In order to walk worthy, we must forgive our enemies and love them.

行事为人要能配得神儿女身份，我们必须饶恕仇敌并爱他们。

The term forbearance is not often used today and is therefore unfamiliar to many of us. The Greek word translated “showing forbearance”   means “suppressing with silence.” It carries the idea of throwing a blanket over sin. First Peter 4:8 says, “Love covers a multitude of sins,” and Proverbs 10:12 declares, “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all transgressions.” A forbearing person doesn’t trumpet other people’s sins but rather forgives them. Forbearance has room for the failures of others. A forbearing person also loves people in spite of the wrongs they might have done to him.

宽容一词今日已不常用了，因而很多人对这一词也不太熟悉。“宽容相待”希腊原文意为“以静默压制。”它夹带这样一个意思：扔床毯子盖住罪，彼得前书4：8说：“爱能遮掩许多的罪，”箴言10：12宣称：“恨能挑启争端，爱能遮掩一切过错。”一个宽容的人不会大肆宣扬别人的罪，而是会饶恕他们。宽容为他人的失败留有余地。一个宽容的人，尽管别人可能本来亏负过他，仍会爱对方。

Agape, the word used for “love”   in this verse, is the love that gives but never takes. It’s the kind of love  that seeks the highest good for another, no matter what the cost. God showed  His agape by giving us His only Son (John 3:16). Jesus said, “Greater love [agape] has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (15:13). Agape is unconquerable benevolence and invincible goodness; it is completely selfless.

Agape，在本节译成“爱”，是一种给予却从不索取的爱。是一种不计代价，寻求对他人最高利益的爱。神藉着赐给我们祂的独生爱子显明祂agape的爱（约翰福音3：16）。耶稣说：“人为朋友舍命，人的爱心（agape）没有比这个大的”（15：13）。Agape是不可征服的仁爱和战无不胜的良善；是完全的舍己。

Perhaps the greatest description of forbearing love is the summary Jesus   gives in Matthew 5:43-45: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love   your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and   pray for those who persecute you in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” We were God’s enemies before He saved us, but He was willing to send His Son anyway (Rom. 5:10). Since we are God’s children, we  must also seek our enemies’ highest good, whatever it costs us. Such cost  ought to include more than simply enduring slander and persecution from our  enemies. Genuine forbearing love will assume the more difficult task of  loving those who hate us.

也许对于宽容之爱最伟大的描述，是耶稣在马太福音5：43-45给出的总结：“你们听见有话说，‘当爱你的邻舍、恨你的仇敌。’只是我告诉你们，要爱你们的仇敌，为那逼迫你们的祷告。这样，就可以作你们天父的儿子。因为他叫日头照好人，也照歹人；降雨给义人，也给不义的人。”神救我们之前，我们原是神的敌人，神却愿意差遣祂的爱子（罗5：10）。因我们现今是神的儿女，我们也必须寻求敌人的最高利益，无论为此将付出什么代价。这代价应该比仅仅忍受敌人的诽谤和逼迫更多。真正的宽容之爱必将承担更困难的工作，去爱那些恨恶我们的人。

Thank God that He showed forbearing love in sending Christ to die for undeserving sinners.

Pray for your enemies and for strength to love them as you should.

感谢神，祂差遣基督为不配的罪人而死，藉此显明祂的宽容之爱。

为你的敌人祷告，也求神赐你力量去爱他们。

• Besides Christ, the clearest example of forbearing love is Stephen’s attitude toward those who stoned him. Read his story in Acts 6—7, and note his love toward his executioners.

• 除基督外，宽容之爱最清晰的样本，就是司提反面对那些用石头打他之人的态度。阅读使徒行传6-7章中司提反的故事，留意他对那些侩子手的爱。

• Think about  people you have a hard time loving, and pray that God would show you specific ways you can show love to them. Then follow through!

• 想想那些你难以去爱的人，祈求神启示你特定的方法，让你可以向他们显明爱。然后贯彻执行！