【中英双语】在困境中歌唱！

"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God. . . ." — Acts 16:25

A strange thing happened on the way to a prayer meeting; Paul and his traveling companions were met by a slave girl "who had a spirit by which she predicted the future." For several days she followed Paul, disrupting his attempts to spread the good news of Jesus in Philippi. When Paul cast out the evil spirit that controlled her, her owners got upset because they could no longer use her to make money. So they dragged Paul and Silas to court, where they were charged with causing a disturbance. The magistrates ordered them to be stripped, beaten, and sent to jail.

Locked securely in an inner cell, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God around midnight. We do not know what they sang, but we are told that "the other prisoners were listening to them." Then, when an earthquake shook open all the prison doors and loosed everyone's chains, no one escaped. The jailer, who was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had gone, rushed in and instead found new life in Christ as Paul and Silas shared the good news.

When you find yourself faced with difficulties, consider the response of Paul and Silas and ask yourself, "Do my prayers and songs reflect the awesome grace of God? Will people be moved to ask, 'What must I do to be saved?'"

Prayer

Lord, when things go wrong in our lives, guide us to turn to you in prayer and singing so that others will come to know the One who has opened the way to abundant and eternal life. Amen.

16后来，我们往那祷告的地方去。有一个使女迎着面来，她被巫鬼所附，用法术，叫她主人们大得财利。

17她跟随保罗和我们，喊着说：“这些人是至高神的仆人，对你们传说救人的道。”
18她一连多日这样喊叫，保罗就心中厌烦，转身对那鬼说：“我奉耶稣基督的名，吩咐你从她身上出来！”那鬼当时就出来了。
19使女的主人们见得利的指望没有了，便揪住保罗和西拉，拉他们到市上去见首领；
20又带到官长面前说：“这些人原是犹太人，竟骚扰我们的城，
21传我们罗马人所不可受不可行的规矩。”
22众人就一同起来攻击他们。官长吩咐剥了他们的衣裳，用棍打；
23打了许多棍，便将他们下在监里，嘱咐禁卒严紧看守。
24禁卒领了这样的命，就把他们下在内监里，两脚上了木狗。
25约在半夜，保罗和西拉祷告，唱诗赞美神，众囚犯也侧耳而听。
26忽然，地大震动，甚至监牢的地基都摇动了，监门立刻全开，众囚犯的锁炼也都松开了。
27禁卒一醒，看见监门全开，以为囚犯已经逃走，就拔刀要自杀。
28保罗大声呼叫说：“不要伤害自己！我们都在这里。”
29禁卒叫人拿灯来，就跳进去，战战兢兢地俯伏在保罗、西拉面前；
30又领他们出来，说：“二位先生，我当怎样行才可以得救？”
31他们说：“当信主耶稣，你和你一家都必得救。”
32他们就把主的道讲给他和他全家的人听。
33当夜，就在那时候，禁卒把他们带去，洗他们的伤；他和属乎他的人立时都受了洗。
34于是禁卒领他们上自己家里去，给他们摆上饭。他和全家，因为信了神，都很喜乐。  

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