保罗在路司得初遇提摩太 — 使徒行传读经随笔 第16章

保罗在路司得碰到了一个门徒，名叫提摩太，他的母亲是犹太人，父亲是希腊人。路司得和以哥念的弟兄都称赞提摩太，给他好的见证。保罗想带着他一起出去传主的福音，但是那些地方的犹太人都知道提摩太的父亲是希腊人。很可能是为了让这些犹太人接纳提摩太，好在他们中间传主耶稣的道，保罗就给提摩太行了割礼。可见，行割礼与不行割礼正如保罗在哥林多前书里所说都算不得什么，目的都是为了传扬和坚固主耶稣的福音，而不是为了守律法。提摩太后来成为保罗传道和坚固神的道的得力助手。保罗离开提摩太后，前后两次信写给他，要他帮助教会坚守主的福音。

徒16:1 保罗来到特庇、又到路司得．在那里有一个门徒、名叫提摩太、是信主之犹太妇人的儿子、他父亲却是希利尼人。
He came to Derbe and Lystra: and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess who believed; but his father was a Greek.
徒16:2 路司得和以哥念的弟兄、都称赞他。
The brothers who were at Lystra and Iconium gave a good testimony about him.
徒16:3 保罗要带他同去、只因那些地方的犹太人、都知道他父亲是希利尼人、就给他行了割礼。
Paul wanted to have him go out with him, and he took and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts; for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
徒16:4 他们经过各城、把耶路撒冷使徒和长老所定的条规、交给门徒遵守。
As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered the decrees to them to keep which had been ordained by the apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem.