We can’t gain anything by bragging. But I have to do it anyway. I am going to tell you what I’ve seen. I want to talk about what the Lord has shown me.

我自夸固然无益，但我是不得已的。如今我要说到主的显现和启示。

虽然自夸无益，我还是不得不夸。我现在要提到主的异象和启示。

虽然自夸无益，我还是不得不夸。我现在要提到主的异象和启示。

自夸虽然无益，但我不得不继续夸下去，谈谈主给我的异象和启示。

夸口固然无益，却也是必要的。现在我要说说主的异象和启示。

夸耀虽然没有益处，但是必须的；我要说到主的异象和启示：

我自誇固然無益，但我是不得已的。如今我要說到主的顯現和啟示。

雖然自誇無益，我還是不得不誇。我現在要提到主的異象和啟示。

雖然自誇無益，我還是不得不誇。我現在要提到主的異象和啟示。

自誇雖然無益，但我不得不繼續誇下去，談談主給我的異象和啟示。

誇口固然無益，卻也是必要的。現在我要說說主的異象和啟示。

我不得不誇口。誇口固然是無益，但我如今卻要進一步、講到主所賜的顯象和啓示。

誇耀雖然沒有益處，但是必須的；我要說到主的異象和啟示：

我自誇固無益、不得已也、惟言主之顯象啟示耳、

我不宜自誇、但言主之顯現默示、

我自誇固於我無益、惟言主之顯現默示、

自誇固非所宜、亦不得已耳。且為爾一述主之顯現及默示可乎。

I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.

I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.

This boasting will do no good, but I must go on. I will reluctantly tell about visions and revelations from the Lord.

Boasting is necessary. It is not profitable, but I will move on to visions and revelations of the Lord.

Boasting is necessary, though it is not beneficial; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.

It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord:

I must needs glory, though it is not expedient; but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

Boasting is necessary. It is not profitable, but I will move on to visions and revelations of the Lord.

It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

It is necessary to go on boasting. Though it is not profitable, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.

It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. For I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

No one gave it to me. No one taught it to me. Instead, I received it from Jesus Christ. He showed it to me.

God has shown me amazing and wonderful things. People should not think more of me because of it. So I wouldn’t become proud of myself, I was given a problem. This problem caused pain in my body. It is a messenger from Satan to make me suffer.

The next night the Lord stood near Paul. He said,“ Be brave! You have told people about me in Jerusalem. You must do the same in Rome.”

I looked up and saw a man dressed in linen clothes. He had a belt around his waist. It was made out of fine gold from Uphaz.His body gleamed like topaz. His face shone like lightning. His eyes were like flaming torches. His arms and legs were as bright as polished bronze. And his voice was like the sound of a large crowd.I was the only one who saw the vision. The people who were there with me didn’t see it. But they were so terrified that they ran and hid.So I was left alone as I was watching this great vision. I felt very weak. My face turned as pale as death. And I was helpless.Then I heard the man speak. As I listened to him, I fell sound asleep. My face was toward the ground.A hand touched me. It pulled me up on my hands and knees. I began to tremble with fear.

Here is my opinion about what is best for you in that matter. Last year you were the first to give. You were also the first to want to give.

You say,“ I have the right to do anything.” But not everything is helpful. Again you say,“ I have the right to do anything.” But not everything builds us up.

In Damascus there was a believer named Ananias. The Lord called out to him in a vision.“ Ananias!” he said.“ Yes, Lord,” he answered.The Lord told him,“ Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street. Ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying.In a vision Saul has seen a man come and place his hands on him. That man’s name is Ananias. In the vision, Ananias placed his hands on Saul so he could see again.”“ Lord,” Ananias answered,“ I’ve heard many reports about this man. They say he has done great harm to your holy people in Jerusalem.Now he has come here to arrest all those who worship you. The chief priests have given him authority to do this.”But the Lord said to Ananias,“ Go! I have chosen this man to work for me. He will announce my name to the Gentiles and to their kings. He will also announce my name to the people of Israel.I will show him how much he must suffer for me.”Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. He placed his hands on Saul.“ Brother Saul,” he said,“ you saw the Lord Jesus. He appeared to you on the road as you were coming here. He has sent me so that you will be able to see again. You will be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

The Spirit of God lifted me up. He took me to those who had been brought to Babylon as prisoners. These are the things that happened in the visions the Spirit gave me. Then the visions I had seen were gone.

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision.“ Don’t be afraid,” he said.“ Keep on speaking. Don’t be silent.

I went because God showed me what he wanted me to do. I spoke in private to those who are respected as leaders. I told them the good news that I preach among the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I wasn’t running my race for no purpose. And I wanted to know that I had not been running my race for no purpose.

I have made a fool of myself. But you made me do it. You should have praised me. Even though I am nothing, I am in no way less important than the“ super- apostles.”

“ After that, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will have dreams. Your young men will have visions.In those days I will pour out my Spirit on those who serve me, men and women alike.

I will say it again. Don’t let anyone think I’m a fool. But if you do, put up with me just as you would put up with a fool. Then I can do a little bragging.When I brag about myself like this, I’m not talking the way the Lord would. I’m talking like a fool.Many are bragging the way the people of the world do. So I will brag like that too.You are so wise! You gladly put up with fools!In fact, you even put up with anyone who makes you a slave or uses you. You put up with those who take advantage of you. You put up with those who claim to be better than you. You put up with those who slap you in the face.I’m ashamed to have to say that I was too weak for that! Whatever anyone else dares to brag about, I also dare to brag about. I’m speaking like a fool!Are they Hebrews? So am I. Do they belong to the people of Israel? So do I. Are they Abraham’s children? So am I.Are they serving Christ? I am serving him even more. I’m out of my mind to talk like this! I have worked much harder. I have been in prison more often. I have suffered terrible beatings. Again and again I almost died.Five times the Jews gave me 39 strokes with a whip.Three times I was beaten with sticks. Once they tried to kill me by throwing stones at me. Three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea.I have had to keep on the move. I have been in danger from rivers. I have been in danger from robbers. I have been in danger from my fellow Jews and in danger from Gentiles. I have been in danger in the city, in the country, and at sea. I have been in danger from people who pretended they were believers.I have worked very hard. Often I have gone without sleep. I have been hungry and thirsty. Often I have gone without food. I have been cold and naked.Besides everything else, every day I am concerned about all the churches. It is a very heavy load.If anyone is weak, I feel weak. If anyone is led into sin, I burn on the inside.If I have to brag, I will brag about the things that show how weak I am.

“ I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple. Then it seemed to me that I was dreaming.I saw the Lord speaking to me.‘ Quick!’ he said.‘ Leave Jerusalem at once. The people here will not accept what you tell them about me.’“‘ Lord,’ I replied,‘ these people know what I used to do. I went from one synagogue to another and put believers in prison. I also beat them.Stephen was a man who told other people about you. I stood there when he was killed. I had agreed that he should die. I even guarded the coats of those who were killing him.’“ Then the Lord said to me,‘ Go. I will send you far away to people who are not Jews.’ ”

But what I’m about to tell you is true. It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Friend will not come to help you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

About noon, King Agrippa, I was on the road. I saw a light coming from heaven. It was brighter than the sun. It was shining around me and my companions.We all fell to the ground. I heard a voice speak to me in the Aramaic language.‘ Saul! Saul!’ it said.‘ Why are you opposing me? It is hard for you to go against what you know is right.’“ Then I asked,‘ Who are you, Lord?’“‘ I am Jesus,’ the Lord replied.‘ I am the one you are opposing.Now get up. Stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you to serve me. And you must tell other people about me. You must tell others that you have seen me today. You must also tell them that I will show myself to you again.I will save you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to themto open their eyes. I want you to turn them from darkness to light. I want you to turn them from Satan’s power to God. I want their sins to be forgiven. They will be forgiven when they believe in me. They will have their place among God’s people.’“ So then, King Agrippa, I obeyed the vision that appeared from heaven.

Then the Lord said,“ Listen to my words.“ Suppose there is a prophet among you. I, the Lord, make myself known to them in visions. I speak to them in dreams.

Caiaphas had advised the Jewish leaders that it would be good if one man died for the people.

I was 30 years old. I was with my people. We had been taken away from our country. We were by the Kebar River in the land of Babylon. On the fifth day of the fourth month, the heavens were opened. I saw visions of God.It was the fifth day of the month. Jehoiachin had been king of Judah. It was the fifth year since he had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner.A message from the Lord came to me. I was by the Kebar River in Babylon. The power of the Lord came on me there. I am Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi.I looked up and saw a windstorm coming from the north. I saw a huge cloud. The fire of lightning was flashing out of it. Bright light surrounded it. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal.I saw in the fire something that looked like four living creatures. They appeared to have the shape of a human being.But each of them had four faces and four wings.Their legs were straight. Their feet looked like the feet of a calf. They were as bright as polished bronze.The creatures had human hands under their wings on their four sides. All four of them had faces and wings.The wings of one touched the wings of another. Each of the creatures went straight ahead. They didn’t change their direction as they moved.Here’s what their faces looked like. Each of the four creatures had the face of a human being. On the right side each had the face of a lion. On the left each had the face of an ox. Each one also had an eagle’s face.That’s what their faces looked like. They each had two wings that spread out and lifted up. Each wing touched the wing of another creature on either side. They each had two other wings that covered their bodies.All the creatures went straight ahead. Anywhere their spirits would lead them to go, they would go. They didn’t change their direction as they went.The living creatures looked like burning coals of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures. It was bright. Lightning flashed out of it.The creatures raced back and forth like flashes of lightning.As I looked at the living creatures, I saw wheels on the ground beside them. Each creature had four faces.Here’s how the wheels looked and worked. They gleamed like topaz. All four of them looked alike. Each one seemed to be made like a wheel inside another wheel at right angles.The wheels could go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced. The wheels didn’t change their direction as the creatures moved.Their rims were high and terrifying. All four rims were full of eyes all the way around them.When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved. When the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose.Anywhere their spirits would lead them to go, they would go. And the wheels would rise along with them. That’s because the spirits of the living creatures were in the wheels.When the living creatures moved, the wheels also moved. When the creatures stood still, they also stood still. When the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them. That’s because the spirits of the living creatures were in the wheels.Something that looked like a huge space was spread out above the heads of the living creatures. It gleamed like crystal. It was terrifying.The wings of the creatures were spread out under the space. They reached out toward one another. Each creature had two wings covering its body.When the living creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings. It was like the roar of rushing waters. It sounded like the thundering voice of the Mighty God. It was like the loud noise an army makes. When the creatures stood still, they lowered their wings.Then a voice came from above the huge space over their heads. They stood with their wings lowered.Above the space over their heads was something that looked like a throne made out of lapis lazuli. On the throne high above was a figure that appeared to be a man.From his waist up he looked like glowing metal that was full of fire. From his waist down he looked like fire. Bright light surrounded him.The glow around him looked like a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day. That’s what the glory of the Lord looked like. When I saw it, I fell with my face toward the ground. Then I heard the voice of someone speaking.

Some of you say,“ I have the right to do anything.” But not everything is helpful. Again some of you say,“ I have the right to do anything.” But I will not be controlled by anything.

I’m talking about the mystery God showed me. I have already written a little about it.