The Bible

 

Matthew 7

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1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.

2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

A Brief Exposition of New Church Doctrine #115

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115. The other memorable experience is as follows: 1 An angel once said to me, "You wish to see clearly what faith and charity are, and thus what faith is when separate from charity, and what it is when united with charity; I will demonstrate it to the sight." I replied, "Do so." And he said, "Instead of faith and charity, think of light and heat, and you will see this matter clearly. For faith in its own essence is the truth of wisdom, and charity in its own essence is the affection of love; and the truth of wisdom in heaven is light, and the affection of love in heaven is heat. The light and heat in which the angels dwell are nothing else. From this you can clearly see what faith is when separate from charity, and what it is when united with charity. Faith separate from charity is like the light of winter, and faith united with charity is like the light of spring. The light of winter, which is light separate from heat, because it is combined with cold, utterly strips the trees of all their leaves, kills the grass, hardens the ground, and freezes the water. But the light of spring, which is light combined with heat, causes the trees to vegetate, first into leaves, then into blossoms, and lastly into fruits. It opens and softens the ground that it may produce grass, herbs, flowers and fruits; and also dissolves the ice so that the waters flow from their sources. It is exactly similar with faith and charity. Faith separate from charity deadens all things, and faith combined with charity vivifies all things. This vivifying and deadening may be seen to the life in our spiritual world, because here faith is light, and charity is heat. For where faith is united with charity there are paradisaical gardens, flower-beds and shrubberies, delightful according to the union. But where faith is separate from charity there is not even grass, and what green there is, is from thorns and briars." Not far from us at that time were some of the clergy whom the angel called justifiers and sanctifiers of men by faith alone, also dealers in mysteries. We related the same things to them, giving them clear proof so that they might see that such was the case. Yet when we asked them whether it was not so, they turned away, saying, "We did not hear you." But we called out to them, saying, "Then hear us further." They then placed both hands over their ears, and cried out, "We will not hear."

CONCLUSION From Jeremiah 7:2-4, 9-11: Stand in the gate of the house of Jehovah, and proclaim there this word... Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your doings ...trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah is here (that is, the church). Will ye steal, murder, commit adultery, and swear falsely...and after that come and stand before Me in this house, which is called by My name, and say, We are delivered: whilst ye do all these abominations? Is not this house become a den of robbers?... Even I, behold, I have seen, saith Jehovah.

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

The Bible

 

Jeremiah 6

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1 "Flee for safety, you children of Benjamin, out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and raise up a signal on Beth Haccherem; for evil looks forth from the north, and a great destruction.

2 The comely and delicate one, the daughter of Zion, will I cut off.

3 Shepherds with their flocks shall come to her; they shall pitch their tents against her all around; they shall feed everyone in his place."

4 "Prepare war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe to us! For the day declines, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.

5 Arise, and let us go up by night, and let us destroy her palaces."

6 For Yahweh of Armies said, "Cut down trees, and cast up a mound against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.

7 As a well casts forth its waters, so she casts forth her wickedness: violence and destruction is heard in her; before me continually is sickness and wounds.

8 Be instructed, Jerusalem, lest my soul be alienated from you; lest I make you a desolation, a land not inhabited."

9 Thus says Yahweh of Armies, "They shall thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel like a vine. Turn again your hand as a grape gatherer into the baskets."

10 To whom shall I speak and testify, that they may hear? Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they can't listen. Behold, the word of Yahweh has become a reproach to them. They have no delight in it.

11 Therefore I am full of the wrath of Yahweh. I am weary with holding in. "Pour it out on the children in the street, and on the assembly of young men together; for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him who is full of days.

12 Their houses shall be turned to others, their fields and their wives together; for I will stretch out my hand on the inhabitants of the land, says Yahweh."

13 "For from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely.

14 They have healed also the hurt of my people superficially, saying, 'Peace, Peace!' when there is no Peace.

15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I visit them, they shall be cast down," says Yahweh.

16 Thus says Yahweh, "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, 'Where is the good way?' and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'

17 I set watchmen over you, saying, 'Listen to the sound of the trumpet!' But they said, 'We will not listen!'

18 Therefore hear, you nations, and know, congregation, what is among them.

19 Hear, earth! Behold, I will bring evil on this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not listened to my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it.

20 To what purpose comes there to me frankincense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me."

21 Therefore thus says Yahweh, "Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people. The fathers and the sons together shall stumble against them. The neighbor and his friend shall perish."

22 Thus says Yahweh, "Behold, a people comes from the north country. A great nation shall be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.

23 They take hold of bow and spear. They are cruel, and have no mercy. Their voice roars like the sea, and they ride on horses, everyone set in array, as a man to the battle, against you, daughter of Zion."

24 We have heard its report; our hands wax feeble: anguish has taken hold of us, [and] pangs as of a woman in travail.

25 Don't go forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy, [and] terror, are on every side.

26 Daughter of my people, clothe yourself with sackcloth, and wallow in ashes! Mourn, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation; for the destroyer shall suddenly come on us.

27 "I have made you a tester of metals [and] a fortress among my people; that you may know and try their way.

28 They are all grievous rebels, going about with slanders; they are brass and iron: they all of them deal corruptly.

29 The bellows blow fiercely; the lead is consumed of the fire: in vain do they go on refining; for the wicked are not plucked away.

30 Men will call them rejected silver, because Yahweh has rejected them."