The Bible

 

Matas 10

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1 Pasišaukęs dvylika savo mokinių, Jis suteikė jiems valdžią netyrosioms dvasioms, kad išvarinėtų jas ir gydytų visas ligas bei negalias.

2 Dvylikos apaštalų vardai: pirmasis Simonas, vadinamas Petru, ir jo brolis Andriejus; Zebediejaus sūnus Jokūbas ir jo brolis Jonas;

3 Pilypas ir Baltramiejus; Tomas ir muitininkas Matas; Alfiejaus sūnus Jokūbas ir Lebėjus, vadinamas Tadu;

4 Simonas Kananietis ir Judas Iskarijotas, kuris išdavė Jėzų.

5 Šiuos dvylika Jėzus išsiuntė, įsakydamas jiems: “Nepasukite keliu pas pagonis ir neužeikite į samariečių miestą,

6 bet verčiau eikite pas pražuvusias Izraelio namų avis.

7 Keliaudami skelbkite: ‘Prisiartino dangaus karalystė!’

8 Gydykite ligonius, apvalykite raupsuotuosius, prikelkite mirusius, išvarinėkite demonus. Dovanai gavote, dovanai ir duokite!

9 Neimkite nei aukso, nei sidabro, nei variokų į savo juostas;

10 nei kelionmaišio, nei dviejų tunikų, nei sandalų, nei lazdos, nes darbininkas vertas savo valgio.

11 Atėję į kokį nors miestą ar kaimą, susiieškokite vertą žmogų ir apsistokite pas jį, kol išvyksite.

12 Įeidami į namus, pasveikinkite juos.

13 Ir jeigu namai bus verti, teateinie jiems jūsų ramybė. O jeigu nebus verti­jūsų ramybė tesugrįžta jums.

14 Jei kas jūsų nepriimtų ir neklausytų jūsų žodžių, tai, išėję iš tokių namų ar tokio miesto, nusikratykite ir dulkes nuo kojų.

15 Iš tiesų sakau jums: Sodomos ir Gomoros žemei bus lengviau teismo dieną negu tokiam miestui”.

16 “Štai Aš siunčiu jus kaip avis tarp vilkų. Todėl būkite gudrūs kaip žalčiai ir neklastingi kaip balandžiai.

17 Saugokitės žmonių, nes jie įskųs jus teismams ir plaks savo sinagogose.

18 Jūs būsite dėl manęs vedžiojami pas valdytojus ir karalius liudyti jiems ir pagonims.

19 Kai jie jus įskųs, nesirūpinkite, kaip arba ką kalbėsite, nes tą valandą jums bus duota, ką jūs turite sakyti.

20 Nes ne jūs kalbėsite, o jūsų Tėvo Dvasia kalbės jumyse.

21 Brolis išduos mirti brolį ir tėvas­sūnų, o vaikai sukils prieš gimdytojus ir žudys juos.

22 Jūs būsite visų nekenčiami dėl mano vardo. Bet kas ištvers iki galo, bus išgelbėtas.

23 Kai jus persekios viename mieste, bėkite į kitą. Iš tiesų sakau jums: dar nebūsite išvaikščioję Izraelio miestų, kai ateis Žmogaus Sūnus.

24 Mokinys nėra aukštesnis už savo mokytoją nei tarnas už šeimininką.

25 Pakanka, jei mokinys prilygsta mokytojui ir tarnas šeimininkui. Jei namų šeimininką jie praminė Belzebulu, tai ką bekalbėti apie namiškius!”

26 “Taigi nebijokite jų. Nes nieko nėra uždengta, kas nebus atidengta, ir nieko paslėpta, kas nepasidarys žinoma.

27 Ką jums kalbu tamsoje, sakykite šviesoje, ir ką šnibždu į ausį, skelbkite nuo stogų.

28 Nebijokite tų, kurie žudo kūną, bet negali užmušti sielos. Verčiau bijokite to, kuris gali pražudyti ir sielą, ir kūną pragare.

29 Argi ne du žvirbliai parduodami už skatiką? Ir nė vienas iš jų nekrinta žemėn be jūsų Tėvo valios.

30 O jūsų net visi galvos plaukai suskaičiuoti.

31 Tad nebijokite! Jūs vertesni už daugybę žvirblių.

32 Kas išpažins mane žmonių akivaizdoje, ir Aš jį išpažinsiu savo dangiškojo Tėvo akivaizdoje.

33 O kas išsižadės manęs žmonių akivaizdoje, ir Aš jo išsižadėsiu savo dangiškojo Tėvo akivaizdoje”.

34 “Nemanykite, jog Aš atėjau atnešti žemėn ramybės. Atėjau atnešti ne ramybės, o kalavijo.

35 Atėjau sukiršinti ‘sūnaus prieš tėvą, dukters prieš motiną ir marčios prieš anytą.

36 Žmogaus namiškiai taps jam priešais’.

37 Kas myli tėvą ar motiną labiau negu mane­nevertas manęs. Kas myli sūnų ar dukterį labiau negu mane­nevertas manęs.

38 Kas neima savo kryžiaus ir neseka paskui mane, tas nevertas manęs.

39 Kas išsaugo savo gyvybę, praras ją, o kas praranda savo gyvybę dėl manęs­atras ją.

40 Kas jus priima, tas mane priima. O kas priima mane, priima Tą, kuris mane siuntė.

41 Kas priima pranašą dėl to, kad jis pranašas, gaus pranašo atlygį. Kas priima teisųjį dėl to, kad jis teisusis, gaus teisiojo atlygį.

42 Ir kas paduos bent taurę šalto vandens vienam iš šitų mažųjų dėl to, kad jis yra mokinys,­iš tiesų sakau jums,­tas nepraras savo atlygio”.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #7418

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7418. 'And strike the dust of the land' means that he should remove those things in the natural which are damned. This is clear from the meaning of 'striking' as removing; from the meaning of 'the dust' as that which is damned, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'the land', at this point the land of Egypt, as the natural mind, dealt with above in 7409. The reason why 'the dust' means that which is damned is that the places on the fringes below the soles of the feet, where evil spirits are, look like a land. They look like an uncultivated and dry land, to be exact, below which there are certain kinds of hells. That land is what is called the damned land, and the dust there serves to mean that which is damned. I have been allowed on several occasions to see evil spirits shaking off the dust there from their feet when they wished to consign someone to damnation. I saw them doing this in a position on the right slightly in front of me, on the borders of the hell of magicians, where spirits who during their life in the world have possessed a knowledge of matters of belief, but have nevertheless led a life of evil, are cast down into the hell that is theirs. This then is why 'the dust' means that which is damned, and 'shaking off the dust' damnation.

[2] Since it had that meaning the Lord commanded the disciples to shake off the dust on their feet if they were not well received. What He said about this appears in Matthew as follows,

If anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, as you leave that house or city, shake off the dust on your feet. Truly I say to you, It will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgement than for that city. Matthew 10:14-15; Mark 6:11; Luke 9:5; 10:10-12.

Here the disciples are not meant by the disciples but all aspects of the Church, thus all aspects of faith and charity, 2089, 2129 (end), 2130 (end), 3354, 3858, 3913, 6397. 'Not receiving' and 'not listening to' mean rejecting the truths of faith and forms of the good of charity, while 'shaking off the dust on their feet' means damnation. And the reason why 'it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than that city' is that 'Sodom and Gomorrah' is used to mean those who lead a life of evil but have known nothing about the Lord and the Word, and so could not be receptive. From this it may become clear that a house or a city unreceptive of the disciples is not meant, but those who though they are within the Church do not lead the life of faith. Anyone may see that an entire city could not be damned for not receiving the disciples and instantly accepting the new teaching proclaimed by them.

[3] That which is damned is also meant by 'the dust' which people in former times placed on their heads in grief or when penitent, as in Jeremiah,

The elders of the daughter of Zion sit on the ground, they are silent; they have caused dust to come up over their heads, they have girded themselves with sackcloth; the virgins of Jerusalem have caused their heads to come down to the ground. Lamentations 2:10.

In Ezekiel,

They will cry out bitterly, and will cause dust to come up over their heads; they roll themselves in ashes. Ezekiel 27:30.

In Micah,

Do not weep at all in the house of Aphrah; roll yourself in the dust. Micah 1:10.

In John,

They threw dust onto their heads, and cried out, weeping and wailing. Revelation 18:19.

The same actions are referred to throughout the historical narratives of the Word. Casting dust over the head, prostrating body and head on the ground, and rolling over in the dust on it, represented self-abasement, which - when it is genuine - is such that the person acknowledges and perceives that he is damned, yet is rescued from damnation by the Lord, see 1327, 3994, 4347, 5420, 5957.

[4] The dust' into which the golden calf which they made in the wilderness was crushed and ground down likewise means that which is damned. This is spoken of in Moses as follows,

I took your sin which you had made, the calf, and I burnt it in the fire, and crushed it by grinding it right down until it was as fine as dust; and I threw its dust into the brook descending out of the mountain. Deuteronomy 9:11.

'Dust' again means that which is damned in the following places: In Genesis,

Jehovah God said to the serpent, On your belly you will go, and dust will you eat all the days of your life. Genesis 3:14.

In Micah,

Shepherd Your people as in the days of eternity. The nations will see and be ashamed at all their power; they will lick the dust like a serpent. Micah 7:14, 16-17.

In Isaiah,

For the serpent, dust will be his bread. Isaiah 65:25.

In the same prophet,

Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babel. Isaiah 47:1.

In David,

Our soul was bowed down to the dust, our belly clung to the earth. Psalms 44:25.

In the same author,

My soul clings to the dust; vivify me. Psalms 119:25.

In the Word 'dust' in addition means the grave, as well as that which is lowly, and that which is numerous too.

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

The Bible

 

Exodus 8

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1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him, "This is what Yahweh says, 'Let my people Go, that they may serve me.

2 If you refuse to let them go, behold, I will plague all your borders with frogs:

3 and the river shall swarm with frogs, which shall go up and come into your house, and into your bedroom, and on your bed, and into the house of your servants, and on your people, and into your ovens, and into your kneading troughs:

4 and the frogs shall come up both on you, and on your people, and on all your servants.'"

5 Yahweh said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Stretch forth your hand with your rod over the rivers, over the streams, and over the pools, and cause frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.'"

6 Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.

7 The magicians did the same thing with their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt.

8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, "Entreat Yahweh, that he take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to Yahweh."

9 Moses said to Pharaoh, "I give you the honor of setting the time that I should pray for you, and for your servants, and for your people, that the frogs be destroyed from you and your houses, and remain in the river only."

10 He said, "Tomorrow." He said, "Be it according to your word, that you may know that there is none like Yahweh our God.

11 The frogs shall depart from you, and from your houses, and from your servants, and from your people. They shall remain in the river only."

12 Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to Yahweh concerning the frogs which he had brought on Pharaoh.

13 Yahweh did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courts, and out of the fields.

14 They gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank.

15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart, and didn't listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken.

16 Yahweh said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.'"

17 They did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and struck the dust of the earth, and there were lice on man, and on animal; all the dust of the earth became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.

18 The magicians tried with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they couldn't. There were lice on man, and on animal.

19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God:" and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he didn't listen to them; as Yahweh had spoken.

20 Yahweh said to Moses, "Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; behold, he comes forth to the water; and tell him, 'This is what Yahweh says, "Let my people go, that they may serve me.

21 Else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you, and on your servants, and on your people, and into your houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.

22 I will set apart in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end you may know that I am Yahweh in the midst of the earth.

23 I will put a division between my people and your people: by tomorrow shall this sign be."'"

24 Yahweh did so; and there came grievous swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses: and in all the land of Egypt the land was corrupted by reason of the swarms of flies.

25 Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, "Go, sacrifice to your God in the land!"

26 Moses said, "It isn't appropriate to do so; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to Yahweh our God. Behold, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and won't they stone us?

27 We will go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Yahweh our God, as he shall command us."

28 Pharaoh said, "I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to Yahweh your God in the wilderness, only you shall not go very far away. Pray for me."

29 Moses said, "Behold, I go out from you, and I will pray to Yahweh that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow; only don't let Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to Yahweh."

30 Moses went out from Pharaoh, and prayed to Yahweh.

31 Yahweh did according to the word of Moses, and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. There remained not one.

32 Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he didn't let the people go.