1. Hello, listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好。
2. It is a great joy for us to know that you have tuned in to this broadcast.
你能听我们的节目，是我们最大的喜乐。
3. If you are joining us for the first time,
如果这是你第一次收听我们的节目，
4. We are in the midst of a series of messages from the first epistle of Peter.
我们正在讲彼得前书里的信息。
5. Last time, we started to look at God’s design for marriage.
上次我们开始讲神所设计的婚姻是怎样的，
6. What does Peter tell us about this design in 1 Peter 3?
关于婚姻，彼得在彼得前书第三章里怎么讲？
7. In verses 1 and 2 he said,
在第1和第2节里，
8. “Wives, you do not have to use words in your witnessing to your husband.”
彼得说，妻子们，你不一定需要用言语向你们的丈夫做见证。
9. In verses 3 to 5 he said,
在第3到第5节，
10. “Wives, your inner beauty of character is your greatest asset.”
彼得说，妻子们，你的内在美是你最大的资产。
11. In verse 6 he said,
在第6节，
12. “Your submission to God will liberate you from all fears.”
彼得说，你顺服神，就可以从各样的恐惧中释放出来。
13. Fourthly and finally, for believing couples, in verse 7 Peter said,
最后第四点，在第7节，彼得告诉基督徒的夫妇，
14. “Learn to live in harmony together for this is how your prayers will get answered.”
彼得说，要学习和睦相处，你们的祷告必蒙垂听。
15. Today we’re going to start with Peter’s second admonition.
今天我们要从彼得的第二个教训开始讲，
16. Believing wives’ inner beauty of character is their greatest asset.
信主的妻子，你的内在美是你最大的资产。
17. If you have a Bible, look at verses 3, 4 and 5 of 1 Peter 3.
请翻开你的圣经，彼得前书三章3-5节。
18. Every culture in every age has its own idea of what beauty is.
每一个时代，不同的文化都有他们各自的审美观，
19. The idea of what beauty is always changes from culture to culture and from age to age.
对于美的定义，总是随着时代和不同的文化而改变。
20. Today’s idea of beauty can be seen on television and in the movies.
今天的审美观可以在电视和电影中看见，
21. Very thin women who are aggressive in manner.
身材苗条而雄心勃勃的女人就是美女，
22. Now that may change.
这个标准会改变，
23. These things always change.
这一类的事总会改变的。
24. In Peter’s day, beauty was spending hours in braiding of the hair.
在彼得的时代，美就是花很长的时间辫头发，
25. And then sticking as many pieces of silver and gold in their hair as they possibly could afford.
然后尽可能把你所买得起的金银装饰戴在头上，
26. That was their idea of beauty.
这就是他们对美的看法。
27. But what is the principle here?
但这里所教导的原则是什么呢？
28. The principle here is this:
原则就是，
29. Modesty in dress that would not attract others’ attention is the principle.
我们的衣着应该以不显眼而朴实为原则。
30. Certainly, Paul deals with this issue of dress in the church both in Corinthians and in Timothy passage.
保罗在哥林多和提摩太书里，也谈到信徒在教会里的衣着问题，
31. Modest dress in worship is not an option for godly women.
虔诚的妇女在崇拜时穿朴素的服装是必然的。
32. Why?
为什么？
33. Because the focus should be on God and not you.
因为注意力应该集中在神身上，而不在你身上。
34. Peter is saying that there is a beauty that is far more precious.
彼得说有一种美更加可贵；
35. There is a beauty that is far more impacting.
有一种美更具影响力；
36. There is a beauty that is far more powerful.
有一种美会产生更大的能力；
37. There is a beauty that is far more arresting.
有一种美更能吸引人；
38. And that is the beauty of godly character.
就是属灵的美德。
39. My listening friends, I want you to listen to me very carefully here.
亲爱的朋友，请你仔细听我说。
40. Peter is not saying that you should go around looking haggard.
彼得并不是说，你要把自己弄得很憔悴的样子，
41. Absolutely not.
绝对不是的。
42. But be sure that your inner beauty of character shines through your life.
但要确定，你内在的美德从你的生活中彰显出来。
43. What is this inner beauty of a gentle spirit?
到底什么是“里面长久温柔安静的心”？
44. The inner beauty of gentle spirit means that you are not a critical person.
这温柔的美德，意思就是说，你不是一个好批评的人；
45. It means that you are not a pushy and aggressive person.
就是说，你不是一个心急好强，专门干涉别人的人；
46. It means that you are not whining all the time.
就是说，你不是一个动不动就埋怨发牢骚的人；
47. It means that you are not an expert on all the subjects everywhere at all times.
就是说，你不是一个随时随地都自认为是专家的人。
48. But rather, the beauty of a gentle spirit means this:
从正面来说，一个有温柔美德的人应该是，
49. You speak words of encouragement when the need arises.
当有需要时，你能说鼓励的话；
50. You speak words of wisdom when the need arises.
当有需要时，你能说智慧的话；
51. You speak words that uplift people and encourage them.
你的言辞都是鼓舞人，激励人的，
52. You speak words of wise counsel that comforts people when the need arises.
当别人有需要时，你能说安慰的话，并给予智慧的忠告。
53. Let us now recite again.
让我们温习一下，
54. You don’t have to use words to witness to your unbelieving spouse.
你不一定需要用言语向你们不信主的配偶做见证，
55. Your inner beauty is your greatest asset.
你的内在美是你最大的资产。
56. Thirdly,
第三，
57. In the second part of verse 6,
在第六节的下半部，
58. Peter says, “Your submission to God will liberate you from all fears.”
彼得说，你顺服神，就可以从各样的恐惧中释放出来。
59. Do you remember from our previous passages?
你还记得以前说过的经文吗？
60. When Peter told us to be a blessing to the government authority
彼得叫我们要成为政府的祝福，
61. And to be a blessing to the workplace?
并在我们的工作场所，成为别人的祝福。
62. At that time, I told you there are levels of submission to God.
那时我告诉你，顺服神是有层次的。
63. Submission to God comes first and foremost.
顺服神永远都在第一位，
64. Then comes submission to others.
然后才是顺服人。
65. I told you then that when we get to this passage I would explain it more in detail.
那时我说过，以后我会详细解释这段经文的意义。
66. Here Peter says to the wives that “your submission to God is above all other submissions.”
彼得在这里告诉我们，身为妻子的，要顺服神，超过顺服人，
67. That includes your submission to your husband.
包括顺服丈夫在内，
68. God has to be obeyed first.
顺服神必须在先。
69. Listen to 1 Peter 3:6
请看彼得前书三章6节，
70. “If you do right, then let nothing terrify you.”
你们若行善，就不因恐吓而害怕。
71. What is Peter saying?
彼得的意思是什么？
72. He is saying to the believing wife in the Roman culture
他对那些生活在罗马文化中，信主的妻子说，
73. And to the believing wives everywhere.
同时也是对全世界各地信主的妻子说，
74. That if you fear God and not your husband,
如果你敬畏神，而不是惧怕你的丈夫，
75. You will find joy in ministering to your unbelieving husband.
你就可以喜乐地服侍你不信主的丈夫；
76. If you place God in his rightful place in your marriage and in your life,
如果在你的婚姻和生活里，你把神放在祂该有的地位上，
77. Your unbelieving husband will be a great blessing to you.
你不信主的丈夫可以成为你很大的祝福；
78. If you honor God and his Word above all else,
如果你尊重神和祂的话超过一切，
79. You will have confidence and inner peace that the world will never understand.
你就会得到内在的真平安，是这世界无法理解的。
80. In verse 3, it’s saying that because you fear God, you have nothing else to fear.
在第三节里的意思就是说，如果你敬畏神，你就别无恐惧。
81. You don’t have to use words to witness to your unbelieving spouse.
你不一定需要用言语向你们不信主的配偶做见证；
82. Your inner beauty is your greatest strength.
你的内在美是你最大的资产；
83. Your submission to God will liberate you from fear.
你顺服神，就可以从各样的恐惧中释放出来。
84. Finally, Peter is saying to the Christian husband,
最后，彼得对信主的丈夫说，
85. ‘You must know everything that is to be known about your wife.’
你必须尽量认识，并了解你的妻子。
86. I can hear some men saying, ‘That’s a large order.’
有些男士们可能会说，这要求太大了。
87. You are right.
不错，
88. That’s what it means to live with her according to knowledge.
这就是“按情理和妻子同住”的意思，“情理”原文就是“认识”。
89. I told you Peter gives more responsibility to the Christian husband in one verse than he does to the Christian wife in six.
彼得用六节经文写给信主的妻子，只用一节写给信主的丈夫，但就在这一节经文里，给了丈夫更大的责任。
90. Well, just think about this.
就让我们这么看吧，
91. Even Freud, the great psychiatrist said that no one could understand women.
最著名的心理学家弗洛伊徳都认为女人是不可理解的，
92. And yet, Peter is saying, forget about Freud, he is a fraud.
但彼得说，甭管弗洛伊徳，他说的不对。
93. That’s not an excuse for the believer, of course.
当然，这不能成为基督徒的借口，
94. A man must get to know what brings joy and what brings pain to his wife.
一个男人必须要知道，什么可以带给妻子快乐，什么会带给她痛苦。
95. You need to know what encourages her and lifts her up and what discourages her.
你需要知道，什么能鼓励她，什么使她沮丧。
96. You need to study her and know what blesses her and what causes her dread.
你需要学习并明了，什么使她蒙福，什么使她害怕担心。
97. Peter is saying, “Live with her according to knowledge.”
彼得说，要按情理和妻子同住，
100. What does that mean?
到底是什么意思呢？
101. Living with your wife according to knowledge means you need to be ready to put her above all else.
“按情理和妻子同住”就是说，你必须愿意把妻子放在其他的一切之上。
102. Living with your wife according to knowledge is not the same as pandering to your wife.
按情理和妻子同住，并不表示你样样要迎合妻子，
103. Some people confuse the two.
有些人不清楚其中的区别。
104. My listening friends, I don’t want you to misunderstand me.
亲爱的朋友，请不要误会我的意思，
105. It is very important to understand the teaching of the Word of God.
明白神话语中的教训是很重要的。
106. He is saying that pandering or just giving in will backfire.
他的意思是，迎合或迁就，会带来反面的效果。
107. And will cause more harm than good in the long run.
日子久了，不但没好处，还会造成伤害。
108. And you might be asking, “What about unity?”
你也许会问，那什么才是互相联合呢？
109. Pandering and giving in is not the same as being united.
迎合跟迁就，不同于互相联合，
110. It is not the same as being in agreement.
也不是双方互相同意，
111. It is not the same as being in harmony over important issues in life.
也不是在生活重大的事上采取协调。
112. Pandering and giving in does not answer prayer.
迎合跟迁就，不能使我们的祷告实现，
113. But being united and in harmony and in agreement with one another will.
但互相联合，彼此协议，就能使祷告实现。
114. Peter does not say pander or give in to your wife so that your prayers might be answered,
彼得并不是说，迎合跟迁就你的妻子，就能使你的祷告蒙垂听，
115. No.
不是的。
116. But he does say, be in agreement.
但他说，要互相协议，
117. Be united in heart, spirit and soul.
要在心灵上合一，
118. That will be the secret for God answering your prayers.
这才是祷告蒙神垂听的秘诀。
119. The power of agreement and unity of spirit is an incredible power.
当我们可以协议，可以心灵合一时，就能发挥极大的能力。
120. It is one area that the devil attacks us the most in homes and in churches.
无论在家庭或在教会里，这是魔鬼最常攻击我们的地方。
121. The devil knows that unity will get your prayers answered and give you power.
魔鬼知道，合一使我们的祷告蒙垂听，也能发挥能力，
122. So what does he do?
于是牠怎么做呢？
123. He divides homes.
牠分化家庭；
124. He divides families.
牠使家庭破裂；
125. He divides husbands and wives.
牠在夫妻之间挑拨离间；
126. He divides church members.
牠使教会的会友分裂。
127. Why?
为什么？
128. Because he knows that this is how to weaken the believers in Jesus Christ.
因为牠知道，这样就会使基督徒软弱无力。
129. Well, someone might be saying, “What do you do if you can’t agree?”
也许有人会问，那么，当我们意见不同时怎么办？
130. Wait until you do.
要等待，直到你们能一致同意。
131. If you genuinely want the will of God in your lives,
如果你真心愿意在你生活中遵行神的旨意，
132. Then God will change hearts.
神会改变人心，
133. He will do whatever it takes in order to bring you together in his perfect harmony.
神有办法让你们在祂里面完全合一，
134. That is the will of God.
这就是神的旨意。
135. My wife and I can testify to the power of agreement in prayer.
我的妻子和我可以见证，同心合意的祷告所能发挥的力量有多大。
136. At times, we have looked at situations we thought it was impossible.
有时候，发生了我们认为无法解决的难处，
137. And we waited until we both were in agreement.
于是我们等待，直到我们双方都同意，
138. And we came before God sometimes in fasting and in prayer.
然后，我们来到神面前，有时会一起禁食祷告，
139. And God has given us one answer to prayer after another.
神回答了我们一个又一个的祷告。
140. I know he will answer your prayers.
我知道祂也会听你的祷告，
141. If you have never experienced unity in your marriage before,
如果你从来没有经历过在婚姻里的合一，
142. Begin today.
就从今天开始吧！
143. Both of you begin to pray together.
两个人一起祷告，
144. Be united before God in prayer.
在神面前同心合意的祷告，
145. And he promised to answer your prayers.
神应许必要垂听你们的祷告。
146. And I look forward to hearing from you how God is answering your prayers.
我盼望能收到你的来信，告诉我神怎样回答了你们的祷告。
