1. Hello, listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好。

2. Thank you for tuning in to this broadcast.
感谢你再次收听这个节目。

3. It is our privilege to bring this broadcast to you every week.
每次能与你在空中见面是我们最大的快乐。

4. If you are joining our broadcast for the first time,
假如你是第一次收听，

5. we are nearing the end of a series about biblical compassion.
我们所播出的这个系列已经接近尾声了。

6. We are looking at the Book of Jonah;
我们所讲的信息是来自圣经的约拿书；

7. and, in this broadcast, we’ll start looking at Chapter 3,
今天，我们开始讲第三章，

8. so get your Bible and get ready.
请准备好你的圣经。

9. In the past, we looked at the difference between sentimentality and true biblical compassion.
前几次，我们讲到了多愁善感和从神而来的怜悯之间的区别。

10. We learned that, to have biblical compassion, you must listen to the Word of God and do whatever God tells you to do in His Word.
我们知道，要想得到神的怜悯，就要听从并实行神的话。

11. Do you know what the most difficult task for a believer is?
你知道一个信徒最难做到的是什么吗？

12. No, it is not prayer.
不是祷告。

13. No, it is not praise.
不是唱诗赞美神。

14. No, it is not going to church.
不是参加礼拜。

15. No, it is not even living a godly life!
甚至也不是过一个虔诚的信仰生活！

16. The most difficult part of a believer’s life is to be an authentic witness for Jesus Christ the Lord.
对一个信徒来说，最困难的就是，真实地成为耶稣基督的见证人。

17. Why?
为什么呢？

18. Because if you are an authentic witness for the Lord,
因为，如果你能够真实地为主作见证，

19. you will be praying for the lost.
你就会为那些还没有信主的人祷告。

20. If you are an authentic witness for the Lord,
如果你是主耶稣基督的见证，

21. you will be praising Him.
你自然就会赞美神。

22. If you are an authentic witness for the Lord,
如果你是主的见证，

23. you will be going to church.
你当然会去教堂敬拜神。

24. If you are an authentic witness to the Lord,
如果你是主的见证，

25. you will be living a godly life;
你就会有敬虔的生活；

26. so, if you get your authentic witnessing life-style in order, all of your Christian life will fall into place.
因此，假如你的生活就是真实的见证，你的基督徒生命自然是健全的。

27. In the courts of law,
在法庭上，

28. an authentic witness on the stand might help either convict or acquit a person.
一个有效的证人能够帮助法官判定被告是有罪或无罪。

29. In the courts of law,
在法庭上，

30. if you have more than one authentic witness, they can definitely decide the fate of a person.
假如有一个以上的证人作证的话，他们就能决定被告的命运。

31. I want you to understand this so well that you can feel it.
我希望你能够真正体会我这话的意思。

32. Everything around us is depriving us of having spiritual eyes.
这世上的一切，时刻都在迷惑着我们属灵辨别的能力。

33. Everything around us is working to keep us from living in the realm of the Spirit;
属世的东西总在牵引我们离开神的面；

34. but, in the spiritual realm,
但是，从属灵意义上来说，

35. our testimony can save or damn somebody.
我们的见证可以使别人得救，也可能使他灭亡。

36. In the courts of Heaven, an authentic witness can help determine the eternal future of others.
在属灵的法庭上，一个真实的见证人对别人永恒的结局可以产生至关重要的作用。

37. An authentic witness can make a difference whether someone else will be in Heaven or in Hell for an eternity.
一个真实的见证人可以影响他人脱离灭亡，进入永生。

38. Do you see the enormity of the task of the witness;
可见，证人的作用真是相当关键的；

39. but, there is more!
可是，还有更重要的呢！

40. Being a witness for Jesus Christ
为耶稣基督作见证，

41. is the one thing that you do that is nearest and dearest to the heart of Jesus.
是最合神心意的一件事情。

42. The salvation of the lost souls
给失落的灵魂传福音，

43. is the nearest and the dearest ministry to the heart of Jesus.
是最讨神喜欢的一项事工。

44. You can fellowship all you want.
我们纵然有团契，

45. You can educate all you want.
我们可以有主日学，

46. You can sing to your heart's content.
我们可以唱诗赞美，

47. You can feed and clothe.
我们可以广行善事，

48. You can go on retreats and conferences.
我们可以开退修会等各种会议。

49. You can go to in-depth Bible studies.
我们可以开查经班，

50. You can do all of these things;
我们可以作任何一项事工；

51. but, if you are not involved in witnessing and making disciples,
但是，如果我们没有参与为主作见证，使人成为耶稣门徒的事工的话，

52. you are not doing the one thing that is dearest and nearest to the heart of Jesus.
我们就没有作到最讨神喜悦的事。

53. Because this is the dearest and the nearest to the heart of Jesus
因为，作主的见证才是最能满足神心意的事情。

54. that, in every one of the four Gospels, as well as in the Book of Acts,
在四福音书和使徒行传里面，

55. the very last words of Jesus, prior to His ascension into Heaven were “Be My Witnesses.”
耶稣在升天之前对门徒说的最后几句话，总是“你们要为我作见证。”

56. You may ask this question:
也许你会问：

57. "If witnessing is the nearest and the dearest to the heart of Jesus,
“ 如果为耶稣作见证是最讨神喜悦的事情，

58. then, why is it the most difficult thing to do?"
那为什么却是最难实行的呢？”

59. Listen carefully to the answer:
请仔细听，答案就是：

60. because it is the one ministry that Satan hates the most.
因为撒但最讨厌这件事了。

61. He hates for you to pray.
它讨厌你祷告，

62. He hates for you to sing.
它讨厌你唱诗赞美，

63. He hates for you to live a godly life;
它讨厌你过虔诚的生活；

64. but the one thing he hates the most
可是，撒但最恨恶的，

65. is when you give a witness to the power of the Lord,
是你见证主的大能，

66. is when you give witness to the eternal life that is given by Jesus Christ.
是你见证主耶稣所赐给你的永生，

67. Satan hates that.
撒但最恨这个。

68. Here is a good rule of thumb that you should keep in mind.
你要记住一个规律，那就是，

69. “What Jesus loves, Satan hates...”
“耶稣所喜欢的，就是撒但所憎恨的……”

70. and that is why witnessing is the one ministry that Satan will put all of his stops to keep you from doing.
这就是为什么撒但总是想方设法来阻止我们为主作见证。

71. It is the one ministry that Satan will do everything possible to discourage you from doing,
撒但使出浑身解数都要让我们泄气，不再活出基督的见证来。

72. and, if you give up the witnessing life-style, you are delighting Satan.
所以，如果你真的放弃了为主作见证的生活，就让撒但正中下怀了。

73. Now, I know these are strong words, but they are the truth from the Scripture.
我知道，这些话听起来不顺耳，但它的确是圣经的真理。

74. Authentic witnesses for Jesus Christ are what the world is longing for.
这个世界最需要的就是耶稣基督真实的见证人。

75. Authentic witnesses for our salvation are what will bring conviction to sinners to repent.
为神赐给我们的救恩作见证，就能把罪人带到神面前来认罪悔改。

76. Now, what do I mean by an authentic witness?
那么，怎样才算是真实的见证呢？

77. As an answer to this question, I will tell you a true story.
让我用一个真实的故事来回答这个问题。

78. There was a machinist who worked for an automobile manufacturer.
在一个汽车制造厂有一位机械师，

79. One day, he became a Christian and was baptized in the name of Jesus.
有一天，他信了主，并且受洗成为一名基督徒。

80. This man knew that he could not become an authentic witness without righting the many wrongs that he had done in the past.
这个人明白，假如他不纠正过去不好的行为，就不能为主作真实的见证。

81. My listening friends, this is very important.
我亲爱的朋友，这一点相当的重要。

82. You can proclaim your faith all that you want;
你尽管可以对别人陈述你的信仰；

83. but, until you have righted the wrong that you have done in your life,
但是，假如你行为上没有改变，

84. you are not an authentic believer in Jesus Christ,
你就不会成为耶稣基督真实的门徒，

85. and the man in this story knew that he had to right the wrongs that he had done.
这个故事中的机械师明白，信主以后就必须要在行为上改邪归正。

86. What did this man do in the past?
那么，这个人过去到底做过哪些事儿呢？

87. For years before he became a Christian,
在他成为基督徒之前，

88. he had been stealing parts and tools from his employer for many years.
他经常偷拿工厂的零件。

89. Well, God converted him thoroughly;
感谢神，把他彻底改变过来；

90. so, after his baptism and profession of faith, he acted out his public profession of faith.
他受洗以后，他真的在众人面前活出了见证。

91. He took all the stolen parts and tools to his employer
他把自己过去偷拿的所有零件全部交还回去，

92. and explained the situation to his employer.
并把原因告诉了上司。

93. He told his foreman that he knew that he could not witness for the Lord until he had done the right thing.
他说，如果他不把所犯的错误纠正过来，就不能为主作见证。

94. He risked being fired in acting out his faith;
为了忠于信仰，他宁可冒着被开除的风险；

95. but not only did he return all the stolen goods,
同时，他不仅退还了所偷拿的东西，

96. but he also asked that his employer would forgive him.
他还请求雇主能够饶恕他的过犯。

97. His foreman did not know what to do.
他的上司不知道该怎么处理这件事。

98. The owner of the company was on an overseas trip, visiting a foreign plant;
那时候，工厂的老板正在海外公务访问；

99. so, they sent the owner a long cable explaining the situation and asked him for a decision.
于是，他们就给老板发了一封长长的电报请示他。

100. The owner immediately returned a cable with a decision.
这位老板马上就回了一封电报，并作出了决定。

101. He said, “Dam up the river, and baptize the entire city.”
他说：“拦截河流，让全城的人都受洗。”

102. Now, do you understand what makes an authentic witness?
现在你明白一个真诚的见证能够带来什么样的效果了吧？

103. Authentic witnessing must begin with an authentic change of heart.
真实的见证必须发自内心彻底的改变。

104. Authentic witnessing must begin with authentic repentance and authentic change in life.
真实的见证必须是来自真诚的悔悟和生命的更新。

105. Unfortunately, that does not happen very often these days.
可惜的是，当今世代，这种光景并不多见。

106. Some people claim to become Christians while they’re still unfaithful
有些人口说自己是基督徒，却言而无信。

107. People look at Christians and they do not see any difference.
别人一点儿也看不出，这个基督徒和旁人有什么不同。

108. A dishonest businessman has not forsaken his dishonesty when he becomes a Christian,
不法商人成为基督徒之后，仍旧使用欺骗手法作生意，

109. and, sadly, that is how the world sees Christianity!
可悲呀，这就是世人所看到的基督教！

110. It is no wonder that we aren’t making any difference in the world.
难怪我们对这个世界起不了任何作用，

111. When you look at the life of Jonah, you understand the power of witnessing.
当你观察约拿的生命，你就会明白见证所带来的影响。

112. There are some people who look at the life of Jonah
有些人读约拿故事的时候，

113. and they focus on the miracle of Jonah’s survival in the belly of the great fish,
他们只是关注约拿从大鱼腹中死里逃生的神迹，

114. and that is where they stop!
仅此而已！

115. They need to move on to Chapter Three.
他们真该好好读一下第三章。

116. Why?
为什么呢？

117. Because, in reality, there is a far greater miracle that most Christians ignore.
因为，事实上，很多信徒都忽略了后面更大的神迹。

118. That is the miracle that resulted from Jonah’s preaching.
这个神迹是借着约拿所传讲的信息而引起的。

119. I want you to listen very carefully to Jonah, Chapter 3, verses 1 to 10.
请听我读，第三章，1-10节。

120. If the miracle of surviving inside the whale is great,
如果说，从鱼腹中生还的神迹了不起的话，

121. the miracle of the conversion of the Ninevites is far greater.
那么，尼尼微全城人的转变简直就是不可思议。

122. For the Ninevites to be converted
因为，尼尼微人能够悔改，

123. would be like seeing the greatest criminal you know becoming a witness for Jesus Christ.
就像一个万恶不赦的大罪人变成一名耶稣基督的见证人那样不可思议。

124. Archeology tells us that the Ninevites were a fierce and vicious people.
考古学家告诉我们，尼尼微人生性凶暴，罪恶满盈。

125. Archeologists record that the King of Ninevah methodically cut off the noses of the people that they conquered,
据考证，当他们征服敌军以后，尼尼微国王通常会把俘虏的鼻子割掉，

126. and skinned them alive.
活剥他们的皮。

127. For the Ninevites to be converted was a miracle of all miracles.
因此，我们说，尼尼微人的悔改才是最大的神迹。

128. Don’t miss this miracle,
千万别忽略了这个神迹，

129. and that is why Jesus said,
所以，耶稣说：

130. “There is unspeakable joy in Heaven when a sinner repents.”
“当一个罪人悔改，在天上要有极大的欢喜快乐。”

131. Modern man thinks that he has become more civilized than our ancestors.
现代人自以为比古代的人文明得多。

132. We think that we are kinder and better people than the past generation;
我们觉得自己比起那个年代的人要善良多了；

133. but God sees the same wickedness in our hearts,
可是，神知道，在我们心中怀有同样的邪恶，

134. and that is precisely why God wants His children to be witnesses for Him;
正因为如此，神才要祂的儿女为祂作见证；

135. but, my listening friends, our time has come to an end.
亲爱的朋友，今天的时间已经到了。

136. Please join us next time, when we look at the three special things that God always does for His witness!
下次，我们要讲，神为祂的见证人所作三件特别的事情，盼望你能按时收听。

137. Until then, I wish you God’s richest blessing.
好，我们下次再见，愿神大大地赐福给你。