4約翰寫信給亞細亞的七個教會。但願從那昔在、今在、以後永在的上帝,和他寶座前的七靈,5並那誠實作見證的、從死裹首先復活、為世上君王元首的耶穌基督,有恩惠、平安歸與你們!
4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.(ESV)
John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; 5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.(KJV)
羅馬時代的亞細亞省是在現今的土耳其西部。
約翰寫信給七個教會。整本啟示錄可以說是建立在「七」上面。七代表完全,所以七個教會也就代表各地、各時代所有的教會。
上帝的話就像耶穌的道成肉身,藉著人所能理解的言語,並透過能體會我們境遇的使徒寫給我們。
以「昔在、今在、以後永在」這樣的稱呼來認識上帝為什麼重要?
我們是否清楚明白這個稱呼的意義,以及對我們的幫助?
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which is to come;ἐρχόμενος
(2064) ἔρχομαι erchomai er-khom-ahee
verb: present, middle, participle, undefined, undefined
1-to come
a)-of persons
i)-to come from one place to another, and used both of persons arriving and of those returning
ii)-to appear, make ones appearance, come before the public
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「以後永在的神」比較適切的翻譯是:「以後要再來的神(is to come)」。整本啟示錄指向基督的再臨,給予我們這樣的期待與盼望:我們的王來了。(正如整本舊約指向基督第一次的降臨。)
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