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.

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;

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.

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

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;

They told him,“ Sir, we remember what that deceiver once said while he was still alive:‘ After three days I will rise from the dead.’

And some people even slander us by claiming that we say,“ The more we sin, the better it is!” Those who say such things deserve to be condemned.

Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own.Those who speak for themselves want glory only for themselves, but a person who seeks to honor the one who sent him speaks truth, not lies.

“ God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility.

They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him.“ Teacher,” they said,“ we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favorites.

The people of the island saw it hanging from his hand and said to each other,“ A murderer, no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live.”But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed.The people waited for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw that he wasn’t harmed, they changed their minds and decided he was a god.Near the shore where we landed was an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and treated us kindly for three days.As it happened, Publius’s father was ill with fever and dysentery. Paul went in and prayed for him, and laying his hands on him, he healed him.Then all the other sick people on the island came and were healed.As a result we were showered with honors, and when the time came to sail, people supplied us with everything we would need for the trip.

Students are to be like their teacher, and slaves are to be like their master. And since I, the master of the household, have been called the prince of demons, the members of my household will be called by even worse names!

“ The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!” they shouted to the city officials.“ They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.”A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods.

Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, but you claim to be so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are so powerful! You are honored, but we are ridiculed.Even now we go hungry and thirsty, and we don’t have enough clothes to keep warm. We are often beaten and have no home.We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us.We appeal gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world’s garbage, like everybody’s trash— right up to the present moment.

But we want to hear what you believe, for the only thing we know about this movement is that it is denounced everywhere.”

We have found this man to be a troublemaker who is constantly stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the cult known as the Nazarenes.

If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you.

This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers.

Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap.

Look, I will force those who belong to Satan’s synagogue— those liars who say they are Jews but are not— to come and bow down at your feet. They will acknowledge that you are the ones I love.

So they came to the jail and apologized to them. Then they brought them out and begged them to leave the city.

When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in their local dialect,“ These men are gods in human form!”They decided that Barnabas was the Greek god Zeus and that Paul was Hermes, since he was the chief speaker.Now the temple of Zeus was located just outside the town. So the priest of the temple and the crowd brought bulls and wreaths of flowers to the town gates, and they prepared to offer sacrifices to the apostles.But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening, they tore their clothing in dismay and ran out among the people, shouting,“ Friends, why are you doing this? We are merely human beings— just like you! We have come to bring you the Good News that you should turn from these worthless things and turn to the living God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them.In the past he permitted all the nations to go their own ways,but he never left them without evidence of himself and his goodness. For instance, he sends you rain and good crops and gives you food and joyful hearts.”But even with these words, Paul and Barnabas could scarcely restrain the people from sacrificing to them.Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowds to their side. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of town, thinking he was dead.But as the believers gathered around him, he got up and went back into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.

“ Teacher,” they said,“ we know how honest you are. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. You teach the way of God truthfully. Now tell us— is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?

But no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them.

There was a lot of grumbling about him among the crowds. Some argued,“ He’s a good man,” but others said,“ He’s nothing but a fraud who deceives the people.”

The council then threatened them further, but they finally let them go because they didn’t know how to punish them without starting a riot. For everyone was praising God

(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)