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

 

True Christian Religion #106

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106. These two states are represented by various things in the natural universe. The reason is that they are in accordance with Divine order, and this pervades every single thing in the universe, down to the smallest detail. The first state is represented in the life of every person by his infancy and childhood, until he becomes a youth, adolescent and young man. This state is marked by humility before his parents, obedience, and being instructed by masters and underlings. The second state is represented by the same person's state when he becomes his own master, can make his own decisions, or follow his own will and his own understanding; at this stage he has control in his own house.

The first state then is represented by the state of a prince, a king's or duke's son, before he becomes king or duke. Likewise by the state of any citizen, before he becomes a magistrate; or of any subject before he becomes an official; or of any student who is being trained for the ministry before he becomes a priest, and then his state before he becomes a pastor, and then before he becomes a bishop; or of any young woman before she becomes a wife, or of any serving girl before she becomes mistress of a household. Generally speaking, it is the state of any apprentice before he becomes a merchant, any soldier before he becomes an officer, any servant before he becomes head of a household. The first state of these people is that of being a servant, the second that of following one's own will, and so one's own understanding.

[2] There are also various representations of these two states in the animal kingdom. The first is represented by animals and birds so long as they are tended by their parents, follow them constantly, and are fed and guided by them; the second when they leave their parents and look after themselves. Likewise with caterpillars, the first state is when they crawl and feed on leaves, the second when they slough their cases and become butterflies. There are also representations of these two states in things of the vegetable kingdom: the first when a plant springs up from seed, and decks itself out with branches, boughs and leaves; the second when it bears fruit, and produces a fresh crop of seed. This can be compared to the link between truth and good, because everything about a tree corresponds to truths, its fruits to kinds of good. A person who stops at the first state without entering upon the second is like a tree which produces only leaves and no fruit; of such a tree it is said in the Word that it is to be rooted out and cast into the fire ([Matthew 17:19], Matthew 21:19; Luke 3:9; 13:6-9; John 15:5-6). Or he is like the slave who does not wish to be free, of whom it was commanded that he should be brought to the door or door-post, and have his ear pierced with an awl (Exodus 21:6). Those who have no link with the Lord are slaves, but those who have are free; for the Lord says:

If the Son makes you free, you are truly free, John 8:36.

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