1 我且說、 神棄絕了他的百姓麼.斷乎沒有.因為我也是以色列人、亞伯拉罕的後裔、屬便雅憫支派的。
I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. |
2 神並沒有棄絕他豫先所知道的百姓。你們豈不曉得經上論到以利亞是怎麼說的呢.他在 神面前怎樣控告以色列人、說、
God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don't you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah--how he appealed to God against Israel: |
3 『主阿、他們殺了你的先知、拆了你的祭壇、只剩下我一個人、他們還要尋索我的命。』
"Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me"? |
4 神的回話是怎麼說的呢.他說、『我為自己留下七千人、是未曾向巴力屈膝的。』
And what was God's answer to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal." |
5 如今也是這樣、照著揀選的恩典還有所留的餘數。
So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. |
6 既是出於恩典、就不在乎行為.不然、恩典就不是恩典了。
And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. |
7 這是怎麼樣呢.以色列人所求的、他們沒有得著.惟有蒙揀選的人得著了、其餘的就成了頑梗不化的.
What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened, |
8 如經上所記、『 神給他們昏迷的心、眼睛不能看見、耳朵不能聽見、直到今日。』
as it is written: "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so that they could not hear, to this very day." |
9 大衛也說、『願他們的筵席變為網羅、變為機檻、變為絆腳石、作他們的報應.
And David says: "May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them. |
10 願他們的眼睛昏矇、不得看見.願你時常彎下他們的腰。』
May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever." |
11 我且說、他們失腳是要他們跌倒麼.斷乎不是.反倒因他們的過失、救恩便臨到外邦人、要激動他們發憤。
Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. |
12 若他們的過失、為天下的富足、他們的缺乏、為外邦人的富足.何況他們的豐滿呢。
But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring! |
13 我對你們外邦人說這話.因我是外邦人的使徒、所以敬重我的職分.〔敬重原文作榮耀〕
I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry |
14 或者可以激動我骨肉之親發憤、好救他們一些人。
in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. |
15 若他們被丟棄、天下就得與 神和好、他們被收納、豈不是死而復生麼。
For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? |
16 所獻的新麵若是聖潔、全團也就聖潔了.樹根若是聖潔、樹枝也就聖潔了。
If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. |
17 若有幾根枝子被折下來、你這野橄欖得接在其中、一同得著橄欖根的肥汁.
If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, |
18 你就不向舊枝子誇口、若是誇口、當知道不是你托著根、乃是根托著你。
do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. |
19 你若說、那枝子被折下來、是特為叫我接上。
You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in." |
20 不錯.他們因為不信、所以被折下來.你因為信、所以立得住.你不可自高、反要懼怕。
Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. |
21 神既不愛惜原來的枝子、也必不愛惜你。
For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. |
22 可見 神的恩慈、和嚴厲.向那跌倒的人、是嚴厲的.向你是有恩慈的.只要你長久在他的恩慈裡.不然、你也要被砍下來。
Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. |
23 而且他們若不是長久不信、仍要被接上.因為 神能彀把他們從新接上。
And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. |
24 你是從那天生的野橄欖上砍下來的、尚且逆著性得接在好橄欖上、何況這本樹的枝子、要接在本樹上呢。
After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree! |
25 弟兄們、我不願意你們不知道這奧秘、(恐怕你們自以為聰明)就是以色列人有幾分是硬心的、等到外邦人的數目添滿了.
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. |
26 於是以色列全家都要得救、如經上所記、『必有一位救主、從錫安出來、要消除雅各家的一切罪惡。』
And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. |
27 又說、『我除去他們罪的時候、這就是我與他們所立的約。』
And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins." |
28 就著福音說、他們為你們的緣故是仇敵.就著揀選說、他們為列祖的緣故是蒙愛的。
As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, |
29 因為 神的恩賜和選召、是沒有後悔的。
for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable. |
30 你們從前不順服 神、如今因他們的不順服、你們倒蒙了憐恤.
Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, |
31 這樣、他們也是不順服、叫他們因著施給你們的憐恤、現在也就蒙憐恤。
so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God's mercy to you. |
32 因為 神將眾人都圈在不順服之中、特意要憐恤眾人。
For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. |
33 深哉、 神豐富的智慧和知識。他的判斷、何其難測、他的蹤跡何其難尋、
Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! |
34 誰知道主的心、誰作過他的謀士呢、
"Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" |
35 誰是先給了他、使他後來償還呢。
"Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?" |
36 因為萬有都是本於他、倚靠他、歸於他.願榮耀歸給他、直到永遠。阿們。
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. |