神预备彼得去传福音给外邦人 — 使徒行传读经随笔 第10章

使徒行传第十章第1—20节，有一个外邦人，住在该撒利亚，名叫哥尼流，主的天使吩咐他派人去请使徒彼得，彼得是犹太人。犹太人认为外邦人不洁净，没有与外邦人交往的传统，因此，当哥尼流所派的人快到的时候，神同时也在预备彼得与外邦人交往。神就给了彼得一个异象。彼得看见天开了，有一物降下，好象一块大布，系着四角缒在地上，里面有地上各样四足的走兽和昆虫并天上的飞鸟。有声音向彼得说：“彼得，起来，宰了吃”。彼得
却说：“主阿，这是不可的。凡俗物和不洁净的物，我从来没有吃过”。第二次有声音向他说：“神所洁净的 ，你不可当作俗物”。这样一连三次，那物随即收回天上去了。这时候，请彼得的外邦人就到了。通过这个异象，彼得说：“神已经指示我，无论甚么人，都不可看作俗而不洁净的”。可见，神通过这个异象预备好了彼得去外邦未受割礼之人的家传福音。

徒10:1 在该撒利亚有一个人、名叫哥尼流、是义大利营的百夫长。
Now there was a certain man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,
徒10:2 他是个虔诚人、他和全家都敬畏 神、多多赒济百姓、常常祷告 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、约在申初、他在异象中、明明看见 神的一个使者进去、到他那里、说、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、惊怕说、主阿、甚么事呢。天使说、你的祷告、和你的赒济、达到 神面前已蒙记念了。
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 现在你当打发人往约帕去、请那称呼彼得的西门来．
Now send men to Joppa, and get Simon, who is surnamed Peter.
徒10:6 他住在海边一个硝皮匠西门的家里．房子在海边上。
He lodges with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside."
徒10:7 向他说话的天使去后、哥尼流叫了两个家人、和常伺候他的一个虔诚兵来．
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、他们行路将近那城、彼得约在午正、上房顶去祷告．
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 觉得饿了、想要吃．那家的人正预备饭的时候、彼得魂游象外．
He became hungry and desired to eat, but while they were preparing, he fell into a trance.
徒10:11 看见天开了、有一物降下、好象一块大布．系着四角、缒在地上．
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 里面有地上各样四足的走兽、和昆虫、并天上的飞鸟。
in which were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, reptiles, and birds of the sky.
徒10:13 又有声音向他说、彼得、起来、宰了吃。
A voice came to him, "Rise, Peter, kill and eat!"
徒10:14 彼得却说、主阿、这是不可的、凡俗物、和不洁净的物、我从来没有吃过。
But Peter said, "Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean."
徒10:15 第二次有声音向他说、 神所洁净的、你不可当作俗物。
A voice came to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed, you must not call unclean."
徒10:16 这样一连三次、那物随即收回天上去了。
This was done three times, and immediately the vessel was received up into heaven.
徒10:17 彼得心里正在猜疑之间、不知所看见的异象是甚么意思、哥尼流所差来的人、已经访问到西门的家、站在门外、
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 喊着问、有称呼彼得的西门住在这里没有。
and called and asked whether Simon, who was surnamed Peter, was lodging there.
徒10:19 彼得还思想那异象的时候、圣灵向他说、有三个人来找你．
While Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men seek you.
徒10:20 起来、下去、和他们同往、不要疑惑．因为是我差他们来的。
But arise, get down, and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them."
徒10:28 就对他们说、你们知道犹太人、和别国的人亲近来往、本是不合例的．但 神已经指示我、无论甚么人、都不可看作俗而不洁净的．
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.