“The Ministry of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit in Mission 宣教上聖言與聖靈服侍的事工“（Acts 使徒行傳 13:6-12）
… The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, ‘You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.’ … When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.
… 省長是個聰明人，他請了巴拿巴和掃羅來，要聽聽神的道。但術士以呂馬（以呂馬就是“術士”的意思）與使徒作對，要使省長轉離真道。掃羅，也就是保羅，卻被聖靈充滿，定睛看著他，說：“你這充滿各樣詭詐和各樣奸惡的人，魔鬼的兒子，公義的仇敵！你歪曲了主的正路，還不停止嗎？你看，現在主的手臨到你，你要瞎了眼睛，暫時看不見陽光。” … 那時，省長看見了所發生的事，就信了，因為他驚奇主的教訓。
The proconsul’s desire to hear God’s word was an unexpected door opened for the gospel by the Holy Spirit. Wherever there is likely to be great success (here in leading people to Christ), the open door and the opposing adversaries (like the sorcerer trying to turn the proconsul from the faith) will both be found. Paul, using spiritual discernment and operating in the gift of faith, rebuked and pronounced God’s judgment God upon Elymas with physical blindness (corresponding to his spiritual blindness). Yet, the proconsul’s astonishment is noted to be at God’s teaching (presumably, the doctrines of God’s gracious gift to mankind in Lord Jesus through the cross) not the miraculous work before his eyes.
省長對聽聽神道的渴望，是聖靈為福音打開意想不到的門。只要有可能獲得巨大成功的地方（在這裡領人歸向基督上），就必發現既有敞開的大門又有對立的敵人（就如那術士要使省長轉離真道）。保羅使用操作在信心的恩賜上屬靈的辨別力，斥責以呂馬並宣告神以肉眼的失明（對應他屬靈的失明）作對他的審判。然而，省長的驚奇被記下為在於神的教訓（大概就是神在主耶穌裡透過十字架給予人恩惠的禮物的教義）而不是他眼前的神蹟奇事。
Prayer: Triune God, thank you for warning us through the sorcerer’s counter example that if one wants to give up on all your things and grow bitter in his/her heart against you, that is his/her choice. But it is a heavy sin to draw anyone else away with him/her, with his/her words or example. May we see the trouble sin brings people into, prompting us to pursue you more earnestly and follow Paul’s bold example empowered by the Holy Spirit to make a stand for what we believe. Amen.
禱告: 三一神啊，感謝你透過那術士反面的榜樣警誡我們，如果人要在你一切的事上棄絕，在他/她心裡怨恨你，那是他/她的選擇。但是，不管是用他/她的言語或行為，要使別人與自己也離開你，這是一種嚴重的罪。願我們看見罪惡帶給人的問題，促使我們要更懇切地尋求你，並效法保羅勇敢的榜樣，得著聖靈賦予能力，為自己所信的站出來。阿們。
