地是空虛混沌,淵面黑暗;神的靈運行在水面上。 2 Now the earth was 1:2 Or possibly ((became)) formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
神稱光為晝,稱暗為夜。有晚上,有早晨,這是頭一日。 5 God called the light 「day,」 and the darkness he called 「night.」 And there was evening, and there was morning--the first day.
神說:地要發生青草和結種子的菜蔬,並結果子的樹木,各從其類,果子都包著核。事就這樣成了。 11 Then God said, 「Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.」 And it was so.
於是地發生了青草和結種子的菜蔬,各從其類;並結果子的樹木,各從其類;果子都包著核。神看著是好的。 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
神說:天上要有光體,可以分晝夜,作記號,定節令、日子、年歲,14 And God said, Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years,
於是神造了兩個大光,大的管晝,小的管夜,又造眾星, 16 God made two great lights--the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars.
神說:水要多多滋生有生命的物;要有雀鳥飛在地面以上,天空之中。 20 And God said, 「Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.」
神就造出大魚和水中所滋生各樣有生命的動物,各從其類;又造出各樣飛鳥,各從其類。神看著是好的。 21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
神就賜福給這一切,說:滋生繁多,充滿海中的水;雀鳥也要多生在地上。 22 God blessed them and said, 「Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.」
神說:地要生出活物來,各從其類;牲畜、昆蟲、野獸,各從其類。事就這樣成了。 24 And God said, 「Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.」 And it was so.
於是神造出野獸,各從其類;牲畜,各從其類;地上一切昆蟲,各從其類。神看著是好的。 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
神說:我們要照著我們的形像、按著我們的樣式造人,使他們管理海裏的魚、空中的鳥、地上的牲畜,和全地,地上所爬的一切昆蟲。 26 Then God said, 「Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, 1:26 Hebrew; Syriac ((all the wild animals)) and over all the creatures that move along the ground.」
神就賜福給他們,又對他們說:要生養眾多,遍滿地面,治理這地,也要管理海裏的魚、空中的鳥,和地上各樣動的活物。 28 God blessed them and said to them, 「Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.」
神說:看那,我將遍地上一切結種子的菜蔬和一切樹上所結有核的果子全賜給你們作食物。 29 Then God said, 「I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.
至於地上的走獸和空中的飛鳥,並各樣爬在地上有生命的物,我將青草賜給他們作食物。事就這樣成了。 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground--everything that has the breath of life in it--I give every green plant for food.」 And it was so.
March 25 "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."(Heb. 11:6.) THE faith for desperate days. The Bible is full of such days. Its record is made up of them, its songs are inspired by them, its prophecy is concerned with them, and its revelation has come through them. The desperate days are the stepping-stones in the path of light. They seem to have been God's opportunity and man's school of wisdom. There is a story of an Old Testament love feast in Psalm 107, and in every story of deliverance the point of desperation gave God His chance. The "wit's end" of desperation was the beginning of God's power. Recall the promise of seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sands of the sea, to a couple as good as dead. Read again the story of the Red Sea and its deliverance, and of Jordan with its ark standing mid-stream. Study once more the prayers of Asa, Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah, when they were sore pressed and knew not what to do. Go over the history of Nehemiah, Daniel, Hosea, and Habakkuk. Stand with awe in the darkness of Gethsemane, and linger by the grave in Joseph's garden through those terrible days. Call the witnesses of the early Church, and ask the apostles the story of their desperate days. Desperation is better than despair. Faith did not make our desperate days. its work is to sustain and solve them. The only alternative to a desperate faith is despair, and faith holds on and prevails. There is no more heroic example of desperate faith than that of the three Hebrew Children. The situation was desperate, but they answered bravely, "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning, fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. but if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up." I like that," but if not!" I have only space to mention Gethsemane. Ponder deeply its" Nevertheless." "If it is possible....nevertheless!" Deep darkness had settled upon the soul of our Lord. Trust meant anguish unto blood and darkness to the descent of hell─Nevertheless! Nevertheless! Now get your hymn book and sing your favorite hymn of desperate faith. ─Rev. S. Chadwick. "When obstacles and trials seem Like prison walls to be, I do the little I can do And leave the rest to Thee. "And when there seems no chance, no change, From grief can set me free, Hope finds its strength in helplessness, And calmly waits for Thee."