SECTION A
甲部
1. Hello, listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好。
2. Thank you very much for tuning in today.
谢谢你再次收听这个节目。
3. Today, I want to speak to you about a role model of four, faithful friends.
今天，我要讲关于“忠诚的朋友”这个题目，讲到四个好朋友。
4. They are a role model of faithfulness,
他们是忠实朋友的榜样，
5. and let us read about them in the Gospel according to Mark, Chapter 2, verses 1 to 12.
我们一起读马可福音2章1到12节。
AT YOUR DISCRETION, PLEASE READ THE REFERENCED BIBLE PASSAGE HERE, IF TIME PERMITS.
（请读圣经：马可福音2章1到12节。）。
6. I want you to imagine the picture here.
我们来想像一下当时的情景。
7. Only those who have experienced a mob scene can understand this scene.
只有在众多人群中被拥挤过的人才能体会这种场合。
8. There was not even a millimeter of space between people.
人和人之间几乎连一毫米的空隙都没有。
9. They were in an intensely thick wall of humanity.
他们就好像被夹在一堵厚厚的人墙当中。
10. The four friends, each, were holding on to one corner of a very thin mattress,
这四个人，每人抓住褥子的一角，
11. and, on that flimsy mattress is a quadriplegic.
在这张又薄又残破的褥子上，躺着一个四肢瘫痪的人。
12. If he were a paraplegic, he would have been carried by two, strong men;
假如他只是双腿瘫了的话，只要两个壮汉撑着他就行了；
13. but quadriplegics were carried on a thin mattress with one person holding each of the four corners.
但是，这位四肢瘫痪的人，必须要四个人各抓住褥子的一角，才可以把他抬来。
14. They came in and they saw that it was impossible to make their way to Jesus.
他们来到以后发现，想要到耶稣面前简直是不可能的。
15. This wall of humanity was solid.
人墙这么牢不可破。
16. This wall of humanity was impenetrable;
人墙挤得水泄不通。
17. so, you can understand if these four friends made excuses for not going to the house.
所以，即使这四个人因为人太多就不进到屋子里去，那也是情有可原的。
18. These four men could have gone away and said to themselves, “Well, we gave it our best try and it didn’t work.
他们大可以走开，并对自己说：“我们已经尽了力，挤不进去呀。”
19. There was nothing we could do.
我们也没辙了。
20. We have already taken too much time of our busy lives.
我们已经花了太多功夫，我们还忙着哪。
21. Maybe it was not the will of God for our friend to have an encounter with Jesus...”
也许神的旨意是不让我们的朋友去见耶稣吧……”
22. and, you know what, my listening friends?
我亲爱的朋友，你知道吗？
23. No one would have blamed them for that.
没有一个人会因他们的离去而责怪他们的。
24. Every one of us knows what it is like to give up.
人人都晓得，该放弃的时候就应该放弃。
25. When we pray for something that is consistent with the will of God and the Word of God, and we don’t get quick answers, we give up praying.
有时候我们的祷告虽然符合神的旨意和圣经的原则，但神没有立刻答应，我们就不再为这事祈求了。
26. Many of us have done that;
很多的信徒都会这样做；
27. but there are several things that I want to tell you about these four men.
但是，这四个人却不一样，让我告诉你一些有关他们的事。
28. We know virtually nothing about them.
其实，我们根本不认识他们。
29. We don’t know their names.
我们不知道他们的名字。
30. We don’t know their professions.
也不晓得他们的职业。
31. We don’t know their religious convictions.
我们不知道他们的信仰立场。
32. We don’t know their family backgrounds,
我们也不了解他们的家世背景，
33. but their actions tell us volumes about their faith.
然而，他们的行动却告诉我们，他们的信心有多大。
34. I will summarize what we know about them in two points.
我用两点来概括对他们的认识。
35. First,
第一点，
36. their faith in Jesus was unconquerable by their circumstances.
外在环境不能击败他们在耶稣基督里的信心。
37. Secondly,
第二点，
38. their faith in Jesus gave them the unexpected.
因着在基督里的信心，耶稣赐给了他们超乎所求所想的。
39. First, their faith in Jesus was unconquerable.
首先，他们在耶稣里信心，是不会被击败的，
40. These four friends were determined to bring their friend to the feet of Jesus.
这四个朋友下定决心要把他们瘫痪的朋友带到耶稣脚前。
41. They knew in their hearts that their friend’s only hope was in coming to Jesus.
他们明白，只有来到耶稣面前，他们的朋友才有救，这是他唯一的盼望。
42. They knew that only Jesus could meet his most desperate need.
他们知道，只有耶稣才能满足他们朋友最迫切的需要。
43. Only Jesus could perform the real miracle he needs.
只有耶稣才能在他身上施行神迹奇事。
44. Only Jesus could heal the inside and the outside.
只有耶稣才能带来完全的医治。
45. Only Jesus could deal with the physical infirmity, as well as the spiritual infirmity;
只有耶稣才能医治他肉体和心灵上的残疾；
46. so, they would not allow difficulties to stop them.
因此，再大的困难也阻止不了他们。
47. They would not allow obstacles to hinder them.
再高的障碍也不能拦阻他们。
48. They did not allow their faith to be conquered by the surrounding circumstances;
他们不容许环境打击他们的信心；
49. so, they went upstairs and dug a hole in the roof and lowered their friend right in front of Jesus.
于是，他们上了房顶拆了一个洞，然后，把他们瘫痪的朋友坠到耶稣面前。
50. Their roofs back then were, of course, not made of concrete.
当然，他们的房顶不是用水泥造的。
51. Their roofs consisted of flat beams that were about three feet apart,
通常，那时候的房顶都是用一些相距大约三英尺的梁木架起来的。
52. and the space between the beams were filled with brushes and packed with a thin layer of clay;
在梁木之间，铺一些碎草加上一层薄薄的泥土把草固定。
53. so, the men did not cause major damage to the house.
因此，这些人并没有给房子带来太大的损坏。
54. If you have your Bible with you, I want you to look at verse 5 of Mark, Chapter 2.
假如你有圣经的话，请看马可福音2章第5节。
55. It says, “Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the quadriplegic man, ‘My son, your sins are forgiven.’”
圣经说：“耶稣见他们的信心，就对瘫子说：‘小子，你的罪赦了。’”
56. There is something of vital importance here:
请注意这儿一个很重要的关键：
57. Jesus “seeing their faith.”
耶稣看见他们的信心。
58. We don’t know anything about the faith of the quadriplegic man, but we know about the faith of his friends.
我们不知道这位瘫痪病人的信心如何，但我们知道他的朋友们信心有多大。
59. Now, my listening friend, I don’t want you to miss this.
亲爱的朋友，请仔细听。
60. Whenever you bring someone to Christ,
不管你带领谁来到基督面前，
61. he or she may not understand what’s going on.
他们也许不明白发生了什么事情。
62. That person may not be able to articulate his desperate need for forgiveness.
也许他们自己都说不清楚，他们是多么迫切需要赦罪的恩典。
63. That person may not be able to comprehend the awesomeness of the grace of God.
也许他根本不理解神的恩典有多奇妙，多伟大。
64. That person might not be aware of your faith on their behalf,
他也许不能察觉到你为他而有的信心，
65. but God does.
但神知道这一切。
66. These four men did not preach.
这四个人并没有高言阔论。
67. These four men did not tell the man that he must do certain things;
这四个人也没有告诉他们的瘫痪朋友，他应该做哪些事情；
68. but they knew one thing, and one thing only,
但他们只知道一件事，
69. and what they knew was enough for Jesus.
他们所知道的这件事，对耶稣来说，就已经足够了。
70. What did they know?
他们知道些什么呢？
71. They knew that, if they could bring their friend to Jesus, Jesus would transform him;
他们深信，如果把他们的朋友带到耶稣那里，耶稣一定能够改变他；
72. and that is why their faith in Jesus gave them the unexpected;
这就是为什么，耶稣能够成就远超乎他们所求所想的；
73. and that’s my second point.
这就是我要讲的第二点。
74. Their faith in Jesus gave them the unexpected.
也就是，耶稣因他们的信心，成就了超乎他们所求所想的。
75. Now, there are some people who view faith as blind faith.
也许，有些人把信心看成迷信。
76. Some see faith as a leap into the dark.
有些人觉得，信心无非就是往坑里跳。
77. Some people talk about faith as if it is something mystical,
也有人把信心看成是神秘莫测的，
78. while, in reality, faith rests on knowledge.
然而，实际上，信心是建立在知识上的。
79. Faith rests on reason.
信心是有根有据的。
80. In fact, knowledge is a ladder on which faith climbs higher.
事实上，知识可以帮助信心提升到更高的境界。
81. Knowledge is the springboard from which faith leaps further.
知识就像跳板一样，能促使信心跳得更远。
82. These men’s faith was based on their knowledge of Who Jesus is.
这些人的信心是建立在他们对耶稣的认识上。
83. It was based on knowledge of Jesus’ character.
这种信心建立在对耶稣品格的认知上，
84. It was based on knowledge of the trustworthiness of Jesus.
是建立在耶稣是可信赖的，这个基础上。
85. To be sure, they did not expect the double miracle;
当然，他们并没有期望有双重神迹的出现；
86. but, nonetheless, they totally and completely, and without any doubt, trusted in Jesus.
但是，他们却完全相信，毫不怀疑的信任耶稣。
87. My listening friend,
我亲爱的朋友，
88. when you introduce a friend to Christ,
当你把某人带到基督面前，
89. you can be sure that Christ will do the rest.
你可以确信，耶稣会完成祂的工作。
90. Jesus will always surprise you by doing more than you are expecting or imagining.
耶稣所做的永远是超乎我们所求所想，带给我们惊喜的。
91. Why?
为什么呢？
92. because your faith in Him always honors Him.
因为你对主的信心本身就荣耀了祂。
93. Jesus saw the men’s incredible, unconquerable faith;
当耶稣看见这些人不屈不挠的信心；
94. and he said to the crippled man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
祂就对那位瘫子说：“小子，你的罪赦了。”
95. I am sure if you were there, you would have been surprised.
如果当时你在场的话，你一定感到很奇怪吧。
96. Why?
为什么呢？
97. Because we would have expected Jesus to heal the man first and, then, give him a sermon.
因为我们认为，耶稣一定会先治好他的病，再给他讲一篇道。
98. We always expect the physical miracle first and, then, the spiritual miracle;
我们总是盼望先目睹可见的神迹，再经历灵里的复兴；
99. but Jesus shocked them by forgiving the man’s sin first; then, healing him.
但是，耶稣先赦免了那人的罪，再医治他的病，多么令震惊啊。
SECTION B
乙部
1. The Pharisees were shocked when Jesus forgave the man’s sins before healing him.
耶稣先赦罪后医病，吓呆了法利赛人。
2. Most Hebrews believe that all suffering was a result of sin.
绝大多数的以色列人都相信，疾病是因犯罪引起的。
3. We see this clearly when the Disciples looked at the man who was born blind,
关于这一点，我们从门徒对生来瞎眼者的态度上，可以清楚地看出来，
4. and they asked Jesus, “Who sinned, he or his parents?”
他们问耶稣说：“是谁犯了罪，是这人呢，是他父母呢？”
5. The man was born blind, so he didn’t get a chance even to sin;
其实，那个人生来就瞎了眼，根本没有机会去犯罪；
6. and that is why Jesus said to them, “Neither, but God is going to be glorified in this...”
所以，耶稣回答他们说：“也不是这人犯了罪，也不是他父母犯了罪，是要在他身上显出神的作为来。”
7. and so Jesus forgives the man’s sins first.
因此，耶稣先赦免了瘫子的罪。
8. What is Jesus doing here?
耶稣这么做是什么意思呢？
9. He is removing the sting of sin first.
祂先除去罪的毒勾。
10. He is removing the stain of sin and guilt first.
祂先去掉罪孽的污点。
11. He is cleansing the man’s spirit first.
祂先洁净这位瘫子的灵魂。
12. He is bringing rest to the man’s soul first.
耶稣要先赐给他心灵的安宁。
13. He is assuring the man of his eternal life in Heaven first.
祂要先让这位病人得到永生的盼望。
14. What message do you think, my listening friend, Jesus is communicating here?
亲爱的朋友，你觉得耶稣在这里要向我们说明什么呢？
15. Jesus is telling us that where a person is going to spend eternity is of primary importance;
耶稣是要告诉我们，一个人将要在哪里渡过永恒是最首要的事；
16. and how he is going to spend the next few years of his life is of secondary importance.
至于说，如何在地上过余下的岁月，其实是次要的事。
17. Your greatest expression of love for a friend is to bring him or her to Jesus Christ.
假如你爱你的朋友，最好的表示就是把他带到耶稣基督面前。
18. You cannot convert them to Jesus.
你不能靠自己去改变一个人归向耶稣。
19. You cannot change their eternal destiny.
你不能改变他们永恒的命运。
20. You cannot force them to know Jesus;
你不能强迫他们来认识耶稣；
21. but you can bring them to Jesus,
但你可以把他们带到耶稣这里来，
22. just like these four men did,
就好像这四个人所做的一样，
23. and Jesus did the rest.
至于其他的部分，将由耶稣来完成。
24. My listening friend, listen carefully, as I conclude.
我亲爱的朋友，在结束之前，请仔细听我说。
25. Only Jesus can bring about real transformation in life.
只有耶稣才能够带来生命的转变。
26. There may be someone listening, today, who was invited to listen by a friend.
在收音机旁的朋友当中，也许是你的朋友邀请你来收听这个节目的。
27. As a new listener, you have friends who are praying for you.
你是一位新的听众，要知道你的朋友正在为你祷告。
28. As a new listener, you have friends who care for you.
你虽是一位新的听众，你的朋友正在关心着你。
29. As a new listener, you have friends who are making this broadcast possible;
你是一位新的听众，但有些朋友为了让你今天能够听到这个节目而尽心竭力；
30. and that is why we want to tell you, today, that Jesus wants to cancel the bond of sin and debt and set you free.
因此我们要告诉你，今天，耶稣要为你断开罪恶的锁链，还清你的罪债，让你得到自由。
31. Jesus wants you to know that, when you come to Him, He forgives you.
耶稣要你明白，只要你来到祂面前，祂就会赦免你。
32. He cleanses you.
祂也要洁净你。
33. He heals you,
祂要医治你，
34. and He restores you.
祂也要重新建立你，让你完全。
35. Jesus wants to say to you first, “Your sins are forgiven,” and, then, He wants to say to you, “Take up your bed and walk.”
耶稣要先对你说：“你的罪赦了，”然后，再对你说：“拿起你的褥子，起来行走。”
36. Jesus does not only give you grace to forgive your sins,
耶稣不仅要赐给你赦罪之恩，
37. but there will be more grace to follow.
还要把更多的恩典丰丰富富地加给你。
38. For every problem in life, and even in death itself, His grace will be there.
在你人生的每一个难关，甚至当你面对死亡之际，祂的恩典都会伴随着你。
39. His grace will be there for every difficulty you encounter.
神的恩典要陪伴你面对人生的每一个困难。
40. His grace will be there for every mountain you need to climb.
神的恩典要带领你攀越每一座高山；
41. His grace will be there for every obstacle you may face,
神的恩典也要与你共渡人生的每一个险阻。
42. and, until next time, I pray for the grace of God to be with you.
好，我们下次再见，愿神的恩典随时陪伴着你。
