In the year 420, during the war between the Eastern Roman Empire and Persia, 7000 Persians were brought prisoners to Amida, where they suffered extreme want.
Seeing this, Acacius, Bishop of Amida, assembled his clergy. He observed that as God had said,"I love mercy better than sacrifice," he would be better pleased with the relief of the prisoners than with being served with gold and silver. The clergy agreed. The consecrated vessels were sold, and with the proceeds the prisoners were maintained and, at the conclusion of the war, sent home. The Persian monarch was charmed with this humane action. He invited Acacius to his capital, where he received him with the utmost reverence, and for his sake conferred many favours on the Christians.
公元四二○年，東羅馬帝國和波斯戰爭期間，七千波斯人被俘，送到阿米達。他們缺乏供給，困苦不堪。
阿米達主教阿卡西烏斯見到這情況，召集當地教士，指出上帝曾說「我愛慈悲多於祭品」，因此，救濟那些俘虜，比用金器銀器供奉上帝，更能使上帝高興。教士都同意這觀點。他們把禮拜用的器皿賣掉，以所得供七千俘虜溫飽，並於戰爭結束後送他們回國。波斯王深受這仁愛感動，邀請阿卡西烏斯到波斯國都，優禮異常，還看他分上，對基督徒多所恩賜。
〔附注〕售賣東西或舉辦活動所得金錢，叫 proceeds，必須用複數形式。
（古德明）
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