The Bible

 

Postanak 19

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1 A uveče dođoše dva anđela u Sodom; a Lot seđaše na vratima sodomskim; i kad ih ugleda, ustade te ih srete, i pokloni se licem do zemlje,

2 I reče: Hodite, gospodo, u kuću sluge svog, i prenoćite i operite noge svoje; pa sutra rano kad ustanete pođite svojim putem. A oni rekoše: Ne, nego ćemo prenoćiti na ulici.

3 Ali on navali na njih, te se uvratiše k njemu i uđoše u kuću njegovu, i on ih ugosti, i ispeče hlebova presnih, i jedoše.

4 I još ne behu legli, a građani Sodomljani slegoše se oko kuće, staro i mlado, sav narod sa svih krajeva,

5 I vikahu Lota i govorahu mu: Gde su ljudi što dođoše sinoćk tebi? Izvedi ih k nama da ih poznamo.

6 A Lot iziđe k njima pred vrata zatvorivši vrata za sobom,

7 I reče im: Nemojte, braćo, činiti zla.

8 Evo imam dve kćeri, koje još ne poznaše čoveka; njih ću vam izvesti, pa činite s njima šta vam je volja; samo ne dirajte u ove ljude, jer su zato ušli pod moj krov.

9 A oni rekoše: Hodi amo. Pa onda rekoše: Ovaj je sam došao amo da živi kao došljak, pa još hoće da nam sudi; sad ćemo tebi učiniti gore nego njima. Pa navališe jako na čoveka, na Lota, i stadoše istavljati vrata.

10 A ona dva čoveka digoše ruke, i uvukoše Lota sebi u kuću, i zatvoriše vrata.

11 A ljude što behu pred vratima kućnim ujedanput oslepiše od najmanjeg do najvećeg, te ne mogahu naći vrata.

12 Tada ona dva čoveka rekoše Lotu: Ako imaš ovde još koga svog, ili zeta ili sina ili kćer, ili koga god svog u ovom gradu, gledaj nek idu odavde;

13 Jer hoćemo da zatremo mesto ovo, jer je vika njihova velika pred Gospodom, pa nas posla Gospod da ga zatremo.

14 I iziđe Lot, i kaza zetovima svojim, za koje htede dati kćeri svoje, i reče im: Ustajte, idite iz mesta ovog, jer će sada zatrti Gospod grad ovaj. Ali se zetovima njegovim učini da se šali.

15 A kad zora zabele, navališe anđeli na Lota govoreći: ustani, uzmi ženu svoju, i dve kćeri svoje koje su tu, da ne pogineš u bezakonju grada tog.

16 A on se stade ščinjati, te ljudi uzeše za ruku njega i ženu njegovu i dve kćeri njegove, jer ga beše žao Gospodu i izvedoše ga i pustiše ga iza grada.

17 I kad ih izvedoše napolje, reče jedan: Izbavi dušu svoju i ne obziri se natrag i u celoj ovoj ravni da nisi stao; beži na ono brdo da ne pogineš.

18 A Lot im reče: Nemoj, Gospode!

19 Gle, sluga tvoj nađe milost pred Tobom, i milost je Tvoja prevelika koju mi učini sačuvavši mi život; ali ne mogu uteći na brdo da me ne stigne zlo i ne poginem.

20 Eno grad blizu; onamo se može uteći, a mali je; da bežimo onamo; ta mali je, te ću ostati živ.

21 A on mu reče: Eto poslušaću te i zato, i neću zatrti grada, za koji reče.

22 Brže beži onamo; jer ne mogu činiti ništa dok ne stigneš onamo. Zato se prozva onaj grad Sigor.

23 I kad sunce ogranu po zemlji, Lot dođe u Sigor.

24 Tada pusti Gospod na Sodom i na Gomor od Gospoda s neba dažd od sumpora i ognja,

25 I zatre one gradove i svu onu ravan, i sve ljude u gradovima i rod zemaljski.

26 Ali žena Lotova beše se obazrela idući za njim, i posta slan kamen.

27 A sutradan rano ustavši Avram, otide na mesto gde je stajao pred Gospodom;

28 I pogleda na Sodom i Gomor i svu okolinu po onoj ravni, i ugleda, a to se dizaše dim od zemlje kao dim iz peći.

29 Ali kad Bog zatiraše gradove u onoj ravni, opomenu se Bog Avrama, i izvede Lota iz propasti kad zatre gradove gde živeše Lot.

30 A Lot otide iz Sigora i stani se na onom brdu s dve kćeri svoje, jer se bojaše ostati u Sigoru; i živeše u pećini s dve kćeri svoje.

31 A starija reče mlađoj: Naš je otac star, a nema nikoga na zemlji da dođe k nama, kao što je običaj po svoj zemlji.

32 Hajde da damo ocu vina neka se opije, pa da legnemo s njim, eda bismo sačuvale seme ocu svom.

33 I dadoše ocu vina onu noć; i došavši starija leže s ocem svojim, i on ne oseti ni kad ona leže ni kad ustade.

34 A sutradan reče starija mlađoj: Gle, noćas spavah s ocem svojim. Da mu damo vina i doveče, pa idi ti i lezi s njim, eda bismo sačuvale seme ocu svom.

35 Pa i to veče dadoše ocu vina, i ustavši mlađa leže s njim, i on ne oseti ni kad ona leže ni kad ustade.

36 I obe kćeri Lotove zatrudneše od oca svog.

37 I starija rodi sina, i nadede mu ime Moav; od njega su Moavci do današnjeg dana.

38 Pa i mlađa rodi sina, i nadede mu ime Ven-Amije; od njega su Amonci do današnjeg dana.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #2349

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2349. 'All the people from furthest away' means every single one of them. This is clear from what is said immediately above, that there 'boys and old men' means falsities and evils, recent as well as confirmed, so that at this point 'people from furthest away' means every single one of them. Also, the word 'people' in general means falsities, see 1259, 1260.

[2] The description at this point then is of the initial state of those inside the Church who are opposed to the good of charity and who are as a consequence opposed to the Lord, for one entails the other. Indeed nobody can be joined to the Lord except by means of love and charity. Love is spiritual conjunction itself, as may become clear from the essence of love, and anybody who is unable to be joined to Him is unable to acknowledge Him either. That those with whom good does not exist cannot acknowledge the Lord, that is, cannot have faith in Him, is clear in John,

Light has come into the world, but men preferred darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. He who performs evil deeds hates the light and does not come to the light lest his deeds should be exposed. He however who does the truth comes to the light, so that his deeds may be clearly seen, because they have been wrought in God. John 3:19-21.

From these words it is evident that people who are opposed to the good of charity are opposed to the Lord, or what amounts to the same, people immersed in evil hate the light and do not come to the light. That 'the light' is faith in the Lord, and is the Lord Himself, is evident in John 1:9-10; 12:35-36, 46.

[3] The same point is made in another part of the same gospel,

The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil. John 7:7.

And it is said more plainly still in Matthew,

He will say to those On His left hand, Depart from Me, you cursed; for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me. Truly I say to you, Insofar as you did not do it to one of the least of these you did not do it to Me. Matthew 25:41-43, 45.

[4] This shows in what way they are opposed to the Lord who are opposed to the good of charity. It also shows that everyone is judged according to good that flows from charity, not according to the truth of faith when the latter has been separated from good, as is also shown elsewhere in Matthew,

The Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father together with His angels, and at that time He will repay everyone according to his deeds. Matthew 16:27.

'Deeds' stands for the good actions which flow from charity. The deeds of charity are also called the fruits of faith.

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