让我们并肩建造上帝的国度！

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. Ecclesiastes 4:9

两个人总比一个人好，因为二人劳碌同得美好的果效。-传道书4章9节

In ancient times, a city with broken walls revealed a defeated people, exposed to danger and shame. That is why the Jews rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem. How? By working side by side, an expression that can well describe Nehemiah 3.

在古代，破裂毁坏的城墙意谓着城中的居民遭受战败，是一种羞辱，更是危机四伏。这就是以色列百姓重建耶路撒冷城墙的原因。他们怎么做呢？我们从尼希米记3章看到，他们携手并肩地工作。

At first glance, chapter 3 might appear to be a boring account of who did what in the reconstruction. However, a closer look highlights how people worked together. Priests were working alongside rulers. Perfume-makers were helping as well as goldsmiths. There were some who lived in nearby towns and came to give a hand. Others made repairs opposite their houses. Shallum’s daughters, for example, worked alongside the men (3:12), and some people repaired two sections, like the men of Tekoa (vv. 5, 27).

乍看之下，我们可能会觉得第3章很无趣，都是描述谁做了些什么。但细看之后则会发现，其实这突显他们如何通力合作：祭司与官长一起同工；做香的和银匠一同修造；有些住在耶路撒冷附近的人也来帮忙；有些人修造自己房屋对面的城墙；沙龙的女儿们也和男人一同修造城墙（3章12节）；提哥亚人修造两段城墙（5、27节）。

Two things stand out from this chapter. First, they all worked together for a common goal. Second, all of them are commended for being part of the work, not for how much or little they did as compared to others.

这章经文让我们看到两件事。第一，他们全都为同样的目标而共同努力。第二，他们受到赞扬是因为他们参与了事工，而不是因为他们做了多少。

Today we see damaged families and a broken society. But Jesus came to build the kingdom of God through the transformation of lives. We can help to rebuild our neighborhoods by showing others they can find hope and new life in Jesus. All of us have something to do. So let us work side by side and do our part—whether big or small—to create a community of love where people can find Jesus.

如今我们看到许多家庭破裂，社会败坏，然而耶稣能藉着改变人的生命，来建立上帝的国度。我们也可以藉着言行，让人明白在耶稣里能得着盼望和新生命，以此重建我们的社区。我们每个人都有应负的责任，就让你我肩并肩，不分男女老幼，人人克尽己职，共同建立一个爱的群体，让人们可以藉此认识耶稣。

亲爱的天父，求祢帮助我们能和其他人一起携手并肩，向世人显出爱心，带领他们认识耶稣。帮助我们在所说所做的一切事上，以及在我们心中的动机中反映出祂的样式。

Nehemiah 3:1-12 NIV

3 Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set its doors in place, building as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and as far as the Tower of Hananel. 2 The men of Jericho built the adjoining section, and Zakkur son of Imri built next to them. 3 The Fish Gate was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and put its doors and bolts and bars in place. 4 Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired the next section. Next to him Meshullam son of Berekiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs, and next to him Zadok son of Baana also made repairs. 5 The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.6 The Jeshanah Gate was repaired by Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah. They laid its beams and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. 7 Next to them, repairs were made by men from Gibeon and Mizpah—Melatiah of Gibeon and Jadon of Meronoth—places under the authority of the governor of Trans-Euphrates. 8 Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the next section; and Hananiah, one of the perfume-makers, made repairs next to that. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. 9 Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section. 10 Adjoining this, Jedaiah son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house, and Hattush son of Hashabneiah made repairs next to him. 11 Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-Moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens. 12 Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section with the help of his daughters.

尼希米记 3:1-12 

3 那时，大祭司以利亚实和他的弟兄众祭司起来建立羊门，分别为圣，安立门扇，又筑城墙到哈米亚楼，直到哈楠业楼，分别为圣。 2 其次是耶利哥人建造。其次是音利的儿子撒刻建造。3 哈西拿的子孙建立鱼门，架横梁，安门扇和闩、锁。 4 其次是哈哥斯的孙子、乌利亚的儿子米利末修造。其次是米示萨别的孙子、比利迦的儿子米书兰修造。其次是巴拿的儿子撒督修造。 5 其次是提哥亚人修造，但是他们的贵胄不用肩担他们主的工作。6 巴西亚的儿子耶何耶大与比所玳的儿子米书兰修造古门，架横梁，安门扇和闩、锁。 7 其次是基遍人米拉提、米仑人雅顿与基遍人，并属河西总督所管的米斯巴人修造。8 其次是银匠哈海雅的儿子乌薛修造。其次是做香的哈拿尼雅修造，这些人修坚耶路撒冷，直到宽墙。 9 其次是管理耶路撒冷一半，户珥的儿子利法雅修造。 10 其次是哈路抹的儿子耶大雅对着自己的房屋修造。其次是哈沙尼的儿子哈突修造。 11 哈琳的儿子玛基雅和巴哈摩押的儿子哈述修造一段，并修造炉楼。 12 其次是管理耶路撒冷那一半，哈罗黑的儿子沙龙和他的女儿们修造。

整理：于姊妹