神預備彼得去傳福音給外邦人 — 使徒行傳讀經隨筆 第10章

使徒行傳第十章第1—20節，有一個外邦人，住在該撒利亞，名叫哥尼流，主的天使吩咐他派人去請使徒彼得，彼得是猶太人。猶太人認為外邦人不潔淨，沒有與外邦人交往的傳統，因此，當哥尼流所派的人快到的時候，神同時也在預備彼得與外邦人交往。神就給了彼得一個異象。彼得看見天開了，有一物降下，好象一塊大布，係著四角縋在地上，裏麵有地上各樣四足的走獸和昆蟲並天上的飛鳥。有聲音向彼得說：“彼得，起來，宰了吃”。彼得
卻說：“主阿，這是不可的。凡俗物和不潔淨的物，我從來沒有吃過”。第二次有聲音向他說：“神所潔淨的 ，你不可當作俗物”。這樣一連三次，那物隨即收回天上去了。這時候，請彼得的外邦人就到了。通過這個異象，彼得說：“神已經指示我，無論甚麽人，都不可看作俗而不潔淨的”。可見，神通過這個異象預備好了彼得去外邦未受割禮之人的家傳福音。

徒10:1 在該撒利亞有一個人、名叫哥尼流、是義大利營的百夫長。
Now there was a certain man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,
徒10:2 他是個虔誠人、他和全家都敬畏 神、多多賙濟百姓、常常禱告 神。
a devout man, and one who feared God with all his house, who gave gifts for the needy generously to the people, and always prayed to God.
徒10:3 有一天、約在申初、他在異象中、明明看見 神的一個使者進去、到他那裏、說、哥尼流。
At about the ninth hour of the day, he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God coming to him, and saying to him, "Cornelius!"
徒10:4 哥尼流定睛看他、驚怕說、主阿、甚麽事呢。天使說、你的禱告、和你的賙濟、達到 神麵前已蒙記念了。
He, fastening his eyes on him, and being frightened, said, "What is it, Lord?" He said to him, "Your prayers and your gifts to the needy have gone up for a memorial before God.
徒10:5 現在你當打發人往約帕去、請那稱呼彼得的西門來．
Now send men to Joppa, and get Simon, who is surnamed Peter.
徒10:6 他住在海邊一個硝皮匠西門的家裏．房子在海邊上。
He lodges with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside."
徒10:7 向他說話的天使去後、哥尼流叫了兩個家人、和常伺候他的一個虔誠兵來．
When the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier of those who waited on him continually.
徒10:9 第二天、他們行路將近那城、彼得約在午正、上房頂去禱告．
Now on the next day as they were on their journey, and got close to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray at about noon.
徒10:10 覺得餓了、想要吃．那家的人正預備飯的時候、彼得魂遊象外．
He became hungry and desired to eat, but while they were preparing, he fell into a trance.
徒10:11 看見天開了、有一物降下、好象一塊大布．係著四角、縋在地上．
He saw heaven opened and a certain container descending to him, like a great sheet let down by four corners on the earth,
徒10:12 裏麵有地上各樣四足的走獸、和昆蟲、並天上的飛鳥。
in which were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, reptiles, and birds of the sky.
徒10:13 又有聲音向他說、彼得、起來、宰了吃。
A voice came to him, "Rise, Peter, kill and eat!"
徒10:14 彼得卻說、主阿、這是不可的、凡俗物、和不潔淨的物、我從來沒有吃過。
But Peter said, "Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean."
徒10:15 第二次有聲音向他說、 神所潔淨的、你不可當作俗物。
A voice came to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed, you must not call unclean."
徒10:16 這樣一連三次、那物隨即收回天上去了。
This was done three times, and immediately the vessel was received up into heaven.
徒10:17 彼得心裏正在猜疑之間、不知所看見的異象是甚麽意思、哥尼流所差來的人、已經訪問到西門的家、站在門外、
Now while Peter was very perplexed in himself what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood before the gate,
徒10:18 喊著問、有稱呼彼得的西門住在這裏沒有。
and called and asked whether Simon, who was surnamed Peter, was lodging there.
徒10:19 彼得還思想那異象的時候、聖靈向他說、有三個人來找你．
While Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men seek you.
徒10:20 起來、下去、和他們同往、不要疑惑．因為是我差他們來的。
But arise, get down, and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them."
徒10:28 就對他們說、你們知道猶太人、和別國的人親近來往、本是不合例的．但 神已經指示我、無論甚麽人、都不可看作俗而不潔淨的．
He said to them, "You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to join himself or come to one of another nation, but God has shown me that I shouldn't call any man unholy or unclean.