The Bible

 

Jeremiah 39:23

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23 και εισηλθοσαν και ελαβοσαν αυτην και ουκ ηκουσαν της φωνης σου και εν τοις προσταγμασιν σου ουκ επορευθησαν απαντα α ενετειλω αυτοις ουκ εποιησαν και εποιησας συμβηναι αυτοις παντα τα κακα ταυτα

From Swedenborg's Works

 

The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Teachings #65

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65. Love for Ourselves and Love for the World

Love for ourselves is intending benefit only to ourselves and not to others unless it is in our own interests-having no goodwill toward the church or our country or toward any group of people or any fellow citizen. It is also being good to the church, our country, and other people only for the sake of our own reputation, advancement, or praise, so that unless we see some such reward in the good we may do for them we say at heart, "What's the use? Why should I? What's in it for me?" and forget about it. This shows that when we live a life of self-love we are not loving the church, our country, our community, our fellow citizens, or anything worthwhile-only ourselves.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.