The Bible

 

創世記 17

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1 アブラム歳の時、アブラムに現れて言われた、「わたしは全能の神である。あなたはわたしのに歩み、全き者であれ。

2 わたしはあなたと契約を結び、大いにあなたの子孫を増すであろう」。

3 アブラムは、ひれ伏した。はまた彼に言われた、

4 「わたしはあなたと契約を結ぶ。あなたは多くの民の父となるであろう。

5 あなたの名は、もはやアブラムとは言われず、あなたの名はアブラハムと呼ばれるであろう。わたしはあなたを多くの民の父とするからである。

6 わたしはあなたに多くの子孫を得させ、々の民をあなたから起そう。また、王たちもあなたから出るであろう。

7 わたしはあなた及びの代々の子孫と契約を立てて、永遠の契約とし、あなたとの子孫とのとなるであろう。

8 わたしはあなたとの子孫とにあなたの宿っているこの地、すなわちカナンの全地を永久の所有として与える。そしてわたしは彼らのとなるであろう」。

9 はまたアブラハムに言われた、「あなたとの子孫とは共に代々わたしの契約を守らなければならない。あなたがたのうち

10 男子はみな割礼をうけなければならない。これはわたしとあなたがた及びの子孫との間のわたしの契約であって、あなたがたの守るべきものである。

11 あなたがたは前の皮に割礼を受けなければならない。それがわたしとあなたがたとの間の契約のしるしとなるであろう。

12 あなたがたのうちの男はみな代々、に生れた者も、また異邦人からで買い取った、あなたの孫でない者も、生れて八目に割礼を受けなければならない。

13 あなたのに生れた者も、あなたがで買い取った者も必ず割礼を受けなければならない。こうしてわたしの契約はあなたがたの身にあって永遠の契約となるであろう。

14 割礼を受けない男子、すなわち前の皮を切らない者はわたしの契約を破るゆえ、その人は民のうちから断たれるであろう」。

15 はまたアブラハムに言われた、「あなたのサライは、もはや名をサライといわず、名をサラと言いなさい。

16 わたしは彼女を祝福し、また彼女によって、あなたにひとりの男のを授けよう。わたしは彼女を祝福し、彼女を々の民の母としよう。彼女から、もろもろの民の王たちが出るであろう」。

17 アブラハムはひれ伏して笑い、の中で言った、「歳の者にどうしてが生れよう。サラはまた九十歳にもなって、どうして産むことができようか」。

18 そしてアブラハムに言った、「どうかイシマエルがあなたのに生きながらえますように」。

19 は言われた、「いや、あなたのサラはあなたに男のを産むでしょう。名をイサクと名づけなさい。わたしは彼と契約を立てて、孫のために永遠の契約としよう。

20 またイシマエルについてはあなたの願いを聞いた。わたしは彼を祝福して多くの子孫を得させ、大いにそれを増すであろう。彼は十二人の君たちを生むであろう。わたしは彼を大いなる民としよう。

21 しかしわたしは来年の今ごろサラがあなたに産むイサクと、わたしの契約を立てるであろう」。

22 アブラハムと語り終え、彼を離れて、のぼられた。

23 アブラハムが自分に言われたように、このそのイシマエルと、すべてに生れた者およびすべてで買い取った者、すなわちアブラハムのの人々のうち、すべての男を連れてきて、前の皮に割礼を施した。

24 アブラハムが前の皮に割礼を受けた時は歳、

25 そのイシマエルが前の皮に割礼を受けた時は十三歳であった。

26 このアブラハムとそのイシマエルは割礼を受けた。

27 またそのの人々はに生れた者も、で異邦人から買い取った者も皆、彼と共に割礼を受けた。

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #598

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598. 13:13 "It also performs great signs." This symbolizes certifications that their teachings are true, even though they are false.

Signs symbolize certifications that things are true, because signs once occurred to attest to a truth. But after signs and miracles ceased, their symbolism still remained, which is the certification of a truth. Here, however, signs symbolize certifications by the beast or false prophet that its falsities were true, because that is how falsities appear after they are defended.

That signs symbolize certifications that something is true can be seen from the following passages:

(At the end of the age) false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. (Matthew 24:24, Mark 13:22).

There will also be fearful... signs from heaven... There will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars..., the sea and the waves roaring. (Luke 21:11, 25)

(Jehovah) frustrates the signs of liars, drives diviners mad, turning back wise men backward, and makes their knowledge foolish. (Isaiah 44:25)

Do not learn the way of the gentiles, and do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven. (Jeremiah 10:2)

...they are spirits of demons, performing signs..., to gather them to the battle of that great day... (Revelation 16:14)

Then the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who worked signs in its presence, (and) led astray... (Revelation 19:20)

[2] That signs were certifications that something was a truth is further apparent from the following:

(The disciples said to Jesus,) "What sign do You perform then, that we may... believe You? What work do You do?" (John 6:30-33)

The Jews, scribes and Pharisees sought a sign from the Lord, that they might know He was the Christ (Matthew 12:38-40; 16:1-4, Mark 8:11-12.

(The disciples said to Jesus,) "What will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3, cf. Mark 13:4)

...if they do not believe you, nor heed the message of the first sign, still they will believe the message of the latter sign. (Exodus 4:8-9)

The message of a sign is a certification.

They have set among them the messages of His signs... (Psalms 105:27)

(Jehovah said to Ahaz,) "Ask a sign for yourself from Jehovah...." (Isaiah 7:11, 14)

This is the sign to you from Jehovah...: "Behold, I will turn back the shadow on the sundial, which has gone down on the sundial of Ahaz...." (Isaiah 38:7-8)

Hezekiah said, "What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of Jehovah?" (Isaiah 38:22)

This shall be a sign to you..., that I will visit you in this place, that you may know that My words will... stand... (Jeremiah 44:29-30)

Show me a sign (O Jehovah) for good, that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed. (Psalms 86:17)

They will... announce to us what will happen..., that we may set our heart... Show the sign that is to come..., that we may know that you are gods. (Isaiah 41:22-23)

Your enemies roar in the midst of your festival; they set up their banners as signs. (Psalms 74:3-4, 9)

And so on elsewhere, as in Isaiah 45:11; 55:13; Jeremiah 32:20-21; Ezekiel 4:3; Psalms 65:6-8; 78:42, 43; Exodus 7:3; Numbers 14:11, 22; Deuteronomy 4:34; 13:1-3; Judges 6:17, 21; 1 Samuel 2:34; 14:10; Mark 16:17, 18, 20; Luke 2:11, 12, 16).

Signs of the covenant have a similar symbolic meaning in Genesis 9:13; 17:11, Ezekiel 20:12, 20.

[3] It can be clearly seen from this that the great signs that this beast of the dragon performed do not mean signs, but certifications by the clergy that their teachings are true. For every heretic who confirms himself in falsities, afterward certifies that his falsities are true. Indeed, he does not see truths any longer, since the certification of a falsity is a denial of the truth, and truth denied loses its light. Moreover, in the measure that the light of their certification causes falsities to shine with an illusory light, in the same measure the light of truth becomes darkness (as may be seen in no. 566 above).

  
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Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.

The Bible

 

Revelation 13

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1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads. On his horns were ten crowns, and on his heads, blasphemous names.

2 The beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.

3 One of his heads looked like it had been wounded fatally. His fatal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled at the beast.

4 They worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?"

5 A mouth speaking great things and blasphemy was given to him. Authority to make war for forty-two months was given to him.

6 He opened his mouth for blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his dwelling, those who dwell in heaven.

7 It was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. Authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation was given to him.

8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been killed.

9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear.

10 If anyone is to go into captivity, he will go into captivity. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, he must be killed. Here is the endurance and the faith of the saints.

11 I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke like a dragon.

12 He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. He makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.

13 He performs great signs, even making fire come down out of the sky to the earth in the sight of people.

14 He deceives my own people who dwell on the earth because of the signs he was granted to do in front of the beast; saying to those who dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who had the sword wound and lived.

15 It was given to him to give breath to it, to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause as many as wouldn't worship the image of the beast to be killed.

16 He causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, to be given marks on their right hands, or on their foreheads;

17 and that no one would be able to buy or to sell, unless he has that mark, the name of the beast or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdom. He who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is six hundred sixty-six.