宗徒大事录 Acts Chapter 10
Acts
Chapter 10

1 1 Now in Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the Cohort called the Italica, 2

在凯撒勒雅有一个人,名叫科尔乃略,是所谓意大利营的百夫长。

2 devout and God-fearing along with his whole household, who used to give alms generously 3 to the Jewish people and pray to God constantly.

他同他的全家,是虔诚而敬畏天主的人,对百姓慷慨好施,又常向天主祈祷。

3 One afternoon about three o'clock, 4 he saw plainly in a vision an angel of God come in to him and say to him,"Cornelius."

有一天,大约第九时辰,他在异像中,清楚看见天主的一位天使进来,到他跟前向他说:"科尔乃略!"

4 He looked intently at him and, seized with fear, said,"What is it, sir?" He said to him,"Your prayers and almsgiving have ascended as a memorial offering before God.

他注目看天使,就惊惶害怕说:"主,有什么事?"天使回答说:"你的祈祷和施舍已升到天主面前,获得纪念。

5 Now send some men to Joppa and summon one Simon who is called Peter.

你现在打发人往约培去,请号称伯多禄的一位西满来。

6 He is staying with another Simon, a tanner, who has a house by the sea."

这人客居在一个名叫西满的皮匠家里,他的房子靠着海。"

7 When the angel who spoke to him had left, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier 5 from his staff,

向他说话的天使一走,他便叫来了两个家仆和常护卫自己的一个虔诚兵士,

8 explained everything to them, and sent them to Joppa.

把一切事告诉了他们,就打发他们往约培去了。

9 6 The next day, while they were on their way and nearing the city, Peter went up to the roof terrace to pray at about noontime. 7

第二天,他们行路将近城的时候,约在第六个时辰,伯多禄上了屋顶祈祷。

10 He was hungry and wished to eat, and while they were making preparations he fell into a trance.

他那时饿了,愿意进食;正在人预备饭的时候,他就神魂超拔了。

11 He saw heaven opened and something resembling a large sheet coming down, lowered to the ground by its four corners.

他看见天井了,降下一个器皿,好象一块大布,系着四角,坠到地上,

12 In it were all the earth's four-legged animals and reptiles and the birds of the sky.

里面有各种四足兽、地上的爬虫和天空的飞鸟。

13 A voice said to him,"Get up, Peter. Slaughter and eat."

有声音向他说:"伯多禄!起来,宰了,吃罢!"

14 But Peter said,"Certainly not, sir. For never have I eaten anything profane and unclean."

伯多禄却答说:"主,绝对不可!因为我从来没有吃过一样污秽和不洁之物。"

15 The voice spoke to him again, a second time,"What God has made clean, you are not to call profane."

声音第二次又向他说:"天主称为洁净的,你不可称为污秽!"

16 This happened three times, and then the object was taken up into the sky.

这事一连发生了三次,那器皿随即撤回天上去了。

17 8 While Peter was in doubt about the meaning of the vision he had seen, the men sent by Cornelius asked for Simon's house and arrived at the entrance.

伯多禄正在猜想他所见的异像有什么意思的时候,看,科尔乃略打发来的人,已查问到西满的家,站在门前。

18 They called out inquiring whether Simon, who is called Peter, was staying there.

他们喊着询问:号称伯多禄的西满是否住在这里。

19 As Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said (to him),"There are three men here looking for you.

伯多禄还在沉思那异像时,圣神说:"看,有三个人找你。

20 So get up, go downstairs, and accompany them without hesitation, because I have sent them."

起来,下去,同他们一起去罢!不要疑惑,因为是我打发他们来的。"

21 Then Peter went down to the men and said,"I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your being here?"

伯多禄下来向那些人说:"看,我就是你们所找的人。你们来这里做什么?"

22 They answered,"Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, respected by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear what you have to say."

他们答说:"科尔乃略百夫长是个正义和敬畏天主的人,也受全犹太人民的称誉;他蒙圣天使指示,请你到他家去,听你讲道。"

23 So he invited them in and showed them hospitality. The next day he got up and went with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went with him.

伯多禄于是请他们进来住下,第二天起来,便同他们一齐去了;还有几个约培的兄弟陪着他。

24 9 On the following day he entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.

次日,他到了凯撒勒雅。那时,科尔乃略召集了自己的亲戚和密友,等候他们来。

25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and, falling at his feet, paid him homage.

当伯多禄进来的时候,科尔乃略去迎接他,跪伏在他脚前叩拜。

26 Peter, however, raised him up, saying,"Get up. I myself am also a human being."

伯多禄拉他起来说:"起来!我自己也是个人。"

27 While he conversed with him, he went in and found many people gathered together

就同他谈着话进去了,看见有许多人聚集在那里,

28 and said to them,"You know that it is unlawful for a Jewish man to associate with, or visit, a Gentile, but God has shown me that I should not call any person profane or unclean. 10

便对他们说:"你们都知道犹太人是不准同外邦人交接来往的;但是,天主指示给我,没有一个可说是污秽或不洁的人。

29 And that is why I came without objection when sent for. May I ask, then, why you summoned me?"

为此,我一被请,毫不犹豫地就来了。请问:你们请我来是为什么原故?"

30 Cornelius replied,"Four days ago 11 at this hour, three o'clock in the afternoon, I was at prayer in my house when suddenly a man in dazzling robes stood before me and said,

科尔乃略说:"从此时起,四天以前,第九时辰,我在我房中祈祷时,忽然有位穿华丽衣服的人站在我前,

31 ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your almsgiving remembered before God.

说:科尔乃略,你的祈祷蒙了垂允,你的施舍在天主前得到记念。

32 Send therefore to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter. He is a guest in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.'

所以,你要打发人往约培去,叫号称伯多禄的西满来,他客居在靠近海的皮匠西满家里。

33 So I sent for you immediately, and you were kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to listen to all that you have been commanded by the Lord."

我就立刻打发人到你那里去了。你来的真好!现今我们众人都在天主前,要听主所吩咐你的一切。"

34 12 Then Peter proceeded to speak and said, 13"In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.

伯多禄遂开口说:"我真正明白了:天主是不看情面的,

35 Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.

凡在各民族中,敬畏他而又履行正义的人,都是他所中悦的。

36 14 15 You know the word (that) he sent to the Israelites as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all,

他借耶稣基督──他原是万民的主──宣讲了和平的喜讯,把这道先传给以色列子民。

37 what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached,

你们都知道:在若翰宣讲洗礼以后,从加里勒亚开始,在全犹太所发生的事:

38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth 16 with the holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

天主怎样以圣神和德能傅了纳匝肋的耶稣,使他巡行各处,施恩行善,治好一切受魔鬼压制的人,因为天主同他在一起。

39 We are witnesses 17 of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and (in) Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree.

我们就是他在犹太人地域和耶路撒冷所行一切的见证人。他们却把他悬在木架上,杀死了。

40 This man God raised (on) the third day and granted that he be visible,

第三天,天主使他复活了,叫他显现出来,

41 not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

不是给所有的百姓,而是给天主所预拣的见证人,就是给我们这些在他从死者中复活后,与他同食共饮的人。

42 He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. 18

他吩咐我们向百姓讲道,指证他就是天主所立的生者与死者的判官。

43 To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name."

一切先知都为他作证:凡信他的人,赖他的名字都要获得罪赦。"

44 While Peter was still speaking these things, the holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word. 19

伯多禄还在讲这些话的时候,圣神降在所有听道的人身上。

45 The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the holy Spirit should have been poured out on the Gentiles also,

那些受过割损与伯多禄同来的信徒,都惊讶圣神的恩惠也倾注在外邦人身上,

46 for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God. Then Peter responded,

因为听见他们说各种语言,并颂扬天主。那时,伯多禄就发言说:

47 "Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people, who have received the holy Spirit even as we have?"

"这些人既领受了圣神,和我们一样,谁能阻止他们不受水洗呢?"

48 He ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

遂吩咐人以耶稣基督的名给他们付洗。

49 Then they invited him to stay for a few days.

以后,他们求伯多禄再住了几天。


Footnotes(注解)

1 [1-48] The narrative centers on the conversion of Cornelius, a Gentile and a"God-fearer" (see the note on Acts 8:26-40). Luke considers the event of great importance, as is evident from his long treatment of it. The incident is again related in Acts 11:1-18 where Peter is forced to justify his actions before the Jerusalem community and alluded to in Acts 15:7-11 where at the Jerusalem"Council" Peter supports Paul's missionary activity among the Gentiles. The narrative divides itself into a series of distinct episodes, concluding with Peter's presentation of the Christian kerygma (Acts 11:4-43) and a pentecostal experience undergone by Cornelius' household preceding their reception of baptism (Acts 11:44-48).

2 [1] The Cohort called the Italica: this battalion was an auxiliary unit of archers formed originally in Italy but transferred to Syria shortly before A.D. 69.

3 [2] Used to give alms generously: like Tabitha (Acts 9:36), Cornelius exemplifies the proper attitude toward wealth (see the note on Acts 9:36).

4 [3] About three o'clock: literally,"about the ninth hour." See the note on Acts 3:1.

5 [7] A devout soldier: by using this adjective, Luke probably intends to classify him as a"God-fearer" (see the note on Acts 8:26-40).

6 [9-16] The vision is intended to prepare Peter to share the food of Cornelius' household without qualms of conscience (Acts 10:48). The necessity of such instructions to Peter reveals that at first not even the apostles fully grasped the implications of Jesus' teaching on the law. In Acts, the initial insight belongs to Stephen.

7 [9] At about noontime: literally,"about the sixth hour."

8 [17-23] The arrival of the Gentile emissaries with their account of the angelic apparition illuminates Peter's vision: he is to be prepared to admit Gentiles, who were considered unclean like the animals of his vision, into the Christian community.

9 [24-27] So impressed is Cornelius with the apparition that he invites close personal friends to join him in his meeting with Peter. But his understanding of the person he is about to meet is not devoid of superstition, suggested by his falling down before him. For a similar experience of Paul and Barnabas, see Acts 14:11-18.

10 [28] Peter now fully understands the meaning of his vision; see the note on Acts 10:17-23.

11 [30] Four days ago: literally,"from the fourth day up to this hour."

12 [34-43] Peter's speech to the household of Cornelius typifies early Christian preaching to Gentiles.

13 [34-35] The revelation of God's choice of Israel to be the people of God did not mean he withheld the divine favor from other people.

14 [36-43] These words are more directed to Luke's Christian readers than to the household of Cornelius, as indicated by the opening words,"You know." They trace the continuity between the preaching and teaching of Jesus of Nazareth and the proclamation of Jesus by the early community. The emphasis on this divinely ordained continuity (Acts 10:41) is meant to assure Luke's readers of the fidelity of Christian tradition to the words and deeds of Jesus.

15 [36] To the Israelites: Luke, in the words of Peter, speaks of the prominent position occupied by Israel in the history of salvation.

16 [38] Jesus of Nazareth: God's revelation of his plan for the destinyof humanity through Israel culminated in Jesus of Nazareth. Consequently, the ministry of Jesus is an integral part of God's revelation. This viewpoint explains why the early Christian communities were interested in conserving the historical substance of the ministry of Jesus, a tradition leading to the production of the four gospels.

17 [39] We are witnesses: the apostolic testimony was not restricted to the resurrection of Jesus but also included his historical ministry. This witness, however, was theological in character; the Twelve, divinely mandated as prophets, were , empowered to interpret his sayings and deeds in the light of his redemptive death and resurrection. The meaning of these words and deeds was to be made clear to the developing Christian community as the bearer of the word of salvation (cf Acts 1:21-26). Hanging him on a tree: see the note on 5:30.

18 [42] As judge of the living and the dead: the apostolic preaching to the Jews appealed to their messianic hope, while the preaching to Gentiles stressed the coming divine judgment; cf 1 Thes 1:10.

19 [44] Just as the Jewish Christians received the gift of the Spirit, so too do the Gentiles.