當時二子尚未出生、善惡未形、而天主欲明示簡選之不憑人力、惟憑恩旨也、

双子还没有生下来，善恶还没有做出来，只因要显明神拣选人的旨意，不在乎人的行为，乃在乎召人的主。）

双胞胎还没有生下来，善恶还没有行出来，为要贯彻上帝拣选人的旨意，

双胞胎还没有生下来，善恶还没有行出来，为要贯彻神拣选人的旨意，

在这对孩子还未出生，还没有显出谁善谁恶之前，上帝为了显明自己拣选人并不是按人的行为，而是按祂自己的旨意，

双生子还没有生下来，善恶也没有行出来（为要坚定神拣选人的旨意，不是由于行为，而是由于那呼召者），

实际上，双子还没有出生，也没有行善或作恶以前——为了要显明神的拣选心意不是本于人的行为，而是出于召唤人的那一位——

雙子還沒有生下來，善惡還沒有做出來，只因要顯明神揀選人的旨意，不在乎人的行為，乃在乎召人的主。）

雙胞胎還沒有生下來，善惡還沒有行出來，為要貫徹上帝揀選人的旨意，

雙胞胎還沒有生下來，善惡還沒有行出來，為要貫徹神揀選人的旨意，

在這對孩子還未出生，還沒有顯出誰善誰惡之前，上帝為了顯明自己揀選人並不是按人的行為，而是按祂自己的旨意，

雙生子還沒有生下來，善惡也沒有行出來（為要堅定神揀選人的旨意，不是由於行為，而是由於那呼召者），

在雙子還沒生下來、好壞還沒作出來時（為要使上帝按揀選的定旨得以堅立，不是由於人的行為，乃是由於上帝的呼召），

實際上，雙子還沒有出生，也沒有行善或作惡以前——為了要顯明神的揀選心意不是本於人的行為，而是出於召喚人的那一位——

二子未生、善惡未形、俾上帝選人之旨不移、非由乎行、乃由乎召之者、

子未生善惡未形、而上帝選人之旨不移、其選之也、非由所行、乃由所召、

子尚未生、未行善惡、而語利伯加云、長子必事幼子、以示天主選人之旨、非由行事、乃由召者、

Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad— in order that God’s purpose in election might stand:

Here is what happened. Rebekah’s twins had not even been born. They hadn’t done anything good or bad yet. So they show that God’s purpose is based firmly on his free choice.

though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad— in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—

But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God.( This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes;

For though her sons had not been born yet or done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to election might stand—

for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls,

( for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls),

for the children being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth,

For though her sons had not been born yet or done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to election might stand—

( For[ the children] being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

even before they were born or had done anything good or bad( so that God’s purpose in election would stand, not by works but by his calling)–

For being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls,

天主於創世以前、夙在基督之身、予吾人以恩簡、俾吾人得成聖潔無瑕、對越所天。蓋天主秉其仁慈、隨其意之所悅預定吾人緣耶穌基督、得為天主之眾嗣、

使吾人得領略其意旨之玄奧。蓋天主夙已從心所欲、預定聖謨；時既成熟、乃予以實現、俾天地萬有、在基督之身、合為一體、而統於一尊。蓋吾人之得因基督而倖成天主之眾嗣者、實由淵然深識、匠心獨運之天主所預定

蓋亞伯漢實為萬民之父。經曰：『吾使爾為萬邦之父』此之謂也。顧其所以能在天主之前為眾人之父者、亦曰篤信天主而已。蓋惟天主能予死者以生命、而出萬有於無有耳。

然大慈天主、既召爾等與基督同享無窮光榮、一俟爾等略受挫折以後、必將親自予爾等以成全、賜爾等以堅貞、而充爾等以神力也。

俾合力與羔羊交戰、而羔羊終必克之。羔羊乃萬主之主、萬王之王。凡蒙召承選、忠心耿耿、而與羔羊並肩作戰者、靡有不勝。

不視人之行為、一惟彼之仁愛、藉重生之洗禮、賜吾人以救拔；

故望兄弟益加奮勉、孳孳為善、務使爾之聖召恩選、根深秪固、確乎不拔。爾能遵此而行、則永無失足之虞；

吾輩過去亦在悖逆之列、縱情恣慾、為所欲為、原屬觸怒之子、與外邦人為一丘之貉。

無功而受賜夫孰得而自矜？

不寧惟是、吾人亦知人苟能真心愛天主、則天主必使天地萬物同力相助、而亨通之。如此之人、亦即天主依其聖意而見召者也。蓋天主所預寵者、乃預簡之、俾克肖其聖子、欲使其聖子成為眾子中之冢息耳。故其所預簡者、必從而召之；其所召者、更從而義之；其所義者、更從而榮之。

兄弟則為主之所愛、吾儕尚可不為爾等恆謝洪恩乎？蓋天主自始予爾等以簡拔、俾爾等受聖神之感化、篤信真理、以蒙救恩。其召爾也、以吾儕之傳福音為因緣、而以爾等得沾吾主耶穌基督之光榮為目的。

於今亦然、固尚有蒙恩簡者存焉。雖然、既曰蒙恩、則不復憑業；不然、恩將失其所以為恩矣。然則如何？曰：義塞之所求、未之得也、其中蒙恩者得之、而其餘則已成麻木不仁之徒矣。

夫天主之救拔吾人、而授吾人以聖召者、初不憑吾人之功績、乃憑其自己之聖意、與夫在基督耶穌身上、夙所賜於吾人之聖寵也。蓋此聖寵之授予、實在萬世以前；

凡此皆按天主於創世之前所預定之遠謨、因吾主基督耶穌而實現者也。

務使爾等立身處世、無忝天主、以副其召爾共享天國及光榮之美意。

為我滌除。眾罪之痕。我已知過。眾惡紛呈。

且知我天主寵愛之兄弟、確在蒙簡之列也。