The Bible

 

Postanak 3

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1 Ali zmija beše lukava mimo sve zveri poljske, koje stvori Gospod Bog; pa reče ženi: Je li istina da je Bog kazao da ne jedete sa svakog drveta u vrtu?

2 A žena reče zmiji: Mi jedemo rod sa svakog drveta u vrtu;

3 Samo rod s onog drveta usred vrta, kazao je Bog, ne jedite i ne dirajte u nj, da ne umrete.

4 A zmija reče ženi: Nećete vi umreti;

5 Nego zna Bog da će vam se u onaj dan kad okusite s njega otvoriti oči, pa ćete postati kao bogovi i znati šta je dobro šta li zlo.

6 I žena videći da je rod na drvetu dobar za jelo i da ga je milina gledati i da je drvo vrlo drago radi znanja, uzabra rod s njega i okusi, pa dade i mužu svom, te i on okusi.

7 Tada im se otvoriše oči, i videše da su goli; pa spletoše lišća smokovog i načiniše sebi pregače.

8 I začuše glas Gospoda Boga, koji iđaše po vrtu kad zahladi; i sakri se Adam i žena mu ispred Gospoda Boga među drveta u vrtu.

9 A Gospod Bog viknu Adama i reče mu: Gde si?

10 A on reče: Čuh glas Tvoj u vrtu, pa se poplaših, jer sam go, te se sakrih.

11 A Bog reče: Ko ti kaza da si go? Da nisi jeo s onog drveta što sam ti zabranio da ne jedeš s njega?

12 A Adam reče: Žena koju si udružio sa mnom, ona mi dade s drveta, te jedoh.

13 A Gospod Bog reče ženi: Zašto si to učinila? A žena odgovori: Zmija me prevari, te jedoh.

14 Tada reče Gospod Bog zmiji: Kad si to učinila, da si prokleta mimo svako živinče i mimo sve zveri poljske; na trbuhu da se vučeš i prah da jedeš do svog veka.

15 I još mećem neprijateljstvo između tebe i žene i između semena tvog i semena njenog; ono će ti na glavu stajati a ti ćeš ga u petu ujedati.

16 A ženi reče: Tebi ću mnoge muke zadati kad zatrudniš, s mukama ćeš decu rađati, i volja će tvoja stajati pod vlašću muža tvog, i on će ti biti gospodar.

17 Pa onda reče Adamu: Što si poslušao ženu i okusio s drveta s kog sam ti zabranio rekavši da ne jedeš s njega, zemlja da je prokleta s tebe, s mukom ćeš se od nje hraniti do svog veka;

18 Trnje i korov će ti rađati, a ti ćeš jesti zelje poljsko;

19 Sa znojem lica svog ješćeš hleb, dokle se ne vratiš u zemlju od koje si uzet; jer si prah, i u prah ćeš se vratiti.

20 I Adam nadede ženi svojoj ime Jeva, zato što je ona mati svima živima.

21 I načini Gospod Bog Adamu i ženi njegovoj haljine od kože, i obuče ih u njih.

22 I reče Gospod Bog: Eto, čovek posta kao jedan od nas znajući šta je dobro šta li zlo; ali sada da ne pruži ruku svoju i uzbere i s drveta od života, i okusi, te do veka živi.

23 I Gospod Bog izagna ga iz vrta edemskog da radi zemlju, od koje bi uzet;

24 I izagnav čoveka postavi pred vrtom edemskim heruvima s plamenim mačem, koji se vijaše i tamo i amo, da čuva put ka drvetu od života.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Conjugial Love #413

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413. 21. The Lord provides there that the innocence of early childhood in them become an innocence of wisdom, and that the little children thus become angels. Many people may suppose that little children remain little children and become angels immediately after death. But it is intelligence and wisdom that make an angel. Consequently, as long as little children do not have that intelligence and wisdom, they are indeed among angels, but are not themselves angels. They become angels for the first time only when they have become intelligent and wise.

Little children are therefore led from the innocence of early childhood to the innocence of wisdom; that is, from an external innocence to an internal one. This latter innocence is the goal in all their instruction and advancement. Consequently, when they reach the innocence of wisdom, attached to it is the innocence of their early childhood, which in the meantime had served them as a foundation.

I once saw the nature of the innocence of early childhood represented by something woody, almost without life, but which becomes more alive as children acquire concepts of truth and affections for good. Then afterwards the nature of the innocence of wisdom was represented by a live and naked little child.

Angels of the third heaven are more than all others in a state of innocence from the Lord, and to the eyes of spirits who are below the heavens, they appear as naked little children. Being, moreover, wiser than the rest, they also are more alive. The reason is there is a correspondence between innocence and early childhood, and between innocence and nakedness. Therefore it is said of Adam and his wife, when they were in a state of innocence, that they were naked and not ashamed, but that after they lost their state of innocence, they were ashamed of their nakedness and hid themselves (Genesis 2:25, 3:7-8, 10-11). In short, the wiser angels are, the more innocent they are.

What the innocence of wisdom is like can be seen in some measure from the innocence of early childhood described above in no. 395, provided that the Lord is substituted for the parents there as the Father by whom such people are guided and to whom they attribute all that they receive.

  
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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.