From Swedenborg's Works

 

The Inner Meaning of the Prophets and Psalms #156

  
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156. Internal Meaning of Ezekiel, Chapter 33

Of those who instruct and are instructed. (2)

1-5 Those who are instructed by the preacher concerning falsities and do not take heed, perish; (2, 11)

6-7 when the preacher sees falsities and does not give instruction concerning them, he perishes. (2)

8-9 The same is true of everyone who teaches doctrine, when he teaches and is not heard, or when he does not teach. (2, 3)

10-11 So now in the church, they must be taught in order that they may be converted, because the Lord wishes the salvation of all. (2)

12-16 If the evil man becomes good, His evil is forgiven; if the good man becomes evil, His good is not regarded. (2)

17-20 These things are Divine justice. (2, 3)

21-26 A perverted church declares that it is the church because it has the Word; nevertheless it falsifies the Word, worships another god and does evil, (2, 4)

27-29 and will perish by reason of falsities of evil, (3)

30-33 notwithstanding its hearing the Word, and being in external worship. (3)

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

The Bible

 

Ezekiel 33:12-16

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12 You, son of man, tell the children of your people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his disobedience; and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turns from his wickedness; neither shall he who is righteous be able to live thereby in the day that he sins.

13 When I tell the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his righteousness, and commit iniquity, none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered; but in his iniquity that he has committed, therein shall he die.

14 Again, when I say to the wicked, You shall surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;

15 if the wicked restore the pledge, give again that which he had taken by robbery, walk in the statutes of life, committing no iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.

16 None of his sins that he has committed shall be remembered against him: he has done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.