正教會今日讀經
格後/ 林後8:16-9:5
感謝天主,把我對你們所有的同樣熱情賜在弟鐸的心裏,因為他接受了我們的請求,而且因他更為關心,便自動起身往你們那裏去了。同時我也打發了一位弟兄和他同去,這人在宣講福音上所受的讚美傳遍了各教會──不但如此,而且各教會也派定了他在這恩惠上作我們的旅伴,我們經管這事是為主的光榮,並為表現我們的好心──我們這樣防範,是為避免有人在我們所經營的這巨款上來毀謗我們,因為我們不但在主面前關心我們的美名,而且也在人的面前。我們還打發了一位弟兄與他們同去,我們在許多事上,屢次證驗過他是熱情的;如今因他對你們大有信心,當然更加熱情了。論到弟鐸,他是我的同伴,為你們也是我的助手;論到我們的那兩位弟兄,他們是教會的使者,是基督的光榮,所以你們要在眾教會前,向他們證實你們的愛情,和我們對你們所有的誇耀。
其實,關於供應聖徒之事,我給你們寫信原是多餘的,因為我知道你們甘心情願做。對這事,我曾向馬其頓人誇耀過你們,說阿哈雅從去年就預備好了,並且你們的熱心曾激勵了很多的人,不過,我打發那幾位弟兄去,好使我們在這方面所誇耀於你們的,不致於落空,好叫你們正如我所說過的,準備好了,免得萬一馬其頓人與我同去,見你們沒有準備好,使我們在這件事上受到羞辱,那更不用說你們了。所以我認為必須請求那幾位弟兄先到你們那裏,把你們從前所應許的大量捐助先準備好,齊備得好像是出於大方,而不是出於小氣。
But thanks be to God who put the same concern for you into the heart of Titus, for he not only welcomed our appeal but, since he is very concerned, he has gone to you of his own accord. With him we have sent the brother 14 who is praised in all the churches for his preaching of the gospel. And not only that, but he has also been appointed our traveling companion by the churches in this gracious work administered by us for the glory of the Lord (himself) and for the expression of our eagerness. This we desire to avoid, that anyone blame us about this lavish gift administered by us, for we are concerned for what is honorable not only in the sight of the Lord but also in the sight of others. And with them we have sent our brother whom we often tested in many ways and found earnest, but who is now much more earnest because of his great confidence in you. As for Titus, he is my partner and co-worker for you; as for our brothers, they are apostles of the churches, the glory of Christ. So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to them.
Now about the service to the holy ones, it is superfluous for me to write to you, for I know your eagerness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia has been ready since last year; and your zeal has stirred up most of them. Nonetheless, I sent the brothers so that our boast about you might not prove empty in this case, so that you might be ready, as I said, for fear that if any Macedonians come with me and find you not ready we might be put to shame (to say nothing of you) in this conviction. So I thought it necessary to encourage the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for your promised gift, so that in this way it might be ready as a bountiful gift and not as an exaction.
谷/ 可3:13-19
隨後,耶穌上了山,把自己所想要的人召來,他們便來到他面前。他就選定了十二人,為同他常在一起,並為派遣他們去宣講,且具有驅魔的權柄。他選定了這十二人:西滿,給他起名叫伯多祿,載伯德的兒子雅各伯和雅各伯的弟弟若望,並為他們起名叫「波納爾革」,就是「雷霆之子」,安德肋、斐理伯、巴爾多祿茂、瑪竇、多默、阿爾斐的兒子雅各伯,達陡和熱誠者西滿,並猶達斯依斯加略,他是負賣耶穌者。
He went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him. He appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons: (he appointed the twelve:) Simon, whom he named Peter; James, son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.