The Bible

 

创世记 18

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1 耶和华在幔利橡树那里向亚伯拉罕显现出来。那时正热,亚伯拉罕在帐棚口,

2 举目观,见有个人在对面站着。他一见,就从帐棚口跑去迎接他们,俯伏在

3 :我,我若在你眼前蒙恩,求你不要离开仆人往前去。

4 容我拿点来,你们,在歇息歇息。

5 我再拿一点饼来,你们可以加添力,然往前去。你们既到仆人这里来,理当如此。他们:就照你的行罢。

6 亚伯拉罕急忙进帐棚见撒拉,:你速速拿细亚细面调和作饼。

7 亚伯拉罕又跑到牛群里,牵了一只又嫩又犊来,交仆人,仆人急忙预备了。

8 亚伯拉罕又取了奶油和奶,并预备好的牛犊来,摆在他们面前,自己在站在旁边,他们就吃了

9 他们问亚伯拉罕:你妻子撒拉在那里?他:在帐棚里。

10 三人中有一位:到明年这时候,我必要回到你这里;你的妻子撒拉必生一个儿子。撒拉在那人边的帐棚口也见了这话。

11 亚伯拉罕和撒拉年纪老迈,撒拉的月经已断绝了。

12 撒拉心里暗笑,:我既已衰败,我也老迈,岂能有这喜事呢?

13 耶和华亚伯拉罕:撒拉为甚麽暗笑,:我既已年老,果真能生养麽?

14 耶和华岂有难成的事麽?到了日期,明年这时候,我必回到你这里,撒拉必生一个儿子

15 撒拉就害怕,不承认,:我没有笑。那位:不然,你实在笑了。

16 三人就从那里起行,向所多玛观看,亚伯拉罕也与他们同行,要送他们一程。

17 耶和华:我所要作的事岂可瞒着亚伯拉罕呢?

18 亚伯拉罕必要成为强的国;上的万国都必因他得福。

19 我眷顾他,为要叫他吩咐他的众子和他的眷属遵守我的道,秉公行,使我所应许亚伯拉罕的话都成就了。

20 耶和华所多玛和蛾摩拉的恶甚重,声闻於我。

21 我现在要去,察他们所行的,果然尽像那达到我耳中的声音一样麽?若是不然,我也必知道

22 二人转身离开那里,向所多玛去;但亚伯拉罕仍旧站在耶和华面前。

23 亚伯拉罕前来,:无论善恶,你都要剿灭麽?

24 假若那城里有五十人,你还剿灭那地方麽?不为城里这五十人饶恕其中的人麽?

25 人与恶人同杀,将人与恶人一样看待,这断不是你所行的。审判全的主岂不行公麽?

26 耶和华:我若在所多玛城里见有五十人,我就为他们的缘故饶恕那地方的众人。

27 亚伯拉罕:我虽然是灰尘,还敢对主说话

28 假若这五十人短了五个,你就因为短了五个毁灭全城麽?他:我在那里若见有四十五个,也不毁灭那城。

29 亚伯拉罕又对他:假若在那里见有四十个怎麽样呢?他:为这四十个的缘故,我也不作这事。

30 亚伯拉罕:求主不要动怒,容我,假若在那里见有三十个怎麽样呢?他:我在那里若见有三十个,我也不作这事。

31 亚伯拉罕:我还敢对主说话,假若在那里见有二十个怎麽样呢?他:为这二十个的缘故,我也不毁灭那城。

32 亚伯拉罕:求主不要动怒,我再这一次,假若在那里见有个呢?他:为这个的缘故,我也不毁灭那城。

33 耶和华亚伯拉罕说完了话就走了;亚伯拉罕也回到自己的地方去了。

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #2227

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2227. Abraham shall surely be for a nation great and numerous. That this signifies that all good and all the derivative truth will be from the Lord, is evident from the representation of Abraham, as being the Lord (often shown above), and also from the signification of a “nation,” as being good (explained n. 1159, 1258-1260, 1416, 1849); here a “nation great and numerous,” by which is signified good and the derivative truth. That “great” is predicated of good, and “numerous” of truth, appears from other places in the Word, but I must refrain from citing them here. The derivative truth, that is, truth from good, in the genuine sense is spiritual good. There are two kinds of good that are distinct from each other, namely, celestial good and spiritual good. Celestial good is that of love to the Lord, spiritual good is that of love toward the neighbor. From the former, or celestial good, comes the latter, or spiritual good; for no one can love the Lord unless he also loves his neighbor. In love to the Lord is love toward the neighbor; for love to the Lord is from the Lord, and thus is from love itself toward the universal human race. To be in love to the Lord is the same as to be in the Lord; and he who is in the Lord cannot be otherwise than in His love; which is toward the human race and thus toward the neighbor; thus is he in both kinds of good, celestial and spiritual. The former is the veriest good itself; but the latter is its truth, or the truth therefrom; which truth is spiritual good, as said. The former is what is signified by “great,” but the latter by “numerous.”

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for the permission to use this translation.