通常，小編喜歡在上一章上架之後，才開始翻譯下一章，最近在網上有教會開班教導經外卷，小編覺得終於不只小編一個肯講經外卷了，感到非常之安慰和高興，希望這樣能帶起基督徒讀書的習慣，這對培養基督徒獨立思考是十分重要的。當然堂費也不是個個負擔得起，現今經濟正值下行之際，錢還是留給自己充飢、儲蓄，比較明智，因為小編曾經經歷過一段不短的失業時間，所以看金錢還是比較著緊，但小編還是覺得「福音是免費的」，如能令主內的弟兄姐妹得益是最好的，感謝各位忍耐小編那「不忠不實」的「翻譯」。
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CHAP. V. 第五章
1 Mary ministered unto by angels. The high-priest orders all virgins of fourteen years old to quit the temple and endeavour to be married. Mary refuses, having vowed her virginity to the Lord. The high-priest commands a meeting of the chief persons of Jerusalem, who seek the Lord for counsel in the matter. A voice from the mercy-seat. The high priest obeys it by ordering all the unmarried men of the house of David to bring their rods to the altar, that his rod which should flower, and on which the Spirit of God should sit, should betroth the Virgin.
天使侍立在馬利亞面前服事她。大祭師命令所有十四歲的童貞女離開聖殿，並且積極地考慮結婚。馬利亞拒絕，並許願把童貞歸與神。大祭司會見耶路撒冷議會眾議員，他為著尋找答案尋求神。一把聲音從施恩座發出。大祭司服從，命令所有大衞家未婚的男子帶着他們的牧羊杖往祭壇去，如果他的杖開花，就是被聖靈所揀選，把童貞女許配給他。
BUT the Virgin of the Lord, as she advanced in fears, increased also in perfections, and according to the saying of the Psalmist, her father and mother forsook her, but the Lord took care of her.
但這歸給神的童女，她的敬畏和完備越發加增，正如詩人所說，即使她的父母離開了她，但神卻看顧她。
2 For she every day had the conversation of angels, and every day received visitors from God, which preserved her from all sorts of evil, and caused her to abound with all good things;
她每日都與天使對話和接待從神而來的使者，這讓她遠離一切的惡事，同時使她身邊充滿了美事。
3 So that when at length she arrived to her fourteenth year, as the wicked could not lay anything to her charge worthy of reproof, so all good persons, who were acquainted with her, admired her life and conversation.
就這樣，她就經過了十四年，惡人不能向她作出斥責，所有好名聲的人都認識她，讚美她的生活和她的談吐。
4 At that time the high-priest made a public order. That all the virgins who had public settlements in the temple, and were come to this age, should return home, and, as they were now of a proper maturity, should, according to the custom of their country, endeavour to be married.
到了時候，大祭司向大眾發出命令。所有居住在殿中的童女到了成年就必須回家，她們已到了適合結婚的年齡，根據國家的習俗，都要積極的面對婚姻。
5 To which command, though all the other virgins readily yielded obedience, Mary the Virgin of the Lord alone answered, that she could not comply with it.
面對這個命令，雖然其他童貞女都已經準備集體應承，但歸給神的童貞女馬利亞卻選擇了一個人答辯，因為她選擇不服從這命令。
6 Assigning these reasons, that both she and her parents had devoted her to the service of the Lord; and besides, that she had vowed virginity to the Lord, which vow she was resolved never to break through by lying with a man.
抗辯的理由有二：一是因為她的父母把她奉獻給神作服侍；另外是她曾經許願把自己的童貞獻給神，所以她堅決地信守承諾，不與男人同𥧌。
7 The high priest being hereby brought into a difficulty,
這難題把大祭司陷進兩難之中，
8 Seeing he durst neither on the one hand dissolve the vow, and disobey the Scripture, which says, Vow and pay,
如果他既不能完成她所許的願，也不能違背聖經，他說：既不能為許願作出贖價，
9 Nor on the other hand introduce a custom, to which the people were strangers, commanded,
又不能引入某些俗例，因為這些俗例都是用以應付外邦人的命令，
10 That at the approaching feast all the principal persons both of Jerusalem and the neighbouring places should meet together, that he might have their advice, how he had best proceed in so difficult a case.
節期將至，所有耶路撒冷及其鄰近地方的尊貴議員聚集在一起進行會議，在這，他能聽取他們的建議，讓他能在這兩難的問題中找出最合適的答案（或譯：最佳解決方法）。
11 When they were accordingly met, they unanimously agreed to seek the Lord, and ask counsel from him on this matter.
在會議中，他們一致的贊成去尋求神，並在議會中知會他這件事。
12 And when they were all engaged in prayer, the high-priest, according to the usual way, went to consult God.
於是大祭司和眾人聚在一起祈禱，按常例求問於神。
13 And immediately there was a voice from the ark, and the mercy seat, which all present heard, that it must be inquired or sought out by a prophecy of Isaiah to whom the Virgin should be given and be betrothed;
有聲音從會幕、從施恩座而出，眾人都聽見了，是先知以賽亞的聲音，眾人向以賽亞求問，應該怎樣成全那童貞女所許的願，並且把她訂婚。
14 For Isaiah saith, there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a flower shall spring out of its root,
以賽亞如此說：「有一支杖從耶西的榦而出，有一朵花在這根上開花，
15 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and Might, the Spirit of Knowledge and Piety, and the Spirit of the fear of the Lord shall fill him.
聖神的靈將與他同在、智慧和領會的靈、規勸與權柄的靈、知識和敬虔的靈和敬畏神的靈都會充滿他。」
16 Then, according to this prophecy, he appointed, that all the men of the house and family of David, who were marriageable, and not married, should bring their several rods to the altar,
然後，根據先知指示，所有家中的男丁和大衞家的男人，凡可結婚但仍未結婚的，帶上他們的杖來到祭壇，
17 And out of whatsoever person’s rod after it was brought, a flower should bud forth, and on the top of it the Spirit of the Lord should sit in the appearance of a dove, he should be the man to whom the Virgin should be given and be betrothed.
當那個人買了一支杖之後，這支杖生出花朵并且開花，聖靈就像鴿子般站在杖的頂端，那個就是被聖靈所揀選的，就把這童貞女許配給這個人。
編者按：終於也來到了第五章，整卷《誕主者馬利亞福音》總共八章，之後還有什麼計劃？至今還和弟兄討論中，距離完結還有一段不短的段落。
這章最重要的段落是「以賽亞的聲音」的那段，讓小編想起馬太福音第十七章《登山變像》的段落：
「六天後，耶穌帶著彼得、雅各和雅各的兄弟約翰暗暗地登上一座高山。 耶穌在他們面前改變了形像，面貌如太陽一樣發光，衣服潔白如光。 忽然，摩西和以利亞一起出現，跟耶穌談話。彼得對耶穌說：『主啊，我們在這裡好極了。如果你願意，我就在這裡搭三座帳篷，一座給你，一座給摩西，一座給以利亞。』」
因為當代的猶大人並不會認得摩西和以利亞的樣子，他們又甚會認知「這是以利亞」、「這是摩西」？
同樣地，在這經外卷中他們又甚麼會認得這聲音是「先知以賽亞」的聲音？這問題也太有趣了。
另外，那個年代，大祭司向神問問題是一件大事，需要大量虔敬的人一起祈禱才能去問。在馬利亞剛成年之時，大祭司的禱告還是有效的，但到了主耶穌的年代，祭司的尊嚴崩潰、敬虔的形式化正是究病之處。
祭司尊嚴崩潰：希律娶了他哥哥的妻子，無祭司夠膽出聲，施浸約翰就係睇唔過眼，企出來擔當祭師應有之責。
敬虔的形式化：不用多說，主耶穌罵的，還算少嗎？
反觀基督徒，求問神比起他們，儀式感少咗，但敬畏之心亦相對減少了嗎？祈禱、許願隨時隨行，「感謝主耶穌，作我隨時的幫助，我感謝讚美祢。」簡單而且虔誠，這也許是神所喜悅的。
另另外，在第十五節中，介紹聖靈：
1）聖神的靈
2）智慧和領會的靈
3）規勸與權柄的靈
4）知識和敬虔的靈
5）敬畏神的靈
位格是一位，但卻有五種顯出，而且配搭也是完整的：
a）聖神的靈和敬畏神的靈，讓我們知道祂，如何服侍祂；
b）智慧與領會是相輔相成：有智慧卻不去領會，是沒有作用的，反之亦然；
c）空有規勸卻沒有權柄，是沒有的，反之亦然；
d）只有敬虔沒有知識，都是沒用的，反之亦然。
以前讀一本「屬靈書」叫《靈風愛火》是介紹聖靈的一本書，這卷書看到這部分，讓小編覺得又再一次深切認識聖靈。
相關文章：
花生書友：經外卷研究——耶穌的母親馬利亞(一)
花生書友：經外卷研究——耶穌的母親馬利亞(二)
花生書友：經外卷研究——耶穌的母親馬利亞(三)
花生書友：經外卷研究——耶穌的母親馬利亞(四)
作者(譯者)：花生書友
趁年青．學釋經
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