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1 Men ormen var listigare än alla andra markens djur som HERREN Gud hade gjort; och han sade till kvinnan: »Skulle då Gud hava sagt: 'I skolen icke äta av något träd i lustgården'?»

2 Kvinnan svarade ormen: »Vi få äta av frukten på de andra träden i lustgården,

3 men om frukten på det träd som står mitt i lustgården har Gud sagt: 'I skolen icke äta därav, ej heller komma därvid, på det att I icke mån .'»

4 Då sade ormen till kvinnan: »Ingalunda skolen I ;

5 men Gud vet, att när I äten därav, skola edra ögon öppnas, så att I bliven såsom Gud och förstån vad gott och ont är.»

6 Och kvinnan såg att trädet var gott att äta av, och att det var en lust för ögonen, och att det var ett ljuvligt träd, eftersom man därav fick förstånd, och hon tog av dess frukt och åt; och hon gav jämväl åt sin man, som var med henne, och han åt.

7 Då öppnades bådas ögon, och de blevo varse att de voro nakna; och de fäste ihop fikonlöv och bundo omkring sig.

8 Och de hörde HERREN Gud vandra i lustgården, när dagen begynte svalkas; då gömde sig mannen med sin hustru för HERREN Guds ansikte bland träden i lustgården.

9 Men HERREN Gud kallade på mannen och sade till honom: »Var är du?»

10 Han svarade: »Jag hörde dig i lustgården; då blev jag förskräckt, eftersom jag är naken; därför gömde jag mig.»

11 Då sade han: »Vem har låtit dig förstå att du är naken? Har du icke ätit av det träd som jag förbjöd dig att äta av?»

12 Mannen svarade: »Kvinnan som du har givit mig till att vara med mig, hon gav mig av trädet, så att jag åt

13 Då sade HERREN Gud till kvinnan: »Vad är det du har gjort!» Kvinnan svarade: »Ormen bedrog mig, så att jag åt

14 Då sade HERREN Gud till ormen: »Eftersom du har gjort detta, vare du förbannad bland alla djur, boskapsdjur och vilda djur. På din buk skall du gå, och stoft skall du äta i alla dina livsdagar.

15 Och jag skall sätta fiendskap mellan dig och kvinnan, och mellan din säd och hennes säd. Denna skall söndertrampa ditt huvud, och du skall stinga den i hälen.»

16 Och till kvinnan sade han: »Jag skall låta dig utstå mycken vedermöda, när du bliver havande; med smärta skall du föda dina barn. Men till din man skall din åtrå vara, och han skall råda över dig.»

17 Och till Adam sade han: »Eftersom du lyssnade till din hustrus ord och åt av det träd om vilket jag hade bjudit dig och sagt: 'Du skall icke äta därav', därför vare marken förbannad för din skull. Med vedermöda skall du nära dig av den i alla dina livsdagar;

18 törne och tistel skall den bära åt dig, men markens örter skola vara din föda.

19 I ditt anletes svett skall du äta ditt bröd, till dess du vänder åter till jorden; ty av den är du tagen. Ty du är stoft, och till stoft skall du åter varda.»

20 Och mannen gav sin hustru namnet Eva, ty hon blev en moder åt allt levande.

21 Och HERREN Gud gjorde åt Adam och hans hustru kläder av skinn och satte på dem.

22 Och HERREN Gud sade: »Se, mannen har blivit såsom en av oss, så att han förstår vad gott och ont är. Må han nu icke räcka ut sin hand och taga jämväl av livets träd och äta, och så leva evinnerligen

23 Och HERREN Gud förvisade honom ur Edens lustgård, för att han skulle bruka jorden, varav han var tagen.

24 Och han drev ut mannen, och satte öster om Edens lustgård keruberna jämte det ljungande svärdets lågor, för att bevaka vägen till livets träd.

   

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Apocalypse Explained #389

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389. Verses 9-11. And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a great voice, saying, How long, O Lord, who art holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet a little time until both their fellow-servants and their brethren, that should be killed, as they were, should be fulfilled.

"And when he had opened the fifth seal," signifies prediction still further; "I saw under the altar," signifies those who were reserved under heaven; "the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held," signifies those who were rejected and concealed on account of the Divine truth and confession of the Lord.

"And they cried with a great voice," signifies the grief of their minds saying, How long, O Lord, who art holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth," signifies sighings to the Lord, who is justice, concerning the judgment and removal of those who persecute and infest them who acknowledge the Lord, and are in the life of charity.

"And white robes were given unto every one," signifies Divine truth from the Lord with them, and protection. "And it was said unto them that they should rest yet a little time," signifies some further duration in that state; "until both their fellow-servants and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled," signifies, until all things were consummated.

  
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Translation by Isaiah Tansley. Many thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

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Heaven and Hell #534

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534. The way that leads to heaven, and the way that leads to hell were once represented to me. There was a broad way tending towards the left or the north, and many spirits were seen going in it; but at a distance a quite large stone was seen where the broad way came to an end. From that stone two ways there branched off, one to the left and one in the opposite direction to the right. The way that went to the left was narrow or restricted, leading through the west to the south, and thus into the light of heaven; the way that went to the right was broad and spacious, leading obliquely downwards towards hell. All at first seemed to be going the same way until they came to the large stone at the place where two ways met. When they reached that point they were separated; the good turned to the left and entered the restricted way that led to heaven; while the evil, not seeing the stone at the fork of the ways, fell upon it and were hurt; and when they rose up they ran on in the broad way to the right which went towards hell.

[2] What all these things signified was afterwards explained to me: namely, that by the first way which was broad, wherein many both good and evil went together and talked with each other as friends, because there was no visible difference between them, were represented those who in externals live alike honestly and justly, and between whom seemingly there is no difference. By the stone where the two ways met or at the corner, upon which the evil fell and from which they then ran along the way leading to hell, was represented the Divine Truth, which is rejected by those who look towards hell; and in the highest sense by this stone was signified the Lord's Divine Human. But those who at the same time acknowledged the Truth and the Divine of the Lord were borne along the way that led to heaven. From these things again it was clear that in externals the evil lead the same kind of life as the good, or go the same way, that is, one as readily as the other; and yet that those who from the heart acknowledge the Divine, especially those within the Church who acknowledge the Divine of the Lord, are led to heaven; while those who do not are borne to hell.

[3] The thoughts of man that proceed from his intention or will are represented in the other life by ways; and ways are visibly presented there in exact accord with those thoughts of intention; and in accord with his thoughts that proceed from intention everyone walks. For this reason the character of spirits and their thoughts are known from their ways. From these things also it is clear what is meant by the Lord's words:

Enter ye in through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many are those who walk along it; for straitened is the way and narrow the gate that leadeth to life, and few be they who find it. Matthew 7:13-14.

The way that leads to life is straitened not because it is difficult but because there are few who find it, as is said here. By the stone seen at the corner where the broad and common way ended, and from which two ways were seen to lead in opposite directions, is illustrated what is signified by these words of the Lord:

Have ye not read what is written? The stone which the builders rejected was made the head of the corner. Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken. Luke 20:17-18.

"Stone" signifies Divine Truth, and "the stone of Israel" the Lord in respect of His Divine Human; the "builders" are those who are of the Church; "the head of the corner" is where the two ways are; "to fall" and "to be broken" is to deny and perish. 1

Fotnoter:

1. [Swedenborg's footnote] "Stone" signifies truth (Arcana Coelestia 114, 643, 1298, 3720, 6426, 8609, 10376).

For this reason the law was inscribed on tables of stone (Arcana Coelestia 10376).

"The stone of Israel" means the Lord in respect of the Divine Truth and His Divine Human (Arcana Coelestia 6426).

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