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启示录生命读经 · 第62篇

新耶路撒冷（四）

The New Jerusalem (4)
1本篇信息是上篇信息的继续。
1This message is the continuation of the previous one
三四 边显出来的样子都一致
C. Unified in Appearance on All Four Sides
2我们已经指出，碧玉是神显出来的样子。整个墙是用碧玉造的，这事实指明，那在永世里作神团体彰显的新耶路撒冷，带著神显出来的样子。这座城四边显出的样子都一致，这指明一切的不同都消失了，这座城乃是三一神独一的彰显。这和许多基督徒的观念大不相同，他们认为我们都该不同，以不同的方式来彰显基督。按照这观念，你以你的方式彰显基督，我以我的方式彰显基督。过去我受教导说，各个信徒和召会应当彼此不同，没有一个召会该和别的召会相同。我不仅如此受教导，我自已也这样传讲。我说，我们不应该效法或模倣别人。我用我们的面孔为例证说，每张面孔都是独特的。但我再读启示录，看见七个灯台是一模一样的。若把七个灯台都放在你面前的桌子上，你无法区别牠们，每个灯台都会失去其个别性。当我看见了这点，我的观点大大转变了，我对自己说，『那些人愚昧的说七个召会不同，我从他们接受的观念是何等的错误！不错，她们在消极方面不同，在非拉铁非的召会确实没有在推雅推喇召会中的偶像。但在积极方面，她们都是相同的。她们只有一位神，一位基督。』我真是蒙了光照。从那天起，主一再将这事指给我看，至终给我看见新耶路撒冷四面的城墙，每一面显出来的样子都相同。也许墙是由数百万块碧玉砌成的，然而墙的每一面都有同样的彰显，每一面的材料、本质、颜色和显出来的样子都相同。所以我们都必须相像，我必须像你，你也必须像我。至终我们彼此会极其相像，以致失去我们的特性。看见这一点，能使我们领会保罗在林前一章十节的话，『弟兄们，我藉我们主耶稣基督的名，恳求你们都说一样的话，你们中间也不可有分裂，只要在一样的心思和一样的意见里，彼此和谐。』我们必须说一样的话，并且在一样的意见里彼此和谐。这不是说，我们受甚么人的控制。建造在新耶路撒冷城墙里的碧玉，没有一块是受控制的。牠们的本质、颜色、外观、明亮和荣耀都相同，因为牠们都为同样的生命变化过。所以我们都必须彼此效法，彼此模倣；姊妹必须效法弟兄，弟兄也必须模倣姊妹。这意思不是要模倣别人天然的特征，乃是要模倣碧玉，模倣本质、颜色和外观。
2As we have already pointed out, jasper is the appearance of God. The fact that the building material of the entire wall is jasper indicates that New Jerusalem, as the corporate expression of God in eternity, bears the appearance of God. This city is unified in appearance on all four sides. This indicates that all differences have vanished and that the city is the unique expression of the Triune God. This is vastly different from the concept of many Christians, who think that we all should be different and express Christ in different ways. According to this concept, you express Christ in your way, and I express Christ in my way. In the past I was taught that both the individual believers and the churches should be different from one another and that no church should be the same as others. I was not only taught this way, but I also preached it myself. I said that we should not imitate or copy others. Using our faces as an illustration, I said that every face is unique. But by studying the book of Revelation again, I saw that the seven lampstands are exactly the same. If all seven were placed on the table in front of you, you would not be able to tell them apart. Each lampstand would lose its identity. When I saw that, my point of view was radically revolutionized, and I said to myself, “What a mistaken concept I received from those who foolishly said that the seven churches are different! Yes, they are different in the negative aspects. Certainly the church in Philadelphia did not have the idols found in Thyatira. But on the positive side, they are all the same. They have one God and one Christ.” I had truly been enlightened. From that day onward, the Lord has pointed out this matter to me again and again, eventually showing me the four sides of the wall of New Jerusalem. Each side is the same in appearance. Although perhaps millions of jasper stones have been fit together to form the wall, every side of the wall has the same expression. Each side is the same in material, in substance, in color, and in appearance. Hence, we all must be alike. I must be like you, and you must be like me. Ultimately, we shall be so much like one another that we shall lose our identity. Seeing this enables us to understand Paul’sword in 1 Corinthians 1:10: “But I beseech you, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be attuned in the same mind and in the same opinion.” We must say the same thing and be attuned to the same opinion. This does not mean that we are controlled by anyone. None of the jasper stones built into the wall of New Jerusalem is controlled. They are the same in substance, in color, in appearance, in brightness, and in glory because they have been transformed by the same life. Thus, we all must imitate one another and copy one another. The sisters must imitate the brothers, and the brothers must copy the sisters. This does not mean to copy the natural characteristics of others. It means to copy the jasper, to copy the substance, the color, and the appearance.
3碧玉不仅仅是神所创造的物质。牠首先被创造，然后被变化。所有透明的宝石，特别是钻石，都是变化过的物质。钻石是碳经由热气和压力变化而成的纯净晶体。我们没有人被造就是碧玉。反之，我们被造乃是尘土。（创二7。）赞美主，我们已蒙了重生，我们正在被变化！我们许多人每天都在经过变化的过程。最终我们要成为宝石。我们要成为碧玉，有神的生命并且带著神显出来的样子。我们和神有同样的元素，也有同样的外观。神看起来像碧玉，我们也要看起来像碧玉。当我们彼此对看的时候，就要从对方看见神显出来的样子。甚至我们中间最小的一位，看起来也要像神。你想，我们都有碧玉的本质、颜色和外观之后，还会争辩或持守不同的意见么？必然不会！新耶路撒冷可以称为碧玉城，她不是木头城；有一天，这座城要具有明亮的绿色彰显神。在新耶路撒冷里，我们不会彰显德国性格、英国性格、中国性格、美国性格、或别种人的性格。我们要彰显那独一的性格，就是神圣的性格，就是神自己显出来的样子。今天的召会也必须如此。在这样的召会中，我们都彰显神。我们已经看见，新耶路撒冷的实质是金；这指明整个召会的实质该是神圣的性情。这是召会的内容。召会不可有神性之外的东西为其本质和内容。现在我们也看见，城墙带著神显出来的样子。召会必须向所有的人和整个宇宙彰显神自己。召会的建造取决于召会生活实质的内容。倘若内容不是神自己，就不可能有真实正确的建造；但我们的内容若是神圣的性情，这内容就要变化我们，甚至把我们模成祂的形像。藉著这变化，我们所有不同的观念、看法和意见都要被吞灭；这就是罗马十二章二节所说，藉著心思的更新而变化的意思。心思藉著召会的内容─神圣的性情─而得更新。当神圣的性情占有召会的内在部分，并且成为其内容的时候，便要更新我们的心思，并且吞灭我们不同的领会、观念、看法和意见。神圣的性情越从里面充满我们，我们的观念和意见就越自然的放在一边。结果，我们对事情就不再有天然的领会，我们的观念乃是照著神圣的性情。因此，我们自然就有一样的心思和意见，说一样的话，有独一的彰显，就是神显出来的样子，并且我们在这彰显中被建造起来。假定你依附自己天然的观念，我持守自己天然的看法，尽管你的观念和我的看法都很好，丝毫不是犯罪；但因著我们的观念不同，就不能成为同样的碧玉。然而，当我们都被神圣的性情所充满、所吞没，我们的观念就要改变，我们都要成为同样的碧玉。这样我们就有一样的心思，一样的观念和一样的意见。这就是建造到召会里面的路。我们必须放弃我们所有不同的彰显，使我们能被建造在同样的城墙里，都有神那独一的彰显。召会无法藉著我们努力为善和彼此忍耐而得建造，建造不是我对你让步一点，你也对我让步一点；那是伦常道德的行为，如同孔夫子的教训，并不是圣经的教训。真实的建造乃是被神圣的性情所吞没，被神圣的性情所占有、充满、浸透并饱和。要达到这一地步，我们必须爱主，将自己毫无保留的献给祂，告诉祂说，『主，我不愿保留我自己，我要将全人给你，让你全然得著我，并占有我到极点。主，用你自己充满我。』这是正确的路。在召会中被建造并不是努力去爱各种不同的人，或努力扩大心胸，包容个性不同的人。这是天然的观念。我们所需要的，就是使我们的个性，无论是美国的、中国的、英国的、或德国的，都被神圣的金所吞没，所顶替。你若被神圣的金所充满，你的心就会比所罗门的心更大，（王上四29，）因为你的心会像神的心那么大。当我们被神圣的性情所充满，所浸透，我们就都有一样的彰显和外观，因为我们都有一样的意见，并且说一样的话。当我们都有一样的彰显，我们就有神显出来的样子，就是启示录中由碧玉所象征的。这是召会生活的彰显。
3Jasper is not a substance that was merely created by God. First it was created, and then it was transformed. All precious transparent stones, especially diamonds, are transformed substances. Diamond is carbon that has been transformed through heat and pressure into a pure crystal. None of us was created jasper. Rather, we were created clay (Gen. 2:7). Praise the Lord that we have been regenerated and that we are being transformed! Many of us are daily undergoing the process of transformation. Eventually, we shall be precious stones. We shall be jasper, possessing the life of God and bearing the appearance of God. We shall have the very element of God and the same appearance as He. God looks like jasper, and we also shall look like jasper. When we look at one another, we shall see in one another the appearance of God. Even the least one among us will look like God. Do you think that, after we all have the substance, color, and appearance of jasper, we shall still debate or hold differing opinions? Certainly not! The New Jerusalem may be called a jasper city; it is not a city of wood. One day this city will appear bearing a bright green color to express God. In New Jerusalem we shall not express a German character, a British character, a Chinese character, an American character, or any other human character. Instead, we shall express the unique character, the divine character, which is God Himself in His appearance. The church today must also be like this. In such a church we all express God. We have seen that the city of New Jerusalem is solidly and substantially golden. This indicates that the whole church should be solidly and substantially of the divine nature. This is the content of the church. The church must not have anything other than God Himself in His nature as its substance and content. Now we also see that the wall of the city bears God’s appearance. To all people and to the whole universe the church must express God Himself. The building of the church depends upon the substantial content of the church life. If the content is not God Himself, it will be impossible to have the genuine and proper building. But if our content is the divine nature, this content will transform us and even conform us to His image. Through this transformation, all our different concepts, views, and opinions will be swallowed up. This is what it means to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, as mentioned in Romans 12:2. The mind is renewed by the content of the church, the divine nature. When the divine nature occupies the inner part of the church and becomes its content, it will renew our mind and swallow up our different understandings, concepts, views, and opinions. The more the divine nature fills us from within, the more our concepts and opinions are spontaneously laid aside. As a result we no longer have a natural understanding of things. Rather, our concept is according to the divine nature. Hence, spontaneously we become of the same mind and opinion, we speak the same thing, and we have the unique expression, the appearance of God, and we are built up in this expression. Suppose you cling to your natural concept, and I hold to my natural view. Both your concept and my view may be very good, not at all sinful. But because our concepts are different, they cannot be of the same jasper. However, when we are both filled with the divine nature and swallowed up by it, our concepts will be changed, and we shall all be of the same jasper. Then we shall have one mind, one concept, and one opinion. This is the way to be built into the church. We must drop all our different expressions that we may be built into the same wall and may all have the unique expression of God. The church cannot be built through our efforts to be kind and patient with one another. Building is not a matter of my giving a little ground to you and of your giving ground to me. That is ethical behavior, something like the teaching of Confucius; it is not the teaching of the Bible. Genuine building is to be swallowed up by the divine nature and occupied, filled, saturated, and permeated with the divine nature. For this to take place, we must love the Lord and consecrate ourselves to Him without reservation, telling Him, “Lord, I don’t want to keep anything of myself. I want to give my whole being to You and let You take full possession of me and occupy me to the uttermost. Lord, fill me with Yourself.” This is the right way. Being built up in the church is not a matter of trying to love different kinds of people, or of trying to enlarge our heart to include those of a different disposition. This is a natural concept. What is needed is to have our disposition, whether it be American, Chinese, British, or German, swallowed up and replaced by the divine gold. If you are filled with the divine gold, your heart will be larger than Solomon’s (1 Kings 4:29), because it will be as big as God’she art. When we are filled and permeated with the divine nature, we all have the same expression and appearance, for we all have the same opinion and speak the same thing. When we all have the same expression, we have the appearance of God, symbolized in the book of Revelation by jasper. This is the expression of the church life.
四 分别和保护
D. For Separation and Protection
4墙虽然主要的是为著彰显，但自然的也成为一种分别和保护。牠将我们从一切凡俗的事分别出来，（启二一，）并保护我们，使我们留在神显出来的范围中。任何东西被分别出来，也就受了保守和保护。在召会生活中我们必须有神的彰显，这神圣的彰显就是我们的分别，这分别就是我们的保护和保守。若是我们都彰显神，就会从一切世俗的事物中分别出来。这不仅仅是道理。你若如此生活，你对我所说的必有充分的经历。我若有碧玉的外观彰显神，就会完全从世界中分别出来。这样我就会蒙保护、保守，并且被保留在神的彰显中。有些人为世界的娱乐所俘掳，因为他们没有碧玉的外观彰显神；反之，他们彰显别的东西。当我们失去神圣的彰显，反而彰显我们自己，我们的分别就消失，我们就不再受保护了。结果，我们就没有墙。于是没有彰显，没有分别，也没有保护。赞美主，今天在召会生活中，我们的保护乃是神的彰显作我们的分别！
4Although the wall is mainly for expression, spontaneously it also becomes a separation and a protection. It separates us from everything common (2 1:2 7), protects us, and keeps us in the realm of 27 God’s appearance. Anything that is separated is also preserved and protected. In the church life we must have God’s express i on. This divine expression is our separation, and this separation is our protection and preservation. If we all express God, we shall be separated from anything worldly. This is not a mere doctrine. If you live in this manner, you will have the full experience of what I am saying. If I express God in the appearance of jasper, I shall be completely separated from the world. Then I shall be protected, preserved, and kept in the expression of God. Some are captured by the distractions of the world because they do not express God in the appearance of jasper. Instead, they express something else. When we lose the divine expression and express something of ourselves in its place, our separation disappears, and we are no longer protected. As a result, we have no wall. Then there is no expression, no separation, and no protection. Praise the Lord that in the church life today our protection is the expression of God as our separation!
拾 壹根基
XI. ITS FOUNDATIONS
一 有根基的城
A. A City of Foundations
5现在我们来看城的根基。这是非常重要的。希伯来十一章十节论到亚伯拉罕，说『因为他等候那座有根基的城，其设计者并建筑者乃是神。』这座有根基的城新耶路撒冷，乃是神所设计、所建筑的。主的恢复有坚固的根基。自从五十多年前，主的恢复在我们中间兴起，这见证已建立得越来越坚固。我一生中曾见过许多基督徒团体兴起又解散，他们兴起形成团体，然后就消失了。前几年在美国兴起的许多自由团体，已不复存在，因为他们没有稳固的根基。召会，这座有根基的城，不是人所设计的，乃是神所设计、所建筑的。在主恢复中的众召会都是神所设计并建筑的，并非出于人。因为我们有这样稳固的根基，所以我们越遭受反对和攻击，就建立得越坚固。
5Now we come to the foundations of the city. This is very important. Hebrews 11:10, speaking of Abraham, says, “For he waited for the city which has the foundations, whose Architect and Maker is God.” The city of foundations, the New Jerusalem, was designed and made by God. The Lord’s recovery has a solid foundation. From the time the Lord’s recovery was raised up among us more than fifty years ago, this testimony has been more and more solidly founded. During my life I have seen many Christian groups come and go. They were raised up and formed, and then they disappeared. Many of the free groups that began in this country some years ago are no longer in existence because they did not have a solid foundation. The church, a city of foundations, is not designed by man. It is both designed by God and built by Him. All the churches in the Lord’s recovery have been designed and built by God, not by man. Because we have such a solid foundation, the more we are opposed and attacked, the more solidly founded we become.
二 有使徒的名字，不再有申言者的名字
B. Of the Apostles, No Longer of the Prophets
6十四节说，『城墙有十二根基，根基上有羔羊十二使徒的十二个名字。』这里的根基不是林前三章十至十一节所说的根基─基督，乃是羔羊的十二使徒。今天召会是建造在使徒和申言者的根基上；（弗二20；）在永世里，不再需要申言者，所以只有使徒为圣城的根基。当我们进入新天新地的时候，四个时代都完全了，不需要豫言了。一切都已经成就并且应验了。这里的十二使徒代表新约的恩典，表征新耶路撒冷是建造在神的恩典上。进入圣城乃是照著神的律法，城却是建造在神的恩典上。
6Verse 14 says, “And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” These foundations are not the foundation, which is Christ, according to 1 Corinthians 3:10-11. They are the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Today the church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets (Eph. 2:20). Since in eternity there will be no further need of the prophets, the foundations of the holy city will consist only of the apostles. When we enter into the new heaven and the new earth, all the four dispensations will have been completed, and there will be no need for prophecy. Everything will have been accomplished and fulfilled. The twelve apostles here represent the grace of the New Testament, signifying that the New Jerusalem is built upon the grace of God. The entrance to the holy city is according to the law of God, and the city is built upon the grace of God
三 用十二样宝石建的
C. Built with Twelve Precious Stones
7十九节说，『城墙的根基是用各样宝石装饰的。』这节和下节列出十二样宝石的名字，这十二样宝石是羔羊的十二使徒，每位使徒由一样宝石所表征。十二使徒的头一位，彼得，原名西门；当他被带到主面前时，主将他改名为彼得，意思就是石头。（约一42。）后来，主说到召会的建造时，就以这名称呼他。（太十六18。）宝石不是创造的，乃是从受造之物变化成的。所有的使徒都是受造的泥土，但他们蒙了重生，并且变化成了为著神永远建造的宝石。每一位信徒都需要经过这样的重生和变化，才能成为新耶路撒冷的一部分。
7Verse 19 says, “The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every precious stone.” This verse and the next list the names of twelve precious stones, which are the twelve apostles of the Lamb, each of whom is signified by a precious stone. When Peter, the first of the twelve apostles, was brought to the Lord, the Lord changed his name to Cephas, which means a stone” (John 1:42). Later, the Lord called him by this name when He spoke concerning the building of His church (Matt. 16:18). Precious stones are not created, but are transformed from something that has been created. All the apostles were created as clay, but they were regenerated and transformed into precious stones for God’s eternal building. This regeneration and transformation is required of every believer who will be a part of the New Jerusalem
8城墙的根基有十二层。十二这数字再次表明在神永远行政中的完全。第一层是碧玉，指明神的形像是主要的外观。城墙的第一层根基和新耶路撒冷的整个城墙一样，都是用碧玉造的。这指明在圣城的建造里，主要的材料是碧玉。既然碧玉表征神彰显在祂可传输的荣耀里，圣城主要的功用也就是带著神的荣耀彰显神。（启二一11。）关于十二根基，我们现在必须来看一件非常重要的事。虽然整个城墙都是碧玉，十二根基却是各样不同颜色的宝石，每一层都与其他的不同。原因乃是使徒有不同的职事。保罗的职事与彼得的不同，彼得的职事与约翰的不同。然而，这十二根基不是并排放著，乃是上下相叠。最上层与城墙底部相接的根基是碧玉，与城墙的颜色一样。所以，使徒们所有的工作产生出同样的外观，就是碧玉。十二层根基都带来并支持在独一彰显中的独一见证。
8The foundations of the wall of the city are of twelve layers. Once again, the number twelve shows the completion in God’s eternal administration. The first layer is jasper, indicating that the likeness of God is the predominant appearance. The first layer of the wall’s foundation, as well as the entire wall of New Jerusalem, is built with jasper. This indicates that the main material in the building of the holy city is jasper. Since jasper signifies God expressed in His communicable glory, the main function of the holy city is to express God in bearing His glory (v. 11). Now we must consider a very important matter regarding the twelve foundations. Although the entire wall is jasper, the twelve foundations are different stones with various colors. Each layer is different from the others. The reason for this is that the apostles had different ministries. Paul’s ministry was different from Peter’s, and Peter’s was different from John’s. However, these twelve foundations are not laid side by side; rather, they are laid one on top of another. The top layer, the layer that met the bottom of the wall, was jasper, the same color as the wall. Thus, all the work of the apostles issued in the same appearance, jasper. All twelve layers lead to and support the unique testimony in the unique expression
9许多所谓的基督教工人，他们的工作导致独自的外观；但使徒们的工作却导致同一的外观。今天的基督教工人不仅有不同的颜色，他们还并肩而立，不肯层层相叠。所以他们只有个别的表现，有时候甚至彼此竞争。反之，使徒们的工作却是层层相叠，导致碧玉独一的外观，就是神在基督里显出来的样子。
9The work of many so-called Christian workers leads to an individualistic appearance. But the work of the apostles led to one appearance. Today’s Christian workers not only have different colors; instead of being one on top of another, they are side by side. Thus, they have an individualistic expression, sometimes even with competition and striving with one another. The work of the apostles, on the contrary, was layer upon layer and led to the unique appearance of jasper, the appearance of God in Christ
10你若查考新约里使徒们的职事，就会看见各个职事乃是层层相叠，不是并肩排列的。倪弟兄在所著的『这人将来如何』一书中描述使徒们的各种职事。彼得是渔夫，把鱼─材料─带进来。保罗是织帐棚的，用彼得带进来的材料建造帐棚。至终帐棚破损了，使徒约翰就进来修补。因此，彼得的职事是打鱼的职事，保罗的是建造的职事，约翰的是修补的职事。这三位使徒的工作层层相叠。保罗的工作在彼得的工作之上，约翰的工作在保罗的工作之上。结果，他们产生了一个建筑，并不是三个不同的房子。今天所谓的基督教工人并不像彼得、保罗和约翰，他们都建造自己的房子，各有自己的设计、形状、颜色和彰显。所以在基督教里有成千所不同的房子。但在整个宇宙中，将只有独一的新耶路撒冷，建造在许多层层相叠的职事的根基上。愿这件事对我们能明亮如水晶。
10If you examine the ministries of the apostles in the New Testament, you will see that each ministry was upon the top of another, not side by side. In his book, What Shall This Man Do? Brother Nee describes the various ministries of the apostles. Peter, a fisherman, brought in the fish, the material. Paul, a tent maker, built up the tent with the materials brought in by Peter. Eventually, after the tent had been torn, the apostle John came in to mend it. Thus, Peter’s ministry was a fishing ministry, Paul’s was a building ministry, and John’s was a mending ministry. These three apostles worked one on top of the other. Paul’s work was upon Peter’s, and John’s work was upon Paul’s. As a result, they produced one building, not three distinct houses. Unlike Peter, Paul, and John, today’ss o-called Christian workers all build up their own houses, each with its own design, shape, color, and expression. Therefore, in Christianity there are thousands of different houses. But in the entire universe there will only be the unique New Jerusalem, built upon the foundation of many ministries laid one on top of the other. May this matter become crystal clear to us.
11因著主的怜悯我能见证，我和倪弟兄一同作工许多年，但我没有带著和他不同的外观。我有十足的把握和胆量说，我的职事在外观上和倪弟兄的职事是一样的。不管仇敌怎样利用反对的人，企图把我与他分离，我现在仍是站在他的肩上；为这缘故，我们的职事没有分裂或不同的意见。但这并不是说，我的职事和倪弟兄的职事完全一样。主若迟延不来，我盼望我们中间有些年轻的弟兄们，会成为主恢复的延续。然而我们必须领悟，有另一个并肩的工作是绝对错误的。你的工作必须置于现在的工作之上，并且必须产生同样的外观。迟早，许多多年作主的工，寻求主的人，包括一些相当有名望的人在内，会转到主恢复的路上。但我们不相信，主会兴起任何并肩的工作。虽然会有不同的职事，但这些职事会层层相叠，并且会导致神在基督里独一的外观。在主的恢复中不管有多少职事，我们都会有一样的心思，一样的观念和一样的意见，也都会说一样的话。然而这不是说，所有的职事必须是一样的。我们需要不同的职事，但这些职事必须层层相叠。所有的职事都必须导致同一的外观─今天召会和要来新耶路撒冷的外观。
11By the Lord’s mercy, I can testify that I worked with Brother Nee for many years, but I do not bear an appearance different from his. I have the assurance and the boldness to say that my ministry is the same in appearance as Brother Nee’s ministry. No matter how much the enemy uses the opposers to attempt to separate me from him, I am now standing upon his shoulders. For this reason, in our ministries there was no division or differing opinion. But this does not mean that my ministry is exactly the same as Brother Nee’s ministry. If the Lord delays His coming back, I hope that some of the young brothers among us will be the continuation of the Lord’s recovery. However, we must realize that it is absolutely wrong to have another, side-by-side work. Your work must be a layer laid upon the present layer, and it must produce the same appearance. Sooner or later, many of the Lord’s seekers who have been in His work for years, including some who are quite popular, will turn to the way of the Lord’s recovery. But we do not believe that the Lord will raise up any side - by - side work. Although there will be different ministries, they will be layer upon layer, and they will lead to the one appearance of God in Christ. No matter how many ministries we may have in the recovery, we shall have the same mind, the same concept, and the same opinion, and we shall all speak the same thing. However, this does not mean that all the ministries must be the same. We need different ministries, yet they must be layer upon layer. All the ministries must lead to one appearance—the appearance of today’s church and of the coming New Jerusalem.
12直到最近我才看见十二根基是层层相叠，并且产生一所建筑，只有一个外观。这一切的职事都支持并托著同样独一的见证。然而今天基督教的光景却有许多不同的见证。例如，一个团体的见证可能是洗脚，另一个团体的见证是说方言。但我们在这里不是为著这些事。我们乃是为著三一神独一的彰显，并不是为著任何特别的实行或特殊的道理。我们的职事也许不同，我们的彰显、我们的见证却只有一个。我们不是并肩的建造，乃是层层相叠的建造，好在宇宙中产生神独一的见证。
12Only recently did I see this matter of the twelve layers of the foundations being placed one on top of the other and bringing in one building with one appearance. All these ministries support and bear the same unique testimony. However, the situation of Christianity today is that of many different testimonies. The testimony of one group, for example, may be the washing of feet and the testimony of another group, the speaking in tongues. But we are not here for these things. We are for the unique expression of the Triune God, not for any specific practices or particular doctrines. Although our ministries may differ, our expression, our testimony, is just one. We are not building side by side; we are building one on top of another to bring forth the unique testimony of God in the universe
四 颜色显出一道彩虹的样子
D. The Appearance in Color like a Rainbow
13表征十二使徒的十二样根基宝石，其颜色如下：第一是绿色，第二和第三是蓝色，第四是绿色，第五和第六是红色，第七是黄色，第八是蓝绿色，第九是黄色，第十是苹果绿色，第十一和第十二是紫色。以上十二层根基的颜色，显出一道彩虹的样子，表征城是建造在神守约的信实上，并藉著神这信实得以稳固，（创九8～17，）城的根基也是可信可靠的。
13The colors of the twelve precious stones of the foundation, which signify the twelve apostles, are as follows: the first is green, the second and third are blue, the fourth is green, the fifth and sixth are red, the seventh is yellow, the eighth is bluish-green, the ninth is yellow, the tenth is apple-green, the eleventh and twelfth are purple. The twelve layers of the foundation in the above colors give the appearance of a rainbow, signifying that the city is built upon and secured by God’s faithfulness in keeping His covenant (Gen. 9:8-17). Because the foundation is built upon the very faithfulness with which God keeps His covenant, it is trustworthy and reliable