The Bible

 

Revelation 22

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1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:

4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.

5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.

7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.

9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.

11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst Come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture #86

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86. Repetitions seemingly of the same idea exist in the Word to express a marriage of goodness and truth, and this can be more clearly seen from passages in which nations and peoples are mentioned. Consider, for example, the following:

Woe to a sinful nation, to a people laden with iniquity.... (Isaiah 1:4)

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.... You have multiplied the nation.... (Isaiah 9:2-3)

...Assyria, the rod of My anger.... I will send him against a hypocritical nation; against the people of My wrath I will charge him.... (Isaiah 10:5-6)

It shall come to pass in that day that the nations shall seek the Root of Jesse, who shall stand as the people’s banner.... (Isaiah 11:10)

(Jehovah) who struck the people...with an incurable stroke, who ruled the nations in anger.... (Isaiah 14:6)

In that day, brought as a present to Jehovah Zebaoth will be a people torn and shaven, and...a nation measured and downtrodden.... (Isaiah 18:7)

...a mighty people will glorify You; the cities of powerful nations will fear You. (Isaiah 25:3)

(Jehovah) will swallow up...the covering...over all peoples, and the veil...over all nations. (Isaiah 25:7)

Come near, you nations..., and you peoples, pay attention! (Isaiah 34:1)

I (Jehovah) have called You...as a covenant for the people, as the light of the nations. (Isaiah 42:6)

Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people assemble. (Isaiah 43:9)

Behold, I will lift My hand toward the nations, and My banner toward the peoples. (Isaiah 49:22)

...I have given Him as a witness to the peoples, a prince and lawgiver to the nations. (Isaiah 55:4)

Behold, a people comes from the north country, and a great nation will be raised from the farthest parts of the earth. (Jeremiah 6:22)

Nor will I cause you to hear the calumny of the nations anymore, nor bear the reproach of the peoples anymore.... (Ezekiel 36:15)

...all peoples, ...nations...will worship Him. (Daniel 7:14)

...lest the nations make a joke of them, and say among the peoples, “Where is their God?” (Joel 2:17)

The remnant of My people shall plunder them, and the residue of My nation shall possess them. (Zephaniah 2:9)

Many peoples and numerous nations shall come to seek Jehovah Zebaoth in Jerusalem.... (Zechariah 8:22)

...my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light for the revelation of the nations.... (Luke 2:30-32)

...You...have redeemed us...by Your blood, out of every...people and nation.... (Revelation 5:9)

You must prophesy again about peoples and nations.... (Revelation 10:11)

You shall make Me the head of the nations; a people I have not known shall serve me. (Psalms 18:43)

Jehovah renders the counsel of the nations ineffectual; He overturns the thoughts of the peoples. (Psalms 33:10)

You make us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples. (Psalms 44:14)

(Jehovah) will subdue the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet.... (Jehovah) has reigned over the nations.... Those willing of the peoples have gathered together.... (Psalms 47:3, 8-9)

The peoples shall confess You.... The nations shall be glad and exult. For You shall judge the peoples righteously, and guide the nations upon the earth. (Psalms 67:3-5)

Remember me, O Jehovah, with the favor You have toward Your people..., that I may...be glad in the joy of Your nations.... (Psalms 106:4-5)

And so on elsewhere.

[2] Nations and peoples are mentioned together because nations mean people prompted by goodness, and in an opposite sense people prompted by evil, while peoples means people who are prompted by truths, and in an opposite sense people who are prompted by falsities.

People who belong to the Lord’s spiritual kingdom are therefore called peoples, while those who belong to the Lord’s celestial kingdom are called nations. For everyone in the spiritual kingdom is prompted by truths and so by wisdom, while everyone in the celestial kingdom is prompted by goodness and so by love.

  
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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 5

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1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.

2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?

3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.

8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;

12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.