The Bible

 

John 3

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1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.

23 And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.

24 For John was not yet cast into prison.

25 Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying.

26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.

27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.

29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

32 And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.

33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.

34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.

35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Doctrine of the Lord #49

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49. Spirit means the life of a regenerate person, the life called spiritual life:

Jesus (said), “...unless one is born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (John 3:5)

I will give you a new heart and...a new spirit.... I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes.... (Ezekiel 36:26-27)

(On giving a new) heart and...a new spirit.... (Ezekiel 11:19)

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.... Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and let a willing spirit uphold me. (Psalms 51:10-12)

...make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel? (Ezekel 18:31)

You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; and You renew the face of the earth. (Psalms 104:30)

...the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. (John 4:23)

(Jehovah God) gives breath to the people..., and spirit to those who walk on [the earth]. (Isaiah 42:5)

(Jehovah) forms the spirit of man within him. (Zechariah 12:1)

With my soul I have awaited You in the night..., with my spirit within me I have awaited You in the morning. (Isaiah 26:9)

In that day Jehovah...will be for a spirit of judgment to him who sits in judgment.... (Isaiah 28:5-6)

My spirit has rejoiced over God my Savior. (Luke 1:47)

...they have given my spirit rest in the north country. (Zechariah 6:8)

Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me.... (Psalms 31:5)

Did He not make them one, and the rest who had spirit [i.e., breath ]? (Malachi 2:15)

After three and a half days the spirit of life [i.e., the breath of life ] from God entered (the two witnesses slain by the beast). (Revelation 11:11)

(I, Jehovah,) the former of mountains, and the creator of spirit [i.e., the wind ].... (Amos 4:13)

O God, the God of the spirits as regards all flesh.... (Numbers 16:22, cf. 27:16)

I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitant of Jerusalem a spirit (from on high).... (Zechariah 12:10)

...until He has poured out upon us a spirit from on high.... (Isaiah 32:15)

...I will pour out water on the thirsty, and streams on dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your posterity.... (Isaiah 44:3)

...I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh.... Also on My menservants and maidservants in those days I will pour out My Spirit. (Joel 2:28-29)

To pour out the spirit means to regenerate. The same is meant by giving a new heart and a new spirit.

[2] Spirit means the spiritual life in people who are in a state of humility:

I dwell in...a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite. (Isaiah 57:15)

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart God does not spurn. (Psalms 51:17)

(He will) give them...the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a cloak of praise instead of a shrunken spirit. (Isaiah 61:3)

...a woman forsaken and afflicted in spirit.... (Isaiah 54:6)

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3)

  
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Published by the General Church of the New Jerusalem, 1100 Cathedral Road, Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania 19009, U.S.A. A translation of Doctrina Novae Hierosolymae de Domino, by Emanuel Swedenborg, 1688-1772. Translated from the Original Latin by N. Bruce Rogers. ISBN 9780945003687, Library of Congress Control Number: 2013954074.