Romans
Chapter 11
1 1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? Of course not! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
我再问:莫非天主摈弃了自己的人民吗?断然不是!我自己就是个以色列人,出于亚巴郎的后裔,本雅明支派。
2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?
天主并没有摈弃他所预选的人民。难道你们不知道圣经在厄里亚篇上说了什么,他怎样向天主抱怨以色列?
3 "Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have torn down your altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life."
‘上主呀!他们杀了你的先知,毁坏了你的祭坛,只剩下了我一个,他们还在谋害我的性命。’
4 But what is God's response to him? "I have left for myself seven thousand men who have not knelt to Baal."
然而神谕告诉了他什么?‘我为我自己留下了七千人,他们没有向巴耳屈过膝。’
5 So also at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.
同样,现在也留下了一些残余,即天主以恩宠所选拔的人。
6 But if by grace, it is no longer because of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.
既是出于恩宠,就不是出于作为,不然,恩宠就不算为恩宠了。
7 What then? What Israel was seeking it did not attain, but the elect attained it; the rest were hardened,
那么还说什么呢?以色列全体所寻求的,没有得到,只有那些蒙选的人得到了;其余的都顽梗不化了。
8 as it is written: "God gave them a spirit of deep sleep, eyes that should not see and ears that should not hear, down to this very day."
正如所记载的:‘天主赋予了他们沉睡的神,有眼看不见,有耳听不见,直到今日,仍是如此。’
9 And David says: "Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them;
达味也说过:‘愿他们的筵席成为他们的陷阱、罗网、绊脚石和应得的报应。
10 let their eyes grow dim so that they may not see, and keep their backs bent forever."
愿他们的眼睛昏迷,不得看见。愿你使他们的脊背常常弯曲。’
11 2 Hence I ask, did they stumble so as to fall? Of course not! But through their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make them jealous.
那么我再问:他们失足,是要他们永久跌倒吗?绝对不是!而是借着他们的过犯,使救恩临到外邦人,为刺激他们发愤。
12 Now if their transgression is enrichment for the world, and if their diminished number is enrichment for the Gentiles, how much more their full number.
如果因他们的过犯,世界得以致富,因他们的堕落,外邦人得以致富;他们全体归正,更将怎样呢?
13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I glory in my ministry
我对你们外邦人说:我既然是外邦人的宗徒,我必要光荣我的职务;
14 in order to make my race jealous and thus save some of them.
这样,或许可激动我的同胞发愤,因而能拯救他们几个人。
15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
如果因他们被遗弃,世界与天主和好了;那么,他们如果蒙收纳,岂不是死而复生吗?
16 3 If the firstfruits are holy, so is the whole batch of dough; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
如果所献的初熟的麦面是圣的,全面团也成为圣的;如果树根是圣的,树枝也是圣的。
17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in their place and have come to share in the rich root of the olive tree,
假如有几条橄榄树枝被折下来,而你这枝野橄榄树枝被接上去,同沾橄榄树根的肥脂,
18 do not boast against the branches. If you do boast, consider that you do not support the root; the root supports you.
就不可向旧树枝自夸。如果你想自夸,就该想不是你托着树根,而是树根托着你。
19 Indeed you will say, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in."
或者你要说:树枝被折下来,正是为叫我接上去。
20 That is so. They were broken off because of unbelief, but you are there because of faith. So do not become haughty, but stand in awe.
不错,他们因了不信而被折下来,你要因着信,才站得住。你决不可心高气傲,反应恐惧,
21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, (perhaps) he will not spare you either.
因为天主既然没有怜惜了那些原有的树枝,将来也许不怜惜你。
22 See, then, the kindness and severity of God: severity toward those who fell, but God's kindness to you, provided you remain in his kindness; otherwise you too will be cut off.
可见天主又慈善又严厉:天主对于跌倒了的人是严厉的,对于你却是慈善的,只要你存留在他的慈善上;不然你也必要被砍去。
23 And they also, if they do not remain in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
至于他们,如果他们不固执于无信之中,必会再被接上去,因为天主有能力重新把他们接上去。
24 For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated one, how much more will they who belong to it by nature be grafted back into their own olive tree.
其实,如果你这由本生的野橄榄树上被砍下来的,逆着性被接在好橄榄树上,何况他们那些原生的树枝,岂不更容易接在自己原来的橄榄树上么?
25 4 I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not become wise (in) your own estimation: a hardening has come upon Israel in part, until the full number of the Gentiles comes in,
弟兄们!免得你们自作聪明,我不愿意你们不知道这项奥秘的事,就是只有一部分是执迷不悟的,直到外邦人全数进入天国为止:
26 and thus all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come out of Zion, he will turn away godlessness from Jacob;
那时,全以色列必也获救,正如经上所载:‘拯救者必要来自熙雍,从雅各伯中消除不敬之罪;
27 and this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins."
这是我与他们所订立的盟约:那时我要赦免他们的罪恶。’
28 In respect to the gospel, they are enemies on your account; but in respect to election, they are beloved because of the patriarchs.
照福音来说,他们由于你们的缘故,成了天主的仇人;但照召选来说,由于他们祖先的缘故,他们仍是可爱的,
29 For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.
因为天主的恩赐和召选是决不会撤回的。
30 5 Just as you once disobeyed God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience,
就如你们以前背叛了天主,如今却因了他们的背叛而蒙受了怜悯;
31 so they have now disobeyed in order that, by virtue of the mercy shown to you, they too may (now) receive mercy.
同样,因了你们所受的怜悯,他们如今背叛,这是为叫他们今后也蒙受怜悯,
32 For God delivered all to disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all.
因为天主把众人都禁锢在背叛之中,是为要怜悯众人。
33 6 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways!
啊!,天主的富饶,上智和知识,是多么高深!他的决断是多么不可测量!他的道路是多么不可探察!
34 "For who has known the mind of the Lord 7 or who has been his counselor?"
有谁曾知道上主的心意?或者,有谁曾当过他的顾问?
35 8 "Or who has given him anything that he may be repaid?"
或者,有谁曾先施恩于他,而望他还报呢?
36 For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
因为万物都出于他,依赖他,而归于他。愿光荣归于他至于永世!阿们!。
Footnotes(注解)
1 [1-10] Although Israel has been unfaithful to the prophetic message of the gospel (Romans 10:14-21), God remains faithful to Israel. Proof of the divine fidelity lies in the existence of Jewish Christians like Paul himself. The unbelieving Jews, says Paul, have been blinded by the Christian teaching concerning the Messiah.
2 [11-15] The unbelief of the Jews has paved the way for the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles and for their easier acceptance of it outside the context of Jewish culture. Through his mission to the Gentiles Paul also hopes to fill his fellow Jews with jealousy. Hence he hastens to fill the entire Mediterranean world with the gospel. Once all the Gentile nations have heard the gospel, Israel as a whole is expected to embrace it. This will be tantamount to resurrection of the dead, that is, the reappearance of Jesus Christ with all the believers at the end of time.
3 [16-24] Israel remains holy in the eyes of God and stands as a witness to the faith described in the Old Testament because of the firstfruits (or the first piece baked) (Romans 11:16), that is, the converted remnant, and the root that is holy, that is, the patriarchs (Romans 11:16). The Jews' failure to believe in Christ is a warning to Gentile Christians to be on guard against any semblance of anti-Jewish arrogance, that is, failure to recognize their total dependence on divine grace.
4 [25-29] In God's design, Israel's unbelief is being used to grant the light of faith to the Gentiles. Meanwhile, Israel remains dear to God (cf Romans 9:13), still the object of special providence, the mystery of which will one day be revealed.
5 [30-32] Israel, together with the Gentiles who have been handed over to all manner of vices (Romans 1), has been delivered . . . to disobedience. The conclusion of Romans 11:32 repeats the thought of Romans 5:20, "Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more."
6 [33-36] This final reflection celebrates the wisdom of God's plan of salvation. As Paul has indicated throughout these chapters, both Jew and Gentile, despite the religious recalcitrance of each, have received the gift of faith. The methods used by God in making this outreach to the world stagger human comprehension but are at the same time a dazzling invitation to abiding faith.
7 [34] The citation is from the Greek text of Isaiah 40:13. Paul does not explicitly mention Isaiah in this verse, nor Job in 11:35.
8 [35] Paul quotes from an old Greek version of Jb 41, 3a, which differs from the Hebrew text (Job 41:11a).