< 2 Corinthians 1 >
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, through the will of God, and Timotheus the brother, to the assembly of God that is in Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia:
因天主的旨意,做基督耶穌宗徒的保祿和弟茂德弟兄,致書於格林多天主的教會和在全阿哈雅的眾位聖徒:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ!
願恩寵及平安由我們的父天主,和耶穌基督賜給你們!
3 Blessed [is] God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of the mercies, and God of all comfort,
願我們的主耶穌基督的天主和父,仁慈的父和施與各種安慰的天主受讚揚,
4 who is comforting us in all our tribulation, for our being able to comfort those in any tribulation through the comfort with which we are comforted ourselves by God;
是衪在我們各種磨難中,常安慰我們,為使我們能以自己由天主所親受安慰,去安慰那些在各種因難中的人。
5 because, as the sufferings of the Christ do abound to us, so through the Christ doth abound also our comfort;
因為基督所受的苦難,加於我們身上的越多,我們藉著基督,得所的安慰也越多。
6 and whether we be in tribulation, [it is] for your comfort and salvation, that is wrought in the enduring of the same sufferings that we also suffer; whether we are comforted, [it is] for your comfort and salvation;
我們如果受磨難,那是為叫你們受安慰與得救;我們如果受安慰,那也是為叫你們受安慰;這安慰足以能使你們堅忍那我們所受的同樣苦難。
7 and our hope [is] stedfast for you, knowing that even as ye are partakers of the sufferings — so also of the comfort.
為此,我們對你們所懷的希望是不移的,因為我們知道:你們怎樣分受了痛苦,他要怎樣同享安慰。
8 For we do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, of our tribulation that happened to us in Asia, that we were exceedingly burdened above [our] power, so that we despaired even of life;
弟兄們,我們深願你們知道,我們在亞細亞所的磨難:我們受到了非人力所能忍受的重壓,甚至連活的希望也沒有了;
9 but we ourselves in ourselves the sentence of the death have had, that we may not be trusting on ourselves, but on God, who is raising the dead,
而且我們自己也認為必死無疑,這是為叫我們不要倚靠自己,而倚靠只那使死人復活的天主。
10 who out of so great a death did deliver us, and doth deliver, in whom we have hoped that even yet He will deliver;
衪由這麼多的死亡危險中救了我們,而令仍在施救,我們切薶將來還要施救,
11 ye working together also for us by your supplication, that the gift through many persons to us, through many may be thankfully acknowledged for us.
只要你們以祈禱協助我們;這樣因有許多人為我們求得恩賜,好使將來也有許多人替我們感恩。
12 For our glorying is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom, but in the grace of God, we did conduct ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you;
我們認為光榮的事,就是有我們的良心作證:我們處世是本著由天主而來的直爽與真誠,並不是本著本性的智慧,而是本著天主的恩寵;對於你們尤其如此,
13 for no other things do we write to you, but what ye either do read or also acknowledge, and I hope that also unto the end ye shall acknowledge,
因為我們給你們所寫的,無非是你們所能郎誦,所能瞭解的。我盻望你們能完全瞭解我們,
14 according as also ye did acknowledge us in part, that your glory we are, even as also ye [are] ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus;
就如你們對我們已有了幾分瞭解,好在我們的主耶穌的日子上,我們是你們的誇耀,而你們也是我們的誇耀。
15 and in this confidence I was purposing to come unto you before, that a second favour ye might have,
懷著這種信念,我原先有意到你們那裏去,為使你們獲得第二次的恩惠,
16 and through you to pass to Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come unto you, and by you to be sent forward to Judea.
並經過你們那裏到馬其頓,再由馬其頓回到你們那裏,然後由你們送我往猶太去。
17 This, therefore, counselling, did I then use the lightness; or the things that I counsel, according to the flesh do I counsel, that it may be with me Yes, yes, and No, no?
那麼,我懷著這種意思,難道是我行事輕浮嗎﹖或者我定主意,是隨感情定的,以致在我內有「是」而又「非「嗎﹖
18 and God [is] faithful, that our word unto you became not Yes and No,
天主是忠實的,我們對你們所說火話,並不是「是」而又「非」的,
19 for the Son of God, Jesus Christ, among you through us having been preached — through me and Silvanus and Timotheus — did not become Yes and No, but in him it hath become Yes;
因為藉我們,既藉我和息耳瓦諾同弟茂德,在你們中間所宣講的天主子耶穌基督,並不是「是」而又「非」的,在衪內只有一個「是」
20 for as many as [are] promises of God, in him [are] the Yes, and in him the Amen, for glory to God through us;
因為天主的一切恩許,在衪內都成了「是」,為此也藉著衪,我們才答應「阿們」,使光榮藉我們歸於天主。
21 and He who is confirming you with us into Christ, and did anoint us, [is] God,
那堅固我們和你們在基督內的,並給我們傳油的,就是天主;
22 who also sealed us, and gave the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
衪在我們身上蓋了印,並在我們心裡賜下聖神作為抵押。
23 And I for a witness on God do call upon my soul, that sparing you, I came not yet to Corinth;
我指著我的性命呼號天主作證:我沒有再到格林多去,是為了顧惜你們。
24 not that we are lords over your faith, but we are workers together with your joy, for by the faith ye stand.
這並不是說:在信仰方面我們願管制你們,而是說:我們願作你們喜樂的合作者,因為你們在信仰上已站穩了。