保羅定睛看著公會的人，說：弟兄們，我在神面前行事為人都是憑著良心，直到今日。使徒行傳23:1
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https://www.bible.com/bible/46/ACT.23.CUNP
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Today's devotion is in Acts chapter 23.
今天的泉源甘露進度是使徒行傳23章。
Paul is standing before the High Council, "gazing intently" at them as he says with such conviction, "Brothers, I have always lived before God with a clear conscience!" He was instantly ordered to be slapped on the mouth for saying this, but he stood firmly and snapped back by saying, “God will slap you, you corrupt hypocrite!" continuing on to ask, "What kind of judge are you to break the law yourself by ordering me struck like that?"
保羅定睛看著公會的人，說：「弟兄們，我在神面前行事為人都是憑著良心，直到今日。」立刻就有人被吩咐打他的嘴，但他站穩沒有動搖的回答：「你這粉飾的牆，神要打你！你坐堂為的是按律法審問我，你竟違背律法，吩咐人打我麼？」
Now, let's pause for a minute in this dramatic dialogue and take a moment to note that Paul's attitude is about to change from firm and resistant to humble and submissive when he is accused of insulting a high priest. In verse 4 it says, those standing near Paul said to him, "Do you dare to insult God's high priest?" which Paul replies in verse 5 by saying, "I'm sorry, brothers. I didn't realize he was the high priest, for the Scriptures say, 'You must not speak evil of any of your rulers.'"
在這精采的故事中先暫停一下，當保羅被指控侮辱大祭司時，他的態度將從堅定和抵抗轉變為謙虛和順服。第四節告訴我們站在旁邊的人說：你辱罵神的大祭司麼？保羅說：弟兄們，我不曉得他是大祭司；經上記著說：不可毀謗你百姓的官長。
Then Paul realizes that some members of the high council were Sadducees and some were Pharisees. He shouted, "Brothers, I am a Pharisees, as were my ancestors! And I am on trial because my hope is in the resurrection of the dead!" "This divided the council--the Pharisees against the Sadducees--for the Sadducees say there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, but the Pharisees believe in all of these. 保羅看出大眾一半是撒都該人，一半是法利賽人，就在公會中大聲說：弟兄們，我是法利賽人，也是法利賽人的子孫。我現在受審問，是為盼望死人復活。說了這話，法利賽人和撒都該人就爭論起來，會眾分為兩黨。因為撒都該人說，沒有復活，也沒有天使和鬼魂；法利賽人卻說，兩樣都有。
This led to a great uproar, which grew so violent that the commander was afraid they would tear Paul apart, so he ordered soldiers to go and rescue Paul by force and take him back to the fortress, where the Lord appeared to Paul and said, "Be encouraged, Paul, just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well."
這引起很大暴動，千夫長恐怕保羅被他們扯碎了，就吩咐兵丁下去，把他從眾人當中搶出來，帶進營樓去。當夜，主站在保羅旁邊，說：放心罷！你怎樣在耶路撒冷為我作見證，也必怎樣在羅馬為我作見證。
Now, this seems like a good happy ending, but the story continues with Paul's nephew hearing of a conspiracy to kill Paul. A group of more than 40 Jews got together and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. But good news! Paul was safely escorted far away to Governor Felix in Caesarea and was kept in the prison at Herod’s headquarters until people came to present their charges against him.
故事在這先結束好像也不錯，但是保羅的外甥聽見有人設下埋伏。一群四十多名猶太人同謀起誓，說：若不先殺保羅就不吃不喝。但是有好消息！保羅安全地被押送到該撒利亞的巡撫腓力斯大人手中，並被看守在希律的衙門裡，直到人們提出對他的指控。
So, in this chapter, we first see Paul proclaim to the high council that he had always lived before God with a clear conscience. In 2 Corinthians (1:12), Paul also says to God’s church in Corinth, "We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have lived with a God-given holiness and sincerity in all our dealings. We have depended on God’s grace, not on our own human wisdom … " We not only see Paul live out these words in Acts 23, but throughout the Bible, living with this "clear conscience" is reiterated 12 times in the NLT. It is with this clear conscience, Paul remains unshaken through all he endures. He knows he will have God’s provision. He knows he can depend on God's grace. And with this clear conscience he is able to be firm when speaking to the high council or submissive when he is accused of insulting a high priest or wise to realize the council could be divided in uproar, all according to God’s will. In the concluding words of Hebrews, the author says, "Please pray for us, for our conscience is clear and we want to live honorably in everything we do."
所以在這章，我們看到保羅對著公會的人他在神面前行事為人都是憑著良心。在歌林多後書 1:12 保羅也對哥林多神的教會說 "我們所誇的是自己的良心，見證我們憑著神的聖潔和誠實；在世為人不靠人的聰明。我們不只在使徒行傳23章看到保羅活出這一點，在整本聖經裡面，憑著良心行事為人出現至少十二次。就是憑著這份良心，保羅在他所承受的一切中都保持不動搖。 保羅知道神會供應。 他知道可以依靠神的恩典。他也知道靠著良心他無論是對公會說話還是謙卑的順服經文說不可毀謗百姓的官長還智慧的發現可以用一句喊話來引起如此大的紛爭及暴動，都是按照神的旨意。在希伯來書的結尾，作者說「請你們為我們禱告，因我們自覺良心無虧，願意凡事按正道而行。」
Dear brothers and sisters, do you want to live honorably in everything you do? Do you want to enjoy a burden-free life living with a clear conscience before God? When writing about suffering for doing good, Peter the apostle says (in 1 Peter 3:13-16) 13 Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don't worry or be afraid of their threats. 15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. 16 But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. Both Paul and Peter the apostle lived a good life because they belonged to Christ, a good life not defined by worldly standards, but by God's standards. And they were able to live with a clear conscience because they depended on God's grace in all they did and not on their own wisdom. Let's pray we are able to do the same.
親愛的弟兄姊妹們，你會想凡事都按正道而行嗎？你會想要在神的面前活出無虧的良心，過著無重擔的美好人生嗎？彼得在彼得前書第三章說你們若是熱心行善，有誰害你們呢？你們就是為義受苦，也是有福的。不要怕人的威嚇，也不要驚慌；只要心裡尊主基督為聖。有人問你們心中盼望的緣由，就要常作準備，以溫柔、敬畏的心回答各人；存著無虧的良心，叫你們在何事上被毀謗，就在何事上可以叫那誣賴你們在基督裡有好品行的人自覺羞愧。保羅和彼得都過著美好的生活，因為他們屬於基督，這種美好不是由世俗的標準所定義，而是由上帝的標準所定義。他們之所以能夠以無虧的良心生活，是因為他們所做的一切都取決於上帝的恩典，而不是依靠自己的聰明。讓我們來一起禱告求神我們也能如此。
Heavenly Father, we come to you in prayer and petition, asking that you personally show each of us how to live with a clear conscience before You. May we grow in faith knowing that we can depend on Your grace, not on our own human wisdom. If we are asked about our hope as a believer, please give us the words to explain in a gentle and respectful way. Thank you, Father God, for the chance to pray for a clear conscience, for a good life that is defined by Your standards and not of this world. Thank you, Lord. We love you. We praise you. In Jesus' name we pray, amen!
親愛的天父，我們來到祢面前禱告祈求，求神親自教我們如何在行事為人都是憑著良心。讓我們信心成長，知道要依靠祢的恩典，而不是靠自己的聰明。如果有人問我們心中盼望的緣由，請給我們智慧以溫柔，敬畏的心回答各人。感謝主讓我們可以為自己無虧的良心禱告，也為在祢標準下定義為美好的生活而禱告，不是按造世界所定義的。感謝主。我們愛祢。 我們讚美祢。以上禱告奉主耶穌基督的名求，阿們！
【每日經文】
保羅定睛看著公會的人，說：弟兄們，我在神面前行事為人都是憑著良心，直到今日。使徒行傳23:1
▎倪湘鈴姊妹
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