中英對照/福音原則/第25章

禁食
Fasting

正確的禁食方式
How to Fast Properly

● 我們如何讓禁食成為愉快的經驗？

• What can we do to make fasting a joyful experience ?

從亞當的時代起，神的人民就以禁食來讓他們更接近祂和崇拜祂。

Since the time of Adam, God’s people have fasted to help them draw near to Him and to worship Him.

耶穌用自己的榜樣說明了禁食的重要性（見路加福音4：1-4）。

Jesus showed the importance of fasting by His own example (see Luke 4:1–4).

我們從近代的啟示中得知，主仍然希望祂的人民經常禁食和祈禱（見教約88：76）。

Through latter-day revelation we learn that the Lord still expects His people to fast and pray often (see D&C 88:76) .

禁食的意思是不進食，不飲水。

Fasting means to go without food and drink.

偶爾禁食對我們的身體有益，又可使心智敏捷。

Occasional fasting is good for our bodies and helps our minds become more active .

救主教導我們，有意義的禁食不只是不進食和不飲水，還必須專注在屬靈的事物上。

The Savior taught us that purposeful fasting is more than just going without food and drink. We must also concentrate on spiritual matters .

我們禁食時應該祈禱祈禱是禁食的必要部分。

We Should Pray When We Fast Prayer is a necessary part of fasting.

祈禱和禁食在所有的經文裡都是相提並論的。

Throughout the scriptures, prayer and fasting are mentioned together.

我們的禁食應該伴有虔誠的祈禱，禁食開始及結束時都應該作祈禱。

Our fasting should be accompanied by sincere prayer, and we should begin and end our fasting with prayer .

禁食應有目的禁食可以有很多目的。

We Should Fast with a Purpose Fasting can have many purposes.

我們可以藉著禁食和祈禱來克服我們的弱點或困難。

We can overcome weaknesses or problems by fasting and praying.

有時候，我們會為他人禁食和祈禱，讓他們得到幫助和指引，比方說：家人生病，需要祝福的時候（見摩賽亞書27：22-23）。

Sometimes we may wish to fast and pray for help or guidance for others, such as a family member who is ill and needs a blessing (see Mosiah 27:22–23).

透過禁食，我們可以像摩爾門經中的先知阿爾瑪那樣知道事情的真實性。

Through fasting we can come to know the truth of things just as did the prophet Alma in the Book of Mormon.

他說：「我禁食禱告了許多天以知道這些事。

He said: “I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself.

現在我確實知道這些事都是真的；因為主神藉著祂的神聖之靈向我顯明了這些事」（阿爾瑪書5：46）。

And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit” (Alma 5:46) .

我們可以為了幫助其他人接受真理而禁食。

We can fast to help others embrace the truth.

禁食可以讓我們在憂傷和悲痛的時候為我們帶來安慰（見阿爾瑪書28：4-6）。

Fasting can help comfort us in times of sorrow and mourning (see Alma 28:4–6).

禁食可以讓我們變得謙卑，與天父更接近（見希拉曼書3：35）。

Fasting can help us become humble and feel closer to our Heavenly Father (see Helaman 3:35) .

我們禁食的目的不是為了引人注意。

Our purpose in fasting should not be to impress others.

主勸告說：「你們禁食的時候，不可像那假冒為善的人，臉上帶著愁容；因為他們把臉弄得難看，故意叫人看出他們是禁食。

The Lord counseled: “Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast .

「我實在告訴你們，他們已經得了他們的賞賜。

“Verily I say unto you, They have their reward .

「你禁食的時候，要梳頭洗臉，不叫人看出你禁食來」（馬太福音6：16-18）。

“But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast” (Matthew 6:16–18) .

我們禁食的時候，應當快樂，不必向別人宣揚我們在禁食。

We should be cheerful when we fast and not advertise our fasting to others .

● 我們禁食的態度會對我們禁食的經驗產生什麼影響？

• How does our attitude influence our experience when we fast ?

禁食日
The Fast Day

後期聖徒每個月有一個星期日是禁食日。

One Sunday each month Latter-day Saints observe a fast day.

在這一天，我們連續兩餐不進食，不飲水。

On this day we neither eat nor drink for two consecutive meals.

假如我們在星期六吃晚餐，那我們就不吃不喝直到星期日的晚餐為止。

If we were to eat our evening meal on Saturday, then we would not eat or drink until the evening meal on Sunday .

身體狀況允許的所有教友都應該禁食。

All members who are physically able should fast.

兒女受洗後，我們就應該鼓勵他們禁食，但是不要強迫他們。

We should encourage our children to fast after they have been baptized, but we should never force them.

禁食日是我們禁食祈禱，在主前謙抑自己的一個特別的日子；

The fast day is a special day for us to humble ourselves before the Lord in fasting and prayer.

是我們祈求罪獲得寬恕，祈求獲得克服個人弱點及寬恕他人的日子。

It is a day to pray for forgiveness from our sins and for the power to overcome our faults and to forgive others .

在禁食主日裡，教友們齊聚一堂，領用聖餐，並在禁食見證聚會中作見證，以穩固自己和彼此。

On fast Sunday, members of the Church meet together and partake of the sacrament. They strengthen themselves and one another by bearing testimony in fast and testimony meeting .

● 禁食見證聚會時，你從分享個人見證中得到哪些益處？

• How have you benefited from sharing your testimony in fast and testimony meeting?

你從別人所分享的見證中得到哪些益處？

How have you benefited from hearing others share their testimonies ?

禁食捐獻
Fast Offerings

● 我們為什麼要繳付禁食捐獻？

• Why do we contribute fast offerings ?

我們每個月禁食的時候，主希望我們去幫助那些有需要的人。

When we fast each month, the Lord asks us to help those in need .

其中一項作法，就是把購買兩餐食物的錢交給適當的聖職當局人員。

One way we do this is by giving through the proper priesthood authority the money we would have spent on food for the two meals.

我們應該盡可能地慷慨繳付。

We should give as generously as we are able.

透過禁食捐獻，我們與主共同援助生活比較困苦的弟兄姊妹。

Through our fast offerings we become partners with the Lord in administering to the needs of our less-fortunate brothers and sisters .

禁食會得到祝福
We Are Blessed When We Fast

● 我們以適當的方法禁食時，會得到哪些祝福？

• What blessings can we receive when we fast properly ?

舊約先知以賽亞寫道，主會把豐盛的祝福賜給那些禁食並幫助貧困者的人。

Isaiah, an Old Testament prophet, wrote of the Lord’s rich promises to those who fast and help the needy.

我們得到的應許是平安、更健康的身體和靈性的指引。

We are promised peace, improved health, and spiritual guidance.

以賽亞告訴我們禁食會帶來的祝福：「你的光就必發現如早晨的光；你所得的醫治要速速發明。

Isaiah tells us of the blessings that come when we fast: “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily:

你的公義必在你前面行；耶和華的榮光必作你的後盾。

and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward.

那時你求告，耶和華必應允。你呼求，祂必說：我在這裡」（以賽亞書58：8-9）。

Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am” (Isaiah 58:8–9) .

禁食可以改善我們的生活，加添我們的力量。

Fasting improves our lives and gives us added strength.

禁食可以幫助我們奉行其他的福音原則，因為禁食使我們更接近主。

It helps us live other principles of the gospel because it draws us nearer to the Lord .

禁食教導自制
Fasting Teaches Self-Control

禁食會讓我們的品格更堅定。

Fasting helps us gain strength of character.

我們以適當的方法禁食時，能夠學會控制我們的食慾和情感。

When we fast properly, we will learn to control our appetites and passions.

我們向自己證明能夠自制，就會變得更堅強一些。

We are a little stronger by having proved to ourselves that we have self-control.

我們如果教導兒女禁食，他們將能培養出靈性力量，在日後的生活中克服更大的誘惑。

If we teach our children to fast, they will develop the spiritual strength to overcome greater temptations later in their lives .

禁食給我們靈性力量
Fasting Gives Us Spiritual Power

我們明智且虔敬地禁食時，就能夠培養信心。

When we fast wisely and prayerfully, we develop our faith.

有了那樣的信心，我們就會有更大的靈性力量。

With that faith we will have greater spiritual power.

例如，阿爾瑪（摩爾門經中的先知）談到在奇蹟地歸信了許多年後，與摩賽亞的兒子們重逢的經驗。

For example, Alma (a Book of Mormon prophet) tells the story of meeting again with the sons of Mosiah many years after their miraculous conversion .

他得知他的朋友們有穩固的信心，而且培養了強大的靈性力量，內心非常高興。

He felt great joy when he learned that they had strengthened their faith and had developed great spiritual power.

他們之所以獲得這樣的力量是因為「他們還多次祈禱和禁食，所以他們有預言之靈和啟示之靈」（阿爾瑪書17：3）。

They had gained this power because “they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation” (Alma 17:3) .

摩賽亞的兒子們當時已向拉曼人傳道14 年。

The sons of Mosiah had been preaching for 14 years to the Lamanites .

由於摩賽亞的兒子們禁食和祈禱，所以主的靈讓他們說的話更有力量，使得他們的傳道工作非常成功。（見阿爾瑪書17：4。）

Because the sons of Mosiah had fasted and prayed, the Spirit of the Lord increased the power of their words. This gave them great success in their missionary work. (See Alma 17:4.)

救主對適當禁食的人說：「你父在暗中察看，必然報答你」（馬太福音6：18）。

The Savior has said to those who fast properly, “Thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly” (Matthew 6:18) .

● 禁食如何讓我們更有靈性力量抗拒誘惑？

• How can fasting increase our spiritual power to resist temptations ?

接受啟示？

to receive revelation?

做正義的事？

to do righteous acts ?

給教師：可以把班員或家人分成兩人或四人一組，讓各組有機會討論讓禁食成為愉快經驗的方法。

For teachers: You may want to divide class members or family members into groups of two to four people and give each group an opportunity to discuss ways to make fasting a joyful experience.

然後，一起把大家的想法寫在黑板或一大張紙上。

Then work together to make a list of everyone’s ideas—perhaps on the board or on a large piece of paper .

其他經文
Additional Scriptures

● 路加福音2：37；阿爾瑪書45：1（藉禁食來崇拜神）
• Luke 2:37; Alma 45:1 (worshipping God through fasting)
● 以賽亞書58：3-11（以適當的方式禁食）
• Isaiah 58:3–11 (proper fasting)
● 摩賽亞書27：19，23（為病人禁食）
• Mosiah 27:19, 23 (fasting for the sick)
● 尼腓三書27：1-3；出埃及記34：27-28（為獲得啟示和見證禁食）
• 3 Nephi 27:1–3; Exodus 34:27–28 (fasting for revelation and testimony)
● 阿爾瑪書6：6；17：9（為不認識神的人禁食）
• Alma 6:6; 17:9 (fasting for those who do not know God)
● 使徒行傳13：2-3（為揀選教會職員禁食）
• Acts 13:2–3 (fasting for selection of Church officers)
● 摩賽亞書4：26（幫助有需要的人可以讓我們保有罪的赦免）
• Mosiah 4:26 (retaining a remission of our sins as we help those in need)