We serve God in times of glory and shame. We serve him whether the news about us is bad or good. We are true to our calling. But people treat us as if we were pretenders.

荣耀、羞辱，恶名、美名；似乎是诱惑人的，却是诚实的；

荣誉或羞辱、恶名或美名。我们似乎是诱惑人的，却是诚实的；

荣誉或羞辱、恶名或美名。我们似乎是诱惑人的，却是诚实的；

无论是得荣耀还是受羞辱，遭毁谤还是得称赞，都显明自己是上帝的仆人。我们被视为骗子，却是诚实无伪；

藉着荣耀和羞辱、坏名声和好名誉。我们好像是骗人的，却是真诚的，

藉着荣耀和羞辱，藉着坏名声和好名声；像是迷惑人的，却是真诚的；

榮耀、羞辱，惡名、美名；似乎是誘惑人的，卻是誠實的；

榮譽或羞辱、惡名或美名。我們似乎是誘惑人的，卻是誠實的；

榮譽或羞辱、惡名或美名。我們似乎是誘惑人的，卻是誠實的；

無論是得榮耀還是受羞辱，遭毀謗還是得稱讚，都顯明自己是上帝的僕人。我們被視為騙子，卻是誠實無偽；

藉著榮耀和羞辱、壞名聲和好名譽。我們好像是騙人的，卻是真誠的，

歷經光榮與羞辱、惡名與美名；似乎是迷惑人者，卻是真誠的；

藉著榮耀和羞辱，藉著壞名聲和好名聲；像是迷惑人的，卻是真誠的；

或榮、或辱、或惡名、或令聞、似偽而真、

或榮、或辱、或惡名、或令聞、似偽而真、

或榮或辱、或惡名、或美名、似誘人而誠實、

無論榮辱毀譽、［皆不足以改吾人之節操也。］故吾人雖似虛偽之徒、而實則至誠無妄也；

through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors;

through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true;

We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors.

through glory and dishonor, through slander and good report; regarded as deceivers, yet true;

by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true;

by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true;

by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true;

through glory and dishonor, through slander and good report; as deceivers yet true;

By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and[ yet] true;

through glory and dishonor, through slander and praise; regarded as impostors, and yet true;

by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true;

“ Sir,” they said,“ we remember something that liar said while he was still alive. He claimed,‘ After three days I will rise again.’

Why not say,“ Let’s do evil things so that good things will happen”? Some people actually lie by reporting that this is what we say. They are the ones who will rightly be found guilty.

Here is how someone can find out whether my teaching comes from God or from me. That person must choose to do what God wants them to do.Whoever speaks on their own does it to get personal honor. But someone who works for the honor of the one who sent him is truthful. Nothing about him is false.

“ Blessed are you when people make fun of you and hurt you because of me. You are also blessed when they tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of me.Be joyful and glad. Your reward in heaven is great. In the same way, people hurt the prophets who lived long ago.

Brothers and sisters, choose seven of your men. They must be known as men who are wise and full of the Holy Spirit. We will turn this important work over to them.

They sent their followers to him. They sent the Herodians with them.“ Teacher,” they said,“ we know that you are a man of honor. You teach the way of God truthfully. You don’t let others tell you what to do or say. You don’t care how important they are.

The people of the island saw the snake hanging from his hand. They said to one another,“ This man must be a murderer. He escaped from the sea. But the female god Justice won’t let him live.”Paul shook the snake off into the fire. He was not harmed.The people expected him to swell up. They thought he would suddenly fall dead. They waited for a long time. But they didn’t see anything unusual happen to him. So they changed their minds. They said he was a god.Publius owned property nearby. He was the chief official on the island. He welcomed us to his home. For three days he took care of us. He treated us with kindness.His father was sick in bed. The man suffered from fever and dysentery. So Paul went in to see him. Paul prayed for him. He placed his hands on him and healed him.Then the rest of the sick people on the island came. They too were healed.The people of the island honored us in many ways. When we were ready to sail, they gave us the supplies we needed.

It is enough for students to be like their teachers. And it is enough for slaves to be like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, what can the others who live there expect?

They brought them to the judges.“ These men are Jews,” her owners said.“ They are making trouble in our city.They are suggesting practices that are against Roman law. These are practices we can’t accept or take part in.”The crowd joined the attack against Paul and Silas. The judges ordered that Paul and Silas be stripped and beaten with rods.

We are fools for Christ. But you are so wise in Christ! We are weak. But you are so strong! You are honored. But we are looked down on!Up to this very hour we are hungry and thirsty. We are dressed in rags. We are being treated badly. We have no homes.We work hard with our own hands. When others curse us, we bless them. When we are attacked, we put up with it.When others say bad things about us, we answer with kind words. We have become the world’s garbage. We are everybody’s trash, right up to this moment.

But we want to hear what your ideas are. We know that people everywhere are talking against those who believe as you do.”

“ We have found that Paul is a troublemaker. This man stirs up trouble among Jews all over the world. He is a leader of those who follow Jesus of Nazareth.

Suppose people say bad things about you because you believe in Christ. Then you are blessed, because God’s Spirit rests on you. He is the Spirit of glory.

This is why we work and try so hard. It’s because we have put our hope in the living God. He is the Savior of all people. Most of all, he is the Savior of those who believe.

The leader must also be respected by those who are outside the church. Then he will not be put to shame. He will not fall into the devil’s trap.

Some people claim they are Jews but are not. They are liars. Their worship comes from Satan. I will make them come and fall down at your feet. I will make them say in public that I have loved you.

So they came and said they were sorry. They led them out of the prison. Then they asked them to leave the city.

The crowd saw what Paul had done. They shouted in the Lycaonian language.“ The gods have come down to us in human form!” they exclaimed.They called Barnabas Zeus. Paul was the main speaker. So they called him Hermes.Just outside the city was the temple of the god Zeus. The priest of Zeus brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates. He and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas.But the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard about this. So they tore their clothes. They rushed out into the crowd. They shouted,“ Friends, why are you doing this? We are only human, just like you. We are bringing you good news. Turn away from these worthless things. Turn to the living God. He is the one who made the heavens and the earth and the sea. He made everything in them.In the past, he let all nations go their own way.But he has given proof of what he is like. He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven. He gives you crops in their seasons. He provides you with plenty of food. He fills your hearts with joy.”Paul and Barnabas told them all these things. But they had trouble keeping the crowd from offering sacrifices to them.Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium. They won the crowd over to their side. They threw stones at Paul. They thought he was dead, so they dragged him out of the city.The believers gathered around Paul. Then he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.

They came to him and said,“ Teacher, we know that you are a man of honor. You don’t let other people tell you what to do or say. You don’t care how important they are. But you teach the way of God truthfully. Is it right to pay the royal tax to Caesar or not?

No outsider dared to join them. But the people thought highly of them.

Many people in the crowd were whispering about him. Some said,“ He is a good man.” Others replied,“ No. He fools the people.”

The leaders warned them again. Then they let them go. They couldn’t decide how to punish Peter and John. They knew that all the people were praising God for what had happened.

(niv)

“ A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. (niv)

His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. (niv)

Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. (niv)

The men replied,“ We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God- fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.” (niv)