From Swedenborg's Works

 

Spiritual Experiences #0

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[This second section of threshold materials is a reconstruction of the lost text of Spiritual Experiences, paragraphs 1 to 148, 1:3, from the indexes and the "Bath Fragment."]

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Thanks to the Academy of the New Church, and Bryn Athyn College, for the permission to use this translation.

The Bible

 

Revelation 11

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1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.

2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.

7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.

10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.

12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.

15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,

17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.

18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1119

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1119. I have been shown by actually observing it how the internal breathing of the most ancient people flowed in a non-audible manner into a kind of external, and thus non-verbal, speech, which was perceived by another person in his interior man. They said that that breathing with them changed according to their state of love and faith in the Lord. They also stated the reason, namely that because they had had communication with heaven, it could not be otherwise. In fact they and the angels who accompanied them were breathing in unison. Angels have breathing to which internal breathing corresponds, and which with them changes in a similar way. Indeed when they encounter anything contrary to love and faith in the Lord their breathing is laboured, but when they are experiencing the happiness that accompanies love and faith, their breathing is full and free. Something similar to this also exists with every human being but in this case everything depends on the bodily and worldly loves and on a person's basic assumptions. When anything goes against these he experiences laboured breathing, but when it is in keeping with them his breathing is full and free. These observations however apply to external breathing. The subject of angels and their breathing will in the Lord's Divine mercy be dealt with later on.

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