哥林多后书生命读经 · 第48篇

使徒关于供给缺乏圣徒的交通（三）

The Apostle’s Fellowship Concerning the Ministry to the Needy Saints (3)

1读经：哥林多后书8:15;9:1-15。保罗在林后九章再加上一点关于供给缺乏圣徒的话。这些话看来似乎是不需要的，因为我们可能认为，保罗在八章所说的已经足彀了。照你的领会，保罗在九章为甚么说了附加的话？你若再读这两章，你可能认为，关于供给圣徒的交通，在八章前半已经说得彀了，所以八章后半和九章整章实际上是不需要的。我们必须问，保罗为甚么在这件事上花这么多篇幅。我们会看见，保罗这样作是与一些深邃的思想有关的。

1Scripture Reading: 2 Cor. 8:15; 9:1-15 In chapter nine of 2 Corinthians Paul gives an additional word concerning the ministry to the needy saints. It may seem to us that this chapter is not necessary, for we may think that what Paul says in chapter eight is sufficient. According to your understanding, why does Paul give an additional word in chapter nine? If you read these two chapters again, you may consider that regarding the ministry to the needy saints, the first part alone of chapter eight is adequate and that the last part of chapter eight and all of chapter nine are not actually necessary. We need to ask why Paul devoted so much space to this matter. As we shall see, his reason for doing so is related to certain profound thoughts

2收取和撒种保罗在八章、九章中的思想很深奥。要领会这个深奥的思想，关键在于两件事。第一，保罗在八章十五节说，『如经上所记：「多收的没有余，少收的也没有缺。」』这是引自出埃及

2GATHERING AND SOWING Paul’s thought in chapters eight and nine is profound. The key to understanding Paul’spr o found thought is found in two matters. First, in 8:15 Paul concludes, “As it is written, He who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little had no lack.” This is a quotation

3十六章十八节，关于收取吗哪作每日供应的事。使徒保罗为甚么把供给缺

3from Exodus 16:18 concerning the gathering of manna for the daily supply. Why does the Apostle Paul connect

4乏圣徒物质的东西和收取吗哪的事连在一起？我们若深思这件事，就知道用物质的东西供应缺乏的圣徒，必定是为著他们日常的生活。以色列人收取吗哪，是为著他们日常的供应，而用物质的东西供给缺乏的圣徒，也是为著他们日常的供应。保罗所引用出埃及十六章十八节的话，是一个重要的因素，使我们懂得他深奥的思想。

4ministering the supply of material things to the saints to the gathering of manna? If we consider this matter thoughtfully, we shall realize that ministering material things to the needy saints certainly is for their daily supply. Manna was gathered for the daily supply of the children of Israel, and material things were ministered to the needy saints also for their daily supply. Paul’s quotation of Exodus 16:18 is a crucial factor in our grasping his profound thought

5在林后八章和九章，与保罗深奥的思9:6想有关的第二件事，就是他在九章六节论到撒种的话：『还有，那吝啬著撒种的，也必吝啬著收获；那带著祝福撒种的，也必带著祝福收获。』（直译。）在这里，保罗把供应物质的东西给缺乏的圣徒，比作撒种。撒种和收取吗哪一样，都是为著日常的供应。因此，收取和撒种都是为著同一个目的，因为二者都是为著我们的生活。

5The second matter related to Paul’spr o found thought in chapters eight and nine concerns his word in about sowing: “But this: he who sows sparingly, sparingly also shall reap; and he who sows with blessings, with blessings also shall reap.” Here Paul likens the ministering of material things to the needy saints to the sowing of seed. The sowing of seed, like the gathering of manna, is for daily supply. Therefore, both the gathering and the sowing are for the same purpose, for both are for our living.

神子民的两种生活方式

TWO WAYS FOR GOD’SP EOPLE TO LIVE

6在圣经中，神的子民有两种生活方式。第一种是根据神命定的自然律，就是撒种和收获。在创世记三章，神命定人要耕地才得糊口。所以撒种是为著人的生活。这是照著神所命定自然律的方式。没有一个民族或国籍的人，可以不撒种而生存，不耕种而存活的。耕种就是撒种和收获。第二种方式是靠著神的手所施行的神迹而生活。以色列人在埃及地时，是靠著自然律生活。但他们出了埃及，在旷野飘流时，乃是靠另一种方式生活，就是靠著神迹生活。他们在旷野没有撒种，却有吗哪收取。我们可以说他们未曾撒种却有收获，因为他们收取吗哪，就是收获。以色列人在旷野，一直未曾撒种，却一直有收获。从天降下的吗哪，代替了撒种。人只能作撒种的工作，惟独神能叫吗哪从天降下。以色列人在旷野，收取神所降的吗哪。根据出埃及十六章，以色列人是在每早晨收取吗哪，但是安息日除外。他们在第六日要收取双倍的量，好在安息日那天彀用。出埃及十六章十七至十八节说，『以色列人就这样行，有多收的，有少收的。及至用俄梅珥量一量，多收的也没有余，少收的也没有缺，各人按著自己的饭量收取。』

6In the Bible there are two ways for God’sp eople to live. The first way is according to the natural law ordained by God. This is to sow seed and reap a harvest. In Genesis 3 God ordained that man would till the ground in order to have something to live on. The sowing of the seed is for man’s living. This is the way according to the natural law ordained by God. No race or nationality can survive without sowing, without farming. To farm is to sow the seed and reap a harvest. The second way for God’sp eople to live is the way of miracles from the hand of God. When the children of Israel were in Egypt, they lived according to the natural way. But when they came out of Egypt and were wandering in the wilderness, they lived by another way, by the way of God’s miracles. The people did not sow any seed, but they gathered manna. We could say that they reaped without sowing, for their gathering was a reaping. In the wilderness the children of Israel continually reaped without sowing. The raining down of manna from heaven was a substitute for sowing. Human beings can sow seed, but only God can cause manna to rain down. In the wilderness the children of Israel gathered the manna sent by God. According to Exodus 16, the children of Israel gathered manna every morning, except for the Sabbath day. On the sixth day they gathered a double portion in order to have a sufficient supply for the Sabbath. Exodus 16:17 and 18 say, “And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating.”

7神平衡祂子民中间的供给以色列人在旷野既不耕地，不撒种，也不收获；他们乃是收取吗哪。有些人贪心，想要多取，超过所需的量。但是到了日终，所剩下的都不能用了。出埃及十六章十九至二十节说，『摩西对他们说，所收的，不许甚么人留到早晨。然而他们不听摩西的话，内中有留到早晨的，就生虫变臭了；摩西便向他们发怒。』这些人多收取吗哪，无非是为著来日有所储存，但是神把他们多取的拿走了。

7GOD BALANCING THE SUPPLY AMONG HIS PEOPLE In the wilderness the children of Israel did not do any farming, sowing, or reaping. Instead, they gathered manna. Some may have been greedy and tried to gather a large amount of manna, much more than they needed. However, by the end of the day, what was left was no longer useful. Exodus 16:19 and 20 say, “And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning. Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.” In the case of those who gathered an excess of manna, perhaps wanting to store it up for days and weeks to come, God caused the excess to be taken away

8那些软弱、无力多收取的，也没有缺。神圣的方式是让少收的没有缺，多收的也没有余。这乃是神属天的方式，来平衡祂子民中间的供给。神运用祂奇妙的能力，来平衡祂子民中间吗哪的供给。神用祂的主宰和神迹的手，来平衡祂儿女中间日常的供给。保罗写哥林多后书时，把收取吗哪和信徒供给缺乏圣徒财物的事连在一起。在出埃及十六章是收取，在林后八章却是给与。在收取吗哪的事上，不论以色列人多收少收，结果总是一样。这指明他们在收取的事上不该贪心。收取吗哪是他们的责任。他们只要尽责收取，而不该贪心。假定有些以色列人说，『神是怜悯的，祂有主宰的权柄，也有神奇的能力。祂控制一切。既然我多收没有余，少收也没有缺，我就不用出去收取了。』神的子民中若有人不出去收取，他那天必定甚么东西也没有。神不会替那个人尽他的责任。神不会为他作工，或𫗪饱他。以色列人必须尽自己的责任。只要他们照著神的命定，尽他们的责任，他们就会有足彀的供应；不论多收少收吗哪，他们都会有足彀的供应。在林后八章，保罗把我们对缺乏圣徒的供给，比作收取吗哪。按我们的领会，我们是给与，不是收取。但保罗所说的话，指明我们的给与等于收取。保罗的话至少含示，我们作为神的儿女不可贪婪。我们不该以为，我们能将所赚的大笔钱财，全都据为己有。我们必须看见，不论我们是否给与，最后的结果都是一样。

8Those who were rather feeble and not able to gather much manna did not have any lack. The divine way is that those who gathered little had no lack and those who gathered much had nothing over. This is God’s heavenly way of balancing the supply among His people. God exercised His miraculous ability to balance the supply of manna among the people. God balances the daily supply among His children by His sovereign and miraculous hand. In Paul’s writing of 2 Corinthians, he combines the gathering of manna with the believers’ giving of the material supply to the needy saints. In Exodus 16 it was a matter of gathering, but in 2 Corinthians 8 it is a matter of giving. Concerning the gathering of manna, the result was the same whether the children of Israel gathered more or gathered less. This indicates that in their gathering they should not have been greedy. Gathering manna was their duty. They were to do their duty without being greedy. Suppose some of the children of Israel had said, “God is merciful, sovereign, and miraculous. He controls everything. Since I will have no excess if I gather a lot and no lack if I gather a little, then actually I don’t need to go out and gather anything.” If one of God’sp eople had practiced this, he would not have had anything for that day. God would not fulfill that one’s duty for him. God would neither work for him nor feed him. The children of Israel had to fulfill their duty. As long as they fulfilled their responsibility according to God’so rd i nation, they had a sufficient supply, no matter how much or how little manna they gathered. In 2 Corinthians 8 Paul likens our giving to the needy ones to the gathering of manna. To our realization, we are giving, not gathering. But what Paul says indicates that our giving is a gathering. Paul’sword at least implies that as children of God we should not be greedy. We should not think that if we earn a large sum of money, we shall be able to preserve it all for ourselves. We need to see that whether we give or not, eventually the outcome will be the same.

9假定有一位弟兄，年薪四万美金，但他日常所需要的只占一小部分。然而他很贪心，想要为自己储存一大笔钱。他只奉献十分之一，就是四千美金，剩下的三万六千美金，他想全部存起来。这位弟兄奉献十分之一，是很好的实行。但他可以遵循更好的路。照著这更好的路，他可以保留自己生活所需的钱，可能是二万，而把剩下的给出去。就著人来说，几乎每一个人都会采行第一条路，就是奉献十分之一，而不走第二条路，就是尽力将他所有的给出去。假如这位弟兄决定奉献十分之一，把多余的一万六千元为自己存留，他至终会发现，在神主宰的权柄下，祂有许多办法把这些多余的钱拿走。也许是一场病、一个意外或灾祸。即使第一代钱还在，到第二、三代，迟早总是会散掉的。神大能、主宰的手，会积极的在祂儿女中间施行属天的财富平衡。

9Suppose a brother earns $ 40, 000 a year, but what he actually needs for his living is much less than that amount. Being rather greedy, he wants to reserve a large amount for himself. He tithes ten percent, or $ 4, 000, with the intention of keeping the other $36,000. This tithing is a good practice. However, it is possible for this brother to follow an even better way. According to this better way, the brother should keep what he needs for his living, perhaps $20,000, and give away the remainder. No doubt, humanly speaking, almost everyone would follow the first way, the way of tithing, instead of the second way, the way of giving all that he can. If the brother decides to tithe and keep the extra $ 16, 000 for himself, eventually he will learn that, in His sovereignty, God has many ways to cause this excess money to disappear. There may be illness, accident, or calamity. If the money does not disappear in this generation, it will disappear in the following generation or certainly in the third generation. God’s mighty, sovereign hand will be active to practice a heavenly balancing of the wealth among His people.

10这七十多年来，我观察基督徒中间的情形。我能见证，我没有见过一个基督徒世家能富过三代。基督徒家庭第一代也许很富有，积存很多财富给第二代。但是，到了第二代，顶多到第三代，这些钱财就奥妙的不见了；似乎钱都长翅膀飞走了。我见过一些富有的第三代，他们所有的财富都被别人夺去了。虽然他们这一代承受极大的财富，却都被拿走了。最终，多收的也没有余；这确实是真的。我看见少收的没有缺，多收的也没有余。我确实能见证，神神奇、主宰的手，在平衡祂子民中间的财富。你也许觉得自己很善于理财，知道怎样赚钱，怎样存钱，怎样为子孙投资。但不管你多精于理财，神总是比你有智慧。祂是属天的操纵者，知道如何叫你的钱飞走。在旧约时代，神曾叫吗哪变为不可用；在今天，神叫钱财不翼而飞。你所面对的问题是：你是要自己甘心乐意来平衡物质的供应，还是要逼神用神迹、主宰的方式来平衡？我向你保证，在钱财的事上，神迟早会来平衡你。对这件事，我们必须认识神的心。神深愿祂的子民，在日常生活的供给上能彀均平。因此，我们应当对祂说，『主阿，我感谢你，是你使我能收取吗哪。但是，主阿，我不愿为自己存留甚么，我愿意和别人一同分享。』你要记得，不管你是否甘心乐意与人分享，至终，结果都是一样，叫少收的没有缺，多收的也没有余。所以，不与人分享我们所有的，乃是愚昧的。

10For approximately seventy years I have been observing the situation among Christians. I can testify that I do not know of one Christian family who has been able to maintain wealth continually for three generations. The first generation in a Christian family may become very rich and save vast riches for the second generation. But either in the second generation or in the third the money mysteriously disappears. It seems to sprout wings and fly away. I know of cases where the wealthy third generation had all their riches taken away by others. Although the ones in this generation inherited vast wealth, it was taken away from them. Thus, eventually it proves true that he who gathers much has no excess. I have seen that those who gather little have no lack and those who gather much have no excess. I have truly witnessed the miraculous and sovereign hand of God balancing the wealth among His people. You may consider yourself quite wise in money matters. You know how to make money, how to save it, and how to preserve it for your children and grandchildren. But no matter how wise you may be in the handling of money, God is wiser. As the heavenly pilot, he knows how to cause your money to fly away. He did this with the manna in the Old Testament, and does it with money today. The question that faces you is this: do you want to balance the material supply willingly, or will you force God to balance it in a miraculous, sovereign way? I can assure you that sooner or later you will be balanced in financial matters. Concerning this, we need to understand God’she art. Deep in His heart God desires that His people be balanced in the daily supply. Therefore, we should say to Him, “Lord, thank You for enabling me to gather manna. But, Lord, instead of saving this for myself, I want to share it with others.” You should remember that whether or not you willingly share with others, eventually the outcome will be the same. The result will be that he who gathers little has no lack and that he who gathers much has nothing over. It is foolish, then, not to share what we have with others.

11带著祝福撒种我们的撒种又怎样？从九章看来，我们的给与，不仅等于八章所说的收取，也等于撒种。我们的给与，一面是收取，一面也是撒种。收取吗哪是个神迹。我们曾著重的说过，以色列人在收取吗哪的事上，一直有神的手用神迹的方式来平衡，以致没有人有缺，也没有人有余。现在，我们从九章要看见，我们的给与，也可以比作撒种。

11SOWING WITH BLESSINGS What about the sowing of seed? According to chapter nine, our giving equals not only our gathering, as in chapter eight, but also equals sowing. Our giving is both a gathering and a sowing. The gathering of manna is miraculous. We have emphasized that the manna gathered by the children of Israel was balanced in a miraculous way so that no one had any lack and no one had anything over. Now from chapter nine we must see that our giving is also likened to sowing

12照九章六节所说，那吝啬著撒种的，也必吝啬著收获；那带著祝福撒种的，也必带著祝福收获。六节有一个思想，就是为著别人的好处而撒种。但有那一个农夫在田里撒种时，会想到他是为别人撒种？大多数农夫只想到为自己撒种。然而，这样的撒种不是带著祝福撒种。带著祝福撒种，就是给与别人。这就是带著祝福向人撒种。当我们给人钱财时，我们是在撒种，而这撒种不是为我们自己，乃是为别人。我们若带著祝福向人撒种时，我们就要从神收取祝福。

12According to 9:6, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly, and he who sows with blessings shall also reap with blessings. In verse 6 we have the thought of sowing for the benefit of others. But what farmer, when he sows seed in his field, has the thought of sowing for others? Surely, most farmers have the concept of sowing for themselves. This kind of sowing, however, is not with blessings. To sow with blessings is to give to others. This is to sow with blessings to others. When we give of our money, we are sowing, and this sowing is not for ourselves, but is for others. If we sow with blessings to others, we shall reap with blessings from God

13学习给与我们既是神的儿女，就必须学习给与。给与就是收取。我们能收取多少吗哪，在于我们给与多少。主耶稣在路加六章

13LEARNING TO GIVE As children of God, we all must learn to give. To give is to gather. How much manna we can gather depends on how much we give. In Luke 6:38 the

14三十八节说，『你们要给人，就必有给你们的，用十足的量器，连摇带按，上尖下流的倒在你们怀里；因为你们用甚么量器量给人，也必用甚么量器量给你们。』这节经文指明，我们若要收取，若要得著甚么，就必须先给与。我们的给与，就是收取，就是得著。我们每天都要收取吗哪。我们的收取既是我们的给与，我们就必须先给与，才能有收取。我们收得少，是因为我们给得少。我们的给与就是我们的收取；但愿我们对这一点，都有深刻的印象。在我们的给与和收取上，都有神的神迹。我们不该有迷信的观念，以为我们给得多，也能收得多。

14Lord Jesus says, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” This verse indicates that if we want to receive, to gather, we first need to give. Our giving is our gathering, our receiving. We all need to gather manna every day. Because our gathering is our giving, we all need to give in order to gather. We gather little because we give little. May we all be impressed that our giving is our gathering. In the matter of giving and gathering, divine miracles are involved. We should not believe in a superstitious way that the more we give, the more we shall receive

15我们若有这种观念，我们给与的动机就只是为著自己聚歛钱财。这里的点乃是与神平衡的手有关。祂分配供应，使我们既不穷，也不富。神的确在实行神圣、属天的平衡。祂知道怎样平衡祂子民中间的财富。

15If this is the way we understand this matter, our motive in giving will be to gain riches for ourselves. The point here is related to God’s balancing hand. He would distribute the supply so that we would be neither poor nor rich. He certainly does practice a divine and heavenly balancing. He knows how to balance the wealth among His people

16五十多年来，我在主里一直凭信心生活。我常常极其贫穷。但我能见证，即使我在极贫困之中，也从无所缺。我收取的不多，但从不缺甚么。有时候，我得到的供给非常多，甚至得到极大的款项。然而我必须见证，我也没有多余。因此，我能从我的经历见证，每次我多收时，我也不会有余；每当我少收时，我也没有缺。到底是谁在这样平衡？乃是神用祂属天的天秤在平衡。每当我们想多收过于所需时，至终我们会发现，这些多收的部分总会飞走；你若保留太多的钱，你的钱似乎会长翅膀飞走。这事这样发生的原因，乃是神在诸天之上平衡祂儿女在社会中的财富。我们已经看见，给与是收取，也是撒种。撒种带进收获，这是一种自然律；我们先要撒种，才有收成。我们撒种时要慷慨的撒种，而不是吝啬的撒种。我们若吝啬的撒种，就会吝啬的收获。但我们若慷慨的撒种，就能丰裕的收获。当我们撒种时，我们是慷慨的、宽裕的。但当我们收获时，我们看见神是慷慨的、宽裕的。保罗为甚么把九章加进来？他之所以加了这一章，是要给我们看见『给与』的更进一步例证。我们已经指出，保罗在林后九章，用撒种说明给与。因此，从八、九章看来，给与乃是收取，也是撒种。这两种观念在保罗的深处，支配著他写这两章。

16For more than fifty years, I have been living by faith in the Lord. Often I have been very poor. Nevertheless, I can testify that even though I have been in extreme poverty, I never had any lack. I gathered little, but I had no lack. At other times I had an abundant supply, even large sums of money. However, I must testify that I did not have any excess. Therefore, I can testify from my experience that whenever I have gathered much, I have had no excess and that whenever I have gathered little, I have had no lack. Who balances the supply in this way? It is done by God with His heavenly balance. If we try to gather more than what is needed, we shall eventually see the excess money fly away. If you keep too much in excess, your money will seem to sprout wings and fly away from you. The reason this happens is that God in the heavens balances the social wealth of His children. We have seen that giving is both a matter of gathering and of sowing. Sowing brings in reaping. It is a natural law that first we sow and then we have a harvest. When we sow, we should sow generously, not sparingly. If we sow sparingly, we shall reap sparingly. But if we sow generously, we shall also reap generously. In our sowing, we are the ones who are generous and liberal. But when we reap, we find that God is the One who is generous. Why did Paul add chapter nine? He added this chapter in order to provide us a further illustration of giving. We have pointed out that in 2 Corinthians 9 Paul uses sowing to illustrate giving. Therefore, from chapters eight and nine we see that giving is gathering and also sowing. These two concepts deep within Paul governed his writing of these two chapters

给与和收取

giving and gathering

17保罗不是一个肤浅的著者；相反的，他非常有深度，他的思想是深邃的。他读旧约，知道出埃及十六章所说的，就是神子民如何收取他们日常生活的所需。照保罗的观念，我们今天乃是在旷野。我们每天工作，事实上就是在收取吗哪。但是，我们的收取必须转成给与。我们若不肯给与，就不该继续收取。我们作事赚钱，但赚来的钱必须给出去。这样，我们所给与的，会成为我们的收取，正如以色列人在旷野收取吗哪一样。现在我们能明白，保罗把我们的给与比作收取吗哪。这个思想非常的深。

17Paul was not a superficial writer. On the contrary, he was deep, and his thoughts were profound. In his reading of the Old Testament he realized that Exodus 16 speaks of God’sp eople gathering what they need for their daily supply. According to Paul’s concept, we today are in the wilderness. Daily we work; however, actually we are gathering manna. But our gathering must turn to giving. If we do not give, we shall not continue to gather. We work to earn money, but this earning of money must become our giving. Then whatever we give will become our gathering, as pictured by the gathering of manna by the children of Israel in the wilderness. Now we can see that Paul likens our giving to this gathering of manna. This thought is deep, profound.

18给与和撒种保罗在林后九章，继续把我们的给与比作撒种。因著八章还没有把他深邃的思想完全表达出来，所以他又写了

18GIVING AND SOWING In chapter nine Paul goes on to liken our giving to the sowing of seed. Because his deep thought was not fully expressed in chapter eight, Paul went on to write

19九章。这一章启示给与的另一方面，就是撒种。保罗在这里的思想乃是：我们必须撒种，才有收获。不仅如此，我们撒种不仅是为自己，更是为著别人带著祝福撒种。

19another chapter related to giving. This chapter reveals another aspect of giving, the aspect of sowing. Paul’s though there is that we must sow and then we shall reap. Furthermore, when we sow, we should sow not merely for ourselves, but sow with blessings for others

20许多圣经译本没有把六节原文的意思繙译出来。他们不说『带著祝福』，只说到丰裕的撒种。照著这样的繙译，我们若丰裕的撒种，就必丰裕的收获。但是这样的领会太天然了。保罗在这里所说的，照原文的意思，是带著祝福撒种。我们的给与，必须成为别人的祝福。别处圣经可以帮助我们明白九章六节所说的祝福。我们在旧约中能看出，给与乃是一种祝福。当雅各会见以扫时，雅各给以扫一些东西。这些礼物就是一种祝福。关于这件事，创世记三十三章十一节说，『求你收下我带来给你的礼物，因为神恩待我，使我充足。』王下五章十五节，士师记一章十五节，以西结三十四章二十六节，也都说到礼物是一种祝福。我们的给与，对别人乃是祝福。每当我们带著祝福向别人撒种时，我们必从神收取祝福。不仅如此，我们所收的要远超过所撒的；通常有三十倍，甚至百倍的收成。这不是神奇发生的事，乃是一种自然律。神是用神迹来控制祂子民中间的生活供应。因此，没有一个基督徒家庭能富过几代的。但是，撒种是照著自然律，不是照著神迹。在这件事上，神不必行甚么神迹。我们都必须撒种，都必须给与。我们给的越多，收的也越多。然而，我们这样作时，不应该迷信的去作，目的想要为自己多聚敛一些钱财。

20Many translations of the Bible do not render verse 6 literally. Instead of saying “with blessings,” some versions speak of bounty or of sowing bountifully. According to these translations, if we sow bountifully, or with bounty, we shall reap bountifully, or with bounty. This, however, is a natural understanding of this word. What Paul speaks of here is literally sowing with blessings. Our giving must be with blessings to others. Other Scriptures help us to understand the word blessings in 9:6. In the Old Testament we can see that giving was a blessing. When Jacob met his brother Esau, Jacob gave him something. That gift was a blessing. Regarding this, Genesis 33:11 says, “Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” Other verses that indicate that giving is blessing are 2 Kings 5:15; Judges 1:15; and Ezekiel 34:26. Our giving to others is a blessing to them. When we sow with blessings to others, we shall reap with blessings from God. Furthermore, the harvest will always far surpass the amount of seed sown. It may be multiplied thirty or even one hundred times. This does not happen miraculously; it takes place according to natural law. God controls the life supply among His children by miracles. Because of this, no Christian family can maintain its wealth for generations. But sowing is according to natural law, not according to miracle. Regarding this, there is no need for God to do anything miraculous. We all need to sow, to give. The more we give, the more we shall reap. However, we should not do this in a superstitious way for the purpose of gaining riches for ourselves.

21收取和撒种的这两个例子，与保罗在这几章的深邃思想有关。在林后九章，这深邃的思想乃是：我们基督徒在给与的事上，要有撒种的观念。我们若不给与，我们就不是在耕地、在撒种。再者，我们也不该吝啬的撒种。根据自然律，我们若吝啬的撒种，也必吝啬的收获。我们都要带著祝福向别人撒种。根据自然律，我们若带著祝福向别人撒种，也必带著祝福从神收获。这样的祝福必远超过我们所撒的。我能见证，在我基督徒的生活中，我没有看见一个信徒是给了神，而不大大蒙神祝福的。主总是尊重祂所命定的自然律。

21The two illustrations of gathering and sowing are related to Paul’spr o found thoughts in these chapters. In chapter nine the deep thought is that as Christians we give in the sense of sowing. If we do not give, we are not farming, not sowing. Moreover, we should not sow sparingly. If we sow sparingly, then according to natural law we shall reap sparingly. We need to sow with blessings to others. If we sow with blessings to others, then, also according to natural law, we shall reap with blessings from God to us. This blessing will be many times more than what we have sown. I can testify that, in my Christian life, I have never seen a believer who has given to God who has not been greatly blessed by Him. The Lord will always honor the natural law He has ordained.

成为向神感谢的因素

BECOMING FACTORS OF THANKSGIVING TO GOD

22我们都需要认识主神迹的手，也要顾到祂的自然律。从这两面看来，我们都必须是一个给与的人。你也许目前看不见神平衡的手。但长远来说，或许过了许多年，你必要看见。你就能见证，神如何平衡祂儿女中间日常生活的供给。我们也必须看见，给与就是撒种。所以，我们若要收获，就必须带著祝福向人撒种。这样，我们就能从神带著祝福收获。我们应当多种，才能多收；目标不是使自己富有，结果乃是对神生出洋溢的感谢。我盼望在要来的日子中，许多圣徒能成为人对神感谢的因素。这意思是说，你们的给与会使人洋溢出对神极大的感谢。倘若主恢复中的圣徒都愿意慷慨的给与，主的恢复就不会有物质上的缺乏。不仅不会有缺乏，更要藉著许多圣徒，洋溢出对神的感谢。因此，我们都要操练给与，而这给与是由收取和撒种所完成的。

22We need to recognize the Lord’s miraculous hand and also care for His natural law. According to both aspects, we need to give. Perhaps at present you do not see God’s balancing hand. But over the long run, perhaps over a period of many years, you will see it. Then you will be able to testify of how God balances the daily supply among His children. We also must realize that giving is a matter of sowing. Therefore, if we would reap, we must sow with blessings to others. Then we shall reap with blessings from God. We should sow more and in turn reap more. The goal is not to make ourselves rich. The result is the abounding of thanksgivings to God. I hope that in the time to come many of the saints will become a factor of thanksgiving to God. This means that your giving will abound in much thanksgiving to God. I have the full confidence that if the saints in the Lord’s recovery are willing to give, the recovery will never be lacking in material supply. Instead of lack, there will be abounding in thanksgiving to the Lord through many saints. Therefore, let us all practice our giving, a giving which is carried out by gathering and by sowing

和给与有关的一些事

VARIOUS MATTERS RELATED TO GIVING

23在九章五节保罗说，『所以，我想必须劝那几位弟兄先到你们那里去，把你们先前所应许的祝福事前安排好，使这事如此豫备好了，就成为受者的祝福，而不成为施者的贪婪。』这个祝福，乃是慷慨甘心的餽送，成为别人的祝福。甘心、慷慨的给与，使餽送成为受者的祝福；不甘心、吝惜的给与，受贪婪的心所抑制，使礼物成为施者的贪婪。

23In 9:5 Paul says, “Therefore I thought it necessary to entreat the brothers, that they would go before you and make ready beforehand your previously promised blessing, that this might be ready thus as a blessing, and not as covetousness.” This blessing is a bounty, a willing gift of generosity as a blessing to others. Willing and generous giving makes the gift a blessing to the receiver. Unwilling and grudging giving, from a withholding and covetous heart, makes the gift a matter of covetousness to the giver.

24保罗在七节说，『各人要照心里所酌定的，不要作难，不要勉强，因为神喜爱乐意施与的人。』这是引自箴言二十二章八节，七十士希腊文译本在该处加，『乐意施与的人，神必祝福。』保罗在林后九章八至九节继续说，『神能使各样的恩典向你们洋溢，使你们在凡事上常常十分充足，能洋溢出各样的善工。就如经上所记：「他分施赒济贫贱，他的义存到永远。」』八节中『各样的恩典』是指每一种的恩典。九节的『分施』是指撒种时的播散。这一节的『贫贱』，原文指不得不作卑贱的工作而勉强维生的人。这不是通常说到贫穷的辞。保罗在九节说到『义存到永远』。慷慨的给与，一面对受者是祝福，另一面在神和人眼中乃是义。保罗在十三节说到这供给缺乏圣徒物质供应的职事，是蒙称许的。这是指犹太地缺乏的圣徒，称许外邦信徒对他们的供给。称许，原文意试验、试炼、实验；因此是称许、证明；指对圣徒供给的事要受试验、试炼，并为圣徒所称许，以证明这供给慷慨的特性。十三节的交通，或作往来。（参罗十二13，腓四15。）指供给的事，这是外邦信徒和犹太信徒之间的交通。

24In verse 7 Paul says, “Each one as he has purposed in his heart, not out of sorrow or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.” This comes from Proverbs 22:9, where the Septuagint reads, “God loves a cheerful and liberal man.” The Greek word rendered cheerful also means hilarious, gleeful. In verses 8 and 9 Paul continues, “And God is able to make all grace abound unto you, that, in everything always having all sufficiency, you may abound unto every good work; even as it is written, He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor, his righteousness abides forever.” The words “all grace” in verse 8 refer to every kind of grace. The scattering in verse 9 is the scattering in sowing. The word poor in this verse denotes one who is obliged to do menial work to eke out a living. It is not the common word for poor. In verse 9 Paul speaks of righteousness abiding forever. Generous giving is, on the one hand, a blessing to the receivers, and, on the other hand, righteousness in the eyes of both God and man. In verse 13 Paul speaks of the approvedness of this ministry of giving material supply to the needy saints. It refers to the approval by the needy saints in Judea of the Gentile believers’ ministry to them. The Greek word, dokime, means test, trial, experiment; hence, approvedness, proof. It indicates that the ministry to the saints will be tested, tried, and approved by the saints to become a proof of the generous character of the ministry. The Greek word for fellowship in verse 13 also means communication (see “communicating” in Romans 12:13, and “shared” in Philippians 4:15). It refers to the ministry of supply, which is a fellowship between the Gentile believers and those in Judea

25保罗在林后九章十四至十五节总结说，『他们也因神在你们身上超越的恩典，切切的想念你们，为你们祈求。感谢神，为著祂难以形容的恩赐。』这个难以形容的恩赐，就是赐给信徒

25In verses 14 and 15 Paul concludes, “And in their petition on your behalf, longing after you on account of the surpassing grace of God upon you. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” This indescribable gift is God’s grace given to the believers

26的神的恩典。