1. Hello, listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好，
2. It is a great joy for us to know that you are listening to this broadcast;
非常高兴你能收听这个节目；
3. and it would absolutely thrill us to hear from you, either by mail or through the Internet.
当你写信或通过网路和我们联系的时候，都会让我们无比地激动。
4. One of the hardest lessons for us to learn is this:
对我们来说最难学的功课就是：
5. how to turn a negative situation into a positive environment;
如何将负面的困境转换为积极的环境；
6. how to turn an oppressive environment into an opportunity;
如何将一个难以忍受的境况变成一个机会；
7. how to act lovingly toward a critical person,
如何友善地对待责难你的人，
8. especially when you receive false criticism;
特别是你遭受诬蔑的时候；
9. because false criticism is not only dangerous for those who are being criticized,
因为诬蔑不仅对被诬蔑的一方是有危害的，
10. it is even more dangerous to the critical person.
其实对诬蔑别人的人危害更大。
11. False criticism creates a poisonous atmosphere for everyone;
诬蔑别人会在群体中形成有害的气氛；
12. because when you nurture the critical spirit,
因为当你不断地酝酿着批评的心态，
13. you will foster gossip and backbiting;
你也就是在鼓励说闲话和背后中伤；
14. and here’s something about critical people that you must remember.
你一定要记住，那些喜欢批评别人的人，
15. Critical people are often suspicious and paranoid.
常常是多疑的和喜欢妄想的。
16. They listen to the truth of the Word of God,
他们听到圣经所讲的真理，
17. but they never apply it to themselves.
但他们从来不用在自己身上。
18. They always think that the message is for somebody else.
他们总是认为那些信息是讲给别人听的。
19. In fact, a critical spirit is nothing short of slander;
事实上，这种好批评的心态，毫不逊色于诽谤；
20. and slander will not glorify God.
而诽谤他人是不荣耀神的。
21. Today, I want to talk to you about turning the opposition, or false criticism, into an opportunity for glorifying God.
今天，我想告诉你怎样将敌对的或遭受诬蔑的情形，变成一个荣耀神的机会。
22. Please turn with me, if you have a Bible, to Acts, Chapter 21.
如果你手上有圣经，请跟我一起翻到使徒行传21章。
23. We are going to see an example of turning a negative environment of false criticism into a positive spirit;
我们会看到一个实例，如何把一个遭受诬蔑的负面境况变成一种积极乐观的心态；
24. and, next to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul is a master of turning oppression into opportunity.
除了主耶稣基督以外，使徒保罗是一位能将困境变为转机的高手。
25. In the last part of Chapter 21,
在21章的结束的部分，
26. when the enemies of the Gospel saw the Apostle Paul walking in the Temple,
当敌对福音的人看到使徒保罗走进圣殿中，
27. they saw an opportunity to make mischief.
他们看到了一个制造麻烦的机会。
28. They began to stir up rumors among the pilgrims who were celebrating the Feast of Pentecost;
他们开始在庆祝五旬节的百姓中散布谣言；
29. and they stirred up this trouble by falsely accusing the Apostle Paul.
他们通过中伤保罗来挑起事端。
30. These false accusations were three in number.
对保罗的诬告共有三点。
31. First,
第一，
32. they said Paul was an enemy of God’s people.
他们说保罗是神国子民的敌人。
33. I want to show you how blatantly false this criticism is.
我想让你明白这种诬蔑是何等地无理。
34. Remember that Paul was once a persecutor of the church,
不要忘了，保罗曾是一个迫害教会的人，
35. but he was saved from eternal damnation;
但他从永恒的咒诅中被拯救出来；
36. and, in every Epistle, he thanks God for his salvation.
并且，在他写的每一卷书信中，都感谢神对他的救恩。
37. It is the most incredible thing that has happened to him;
这是发生在他身上的最不可思议的变化；
38. and he writes to the Romans, saying,
他在写给罗马教会的书信中说到：
39. “If ending up in Hell would help save my fellow countrymen, then I am willing to do it.”
“为我弟兄，我骨肉之亲，就是自己被咒诅，与基督分离，我也愿意。”
40. Now, I want you to visualize this.
我想让你想象这幅图画。
41. Paul, who was ready to be damned for eternity for the sake of his fellow countrymen,
为了同胞的缘故，保罗情愿在永恒中承受咒诅，
42. gets accused of being an enemy of his own people.
现在，他被自己的同胞当作敌人。
43. It’s mind-boggling;
真是令人难以置信；
44. and the second false accusation was this:
第二个诬蔑是：
45. they said, “Paul is opposed to the Law of Moses.”
他们说：“保罗违背了摩西的律法。”
46. Now, this was a very serious charge,
这是一项非常严重的指控，
47. Especially on the Day of Pentecost, when all the pilgrims were there in support of the Law.
特别是在五旬节期间，所有的百姓都聚在一起维护律法的时候。
48. The third false accusation was this:
第三个诬蔑是：
49. they said that the Apostle Paul spoke against the Temple.
他们说使徒保罗的言语冒犯了圣殿。
50. Again, the accusation of defiling the Temple is very serious.
同样，污秽圣殿也是一项非常严重的指控。
51. It is a capital crime.
这是一项死罪。
52. In fact, Mark, Chapter 14,
事实上，在马可福音14章中，
53. the Lord Jesus Christ is accused of speaking against the Temple;
主耶稣也被指控为言语冒犯圣殿；
54. and what did they do to substantiate their claim?
那么这些人又是如何来证实他们的指控呢？
55. They said Paul brought Gentiles into the Temple;
他们说保罗把外邦人带进圣殿；
56. but there was a section in the Temple designated for Gentiles.
其实圣殿有一个区域是专门为外邦人预备的。
57. It is called the “Court of Gentiles,”
它被称作“外邦人院”，
58. and that’s exactly where Paul took the Greeks whom he brought with him.
而这正是保罗和他所带来的希腊人停留的地方。
59. They were sitting in the Court of the Gentiles.
他们当时就坐在外邦人院里。
60. My listening friend, false accusations bear no logic.
我亲爱的朋友，诬蔑是不合逻辑的。
61. False accusations fabricate the evidence.
诬蔑往往编造证据。
62. False accusations have only one intent, and that is to stir up trouble.
诬蔑只有一个目的，那就是挑起事端。
63. The focus of false criticism is vengeance;
诬蔑的焦点是复仇；
64. and false accusations spread like wildfire;
诬蔑就像野火一样到处蔓延；
65. and, here, in Acts 21, verse 30,
在使徒行传21章30节，
66. the crowd worked itself into a frenzy
在群众中酝酿的骚乱已达到了颠狂的状态，
67. and the Temple guard seized the Apostle Paul;
看守圣殿的人拿住保罗；
68. and, when the Roman captain, Lysias, comes in to talk to the Apostle Paul,
当罗马的千夫长吕西亚过来向保罗问话的时候，
69. Paul gently speaks to him.
保罗的言语很温和。
70. Paul understood that, in the midst of this frenzy of false criticism,
保罗明白在这种诬蔑的狂乱之中，
71. there is no use in speaking harshly to your accusers.
与指控你的人硬碰硬地说话是不起作用的。
72. Paul understood that, in the midst of inflamed emotions, no one is ready to hear the truth;
保罗明白在这种情绪激昂的时候，没有人听得进真话；
73. so much so that the Roman captain did not even know who Paul was and what he was accused of;
何况，罗马的千夫长甚至连保罗是谁，以及他为什么被指控都不知道；
74. so, finally, Paul begins to speak to the captain in perfect Greek language,
最后，保罗用流利的希腊语对千夫长说话，
75. and the captain was shocked.
让千夫长大吃一惊。
76. Criminals in Jerusalem did not speak perfect Greek.
耶路撒冷的罪犯一般都不会说流利的希腊语。
77. Greek was a language reserved for the sophisticated and the highly educated;
希腊语都是受过高等教育和上流社会所专用的语言；
78. and Lysias, the captain, could not believe his ears,
因此千夫长吕西亚简直不能相信他的耳朵，
79. that they are bringing accusation against this highly sophisticated man,
众人正在指控这个有高深学问的人，
80. because the Greek that Paul spoke was a very scholarly Greek;
因为保罗所讲的希腊语，是知识份子所使用的希腊语；
81. and, at that moment, the captain looked at him and said,
在那一刻，千夫长看着保罗说：
82. “Are you not that Egyptian who stirred up trouble?”
“你莫非是从前作乱的埃及人吗？”
83. Why did Lysias ask this question?
为什么吕西亚要这么问呢？
84. Because, Josephus the historian tells us that, at that time, there was an Egyptian who was a self-proclaimed prophet;
因为犹太史家约瑟夫告诉我们，在那个时候，有个自命为先知的埃及人；
85. and this man gathered together all of his followers on the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem,
这个人率领他的跟从者上了耶路撒冷附近的橄榄山，
86. and he not only declared himself to be the Messiah,
他不仅自称是弥赛亚，
87. but he predicted that the walls of Jerusalem would fall at his command
而且还预言耶路撒冷城墙会随着他一声令下而倒塌，
88. and the Romans would be driven out;
并且罗马人会被驱逐出去；
89. but, before they could find out whether his prophecy was true or not,
可是，在人们能够验证他的预言是否属实之前，
90. the Romans arrested and killed many of his followers and he, himself, disappeared;
罗马人已抓住并杀害了很多他的跟从者，而他自己，也消失得无影无踪了；
91. so this is the story behind Lysias’ question to Paul;
这就是吕西亚问保罗这个问题的背景；
92. and Paul replied,
保罗回答说：
93. “I am not the Egyptian man. I am a Hebrew from Tarsus...”
“我不是埃及人，我本是大数的希伯来人……”
94. and, here, Paul turns the oppression of false criticism into an opportunity to testify.
保罗在这里把遭受诬蔑的困境变成一个作见证的机会。
95. Paul used the captain’s authority to hush the crowds;
保罗借用千夫长的权威让众人安静下来；
96. and, then, Paul switched into the Aramaic language;
随后，他转用亚兰语；
97. and he began to testify of how he was a persecutor of Jesus Christ,
向众人见证他从前怎样迫害跟从耶稣基督的人，
98. and how he had an encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus,
他又是怎样在大马色的路上遇见了复活的基督，
99. and how he was commissioned by the Lord Jesus Christ to preach the very Gospel that he once belittled.
以及他如何接受主耶稣基督的委派，来传讲曾经被他藐视的福音。
100. My listening friend,
我亲爱的朋友，
101. there is nothing more diffusing to false criticism than the personal testimony.
没有什么比个人见证更能让虚假的诬蔑烟消云散的。
102. There is nothing more confounding to your critics than the truth as it is experienced by you.
也没有什么能比你亲身经历的事实更能动摇你的批评者。
103. I want to summarize for you Paul’s attitude toward his accusers.
我想为你总结一下保罗对待控告他的人所持的态度。
104. There are five principles of turning false criticism into an opportunity to testify in the name of Jesus Christ.
把遭受诬告转变为见证耶稣基督之名的机会，这其中有五个原则。
105. Principle number one,
第一个原则是，
106. Paul saw the hand of God before he even got to Jerusalem.
保罗在他上耶路撒冷之前已看到神的作为。
107. He was warned that there will be difficulties in Jerusalem,
早有人警告他，在耶路撒冷他会遇到重重困难，
108. but his full trust was in the Lord Jesus Christ;
但他完全地信靠主耶稣基督；
109. and he said, “No matter what the circumstances are, I know that He holds me in the palms of His hands...”
他说：“不管环境如何，我知道神都会将我放在祂的掌心之中……”
110. and the second principle is this:
第二个原则是，
111. Paul was able to see the positive in the midst of a negative environment.
保罗能在逆境中看到积极的一面。
112. While others would have panicked and said, “O, God, why are You doing this to me after all that I’ve done for You?”
普通人处于惊慌之中也许会说：“噢，主啊，我为你做了这么多，为什么你还要这样对待我？”
113. Paul probably thought to himself, “What an opportunity to testify to this captain and this government official!
而保罗可能在心里想：“这是一个多么好的机会来对这位千夫长作见证！
114. I’ve never dreamed of having such a large crowd listening to my testifying.
我连作梦都没想到会有这么多人来听我作见证。
115. What an opportunity!”
多么难得的机会啊！”
116. Then, Paul does something amazing.
接下来，保罗所作的更为奇妙。
117. Even though his face was bleeding from being beaten,
虽然他的脸因为被打还在流血，
118. he said, “I understand.
他说：“我明白。
119. You did this out of zeal for God...”
你们这样对我是出于你们对神的热心……”
120. and, while everybody was being terrified,
当普通人还在恐惧之中的时候，
121. the Apostle Paul was counting the blessings of his arrest.
使徒保罗却能因被捕而数算神赐给他的福分。
122. While everybody else probably was running and hiding,
当普通人也许会逃避的时候，
123. Paul was thanking God for the opportunity to testify.
保罗却感谢神给他作见证的机会。
124. He saw the hand of God everywhere he went.
不管他去到哪里，他都能看到神的作为。
125. He saw the positive in the midst of the negative;
保罗能在逆境中看到积极的一面；
126. and the third principle is this:
第三个原则是：
127. he spoke with respect to his persecutors,
他在言语上尊重控告他的人，
128. Acts 22, verse 1.
使徒行传22章第1节。
129. He addressed them as “fathers and brothers,”
他称呼他们为“诸位父兄”，
130. as if to say, “All is forgiven.
言下之意就是说：“你们所作的一切都被宽恕了，
131. I treat you with respect in spite of what you have done to me.”
不管你们怎样对我，我都会尊重你们。”
132. Paul told the Roman Christians in Romans, Chapter 12, verse 14,
在罗马书12章的14节，保罗告诉罗马的基督徒，
133. “Bless those who persecute you...”
“逼迫你们的要给他们祝福……”
134. and he practiced what he preached.
他做到了他所讲的。
135. The fourth principle is this:
第四个原则是：
136. he recognized an opportunity to lift up the name of Jesus.
他意识到了这是一个机会，来高举耶稣之名。
137. That was the most important thing for him.
这对他来说是非常重要的。
138. Did Paul focus on his impressive credentials?
保罗有没有看重自己显赫的身世呢？
139. No.
没有。
140. He could have, and he had many credentials;
他本是可以的，而且他具有多重优越的身分；
141. and he could have said, “Let me tell you about me...”
他可以对他们说：“让我告诉你，我是何许人……”
142. but, instead, he said, “Let me tell you about Jesus...”
相反，他却说：“让我告诉你，耶稣是谁……”
143. and he focused on what God had accomplished in his life.
他强调神在他生命中所成就的。
144. He dwelt on the glory of God.
他详述神的荣耀。
145. He preached what he told the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 1:31.
正如他在哥林多前书1章31节中，告诉了哥林多的信徒们。
146. “Let him who boasts boast on the Lord.”
“夸口的，当指着主夸口。”
147. He saw the hand of God in every circumstance.
他在任何的环境下都能看到神的作为。
148. He saw the positive in the middle of the negative.
保罗能在逆境中看到积极的一面。
149. He blessed his persecutors.
他为逼迫他的人祝福。
150. He saw this as an opportunity to lift up the name of Jesus;
他把这当作一个机会来高举耶稣之名；
151. and the last principle is this:
最后的一个原则是：
152. Paul maintained his attitude of selfless love.
保罗能够保持他无私的爱。
153. This is very difficult to do when you are falsely accused;
尤其是在你遭受诬告的时候，这是非常难得的；
154. but Paul maintained his attitude of selfless love.
但保罗却能够保持他无私的爱。
155. It was Paul’s selfless love for the church of Jerusalem that brought him there to begin with.
正是他对耶路撒冷教会无私的爱，牵引他来到这里，引发了这一切。
156. It was his love for his weaker brethren that brought him to Jerusalem;
他对软弱肢体的爱，把他带到了耶路撒冷；
157. and, ultimately, it was his love for the Lord Jesus Christ that motivated him to love people.
最终，也正是他对主耶稣基督的爱激励着他来爱别人。
158. Love that is not motivated by the love of Christ is temporary;
不是从神而来的爱往往是短暂的；
159. but, when you love the Lord, you will love the unsaved;
但是，如果你爱主，你就会爱还没有得救的人；
160. and you will have the strength to turn oppression into opportunity.
你就会有力量将困境变为转机。
161. You will have the wisdom to turn false critics into listeners;
你就会有智慧把诬蔑你的人变成你的听众；
162. and you will have the courage to turn your false accusers into a congregation.
你就会有勇气把一群诬告你的人变成教会的会众。
163. Until next time, I wish you God’s richest blessing.
愿神大大地赐福给你，下次再会。
