Shǐtúxíngzhuàn 26

1 Yà jī pà duì bào luó shuō , zhún nǐ wéi zìjǐ biàn míng .

2 Yúshì Bǎoluó wǎn shǒu fēnsù shuō , yà jī pà wáng a , Yóutaìrén suǒ gào wǒde yīqiè shì , jīnrì dé zaì nǐ miànqián fēnsù , shízaì wàn xìng .

3 Gēng kĕ xìng de , shì nǐ shóu xī Yóutaìrén de guīju , hé tāmende biànlùn . suǒyǐ qiú nǐ naì xīn tīng wǒ .

4 Wǒ cóng qǐchū zaì bĕn guó de mín zhòng , bìng zaì Yēlùsǎlĕng , zì yòu wéirén rúhé , Yóutaìrén dōu zhīdào .

5 Tāmen ruò kĕn zuò jiànzhèng , jiù xiǎodé wǒ cóng qǐchū , shì àn zhe wǒmen jiào zhōng zuì yán jǐn de jiào mén , zuò le Fǎlìsaìrén .

6 Xiànzaì wǒ zhàn zaì zhèlǐ shòu shĕn , shì yīnwei zhǐwang shén xiàng wǒmen zǔzong suǒ yīngxǔ de .

7 Zhè yīngxǔ , wǒmen shí èr gè zhīpaì zhòuyè qiē qiè de shìfèng shén , dōu zhǐwang dé zhe . wáng a , wǒ beì Yóutaìrén kònggào , jiù shì yīn zhè zhǐwang .

8 Shén jiào sǐ rén fùhuó , nǐmen wèishénme kàn zuò bùkĕ xìn de ne .

9 Cóng qián wǒ zìjǐ yǐwéi yīngdāng duō fāng gōngjī Násǎlè rén Yēsū de míng .

10 Wǒ zaì Yēlùsǎlĕng yĕ céng zhèyàng xíng le . jì cóng Jìsīzhǎng dé le quánbǐng , wǒ jiù bǎ xǔduō shèngtú qiú zaì jiānlǐ . tāmen beì shā , wǒ yĕ chū míng déng àn .

11 Zaì gĕ gōngtáng , wǒ lǚcì yòng xíng , qiǎngbī tāmen shuō xièdú de huà . yòu fēn waì nǎohèn tāmen , shènzhì zhuībī tāmen zhídào waì bāng de chéngyì .

12 Nàshí , wǒ lǐng le Jìsīzhǎng de quánbǐng hé mìnglìng , wǎng Dàmǎsè qù .

13 Wáng a , wǒ zaì lù shàng , shǎngwu de shíhou , kànjian cóng tiān fāguāng , bǐ rìtou hái liàng , sìmiàn zhào zhe wǒ , bìng yǔ wǒ tóngxíng de rén .

14 Wǒmen dōu pú dǎo zaì dì , wǒ jiù tīngjian yǒu shēngyīn , yòng Xībóláihuà , xiàng wǒ shuō , Sǎoluó , Sǎoluó , wèishénme bīpò wǒ . nǐ yòng jiǎo tī cī shì nán de .

15 Wǒ shuō , Zhǔ a , nǐ shì shuí . zhǔ shuō , wǒ jiù shì nǐ suǒ bīpò de Yēsū .

16 Nǐ qǐlai zhàn zhe , wǒ tèyì xiàng nǐ xiǎnxiàn , yào paì nǐ zuò zhíshì zuò jiànzhèng , jiāng nǐ suǒ kànjian de shì , hé wǒ jiāngyào zhǐshì nǐde shì , zhèngmíng chūlai .

17 Wǒ yĕ yào jiù nǐ tuōlí bǎixìng hé waìbāngrén de shǒu .

18 Wǒ chāi nǐ dào tāmen nàli qù , yào jiào tāmende yǎnjing dé kāi , cóng hēiàn zhòng guī xiàng guāngmíng , cóng Sādàn quán xià guī xiàng shén . yòu yīn xìn wǒ , dé mĕng shè zuì , hé yīqiè chéng shèng de rén tóng dé jīyè .

19 Yà jī pà wáng a , wǒ gùcǐ méiyǒu wéibeì nà cóng tiān shàng lái de yìxiàng .

20 Xiān zaì Dàmǎsè , hòu zaì Yēlùsǎlĕng , hé Yóutaì quán dì , yǐjí waì bāng , quànmiǎn tāmen yīngdāng huǐgǎi guī xiàng shén , xíngshì yǔ huǐgǎi de xīn xiāngchèn .

21 Yīncǐ , Yóutaìrén zaì diàn lǐ ná zhù wǒ , xiǎng yào shā wǒ .

22 Ránér wǒ mĕng shén de bāngzhu , zhídào jīnrì hái zhàn dé zhù , duì zhe zūnguì bēijiàn lǎo yòu zuò jiànzhèng . suǒ jiǎng de , bìng bú waì hū zhòng xiānzhī hé Móxī suǒ shuō , jiānglái bì chéng de shì .

23 Jiù shì Jīdū bìxū shòu haì , bìngqiĕ yīn cóng sǐ lǐ fùhuó , yào shǒuxiān bǎ guāngmíng de dào , chuán gĕi bǎixìng hé waìbāngrén .

24 Bǎoluó zhèyàng fēnsù , fēi sī dōu dàshēng shuō , Bǎoluó , nǐ diān kuáng le bā . nǐde xuéwen taì dà , fǎn jiào nǐ diān kuáng le .

25 Bǎoluó shuō , fēi sī dōu dà rén , wǒ bú shì diān kuáng , wǒ shuō de nǎi shì zhēn shí míngbai huà .

26 Wáng yĕ xiǎodé zhèxie shì , suǒyǐ wǒ xiàng wáng fàngdǎn zhí yán , wǒ shēnxìn zhèxie shì méiyǒu yī jiàn xiàng wáng yǐncáng de . yīn dōu bú shì zaì beìdìli zuò de .

27 Yà jī pà wáng a , nǐ xìn xiānzhī má , wǒ zhīdào nǐ shì xìn de .

28 Yà jī pà duì Bǎoluó shuō , nǐ xiǎng shǎo wēi yī quàn , biàn jiào wǒ zuò Jīdū tú a . ( huò zuò nǐ zhèyàng quàn wǒ jīhū jiào wǒ zuò Jīdū tú le ) .

29 Bǎoluó shuō , wúlùn shì shǎo quàn , shì duō quàn , wǒ xiàng shén suǒ qiú de , búdàn nǐ yī gèrén , jiù shì jīntiān yīqiè tīng wǒde , dōu yào xiàng wǒ yíyàng , zhǐshì búyào xiàng wǒ yǒu zhèxie suǒliàn .

30 Yúshì wáng , hé xúnfǔ , bìng bǎi ní jī , yǔ tóng zuò de rén , dōu qǐlai ,

31 Tuì dào lǐmiàn , bǐcǐ tánlùn shuō , zhè rén bìng méiyǒu fàn shénme gāisǐ gāi bǎng de zuì .

32 Yà jī pà yòu duì fēi sī dū shuō , zhè rén ruò méiyǒu shàng gào yú Gāisǎ , jiù kĕyǐ shìfàng le .

Shǐtúxíngzhuàn 26 Commentary

Chapter 26

Paul's defence before Agrippa. (1-11) His conversion and preaching to the Gentiles. (12-23) Festus and Agrippa convinced of Paul's innocence. (24-32)

Verses 1-11 Christianity teaches us to give a reason of the hope that is in us, and also to give honour to whom honour is due, without flattery or fear of man. Agrippa was well versed in the Scriptures of the Old Testament, therefore could the better judge as to the controversy about Jesus being the Messiah. Surely ministers may expect, when they preach the faith of Christ, to be heard patiently. Paul professes that he still kept to all the good in which he was first educated and trained up. See here what his religion was. He was a moralist, a man of virtue, and had not learned the arts of the crafty, covetous Pharisees; he was not chargeable with any open vice and profaneness. He was sound in the faith. He always had a holy regard for the ancient promise made of God unto the fathers, and built his hope upon it. The apostle knew very well that all this would not justify him before God, yet he knew it was for his reputation among the Jews, and an argument that he was not such a man as they represented him to be. Though he counted this but loss, that he might win Christ, yet he mentioned it when it might serve to honour Christ. See here what Paul's religion is; he has not such zeal for the ceremonial law as he had in his youth; the sacrifices and offerings appointed by that, are done away by the great Sacrifice which they typified. Of the ceremonial cleansings he makes no conscience, and thinks the Levitical priesthood is done away in the priesthood of Christ; but, as to the main principles of his religion, he is as zealous as ever. Christ and heaven, are the two great doctrines of the gospel; that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. These are the matter of the promise made unto the fathers. The temple service, or continual course of religious duties, day and night, was kept up as the profession of faith in the promise of eternal life, and in expectation of it. The prospect of eternal life should engage us to be diligent and stedfast in all religious exercises. Yet the Sadducees hated Paul for preaching the resurrection; and the other Jews joined them, because he testified that Jesus was risen, and was the promised Redeemer of Israel. Many things are thought to be beyond belief, only because the infinite nature and perfections of Him that has revealed, performed, or promised them, are overlooked. Paul acknowledged, that while he continued a Pharisee, he was a bitter enemy to Christianity. This was his character and manner of life in the beginning of his time; and there was every thing to hinder his being a Christian. Those who have been most strict in their conduct before conversion, will afterwards see abundant reason for humbling themselves, even on account of things which they then thought ought to have been done.

Verses 12-23 Paul was made a Christian by Divine power; by a revelation of Christ both to him and in him; when in the full career of his sin. He was made a minister by Divine authority: the same Jesus who appeared to him in that glorious light, ordered him to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. A world that sits in darkness must be enlightened; those must be brought to know the things that belong to their everlasting peace, who are yet ignorant of them. A world that lies in wickedness must be sanctified and reformed; it is not enough for them to have their eyes opened, they must have their hearts renewed; not enough to be turned from darkness to light, but they must be turned from the power of Satan unto God. All who are turned from sin to God, are not only pardoned, but have a grant of a rich inheritance. The forgiveness of sins makes way for this. None can be happy who are not holy; and to be saints in heaven we must be first saints on earth. We are made holy, and saved by faith in Christ; by which we rely upon Christ as the Lord our Righteousness, and give up ourselves to him as the Lord our Ruler; by this we receive the remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and eternal life. The cross of Christ was a stumbling-block to the Jews, and they were in a rage at Paul's preaching the fulfilling of the Old Testament predictions. Christ should be the first that should rise from the dead; the Head or principal One. Also, it was foretold by the prophets, that the Gentiles should be brought to the knowledge of God by the Messiah; and what in this could the Jews justly be displeased at? Thus the true convert can give a reason of his hope, and a good account of the change manifest in him. Yet for going about and calling on men thus to repent and to be converted, vast numbers have been blamed and persecuted.

Verses 24-32 It becomes us, on all occasions, to speak the words of truth and soberness, and then we need not be troubled at the unjust censures of men. Active and laborious followers of the gospel often have been despised as dreamers or madmen, for believing such doctrines and such wonderful facts; and for attesting that the same faith and diligence, and an experience like their own, are necessary to all men, whatever their rank, in order to their salvation. But apostles and prophets, and the Son of God himself, were exposed to this charge; and none need be moved thereby, when Divine grace has made them wise unto salvation. Agrippa saw a great deal of reason for Christianity. His understanding and judgment were for the time convinced, but his heart was not changed. And his conduct and temper were widely different from the humility and spirituality of the gospel. Many are almost persuaded to be religious, who are not quite persuaded; they are under strong convictions of their duty, and of the excellence of the ways of God, yet do not pursue their convictions. Paul urged that it was the concern of every one to become a true Christian; that there is grace enough in Christ for all. He expressed his full conviction of the truth of the gospel, the absolute necessity of faith in Christ in order to salvation. Such salvation from such bondage, the gospel of Christ offers to the Gentiles; to a lost world. Yet it is with much difficulty that any person can be persuaded he needs a work of grace on his heart, like that which was needful for the conversion of the Gentiles. Let us beware of fatal hesitation in our own conduct; and recollect how far the being almost persuaded to be a Christian, is from being altogether such a one as every true believer is.