah.
正如以赛亚之前所说:“如果至高之主未给我们留下后裔,我们的结局就和所多玛和蛾摩拉别无二致。”
30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith:
那么我们应该得出怎样的结论?外族人可能从未想过要正义行事,但却深知何为正义,然后通过他们对上帝的信任,做出道德正确之事。
31 but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, did not arrive at [that] law.
但以色列人却盯着律法行上帝之正义,却从未成功。
32 Wherefore? Because [they sought it] not by faith, but as it were by works. They stumbled at the stone of stumbling;
为什么?因为他们只根据行为决定正义,而不是通过相信上帝。他们就像被绊脚石绊倒,
33 even as it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame.
正如经文所预言:“看,我在锡安放了一块绊脚石,一块会绊倒世人的磐石。但相信他的人绝不会失望。”