Shǐtúxíngzhuàn 18

1 Zhè shì yǐhòu , Bǎoluó lí le Yǎdiǎn , lái dào gē lín duō .

2 Yùjiàn yī gè Yóutaìrén , míng jiào yà jū lá , tā shēng zaì bĕn dū . yīnwei gé lǎo diū Yóutaìrén dōu líkāi Luómǎ , xīn jìn daì zhe qì bǎi Jīlā , cóng Yìdàlì lái . Bǎoluó jiù tóu bèn le tāmen .

3 Tāmen bĕn shì zhìzào zhàngpéng wéi yè . Bǎoluó yīn yǔ tāmen tóng yè , jiù hé tāmen tóng zhù zuò gōng .

4 Mĕi fùng ānxīrì , Bǎoluó zaì gōngtáng lǐ biànlùn , quàn huà Yóutaìrén hé Xīlà rén .

5 Xīlā hé Tímótaì cóng Mǎqídùn lái de shíhou , Bǎoluó wéi dào pòqiè , xiàng Yóutaìrén zhèngmíng Yēsū shì Jīdū .

6 Tāmen jì kàng jù , huǐbàng , Bǎoluó jiù dǒu zhe yīshang shuō , nǐmen de zuì guī dào nǐmen zìjǐ tóu shàng , ( zuì yuánwén zuò xiĕ/xuè ) yǔ wǒ wúgān , ( yuánwén zuò wǒ què gānjing ) cóng jīn yǐhòu , wǒ yào wǎng waìbāngrén nàli qù ,

7 Yúshì líkāi nàli , dào le yī gèrén de jiā zhòng , zhè rén míng jiào tí duō yóu shì dū , shì jìngbaì shén de , tāde jiā kàojìn gōngtáng .

8 Guǎn gōngtáng de jī lì sī bù hé quán jiā dōu xìn le zhǔ . hái yǒu xǔduō gē lín duō rén tīng le , jiù xiāngxìn shòuxǐ .

9 Yè jiàn zhǔ zaì yìxiàng zhòng duì Bǎoluó shuō , búyào pà , zhǐguǎn jiǎng , búyào bì kǒu .

10 Yǒu wǒ yǔ nǐ tóng zaì , bì méiyǒu rén xià shǒu haì nǐ . yīnwei zaì zhè chéng lǐ wǒ yǒu xǔduō de bǎixìng .

11 Bǎoluó zaì nàli zhù le yī nián líng liù gè yuè , jiāng shén de dào jiàoxun tāmen .

12 Dào jiā liú zuò yà gāi yà fāng bó de shíhou , Yóutaìrén tóngxīn qǐlai gōngjī Bǎoluó , lá tā dào gōng táng ,

13 Shuō , zhège rén quàn rén bù àn zhe lǜfǎ jìngbaì shén .

14 Bǎoluó gāng yào kāikǒu , jiā liú jiù duì Yóutaìrén shuō , nǐmen zhèxie Yóutaìrén , rúguǒ shì wéi yuān wǎng , huò jiān ĕ de shì , wǒ lǐ dàng naì xìng tīng nǐmen .

15 Dàn suǒ zhēnglùn de , ruò shì guān hū yányǔ , míng mù , hé nǐmen de lǜfǎ , nǐmen zìjǐ qù biàn bā . zhèyàng de shì wǒ bù yuànyì shĕnwèn .

16 Jiù bǎ tāmen niǎn chū gōng táng .

17 Zhòngrén biàn jiū zhù guǎn gōngtáng de suǒ tí ní , zaì táng qián dǎ tā . zhèxie shì jiā liú dōu bù guǎn .

18 Bǎoluó yòu zhù le duō rì , jiù cíbié le dìxiōng , zuò chuán wǎng Xìlìyà qù , bǎi Jīlā , yà jū lá hé tā tóng qù . tā yīnwei xǔ guò yuàn , jiù zaì jiān gé lǐ jiǎn le tóufa .

19 Dào le Yǐfúsuǒ , Bǎoluó jiù bǎ tāmen liú zaì nàli , zìjǐ jìn le gōngtáng , hé Yóutaìrén biànlùn .

20 Zhòngrén qǐng tā duō zhù xiē rìzi , tā què bù yún .

21 Jiù cíbié tāmen shuō , shén ruò xǔ wǒ , wǒ hái yào huí dào nǐmen zhèlǐ . yúshì kāi chuán lí le Yǐfúsuǒ .

22 Zaì Gāisālíyà xià le chuán , jiù shàng Yēlùsǎlĕng qù wèn jiàohuì ān , suíhòu xià ān tí a qù .

23 Zhù le xiē rìzi , yòu líkāi nàli , ái cì jīngguò jiā lá taì hé Fú lǚ jiā dìfang , jiāngù zhòng méntǔ .

24 Yǒu yī gè Yóutaìrén , míng jiào yà bō luó , lái dào Yǐfúsuǒ . tā shēng zaì yà lì shān taì , shì yǒu xuéwen de , zuì néng jiǎngjiĕ Shèngjīng . ( xuéwen huò zuò kǒu cái ) .

25 Zhè rén yǐjing zaì zhǔ de dào shàng shòu le jiàoxun , xīnli huǒ rè , jiāng Yēsū de shì , xiángxì jiǎnglùn jiàoxun rén . zhǐshì tā dān xiǎodé Yuēhàn de xǐlǐ .

26 Tā zaì gōngtáng fàngdǎn jiǎng dào , bǎi Jīlā , yà jū lá tīngjian , jiù jiē tā lái , jiāng shén de dào gĕi tā jiǎngjiĕ gèngjiā xiángxì .

27 Tā xiǎng yào wǎng yà gāi yà qù . dìxiōng men jiù miǎnlì tā , bìng xiĕ xìn qǐng méntǔ jiēdaì tā . ( huò zuò dìxiōng men jiù xiĕ xìn quàn méntǔ jiēdaì tā ) tā dào le nàli , duō bāngzhu nà mĕng ēn xìn zhǔ de rén .

28 Zaì zhòngrén miànqián jí yǒu nénglì , bó dào Yóutaìrén , yǐn Shèngjīng zhèngmíng Yēsū shì Jīdū .

Shǐtúxíngzhuàn 18 Commentary

Chapter 18

Paul at Corinth, with Aquila and Priscilla. (1-6) He continues to preach at Corinth. (7-11) Paul before Gallio. (12-17) He visits Jerusalem. (18-23) Apollos teaches at Ephesus and in Achaia. (24-28)

Verses 1-6 Though Paul was entitled to support from the churches he planted, and from the people to whom he preached, yet he worked at his calling. An honest trade, by which a man may get his bread, is not to be looked upon with contempt by any. It was the custom of the Jews to bring up their children to some trade, though they gave them learning or estates. Paul was careful to prevent prejudices, even the most unreasonable. The love of Christ is the best bond of the saints; and the communings of the saints with each other, sweeten labour, contempt, and even persecution. Most of the Jews persisted in contradicting the gospel of Christ, and blasphemed. They would not believe themselves, and did all they could to keep others from believing. Paul hereupon left them. He did not give over his work; for though Israel be not gathered, Christ and his gospel shall be glorious. The Jews could not complain, for they had the first offer. When some oppose the gospel, we must turn to others. Grief that many persist in unbelief should not prevent gratitude for the conversion of some to Christ.

Verses 7-11 The Lord knows those that are his, yea, and those that shall be his; for it is by his work upon them that they become his. Let us not despair concerning any place, when even in wicked Corinth Christ had much people. He will gather in his chosen flock from the places where they are scattered Thus encouraged, the apostle continued at Corinth, and a numerous and flourishing church grew up.

Verses 12-17 Paul was about to show that he did not teach men to worship God contrary to law; but the judge would not allow the Jews to complain to him of what was not within his office. It was right in Gallio that he left the Jews to themselves in matters relating to their religion, but yet would not let them, under pretence of that, persecute another. But it was wrong to speak slightly of a law and religion which he might have known to be of God, and which he ought to have acquainted himself with. In what way God is to be worshipped, whether Jesus be the Messiah, and whether the gospel be a Divine revelation, are not questions of words and names, they are questions of vast importance. Gallio spoke as if he boasted of his ignorance of the Scriptures, as if the law of God was beneath his notice. Gallio cared for none of these things. If he cared not for the affronts of bad men, it was commendable; but if he concerned not himself for the abuses done to good men, his indifference was carried too far. And those who see and hear of the sufferings of God's people, and have no feeling with them, or care for them, who do not pity and pray for them, are of the same spirit as Gallio, who cared for none of these things.

Verses 18-23 While Paul found he laboured not in vain, he continued labouring. Our times are in God's hand; we purpose, but he disposes; therefore we must make all promises with submission to the will of God; not only if providence permits, but if God does not otherwise direct our motions. A very good refreshment it is to a faithful minister, to have for awhile the society of his brethren. Disciples are compassed about with infirmity; ministers must do what they can to strengthen them, by directing them to Christ, who is their Strength. Let us earnestly seek, in our several places, to promote the cause of Christ, forming plans that appear to us most proper, but relying on the Lord to bring them to pass if he sees good.

Verses 24-28 Apollos taught in the gospel of Christ, as far as John's ministry would carry him, and no further. We cannot but think he had heard of Christ's death and resurrection, but he was not informed as to the mystery of them. Though he had not the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, as the apostles, he made use of the gifts he had. The dispensation of the Spirit, whatever the measure of it may be, is given to every man to profit withal. He was a lively, affectionate preacher; fervent in spirit. He was full of zeal for the glory of God and the salvation of precious souls. Here was a complete man of God, thoroughly furnished for his work. Aquila and Priscilla encouraged his ministry, by attendance upon it. They did not despise Apollos themselves, or undervalue him to others; but considered the disadvantages he had laboured under. And having themselves got knowledge in the truths of the gospel by their long intercourse with Paul, they told what they knew to him. Young scholars may gain a great deal by converse with old Christians. Those who do believe through grace, yet still need help. As long as they are in this world, there are remainders of unbelief, and something lacking in their faith to be perfected, and the work of faith to be fulfilled. If the Jews were convinced that Jesus is Christ, even their own law would teach them to hear him. The business of ministers is to preach Christ. Not only to preach the truth, but to prove and defend it, with meekness, yet with power.