1625英翻中(歌羅西書12課) Frend, romans, countrymen. 朋友們,羅馬人,鄉下人 25/6/2026

1625英翻中(歌羅西書12課)   Frend, romans, countrymen.     朋友們,羅馬人,鄉下人    25/6/2026                                            
CHAPTER TWELVE          FRIENDS, ROMANS, COUNTRYMEN            Colossians 4:10–18      第十二課                               朋友們，羅馬人，鄉下人                                   歌羅西書4：10–18

      Paul was not only a soul-winner; he was a great friend-maker. If my count is correct, there are more than one hundred different Christians (named and unnamed) associated with Paul in the book of Acts and in his epistles. He named twenty-six different friends in Romans 16 alone!
保羅不僅是靈魂的贏家; 他是偉大的交朋友的人。如果我的計算正確的話，使徒行傳和書信中有一百多個不同的基督徒（有名字和無名字的）。與保羅有關聯的僅僅在羅馬書16章中就提到了26個不同的朋友！

     It was customary in Paul’s day to close each letter with personal greetings. Friends did not see one another that much, and letter service was very slow and limited. Of course, Paul’s greetings were much more than social; they conveyed his genuine spiritual concern for his friends. In this closing section, Paul sent personal greetings to Colosse from six of his associates in the ministry: Aristarchus, John Mark, and Jesus Justus, all of whom were Jews; and Epaphras, Luke, and Demas, who were Gentiles. Paul then added special greetings to two church assemblies, with a special word to one of the pastors.
在保羅時代寫信的習慣，在每封信的結尾都加上個人問候。朋友之間的相見並不多，信件遞送非常緩慢且有限。當然，保羅的問候遠不止是社交;  他們向朋友們傳達了他真正的屬靈關注。在本段的最後部分，保羅提出他的六位同僚，向他們致以親切的問候：亞里達古，馬克和 猶士都，他們都是猶太人。外邦人有以巴弗，路加和底馬。保羅然後向兩個教會集體特別緻以問候，其中一位牧師用了特別的問候詞。
 
       When we first read this list of names, we are probably not greatly moved. But when we get behind the scenes and discover the drama of these men’s lives as they worked with Paul, the list becomes very exciting. We can categorize these men into three groups.
當第一次讀到這些名稱時，我們可能不會受感動。但是，當我們走到幕後，並發現這些人與保羅一起工作時的生活，這份名單變分外的令人興奮。 可以將這些人分為三類。
 
The Men Who Stayed (4:10–11, 14a)
留下來的人（4：10-11，14a）
 
     This group is made up of three Jews (Aristarchus, John Mark, Jesus Justus), and one Gentile (Luke). All of them were characterized by faithfulness to the apostle Paul in his hour of special need. They were the men who stayed.
這一組由三位猶太人（亞里達古，馬可，猶士都）和一位外邦人（路加）所組成。他們的特徵都是在有特殊需要的時候，忠心於使徒保羅。他們是留下來的人。
 
Aristarchus (v. 10a).
亞里達古（10上半節）。
 
        This man was identified as Paul’s fellow prisoner and fellow worker (Col. 4:11). Aristarchus was from Macedonia and was one of Paul’s traveling companions (Acts 19:29). He was originally from Thessalonica (Acts 20:4) and willingly risked his life in that Ephesian riot (Acts 19:28–41). He sailed with Paul to Rome (Acts 27:2), which meant he also experienced the storm and shipwreck that Luke so graphically described in Acts 27.
亞里達古確定為保羅的同胞囚犯和同工（西4:11）。他來自馬其頓，是保羅的旅行同伴之一（徒19:29）。他最初來自帖撒 羅尼迦（徒20：4），並願意在那弗所場以暴動中冒生命危險衛護保羅（徒19：28-41）。他與保羅一起航行到羅馬（徒27：2），這意味著他也經歷了路加福音在使徒行傳27章中，用活畫所描述的暴風雨和沉船事故。
 
   Aristarchus stayed with Paul no matter what the circumstances were—a riot in Ephesus, a voyage, a storm, or even a prison. It is not likely that Aristarchus was an official Roman prisoner. “Fellow prisoner” probably means that Aristarchus shared Paul’s confinement with him so that he could be a help and comfort to the apostle. He was a voluntary prisoner for the sake of Jesus Christ and the gospel.
無論發生什麼情況，亞里達古都與保羅在一起 : 在以弗所的動亂中，一次航行，暴風雨甚至是監獄。亞里達古不太可能是羅馬正式的囚犯。 “同胞囚犯” 可能意味著亞里達古與保羅分享了他的自由禁閉，以便他可以為保羅提供幫助和安慰。為了耶穌基督和福音的緣故，他是一個自願的囚犯。
 
        Paul could not have accomplished all that he did apart from the assistance of his friends. Aristarchus stands out as one of the greatest of Paul’s helpers. He did not look for an easy task. He did not run when the going got tough. He suffered and labored with Paul.
若保羅沒有他的朋友的幫助，他就無法完成一切事工。亞里達古是保羅最偉大的幫手之一。他並不在事態艱難時逃跑。他與保羅一起受苦並工作。
 
John Mark (v. 10b).
約翰·馬克（10  下半節）。
 
    Mark, the writer of the second gospel, played a very important part in the early history of the church. He too was a Jew, a native of Jerusalem where his mother, Mary, kept “open house” for the believers (Acts 12:12). John Mark was a cousin of Barnabas, the man who went with Paul on that first missionary journey (Acts 13:1–3). It is a good possibility that John Mark was led to faith in Christ through the ministry of Peter (1 Peter 5:13).
四福音的第二部的作者馬可，在教會的早期歷史中，他扮演了非常重要的角色。他也是猶太人，是耶路撒冷人，他的母親瑪麗亞為信徒們 “敞開自家的大門”（徒12:12）。馬可是巴拿巴的表弟，巴拿巴是在第一次傳教旅程中與保羅同伴（徒13：1-3）。
 
      When Paul and Barnabas set out on that first missionary journey, they took John Mark with them as their assistant. He probably took care of the travel arrangements, supplies, and so forth. But when the going got tough, John Mark abandoned the preachers and returned home to Jerusalem (Acts 13:5–13).
當保羅和巴拿巴開始第一次旅行佈道時，他們就帶著約翰·馬可作為他們的助手。他可能會安排旅行的行程及照顧用品等事。但是當事情變得艱難時，馬可放棄了，他單獨回到耶路撒冷（徒13：5-13）。
 
       Why Mark quit is not explained in Scripture. Perhaps he was afraid, for the group was about to move into dangerous territory. Perhaps he resented the fact that Paul was taking over the leadership of the mission and replacing his relative, Barnabas. Or maybe John Mark resented Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles. Whatever the reason or excuse, he left them and returned home.
聖經沒有解釋為什麼馬可半路回家。也許他很害怕，因為該宣教團體即將進入危險地區。也許他對保羅接任該旅行宣教團的領導權，使他的親戚巴拿巴居下位，而感到不滿。或者，馬可對保羅對外邦人的事奉不滿。無論出於什麼原因或藉口，他都離開了他們並回家。
 
      Later, when Paul and Barnabas wanted to go on a second journey, Paul refused to take John Mark along (Acts 15:36–41). Was Paul wrong in his assessment of this young man? Perhaps, but we cannot blame Paul for being cautious when John Mark had failed him in the past. Paul was not running a popular tour; he was seeking to win lost souls to Christ. No amount of danger or inconvenience could hinder Paul from reaching unbelievers with the gospel. It was too bad that John Mark caused a division between Paul and Barnabas. However, we must admit that Paul did forgive John Mark and commend him: “Take Mark and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry” (2 Tim. 4:11).
後來，當保羅和巴拿巴想作第二次旅行佈道時，保羅拒絕帶馬可同行（徒15：36-41）。保羅對這個年輕人的評價是錯誤的嗎？  也許是，但是，我們不能責怪保羅對馬可過去的失敗，促使他的謹慎。保羅不作受歡迎的巡迴演出。他是正設法為基督贏得失喪的靈魂。保羅沒有任何危險或不便之處，能阻止他傳福音給未信的人。馬可在保羅和巴拿巴之間造成了分裂，這真是太糟糕了。但是，我們必須承認，保羅確實寬恕了馬可，並讚揚他說，“帶馬可來與他同在，因為他對我的事工非常有用”（帖後4:11）。
 
      Mark, Titus, and Timothy were young men who served as special representatives for the apostle Paul. He could send them to churches that were having problems and trust them to help solve them. By the grace of God, John Mark had overcome his first failure and had become a valuable servant of God. He was even chosen to write the gospel of Mark!
馬可，提多和提摩太是年輕的人，曾擔任使徒保羅的特別代表。他可以將他們遣送到遇到問題的教會，並相信他們可以幫助解決問題。靠著上帝的恩典，馬可克服他的第一次失敗，成為了上帝的貴重的僕人。甚至他被選中來寫馬可福音！
 
         John Mark is an encouragement to everyone who has failed in his first attempts to serve God. He did not sit around and sulk. He got back into the ministry and proved himself faithful to the Lord and to the apostle Paul. He was one of the men who stayed.
馬可鼓勵所有初次嘗試服侍上帝而失敗的人。他沒有坐在那裡悶悶不樂。他回到事工，證明自己忠於主和使徒保羅。他是後來留下來的人之一。
 
       I might add that it is good to be a Barnabas and encourage younger Christians in the Lord. Perhaps John Mark would have made it without the help of Cousin Barnabas, but I doubt it. God used Barnabas to encourage John Mark and restore him to service again. Barnabas lived up to his name: “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36 niv).
我可能會補充說，成為巴拿巴人並在主中鼓勵年輕的基督徒是好事。也許馬可會在沒有表兄巴拿巴的幫助下做到這一點，但我對此表示懷疑。上帝利用巴拿巴來鼓勵馬可，讓他重新事奉。巴拿巴名不虛傳：“他是鼓勵之子”（徒4:36  ;新國際版）。
 
        Jesus Justus (v. 11). Jesus Justus was a Jewish believer who served with Paul, but we know nothing about him. The name Jesus (Joshua) was a popular Jewish name, and it was not unusual for Jewish people to have a Roman name as well (Justus). John Mark is a case in point. Jesus Justus represents those faithful believers who serve God but whose deeds are not announced for the whole world to know. He was a fellow worker with Paul and a comfort to Paul, and that is all we know about him. However, the Lord has kept a faithful record of this man’s life and ministry and will reward him accordingly.
猶士都（第11節）。 耶數 . 猶士都是與保羅一起服侍的猶太信徒，但我們對他一無所知。耶穌（約書亞）這個名字是流行的猶太名字，猶太人也有一個羅馬名字（尤斯都）並不罕見。馬可就是一個例子。耶穌 . 猶士都代表那些忠實的信徒，他們為上帝服事，但其舉動尚未為全世界所知。他是保羅的同伴工人，對保羅感到很安慰，這就是我們對他的了解。但是，耶和華對這個人的生活和事奉，保持了忠實的記錄，並會相應地獎勵他。
 
       Luke (v. 14a). Luke was a very important man in the early church. He was a Gentile, yet he was chosen by God to write the gospel of Luke and the book of Acts. He is probably the only Gentile writer of any book of the Bible. He was also a physician, and was dearly loved by Paul. The profession of medicine had been perfected by the Greeks, and physicians were held in the highest regard. Even though Paul had the power to heal people, he traveled with a physician! Luke joined Paul and his party at Troas (note the pronoun “we” in Acts 16:10).
路加（14a節）。路加是早期教會中非常重要的人。他是外邦人，但上帝揀選他來寫路加福音和使徒行傳。他可能是聖經中唯一的外邦人作家。還是醫生，深受保羅的愛。希臘人完成了醫學專業，醫師被人高度重視。即使保羅能治愈人，他還是和醫生一起旅行！路加在特羅亞(Troas)加入了保羅的旅行佈道（請注意  徒16:10一節中的代名詞改從單數改為複數的  “我們”）。
 
        Luke traveled with Paul to Jerusalem (Acts 20:5ff.) and was with him on the voyage to Rome (Acts 27:1ff.). No doubt Luke’s personal presence and his professional skill were a great encouragement to Paul during that very difficult time. While God can and does bring strength and healing in miraculous ways, He also uses the means provided in nature, such as medication. When my wife and I ministered to missionaries in Africa, a physician friend and his wife traveled with us, and we were grateful for their help.
路加與保羅一同前往耶路撒冷（徒20：5 比照研讀），並與他一同前往羅馬（徒27：1 比照研讀）。毫無疑問，路加的個人參加和他的專業技能，使保羅在那個非常艱難的時期，帶來了極大的鼓舞。雖然上帝可以，並且確實以奇蹟般的方式給保羅帶來能力和康復，但他也使用自然界中提供的手段，例如: 藥物治療。當我和妻子到非洲作傳教士時，有一對醫師夫婦朋友與我們一起旅行，我們感謝他們的幫助。
 
       Luke remained with Paul to the very end (see 2 Tim. 4:11). God used Luke to write the book of Acts and to give us the inspired history of the early church and the ministry of Paul. Luke is a glowing example of the professional man who uses his skills in the service of the Lord and gives himself to go wherever God sends. He was a beloved Christian, a skillful physician, a devoted friend, and a careful historian—all wrapped up in one!
路加一直和保羅在一起（見   提後4:11）。上帝用路加來撰寫使徒行傳，並給了我們早期教會和保羅事工的啟發性歷史。路加是專業人士參加宣教的光輝榜樣，他運用自己的技能為上帝服務，並委身於上帝，被祂差遣到任何地方。他是可愛的基督徒，醫術熟練的醫師，虔誠的朋友，以及認真研究的歷史學家 --- 他全都在行！
 
The Man Who Prayed (4:12–13)
祈禱的人 --- 以巴弗（4：12-13）

       We met Epaphras at the beginning of this study, for he was the man who founded the church in Colosse (Col. 1:7–8). He had been led to Christ through Paul’s ministry in Ephesus, and had returned home to share the good news of salvation. It seems likely that Epaphras also founded the churches in Laodicea and Hierapolis (Col. 4:13). In our modern terms, Epaphras became a “home missionary.”                                                                         我們在研究開始時遇到了以巴弗，因為他是在歌羅西建立教會的創始人（西1：7-8）。保羅在以弗所作傳道事工時，帶領他到基督身邊，並返回家園，與同胞分享了救恩的好消息。以巴弗似乎也建立了老底嘉和希拉波立等教會（西4:13）。用現代的話說，以巴弗成為 “家庭傳教士”。

      What motivated Epaphras to share the gospel? He was “a servant of Christ” (Col. 4:12). Paul called him “our dear fellow servant … a faithful minister of Christ” (Col. 1:7). Epaphras loved Jesus Christ and wanted to serve Him and share His message of salvation. But he did not do it alone. Epaphras also believed in the ministry of the local church, and in working with other saints. He was not just a “servant”; he was a “fellow servant.” 
是什麼促使以巴弗分享福音的動機？  他是  “基督的僕人”（西4:12）。保羅稱他為  “我們親愛的同工僕人……忠實的基督傳道使者”（西1：7）。以巴弗熱愛耶穌基督，並想事奉祂，及分享祂的救贖信息。但是，他並不是單獨的來做。以巴弗還是當地教會事工的信徒，並與其他聖徒一起工作。他不僅僅是  “僕人”；他還是  “同工僕人”。
 
      I was chatting one day with a foreign mission executive about a mutual friend who had been forced to resign from his work on the field. “There was no problem with sin or anything like that,” my friend explained. “His whole difficulty is that he is a loner. He can’t work well with other people. On the mission field, it’s a team effort or it’s nothing.”
我正在與外國宣教執行人聊天，談論到共同的朋友，他被迫從他原本的工作辭職。我的朋友解釋說，“談到罪或類似的事應該沒有問題。 他的全部困難在於他是一個獨來獨往的人。他不能和別人很好地合作。在宣教的事工領域，是團隊合作的成就，要不然全無。”

      One of the secrets of the ministry of Epaphras was his prayer life. Paul knew about this because Epaphras and Paul shared the same room, and when Epaphras prayed, Paul knew about it. What were the characteristics of this man’s prayer life?
以巴弗事工的秘密之一，是他的祈禱生活。 保羅之所以知道這一點，是因為以巴弗和保羅同住一間房，並且當以巴弗祈禱時，保羅知道。這人的禱告生活的特徵是什麼？

    He prayed constantly (v. 12—“always”). He was a good example of Paul’s admonition: “Continue in prayer” (Col. 4:2). Epaphras did not pray only when he felt like it, as do many Christians today. Nor did he pray when he was told to pray, or when the other believers prayed. He was constantly in prayer, seeking God’s blessing. He prayed fervently (v. 12—“laboring fervently”). The word used here means “agonizing.” It is the same word used for our Lord’s praying in the garden (Luke 22:44). We get the impression that prayer was serious business with Epaphras!                                                                                    他不斷的祈禱（第12節 中的--- “常常”）。他是保羅對人警誡的好例子：“不断的禱告”（西4：2）。以巴弗不像今天的許多基督徒那樣，只在他願意時才祈禱。當其他信徒告訴他要祈禱或其他信徒祈禱時，他也不禱告。以巴弗是一直不斷的在祈禱，尋求上帝的祝福。他熱切地祈禱（在第12節中的 “熱切辛勤”）。這裡使用的單詞的意思是 “痛苦”。這個詞與我們的主在花園裡祈禱時所用的詞相同（路22:44）。我們得到的印像是，禱告對以巴弗是重要的事！

      This Greek word was used to describe the athletes as they gave themselves fully to their sports. If church members today put as much concern and enthusiasm into their praying as they did into their baseball games or bowling, we would have revival!
這個希臘詞用來形容運動員，因為他們充分發揮了自己的運動潛能。如果今天的教會會友，像參加棒球比賽，或打保齡球那樣賣力，對他們的祈禱給予盡情的關注和熱誠，我們教會將要會復興！
 
      He prayed personally (v. 12—“for you”). Epaphras did not pray around the world for everybody in general and nobody in particular. He centered his intercession on the saints in Colosse, Laodicea, and Hierapolis. No doubt he mentioned some of them by name. Prayer for Epaphras was not an impersonal religious exercise, for he carried these people in his heart and prayed for them personally.
他私自的祈禱（第12節中的  “為你”）。以巴弗沒有為世界所有的人禱告，也沒有特別為什麼人祈禱。他的代禱集中為歌羅西，老底嘉，和希拉波立（Hierapolis）的聖徒身上。毫無疑問，他提到了其中的一些名字。以巴弗的禱告是私人的宗教活動，因為他懷著這些人在他心中，私自的為他們祈禱。
 
       He prayed definitely. If you had asked Epaphras, “What are you praying for?” he could have told you. His great desire was that the believers in those three assemblies might mature in their Christian faith. Paul used four significant words to summarize the prayer of Epaphras, and these four words also summarize the message of the book of Colossians: “perfect—complete—all—will.”
以巴弗的禱告是有目的。如果你問過以巴弗，“你為什麼祈禱？”  他本可以告訴你。他的強烈願望是，為這三個教會的信徒，可以在他們的基督信仰中成熟。 保羅用四個重要的詞來概括以巴弗的祈禱，這四個詞也概括了歌羅西書中所傳達的信息：“完美，完全，全體，和心志”。
 
        Epaphras was concerned that these Christians know and do the will of God. But he wanted them to be involved in all the will of God, not just in part of it. (All is a key word in Colossians, used over thirty times.) He also wanted them to stand perfect and complete in God’s will. The gnostic teachers offered these Christians “perfection and maturity,” but they could not deliver the goods. Only in Jesus Christ can we have these blessings. “And ye are complete in him,” for only in Christ does the fullness of God dwell (Col. 2:9–10).
以巴弗擔心這些基督徒的所知道，以及他們遵行上帝的旨意。但是他希望他們參與上帝的全部旨意，而不僅僅是其中的一部分。 （在歌羅西書中， “整體”是關鍵詞，已使用了30多次。）他還希望他們在上帝的旨意中完美和整體。諾斯底的教師為這些基督徒提供了 “完美和成熟” 的條件，但他們無法交付出實質的物品。只有在耶穌基督裡，我們才能得到這些祝福。  “你們在祂裡面是完全的。”  因為上帝本性的一切豐盛，都有形有體的居住在基督裡（西2：9-10）。
 
     This request carries the thought of being mature and perfectly assured in the will of God, and parallels Paul’s prayer burden (Col. 2:2). “Full assurance in the will of God” is a tremendous blessing! It is not necessary for the believer to drift in life. He can know God’s will and enjoy it. As he learns God’s will and lives it, he matures in the faith and experiences God’s fullness.
這要求帶有在上帝的旨意中成熟，和完全的保證祂的旨意，並且與保羅的禱告負擔平行（西2：2）。 “在上帝的旨意中完全的確據” 是極大的祝福！信徒不必在生活中漂移。他可以了解上帝的旨意，並享受祂的旨意。當他豐豐足足的悟出上帝的旨意，並活出它時，他會在信心中成熟，並經歷上帝的豐滿。

   He prayed sacrificially (v. 13—“great zeal” or “much distress”). Real prayer is difficult. When Jesus prayed in the garden, He sweat great drops of blood. Paul had “great conflict” (agony) as he prayed for the Colossians (2:1), and Epaphras also experienced “much distress.” This does not mean that we must wrestle with God in order to get Him to answer. But it does mean that we must throw ourselves into our praying with zeal and concern. If there is no burden, there can be no blessing. To rephrase what John H. Jowett said about preaching, “Praying that costs nothing accomplishes nothing.”
以巴弗奉獻祈禱（第13節中 “極大的熱情” 或 “非常痛苦”）。真正的祈禱很難。耶穌在客西馬尼花園裡的祈禱，祂流出了很多血汗。保羅在為歌羅西教會（2：1）祈禱時，遇到了 “極大的衝突”（痛苦），而以巴弗也經歷了同樣的 “極大的痛苦”。這並不意味著我們必須與上帝搏鬥才能讓祂回答。但這確實是說，我們必須全心全意竭力地投入祈禱。如果沒有負擔，就沒有祝福。約翰·H·喬維特（John H. Jowett）關於佈道改撰的話，“祈禱沒有負擔，就不會有成就。”

       All of the men with Paul were named and commended in one way or another, but Epaphras was the only one commended for his prayer ministry. This does not mean that the other men did not pray, but it does suggest that prayer was his major interest and ministry. Epaphras was Paul’s fellow prisoner (Philem. 23)—but even confinement could not keep him from entering the courts of heaven and praying for his brothers and sisters in the churches.
所有與保羅同工的人，都以一種或另一種方式被提名和稱讚，但只有以巴弗是唯一為他的禱告事工受到稱讚的人。這並不說，其他人沒有祈禱，但這確實表明祈禱是以巴弗的主要興趣和事工。他是與保羅同坐監（門  23節），但是，即使保羅被囚禁，也無法阻止他進入天堂的法庭，並為他在教堂里的兄弟姐妹們祈禱。
 
       E. M. Bounds was a prayer warrior of the last generation. He would often rise early in the morning and pray for many hours before he began the work of the day. His many books on prayer testify to the fact that Bounds, like Epaphras, knew how to agonize in prayer before God. (If you have never read Power in Prayer [Baker] by E.M. Bounds, by all means do so.)

E. M. Bounds是上一代的祈禱戰士。他通常會在清晨起床並祈禱許多小時，然後再開始一天的工作。他的許多祈禱書證明了，像以弗所書一樣，界限人也知道如何在上帝面前為祈禱而苦惱。 （若你從未讀過E.M. Bounds的 “在禱告中的力量”[Baker]，請一定要閱讀。）
 
    I am impressed with the fact that Epaphras prayed for believers in three different cities. We are fortunate today if church members pray for their own pastor and church, let alone believers in other places! Perhaps one reason that revival tarries is because we do not pray fervently for one another.
以巴弗為三個不同的城市的信徒祈禱，這事實委實給我留下了非常深刻的印象。今天，若教會的會員為自己的牧師和教會祈禱，我們是幸運的，更不用說其他地方的信徒了！復興的延遲的一個原因，可能是因為我們沒有為彼此祈禱。
 
The Man Who Strayed (4:14b)
三次提到流浪者 --- 底馬的背離（4：14後半部）
 
      Demas is mentioned only three times in Paul’s letters, and these three references tell a sad story. First he is called “Demas … my fellow laborer” and is linked with three good men—Mark, Aristarchus, and Luke (Philem. 24). Then he is simply called “Demas,” and there is no special word of identification or commendation (Col. 4:14). But the third reference tells what became of Demas: “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world” (2 Tim. 4:10).
在保羅的書信中，只有三次提到底馬（Demas），這三次參考文獻是講述一個可悲的故事。首先，他被稱為  “底馬…我的同工”，並與三個好人聯繫在一起：馬可，亞里達古和路加（門  24節）。然後，他被簡單地稱為  “底馬”，沒有特別的辨別或稱讚詞（西4:14）。但是第三個參考文獻講述了底馬的故事：“因為底馬拋棄了我，他愛當今的世界”（提後   4:10）。
 
       At one point in his life, John Mark had forsaken Paul, but he was reclaimed and restored. Demas forsook Paul and apparently was never reclaimed. His sin was that he loved this present world. The word world refers to the whole system of things that runs this world, or “society without God.” In the first of his epistles, John the apostle pointed out that the world entices the believer with “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:15–17). Which of these traps caught Demas, we do not know; perhaps he fell into all three.
馬可在生命中的某個時刻，他遺棄了保羅，但他得到了重建和恢復。底馬遺棄保羅，顯然他從未被重建過。因他的罪過是貪愛當今世界。世界是指運行這個世界的事物的整個系統，或  “沒有上帝的社會”。  使徒約翰在他的約翰壹書中，描述世界以 “肉體的情慾，眼目的情慾和今生的驕傲” 來吸引信徒（約壹   2：15-17）。不知道底馬是被哪一個誘惑抓住了；也許他跌入所有的陷阱。
 
      But we do know that Christians today can succumb to the world just as Demas did. How easy it is to maintain a religious veneer, while all the time we are living for the things of this world. Demas thought that he could serve two masters, but eventually he had to make a decision; unfortunately, he made the wrong decision.          
但是我們確實知道，今天的基督徒可以像底馬一樣屈服於世界。在我們一直為這個世界的事物而生活的同時，維持一個宗教飾面是多麼容易。底馬（Demas）認為他可以擔任兩位大師，但最終他不得不做出決定。不幸的是，他做出了錯誤的決定。

        It must have hurt Paul greatly when Demas forsook him. It also hurt the work of the Lord, for there never has been a time when the laborers were many. This decision hurt Demas most of all, for he wasted his life in that which could never last. “He that doeth the will of God abideth forever” (1 John 2:17).
當底馬(Demas)拋棄保羅(Paul)時，一定對Paul造成了極大的傷害。這也傷害了耶和華的工作，因為從未有過這樣的時代。這一決定傷害了Demas最重要的原因，因為他浪費了自己的生命，這是永遠不會持續的。 “遵行上帝旨意的人永遠存留”（約翰一書2:17）。

    After conveying greetings from his friends and fellow servants, Paul himself sent greetings to the sister churches in Laodicea and Hierapolis. These people had never seen Paul (Col. 2:1), yet he was interested in them and concerned about their spiritual welfare.
保羅轉達了他的朋友和惡魔僕人的問候後，保羅本人向老底嘉和希拉波利斯的姐妹教堂致以問候。這些人從未見過保羅（西2：1），但他對他們很感興趣，並關心他們的屬靈福利。
 
Final Greetings (4:15–18)
最後的問候（4：15–18）
 
     We know nothing about Nymphas, except that he had a church meeting in his house. (Some versions read “Nympha” and seem to indicate that this believer was a woman.) In the first centuries of the church, local assemblies met in private homes. Even today, many new local churches get their start this way. It was not until the Christian faith emerged from persecution into official government approval that church buildings were constructed. It really matters little where the assembly meets, so long as Jesus Christ is the center of the fellowship. (For other examples of “the church in the home,” see Rom. 16:5 and 1 Cor. 16:19.)
我們對Nymphas一無所知，只不過他在他的屋子裡有一個教堂聚會。 （有些版本讀作“ Nympha”，似乎表明這個信徒是一個女人。）在教堂的最初幾個世紀中，當地集會在私人住宅中相遇。即使在今天，許多新的地方教會也以這種方式開始。直到基督教信仰從迫害變成正式的政府批准後，教堂才開始建造。只要耶穌基督是團契的中心，集會在哪里相遇就無關緊要。 （有關“家庭教會”的其他示例，請參見羅馬書16：5和(林前16:19。）
 
         Paul’s great concern was that the Word of God be read and studied in these churches. The verb “read” means “to read aloud.” There would not be copies of these letters for each member. It is a strong conviction of mine that we need to return to the public reading of the Word of God in many of our churches. “Give attendance to reading” (1 Tim. 4:13) means the public reading of God’s Word.
保羅最關心的是在這些教會中閱讀和研究上帝的聖言。動詞“閱讀”的意思是“朗讀”。每個成員都不會有這些信件的副本。我堅信，我們需要在許多教堂中重新公開閱讀上帝的聖言。 “讀書”（提前 4:13）是指公眾閱讀上帝的聖言。
 
      It is worth noting that the various letters from Paul were good for all of these assemblies. In my ministry, I have shared God’s Word in many different places and situations, and it has always reached the heart and met the need. Even in different cultures. God’s Word has a message for the heart. God’s Word does not have to be edited or changed to meet different problems in various situations, for it is always applicable.
值得注意的是，保羅的各種來信對所有這些集會都是有益的。在我的事工中，我在許多不同的地方和情況下都分享了上帝的聖言，它一直深深地滿足了人們的需要。即使在不同的文化中。上帝的話語傳達了心靈的信息。上帝的聖言無需修改或更改即可在各種情況下滿足不同的問題，因為它始終適用。
 
        What was “the epistle from Laodicea”? We do not know for sure. Some scholars think that the epistle to the Ephesians was this missing letter, but this idea is pure speculation. The fact that this letter has been lost does not mean we are missing a part of God’s inspired Word. Some of Paul’s correspondence with the church at Corinth has also been lost. God not only inspired His Word, but He providentially watched over it so that nothing would be lost that was supposed to be in that Word. Instead of wondering about what we do not have, we should be applying ourselves to what we do have!
什麼是“來自老底嘉的書信”？我們不確定。一些學者認為，以弗所書信就是這封遺失的信，但這種想法純粹是猜測。這封信已經丟失的事實並不意味著我們缺少了上帝啟發的話語的一部分。保羅與哥林多教堂的往來信件也丟失了。上帝不僅啟發了他的話，而且天意地照看了這書信。不會丟失那個詞中應該有的東西。與其想知道我們所沒有的，不如將自己應用於我們所擁有的！
 
       When we compare Colossians 4:17 with Philemon 2, we get the impression that  Archippus) belonged to the family of Philemon. Possibly, he was Philemon’s son and the pastor of the church that met in Philemon’s house. We cannot prove this, of course, but it does seem a logical conclusion. This would make Apphia the wife of Philemon.
當我們將歌羅西書4:17與腓利門書2節進行比較時，我們得到的印像是亞基布(Archippus)屬於腓利門家族。可能是他是腓利門的兒子，也是在 亞基布(的家中相遇的教堂的牧師。我們當然不能證明這一點，但這似乎是合乎邏輯的結論。這將使亞非亞(Apphia)成為 腓利門(Philemon的妻子。

 
    Paul’s last words before his salutation are directed at Archippus as an encouragement to continue faithfully in his ministry. Was Archippus discouraged? Had the gnostic false teachers invaded his church and created problems for him? We do not know. But we do know that pastors of local churches face many problems and carry many burdens, and they often need a word of encouragement.
保羅在致敬之前的遺言直指阿基布，以鼓勵他忠實地繼續他的事工。沮喪阿基布嗎？那些精明的虛假老師是否入侵了他的教堂並給他造成了麻煩？我們不知道。但是我們確實知道，當地教會的牧師面臨許多問題並承擔許多負擔，他們常常需要鼓勵。
 
      Paul reminded Archippus that his ministry was a gift from God, and that he was a steward of God who would one day have to give an account of his work. Since the Lord gave him his ministry, the Lord could also help him carry it out in the right way. Ministry is not something we do for God; it is something God does in and through us.
保羅提醒阿基布，他的事工是上帝的恩賜，他是上帝的管家，他有一天必須記述他的工作。自從主賜給他事工以來，主也可以幫助他以正確的方式執行任務。事工不是我們為上帝做的事；這是上帝在我們裡面和通過我們做的事情。

       The word fulfill carries with it the idea that God has definite purposes for His servants to accomplish. He works in us and through us to complete those good works that He has prepared for us (see Eph. 2:10). Of course, fulfill also parallels the theme of Colossians— the fullness of Jesus Christ available to each believer. We are able to fulfill our ministries because we have been “filled full” through Jesus Christ.
"滿足" 這個詞帶有這樣的觀念，即上帝對祂的僕人有明確的旨意。祂在我們裡面並通過我們工作，完成祂為我們準備的 事（以弗所書2:10）。當然，成就也與歌羅西書的主題相似— 每個信徒都能得到耶穌基督的豐滿。我們能夠履行我們的事工，因為我們已經通過耶穌基督被“充滿”了。

       Unless we make a practical application of Bible doctrine, our study is in vain. After reading this letter and studying it, we cannot help but see that we have in Jesus Christ all that we can ever want or need. All of God’s fullness is in Jesus Christ and we have been made complete in Him. What an encouragement this must have been to Archippus! What an encouragement it should be to us today!
除非我們實際應用聖經教義，否則我們的研究是徒勞的。在讀完這封信並對其進行研究之後，我們不禁要看到，我們在耶穌基督中擁有了我們所需要或需要的一切。上帝所有的豐盛都存在於耶穌基督裡，我們已經在祂裡面變得完整。這一定是對亞基布(Archippus)的鼓勵！今天對我們來說應該是一種鼓舞！
 
     Paul usually dictated his letters to a secretary (see Rom. 16:22) and then signed his name at the end. He always added a sentence about the grace of God, for this was his “trademark” (see 2 Thess. 3:17–18). The combination of his signature and “grace” gave proof that the letter was authentic.
保羅通常要求秘書聽寫他的信（見羅馬書16:22），然後在結尾處簽名。他總是加一句關於上帝的恩典的句子，因為這是他的“商標”（參見《帖前》 3：17-18）。他的簽名和“寬限期”相結合，證明了這封信是真實的。

      The New Testament contains many references to Paul’s bonds and the fact that he was a prisoner (see Acts 20:23; 23:18, 29; 26:29; Phil. 1:7, 13–14, 16; 2 Tim. 1:8; 2:9; Philem. 10, 13; Eph. 3:1; 4:1). Why did Paul want them to remember his bonds? Primarily because those bonds were a reminder of his love for lost souls, especially the Gentiles. He was “the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles” (Eph. 3:1). Paul’s bonds were evidence of his obedience to the Lord and his willingness to pay any price so that the Gentiles might hear the gospel.                                  《新約》中有許多提到保羅的契約和他是囚徒的事實（見使徒行傳20:23; 23:18，29; 26:29;腓1：7，13-14，16; 提後1 ：8; 2：9;腓利書10，13; 弗   3：1; 4：1）。保羅為什麼要他們記住他的契約？主要是因為這些聯繫提醒了他對迷失的靈魂，特別是對外邦人的愛。他是“耶穌基督為你的外邦人的囚徒”（弗3：1）。保羅的契約證明了他對上帝的服從以及他願意付出任何代價使外邦人聽到福音的意願。 

       Even today, there are devoted Christians who are in bonds because of their faithfulness to the Lord. We ought to remember them and pray for them. “Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them” (Heb. 13:3).
即使在今天，仍然有一些虔誠的基督徒因為對主的忠心而陷入契約。我們應該記住他們並為他們祈禱。 “記住與他們聯繫在一起的人”（來13：3）。

 
      As we come to the close of our study of this remarkable letter, we must remind ourselves that we are complete in Jesus Christ. We should beware of any teaching that claims to give us “something more” than we already have in Christ. All of God’s fullness is in Him, and He has perfectly equipped us for the life that God wants us to live. We do not live and grow by addition, but by appropriation.
當我們結束對這封出色信的研究時，我們必須提醒自己，我們在耶穌基督裡是完整的。我們應該提防任何聲稱給我們“比我們在基督裡已經擁有的東西”更多的教義。上帝所有的豐盛都在祂裡面，祂為我們提供了上帝希望我們生活的完美裝備。我們不是靠增添而是通過撥款來生存和發展。

      May the Lord help us to live as those who are complete in Christ.
願主幫助我們過完全在基督裡的生活。