The Bible

 

Genesis 1:17

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17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Spiritual Experiences #1976

  
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1976. 1 About a wicked sharing

Some female spirits came to me, I presume not long departed from the life of the body, for they were still unaware that they were in the other life, but when it was pointed out to them, they were able to recall.

They first appeared as if they were good, for that was the air they put on, but when they had withdrawn, I heard from others that they were wicked, being among those who think a sharing of sexual intercourse between women and men to be not only allowable, but even holy. They say they had been born in sins, and they could not hold themselves back from this indulgence, so they think it unclean to be joined to any others than those of the same mind. In fact, they revile marriage, because to them it is not holy, even characterizing marriages as unclean.

I was told there are such people of both sexes in human societies, who engage in this sharing without the purpose of marriage, marital love, and having children, thus only to satisfy their lust-a life they called most enjoyable, which they had led since childhood.

Footnotes:

1. A paragraph numbered 1975 does not appear in the original.

  
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Thanks to the Academy of the New Church, and Bryn Athyn College, for the permission to use this translation.

The Bible

 

Revelation 21:8-27

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8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.

10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:

13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.

16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.

18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.

19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;

20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.

21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.