The Bible

 

에스겔 11

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1 때에 주의 신이 나를 들어 데리고 여호와의 전 동문 곧 동향한 문에 이르시기로 본즉 그 문에 이십 오인이 있는데 내가 그 중에서 앗술의 아들 야아사냐와 브나야의 아들 블라댜를 보았으니 그들은 백성의 방백이라

2 그가 내게 이르시되 인자야 ! 이 사람들은 불의를 품고 이 성중에서 악한 꾀를 베푸는 자니라

3 그들의 말이 집 건축할 때가 가깝지 아니한즉 이 성읍은 가마가 되고 우리는 고기가 된다 하나니

4 그러므로 인자야 너는 그들을 쳐서 예언하고 예언할지니라

5 여호와의 신이 내게 임하여 가라사대 너는 말하기를 여호와의 말씀에 이스라엘 족속아 너희가 이렇게 말하였도다 너희 마음에서 일어나는 것을 내가 다 아노라

6 너희가 이 성읍에서 많이 살륙하여 그 시체로 거리에 채웠도다

7 그러므로 나 주 여호와가 말하노라 이 성읍 중에서 너희가 살륙한 시체는 그 고기요 이 성읍은 그 가마려니와 너희는 그 가운데서 끌려 나오리라

8 나 주 여호와가 말하노라 너희가 칼을 두려워하니 내가 칼로 너희에게 임하게 하고

9 너희를 그 성읍 가운데서 끌어내어 타국인의 손에 붙여 너희에게 벌을 내리리니

10 너희가 칼에 엎드러질 것이라 내가 이스라엘 변경에서 너희를 국문하리니 너희가 나를 여호와인 줄 알리라

11 이 성읍은 너희 가마가 되지 아니하고 너희는 그 가운데 고기가 되지 아니할지라 내가 너희를 이스라엘 변경에서 국문하리니

12 너희가 나를 여호와인 줄 알리라 너희가 내 율례를 행치 아니하며 규례를 지키지 아니하고 너희 사면에 있는 이방인의 규례대로 행하였느니라 하셨다 하라

13 이에 내가 예언할 때에 브나야의 아들 블라댜가 죽기로 내가 엎드리어 큰 소리로 부르짖어 가로되 오호라 ! 주 여호와여 ! 이스라엘의 남은 자를 다 멸절하고자 하시나이까 ? 하니라

14 여호와의 말씀이 내게 임하여 가라사대

15 인자야 ! 예루살렘 거민이 너의 형제 곧 너의 형제와 친속과 이스라엘 온 족속을 향하여 이르기를 너희는 여호와에게서 멀리 떠나라 이 땅은 우리에게 주어 기업이 되게 하신 것이라 하였나니

16 그런즉 너는 말하기를 주 여호와의 말씀에 내가 비록 그들을 멀리 이방인 가운데로 쫓고 열방에 흩었으나 그들이 이른 열방에서 내가 잠간 그들에게 성소가 되리라 하셨다 하고

17 너는 또 말하기를 주 여호와의 말씀에 내가 너희를 만민 가운데 모으며 너희를 흩은 열방 가운데서 모아 내고 이스라엘 땅으로 너희에게 주리라 하셨다 하라

18 그들이 그리로 가서 그 가운데 모든 미운 물건과 가증한 것을 제하여 버릴지라

19 내가 그들에게 일치한 마음을 주고 그 속에 새 신을 주며 그 몸에서 굳은 마음을 제하고 부드러운 마음을 주어서

20 내 율례를 좇으며 내 규례를 지켜 행하게 하리니 그들은 내 백성이 되고 나는 그들의 하나님이 되리라

21 그러나 미운 것과 가증한 것을 마음으로 좇는 자는 내가 그 행위대로 그 머리에 갚으리라 나 주 여호와의 말이니라

22 때에 그룹들이 날개를 드는데 바퀴도 그 곁에 있고 이스라엘 하나님의 영광도 그 위에 덮였더니

23 여호와의 영광이 성읍 중에서부터 올라가서 성읍 동편 산에 머물고

24 주의 신이 나를 들어 하나님의 신의 이상 중에 데리고 갈대아에 있는 사로잡힌 자중에 이르시더니 내가 보는 이상이 나를 떠난지라

25 내가 사로잡힌 자들에게 여호와께서 내게 보이신 모든 일로 고하니라

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Conjugial Love #26

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26. Again I swear in truth that these events and words occurred as I have related them, the first ones in the world of spirits, which is midway between heaven and hell, and the subsequent ones in a society of heaven, the society from which came the angel with the trumpet, who acted as guide.

Who in the Christian world would know anything about heaven and the joys and happiness there - knowledge of which is also knowledge of salvation - unless it pleased the Lord to open to someone the sight of his spirit and to show him and teach him?

Corroboration that things like these occur in the spiritual world appears plainly from the things seen and heard by the apostle John, as described in the book of Revelation. For example, he describes having seen the following:

The Son of Man in the midst of the seven lampstands. 1

A tabernacle, temple, ark, and altar in heaven. 2

A book sealed with seven seals. The book opened, and horses going out of it. 3

Four living creatures around a throne. 4

Twelve thousand taken from each tribe. 5

Locusts arising out of the abyss. 6

A dragon and its fight with Michael. 7

A woman giving birth to a male child and fleeing into the wilderness because of the dragon. 8

Two beasts, one rising up out of the sea, the other out of the earth. 9

A woman sitting on a scarlet beast. 10

The dragon cast into a lake of fire and brimstone. 11

A white horse, and a great supper. 12

A new heaven and a new earth, and the holy Jerusalem coming down, described as to its gates, wall, and foundations. 13

Also a river of water of life, and trees of life yielding fruits every month. 14

Besides many other things, all of which were seen by John, and seen when he was in the spirit 15 in the spiritual world and in heaven. In addition, those things which were seen by the apostles after the Lord's resurrection. 16 And which were later seen by Peter (Acts of the Apostles 11). 17 Also which were then seen and heard by Paul. 18

Moreover, there were the things seen by the prophets. For example, Ezekiel saw the following:

Four living creatures, which were cherubs. (Ezekiel 1 and 10)

A new temple and a new earth, and an angel measuring them. (Ezekiel 40-48)

Being carried off to Jerusalem, he saw the abominations there. (Ezekiel 8) And he was also carried off into Chaldea, to those in captivity. (Ezekiel 11) 19

Something similar happened with Zechariah:

He saw a man riding among myrtle trees. (Zechariah 1:8 ff.)

He saw four horns, and then a man with a measuring line in his hand. (Zechariah 1:18 ff., 2:1 ff.)

He saw a lampstand and two olive trees. (Zechariah 4:1 ff.)

He saw a flying scroll, and an ephah. (Zechariah 5:1, 6)

He saw four chariots coming from between two mountains, with horses. (Zechariah 6:1 ff.)

Likewise with Daniel:

He saw four beasts come up from the sea. (Daniel 7:1 ff.)

Also the combats of a ram and a goat. (Daniel 8:1 ff.)

He saw the angel Gabriel, who spoke at length with him. (Daniel 9) 20

Moreover, Elisha's young man saw fiery chariots and horses around Elisha, and he saw them when his eyes were opened. 21

From these and many other passages in the Word, it is evident that the things which exist in the spiritual world have appeared to many, before and after the Lord's Advent. Why should it be surprising for them to appear also now, when the Church is beginning and the New Jerusalem is coming down from the Lord out of heaven

Footnotes:

  
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Many 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

 

Acts of the Apostles 12

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1 Now about that time, King Herod stretched out his hands to oppress some of the assembly.

2 He killed James, the brother of John, with the sword.

3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This was during the days of unleavened bread.

4 When he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.

5 Peter therefore was kept in the prison, but constant prayer was made by the assembly to God for him.

6 The same night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains. Guards in front of the door kept the prison.

7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side, and woke him up, saying, "Stand up quickly!" His chains fell off from his hands.

8 The angel said to him, "Get dressed and put on your sandals." He did so. He said to him, "Put on your cloak, and follow me."

9 And he went out and followed him. He didn't know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he saw a vision.

10 When they were past the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself. They went out, and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

11 When Peter had come to himself, he said, "Now I truly know that the Lord has sent out his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from everything the Jewish people were expecting."

12 Thinking about that, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.

13 When Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer.

14 When she recognized Peter's voice, she didn't open the gate for joy, but ran in, and reported that Peter was standing in front of the gate.

15 They said to her, "You are crazy!" But she insisted that it was so. They said, "It is his angel."

16 But Peter continued knocking. When they had opened, they saw him, and were amazed.

17 But he, beckoning to them with his hand to be silent, declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, "Tell these things to James, and to the brothers." Then he departed, and went to another place.

18 Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter.

19 When Herod had sought for him, and didn't find him, he examined the guards, and commanded that they should be put to death. He went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there.

20 Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus, the king's personal aide, their friend, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king's country for food.

21 On an appointed day, Herod dressed himself in royal clothing, sat on the throne, and gave a speech to them.

22 The people shouted, "The voice of a god, and not of a man!"

23 Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he didn't give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died.

24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.

25 Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their service, also taking with them John whose surname was Mark.