Shǐtúxíngzhuàn 1

1 Tíafēiluó a , wǒ yǐjing zuò le qián shū , lún dào Yēsū kāitóu yīqiè suǒ xíng suǒ jiàoxun de ,

2 Zhídào tā jiè zhe Shènglíng fēnfu suǒ jiǎnxuǎn de shǐtú , yǐhòu beì jiē shàng shēng de rìzi wéizhǐ .

3 Tā shòu haì zhī hòu , yòng xǔduō de píngjù , jiāng zìjǐ huó huó de xiǎn gĕi shǐtú kàn , sì shí tiān zhī jiǔ xiàng tāmen xiǎnxiàn , jiǎng shuō shén guó de shì .

4 Yēsū hé tāmen jùjí de shíhou , zhǔfu tāmen shuō , búyào líkāi Yēlùsǎlĕng , yào dĕnghòu fù suǒ yīngxǔ de , jiù shì nǐmen tīng wǒ shuō guō de .

5 Yuēhàn shì yòng shuǐ shīxǐ . dàn bù duō jǐ rì , nǐmen yào shòu Shènglíng de xǐ .

6 Tāmen jùjí de shíhou , wèn Yēsū shuō , Zhǔ a , nǐ fùxīng Yǐsèliè guó , jiù zaì zhè shíhou má .

7 Yēsū duì tāmen shuō , fù píng zhe zìjǐ de quánbǐng , suǒ déng de shíhou rìqī , bù shì nǐmen kĕyǐ zhīdào de .

8 Dàn Shènglíng jiànglín zaì nǐmen shēnshang , nǐmen jiù bì dé zhe nénglì . bìng yào zaì Yēlùsǎlĕng , Yóutaì quán dì , hé Sāmǎlìyà , zhídào dìjí , zuò wǒde jiànzhèng .

9 Shuō le zhè huà , tāmen zhēng kàn de shíhou , tā jiù beì qǔ shǎng shēng , yǒu yī duǒ yúncai bǎ tā jiē qù , biàn kàn bù jiàn tā le .

10 Dàng tā wǎng shàng qù , tāmen déngjīng wàng tiān de shíhou , hūrán yǒu liǎng gèrén , shēn chuān bái yī , zhàn zaì pángbiān , shuō ,

11 Jiālìlì rén nǎ , nǐmen wèishénme zhàn zhe wàng tiān ne . zhè líkāi nǐmen beì jiē shēng tiān de Yēsū , nǐmen jiàn tā zĕnyàng wǎng tiān shàng qù , tā hái yào zĕnyàng lái .

12 Yǒu yī zuò shān míng jiào Gǎnlǎnshān , lí Yēlùsǎlĕng bù yuǎn , yuē yǒu ānxīrì kè zǒu de lùchéng . dāngxià méntǔ cōng nàli huí Yēlùsǎlĕng qù .

13 Jìn le chéng , jiù shàng le suǒ zhù de yī jiān lóu fáng . zaì nàli yǒu Bǐdé , Yuēhàn , Yǎgè , Āndéliè , Féilì , Duōmǎ , Bāduōluómǎi , Mǎtaì , Yàlèféi de érzi Yǎgè , Fènruìdǎng de Xīmén , hé Yǎgè de érzi ( huò zuō "xiōngdi" ) Yóudà .

14 Zhèxie rén , tòng zhe jǐ gè fùrén , hé Yēsū de mǔqin Mǎlìyà , bìng Yēsū de dìxiōng , dōu tóngxīn héyì de héng qiē dǎogào .

15 Nàshí , yǒu xǔduō rén jùhuì , yuē yǒu yī bǎi èr shí míng , Bǐdé jiù zaì dìxiōng zhōngjiān zhàn qǐlai , shuō ,

16 Dìxiōng men , Shènglíng jiè Dàwèi de kǒu , zaì Shèngjīng shàng , yùyán lǐng rén zhuōná Yēsū de Yóudà . zhè huà shì bìxū yìngyàn de .

17 Tā bĕnlái liè zaì wǒmen shǔ zhòng , bìngqiĕ zaì shǐtú de zhírèn shàng dé le yī fēn .

18 Zhè rén yòng tā zuò ĕ de gōngjià , mǎi le yī kuaì tián , yǐhòu shēnzi pú dǎo , dù fù bēngliè , cháng zǐ dōu liú chūlai .

19 Zhù zaì Yēlùsǎlĕng de zhòngrén dōu zhīdào zhè shì , suǒyǐ àn zhe tāmen nàli de huà , gĕi nà kuaì tián qǐmíng jiào Yàgédàmǎ , jiù shì xuè tián de yìsi .

20 Yīnwei shīpiān shǎng xiĕ zhe shuō , yuàn tāde zhù chù , biàn wéi huāng cháng , wú rén zaì neì jūzhù . yòu shuō , yuàn biérén dé tāde zhífèn .

21 Suǒyǐ zhǔ Yēsū zaì wǒmen zhōngjiān shǐ zhōng chūrù de shíhou ,

22 Jiù shì cōng Yuēhàn shīxǐ qǐ , zhídào zhǔ líkāi wǒmen beì jiē shàng shēng de rìzi wéizhǐ , bìxū cōng nà cháng yǔ wǒmen zuò bàn de rén zhōng , lì yī wèi yǔ wǒmen tóng zuò Yēsū fùhuó de jiànzhèng .

23 Yúshì xuǎnjǔ liǎng gèrén , jiù shì nà jiào zuò Bāsābā yòu chēnghu Yóushìdōu de Yūesè , hé Mǎtíyà, .

24 Zhòngrén jiù dǎogào shuō , Zhǔ a , nǐ zhīdào wàn rén de xīn , qiú nǐ cōng zhè liǎng gèrén zhòng , zhí míng nǐ suǒ jiǎnxuǎn de shì shuí , jiào tā dé zhè shǐtú de wèi fèn .

25 Zhè wèi fèn Yóudà yǐjing diūqì , wǎng zìjǐ de dìfang qù le .

26 Yúshì zhòngrén wéi tāmen yáo qiā , yáo chū Mǎtíyà, lái . tā jiù hé shí yī gè shǐtú tóng liè .

Shǐtúxíngzhuàn 1 Commentary

Chapter 1

This book unites the Gospels to the Epistles. It contains many particulars concerning the apostles Peter and Paul, and of the Christian church from the ascension of our Saviour to the arrival of St. Paul at Rome, a space of about thirty years. St. Luke was the writer of this book; he was present at many of the events he relates, and attended Paul to Rome. But the narrative does not afford a complete history of the church during the time to which it refers, nor even of St. Paul's life. The object of the book has been considered to be, 1. To relate in what manner the gifts of the Holy Spirit were communicated on the day of Pentecost, and the miracles performed by the apostles, to confirm the truth of Christianity, as showing that Christ's declarations were really fulfilled. 2. To prove the claim of the Gentiles to be admitted into the church of Christ. This is shown by much of the contents of the book. A large portion of the Acts is occupied by the discourses or sermons of various persons, the language and manner of which differ, and all of which will be found according to the persons by whom they were delivered, and the occasions on which they were spoken. It seems that most of these discourses are only the substance of what was actually delivered. They relate nevertheless fully to Jesus as the Christ, the anointed Messiah.

Proofs of Christ's resurrection. (1-5) Christ's ascension. (6-11) The apostles unite in prayer. (12-14) Matthias chosen in the place of Judas. (15-26)

Verses 1-5 Our Lord told the disciples the work they were to do. The apostles met together at Jerusalem; Christ having ordered them not to depart thence, but to wait for the pouring out of the Holy Spirit. This would be a baptism by the Holy Ghost, giving them power to work miracles, and enlightening and sanctifying their souls. This confirms the Divine promise, and encourages us to depend upon it, that we have heard it from Christ; for in Him all the promises of God are yea and amen.

Verses 6-11 They were earnest in asking about that which their Master never had directed or encouraged them to seek. Our Lord knew that his ascension and the teaching of the Holy Spirit would soon end these expectations, and therefore only gave them a rebuke; but it is a caution to his church in all ages, to take heed of a desire of forbidden knowledge. He had given his disciples instructions for the discharge of their duty, both before his death and since his resurrection, and this knowledge is enough for a Christian. It is enough that He has engaged to give believers strength equal to their trials and services; that under the influence of the Holy Spirit they may, in one way or other, be witnesses for Christ on earth, while in heaven he manages their concerns with perfect wisdom, truth, and love. When we stand gazing and trifling, the thoughts of our Master's second coming should quicken and awaken us: when we stand gazing and trembling, they should comfort and encourage us. May our expectation of it be stedfast and joyful, giving diligence to be found of him blameless.

Verses 12-14 God can find hiding-places for his people. They made supplication. All God's people are praying people. It was now a time of trouble and danger with the disciples of Christ; but if any is afflicted, let him pray; that will silence cares and fears. They had now a great work to do, and before they entered upon it, they were earnest in prayer to God for his presence. They were waiting for the descent of the Spirit, and abounded in prayer. Those are in the best frame to receive spiritual blessings, who are in a praying frame. Christ had promised shortly to send the Holy Ghost; that promise was not to do away prayer, but to quicken and encourage it. A little company united in love, exemplary in their conduct, fervent in prayer, and wisely zealous to promote the cause of Christ, are likely to increase rapidly.

Verses 15-26 The great thing the apostles were to attest to the world, was, Christ's resurrection; for that was the great proof of his being the Messiah, and the foundation of our hope in him. The apostles were ordained, not to wordly dignity and dominion, but to preach Christ, and the power of his resurrection. An appeal was made to God; "Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men," which we do not; and better than they know their own. It is fit that God should choose his own servants; and so far as he, by the disposals of his providence, or the gifts of his Spirit, shows whom he was chosen, or what he has chosen for us, we ought to fall in with his will. Let us own his hand in the determining everything which befalls us, especially in those by which any trust may be committed to us.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ACTS

This book, in some copies, is called, "The Acts of the holy Apostles". It contains an history of the ministry and miracles of the apostles of Christ, and is a sort of a journal of their actions, from whence it takes its name. It begins at the ascension of Christ, and reaches to the imprisonment of the Apostle Paul at Rome; and is a history of upwards of thirty years: it gives an account of the first Gospel church at Jerusalem, and of the progress of the Gospel there, and in Judea, by the means of all the apostles, and particularly Peter, the minister of the circumcision, and who also first opened the door of faith to the Gentiles: it shows how the Gospel went forth from Jerusalem, and was spread in the Gentile world, especially by the Apostle Paul, whose companion Luke was, that was the writer of this book; for that it was written by him is very evident from the beginning of it, it being dedicated to the same person his Gospel is, and of which he makes mention; and in the Complutensian edition the book is called, "The Acts of the Apostles of Saint Luke the Evangelist"; and so the title of it in the Syriac version is, "the Book of the Acts: that is, the history of the blessed apostles, which my Lord Luke the Evangelist collected for the saints". It was by him written in the Greek language; and we are told {a}, that there was a version of it into the Hebrew language, and which was laid up in the library of the Jews at Tiberias; and is cited by R. Azarias {b} under the name of twlweph, "the Acts": of the authority of this book there has been no doubt, among the ancients, only Cerinthus the heretic endeavoured to discredit it; and it was not received by another sort of heretics called Severiani, from Severus, a disciple of Tatian {c}. It is a most excellent and useful work, showing the first planting of Christianity, and of Christian churches, both among the Jews and Gentiles; the spread and progress of the Gospel in several parts of the world; what sufferings the apostles endured for the sake of it; and with what patience and courage they bore them; and what success attended them; and is a standing proof and confirmation of the Christian religion.

{a} Epiphan. Contr. Haeres. l. 1. Haeres. 30. {b} Meor Enayim, p. 167. {c} Euseb. Eccl. Hist. l. 4. c. 29.