(合用 可用 隨便用)
譯本是參照 AFV(A Faithful Version) 2009
1.Let as many slaves as are under the yoke of servitude esteem their own masters worthy of all respect, so that the name of God and His doctrine be not blasphemed. 2. Do not let those who have believing masters despise them because they are brethren; rather, let them serve them even better, because they are believing and beloved who are being helped by the good service. These things teach and exhort. 3. If anyone teaches any different doctrine, and does not adhere to sound words, even those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the doctrine that is according to godliness, 4. He is proud and knows nothing. Rather, he has a morbid attraction to questions and disputes over words, from which come envy, arguments, blasphemy, wicked suspicions, 5. Vain reasonings of men who have been corrupted in their minds and are destitute of the truth—men who believe that gain is godliness. From such withdraw yourself. 6. But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7. For we brought nothing into the world, and it is evident that neither do we have the power to carry anything out of the world. 8. But having food and clothing, we should be satisfied with these, 9. For those who desire to become rich fall into temptation and a snare, and many foolish and hurtful lusts, which cause men to sink into destruction and perdition. 10. For the love of money is a root of all evils; by which some, while striving after riches, were seduced from the faith, and have impaled themselves with many sorrows. (A Faithful Version)
1. 本身若是為奴的,在其為奴的身份,要尊重他的主人,以免神的名和道理,不因此受到沾污。
2. 若為奴相信耶穌的,不要輕視他們,反之,該受到尊敬。他們相信又愛神,是因為有好的教導和勸勉。
3. 有人教導任何不同的,有別於大家所信的,如對耶穌基督敬虔的道理。
4.這人一身傲慢,卻是什麼都不曉得。反之,對信仰問題有著近乎病態的興趣,對一些用詞紏纏不休,輸了就嫉妒,死纏到底,甚或出言抵諉,滿腦子邪念。
5. 人的狡言善辯、是因為腦袋朽壞,真理不在他們當中。言行依循道理的人,都是敬虔之人,會避開這樣的事發生。
6. 敬虔加上知足,是人生最大的得著。
7. 事實上,人並沒有帶任何東西到世間,也沒有能力帶走任何事物離開。
8. 有衣有食,就當知足,
9. 凡渴求富貴的人,會落入試探和陷阱,以及許多愚眛和害己的慾望之中,會讓人傾覆以致死亡。
10.愛金錢,是引來邪想歪念的起源。當中有人為了追求財富,離開了信仰,為自己帶來幾許的憂傷。
這段談及的弱勢社群是為奴的。這為奴的身份在當時有被逼強為的,也有是自願,為奴這字G1401 :
1. a slave, bondman, man of servile condition a.slave b. metaphorically, one who gives himself up to another's will those whose service is used by Christ in extending and advancing his cause among men. c. devoted to another to the disregard of one's own interestsa servant, attendant (A Faithful Version)
在當時羅馬的政權有二類人會失去自主能力,一 是奴隸,是在戰事上被擄獲的人。一是為了生計放棄自主權力的人。有人會對職業分高低的時候,便從貴賤的觀念區分,那是從屬的觀念。信神的人沒有這種觀念,因為人,全是從創造的源頭,開展而來,成了萬族。
因此,照顧及尊重失去自主能力的,在教會當人,因為都相信神,就該得到同是為人的尊重。當中也涉及從屬的觀念,是因為有主僕之別,意思是主人什麼都對,僕人對錯不能在事件常理的正當性解釋,只因為僕,就沒有個人辨別真假對錯的權利。這是為奴可悲的地方,信神的人要切戒,因為神從不輕看人,除非他放棄了自主,這個每人都有的獨特權利。西方文明,是信神而來的原則為基楚,因此打工的人,和上司是職份上的權責大小,不是華人世界的從屬,沒有個人意見的發表。這是專制和開明管理的分別。
那麼作為自由人,大家都在對等的情況下,對不同問題的看法,是可以有不同的觀回角度。保羅在此說出這些觀點按常理,大家都會明白的,卻在好辯的人當中,用所謂多角度思維的巧辯,用不同的字義場景作解釋,是遠離了原來字詞的正常用法,這種強辯,在今日台灣立法院,國民党強加不理的處理方式強行立法,就是最好的說明。在教會,有識之人就不去參與這樣的虛談,無益又費時。
為什麼會有這樣的行為產生?不知足。
這是個人行為當中,最不自覺,又最容易令人離開信神當持守和堅持原則時,這些原則是最先放下的。保羅在提醒提摩太,也許同時在提醒讀書信的人。

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