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Ezechiel第16章

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1 Opět stalo se slovo Hospodinovo ke mně, řkoucí:

2 Synu člověčí, oznam Jeruzalému ohavnosti jeho,

3 A rci: Takto praví Panovník Hospodin dceři Jeruzalémské: Obcování tvé a rod tvůj jest z země Kananejské, otec tvůj jest Amorejský, a matka tvá Hetejská.

4 Narození pak tvé: V den, v němž jsi se narodila, nebyl přiřezán pupek tvůj, a vodou nebylas obmyta, abys ošetřena byla, aniž jsi byla solí posolena, ani plénkami obvinuta.

5 Neslitovalo se nad tebou oko, aťby v jednom z těch věcí posloužilo, maje lítost nad tebou, ale bylas povržena na svrchku pole, proto že jsi ošklivá byla v den, v kterémž jsi narodila se.

6 A jda mimo tebe, a vida tě ku potlačení vydanou ve krvi tvé, řekl jsem tobě: Ve krvi své živa buď. řekl jsem, pravím, tobě: Ve krvi své živa buď.

7 Rozmnožil jsem tě jako z rostliny polní, i rozmnožena jsi a zveličena, a přišlas k největší ozdobě. Prsy tvé oduly se, a vlasy tvé zrostly, ač jsi byla nahá a odkrytá.

8 Protož jda mimo tě, a vida tě, an aj, čas tvůj čas milování, vztáhl jsem křídlo své na tě, a přikryl jsem nahotu tvou, a přísahou zavázav se tobě, všel jsem v smlouvu s tebou, praví Panovník Hospodin, a tak jsi má učiněna.

9 I umyl jsem tě vodou, a splákl jsem krev tvou s tebe, a pomazal jsem tě olejem.

10 Nadto přioděl jsem tě rouchem krumpovaným, a obul jsem tě v drahé střevíce, a opásal jsem tě kmentem, a přioděl jsem tě rouchem hedbávným.

11 Ozdobil jsem tě také ozdobou, a dal jsem náramky na ruce tvé, a točenici na hrdlo tvé.

12 Dalť jsem ozdobu i na čelo tvé, a náušnice na uši tvé, a korunu krásnou na hlavu tvou.

13 A tak bylas ozdobena zlatem a stříbrem, a oděv tvůj byl kment a roucho hedbávné, a proměnných barev roucho. Běl a med a olej jídala jsi, a krásná jsi učiněna velmi velice, a šťastněť se vedlo v království,

14 Tak že se rozešla pověst o tobě mezi národy pro krásu tvou; nebo dokonalá byla, pro slávu mou, kterouž jsem byl vložil na tebe, praví Panovník Hospodin.

15 Ale úfalas v krásu svou, a smilnilas přičinou pověstí své; nebo jsi páchala smilství s každým mimo tebe jdoucím. Každý snadně užil krásy tvé.

16 A vzavši z roucha svého, nadělalas sobě výsostí rozličných barev, a páchalas smilství při nich, jemuž podobné nikdy nepřijde, aniž kdy potom bude.

17 Nad to, vzavši přípravy ozdoby své z zlata mého a stříbra mého, kteréžť jsem byl dal, nadělalas sobě obrazů pohlaví mužského, a smilnilas s nimi.

18 Vzalas také roucha svá krumpovaná, a přiodílas je, olej můj i kadidlo mé kladlas před nimi.

19 Ano i chléb můj, kterýžť jsem byl dal, běl a olej i med, jímž jsem tě krmil, kladlas před nimi u vůni příjemnou, a bylo tak, praví Panovník Hospodin.

20 Bralas i syny své a dcery své, kteréž jsi mně zplodila, a obětovalas jim k spálení. Cožť se ještě zdálo málo, taková smilství tvá,

21 Žes i syny mé zabíjela a dávalas je, aby je provodili jim?

22 K tomu ve všech ohavnostech svých a smilstvích svých nerozpomenulas se na dny mladosti své, když jsi byla nahá a odkrytá, ku potlačení vydaná ve krvi své.

23 Ale stalo se přes všecku tuto nešlechetnost tvou, (běda, běda tobě), praví Panovník Hospodin,

24 Že jsi vystavěla sobě i vysoké místo, a vzdělalas sobě výsost v každé ulici.

25 Při všelikém rozcestí udělalas výsost svou, a zohavilas krásu svou, roztahujíc nohy své každému tudy jdoucímu, a příliš jsi smilnila.

26 Nebo smilnila jsi s syny Egyptskými, sousedy svými velikého těla, a příliš jsi smilnila, abys mne k hněvu popouzela.

27 Protož aj, vztáhl jsem ruku svou na tebe, a ujal jsem vyměřeného pokrmu tvého, a vydal jsem tě k líbosti nenávidících tě dcer Filistinských, kteréžto styděly se za cestu tvou nešlechetnou.

28 Smilnilas též s syny Assyrskými, proto že jsi nemohla nasytiti se, a smilnivši s nimi, aniž jsi tak se nasytila.

29 A tak příliš jsi smilnila v zemi Kananejské s Kaldejskými, a aniž jsi tak se nasytila.

30 Jakť jest zmámeno srdce tvé, praví Panovník Hospodin, poněvadž se dopouštíš všech těchto skutků ženy nevěstky přenestydaté,

31 Stavěje sobě vysoké místo na rozcestí všeliké silnice, a výsost sobě stroje i v každé ulici. Nýbrž pohrdaje darem, nejsi ani jako nevěstka,

32 A žena cizoložná, kteráž místo muže svého povoluje cizím.

33 Všechněm nevěstkám dávají mzdu, ale ty dávalas mzdu svou všechněm frejířům svým, a darovalas je, aby vcházeli k tobě odevšad pro smilství tvá.

34 A tak jest při tobě naproti obyčeji těch žen při smilstvích tvých, poněvadž tě k smilství nehledají, nýbrž ty dáváš dary, a ne tobě dar dáván bývá. A toť jest naopak.

35 Protož ó nevěstko, slyš slovo Hospodinovo:

36 Takto praví Panovník Hospodin: Proto že vylita jest mrzkost tvá, a odkrývána byla nahota tvá při smilstvích tvých s frejíři tvými, a se všemi ukydanými bohy ohavností tvých, též pro krev synů tvých, kteréž jsi dala jim:

37 Proto aj, já shromáždím všecky frejíře tvé, s nimiž jsi obcovala, a všecky, kteréž jsi milovala, se všechněmi, jichž jsi nenáviděla, a shromáždě je proti tobě odevšad, odkryji nahotu tvou před nimi, aby viděli všecku nahotu tvou.

38 A budu tě souditi soudem cizoložnic, a těch, kteříž krev vylévají, a oddám tě k smrti, kteráž přijde na tě z prchlivosti a horlení.

39 Nebo vydám tě v ruku jejich. I rozboří vysoké místo tvé, a rozválejí výsosti tvé, a svlekouce tě z roucha tvého, poberou přípravy ozdoby tvé, a nechají tě nahé a odkryté.

40 I přivedou proti tobě shromáždění, a uházejí tě kamením, a probodnou tě meči svými.

41 Popálí také domy tvé ohněm, a vykonají na tobě pomstu před očima žen mnohých, a tak přítrž učiním tvému smilství, a aniž budeš dávati daru více.

42 A tak odpočineť sobě hněv můj na tobě, a horlení mé odejde od tebe, abych upokojil se a nehněval se více,

43 Proto žes se nerozpomenula na dny mladosti své, ale postavovalas se proti mně ve všem tom. Aj hle, já také cestu tvou na hlavu tvou obrátil jsem, praví Panovník Hospodin, tak že nebudeš páchati nešlechetnosti, ani kterých ohavností svých.

44 Aj, kdožkoli užívá přísloví, o tobě užive přísloví, řka: Jakáž matka, takáž dcera její.

45 Dcera matky své jsi, té, kteráž sobě zošklivila muže svého a dítky své, a sestra obou sestr svých jsi, kteréž zošklivily sobě muže své a dítky své. Matka vaše jest Hetejská, a otec váš Amorejský.

46 Sestra pak tvá starší, kteráž sedí po levici tvé, jest Samaří a dcery její, a Sestra tvá mladší, kteráž sedí po pravici tvé, jest Sodoma a dcery její.

47 Nýbrž aniž jsi po cestách jejich chodila, ani podlé ohavností jejich činila, zošklivivši sobě jako věc špatnou, pročež pokazilas se více než ony na všech cestách svých.

48 Živť jsem já, praví Panovník Hospodin, že Sodoma sestra tvá i dcery její nečinily, jako jsi ty činila s dcerami svými.

49 Aj, tatoť byla nepravost Sodomy sestry tvé: Pýcha, sytost chleba a hojnost pokoje. To ona majíc i dcery její, ruky však chudého a nuzného neposilňovala.

50 Ale pozdvihše se, páchaly ohavnost přede mnou; protož sklidil jsem je, jakž mi se vidělo.

51 Samaří také ani polovice hříchů tvých nenahřešila. Nebo jsi rozhojnila ohavnosti své nad ně, a tak jsi spravedlivější býti ukázala sestry své všemi ohavnostmi svými, kteréž jsi páchala.

52 Nesiž i ty také potupu svou, kterouž jsi přisoudila sestrám svým, pro hříchy své, kteréž jsi ohavně páchala více než ony. Spravedlivějšíť byly než ty. I ty, pravím, styď se, a nes potupu svou, poněvadž spravedlivější býti ukazuješ sestry své.

53 Přivedu-li zase zajaté jejich, totiž zajaté Sodomy a dcer jejich, též zajaté Samaří a dcer jejich, takéť zajetí zajatých tvých u prostřed nich,

54 Proto, abys musila nésti potupu svou a hanbiti se za všecko, což jsi páchala, jsuc jejich potěšením.

55 Jestližeť sestry tvé, Sodoma a dcery její, navrátí se k prvnímu způsobu svému, též Samaří a dcery její navrátí-li se k prvnímu způsobu svému: i ty také s dcerami svými navrátíte se k prvnímu způsobu svému.

56 Poněvadž nebyla Sodoma sestra tvá pověstí v ústech tvých v den zvýšení tvého,

57 Prvé než zjevena byla zlost tvá, jako za času útržky od dcer Syrských a všech, kteříž jsou vůkol nich, dcer Filistinských, kteréž tě hubily se všech stran:

58 Nešlechetnost svou a ohavnosti své poneseš, praví Hospodin.

59 Nebo takto praví Panovník Hospodin: Tak učiním tobě, jakž jsi učinila, když jsi pohrdla přísahou, a zrušila smlouvu.

60 A však rozpomenu se na smlouvu svou s tebou ve dnech mladosti tvé, potvrdím, pravím, tobě smlouvy věčné.

61 I rozpomeneš se na cesty své, a hanbiti se budeš, když přijmeš sestry své starší, nežli jsi ty, i mladší, nežli jsi ty, a dám je tobě za dcery, ale ne podlé smlouvy tvé.

62 A tak utvrdím smlouvu svou s tebou, i zvíš, že já jsem Hospodin,

63 Abys se rozpomenula a styděla, a nemohla více úst otevříti pro hanbu svou, když tě očistím ode všeho, což jsi činila, praví Panovník Hospodin.

   

来自斯威登堡的著作

 

Apocalypse Explained#240

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240. But that naked signifies those who are without the understanding of truth because without the will of good, is evident also from those passages in the Word where the terms naked and nakedness are mentioned, which shall be adduced below. The reason why these terms have such a signification is that garments signify truths of the understanding. He who is without truths is also without good, for all spiritual good is procured by means of truths, and without them, or except by them, spiritual good cannot exist; spiritual good is charity. Naked and nakedness signify the deprivation of intelligence and love, thus of the understanding of good and of the will thereof; also for the reason that garments cover the body and the flesh, and by body and flesh is signified good, hence by garments are signified those things that cover good.

[2] There is the understanding of truth and the understanding of good; the understanding of truth is the understanding of those things that belong to faith, and the understanding of good is the understanding of those things that belong to love and charity. There is also the will of truth and the will of good; the will of truth pertains to those who, belong to the Lord's spiritual kingdom, but the will of good to those who belong to His celestial kingdom. The latter, because they are in love to the Lord and thence in mutual love, which with them is charity towards the neighbour, have truths inscribed on their hearts, and hence do them; and what proceeds from the heart is from the will of good; for the heart denotes the will of good; but those who are in love towards the neighbour, which love is charity, have not truths inscribed on their hearts, but on the memory, and thence on the intellectual mind, and that which thence proceeds from affection, is the will of truth. It is thus that the spiritual angels are distinguished from the celestial angels; the latter appear naked in heaven, but the former clothed.

The reason why the celestial angels appear naked is that they have no need of the memory in order to retain truths, nor of the understanding in order to comprehend them, because they have them inscribed on the heart, that is, on the love and will, and thence see them. And the reason why the spiritual angels appear clothed is that they have truths inscribed on the memory, and thence on the understanding, and truths thus inscribed correspond to garments, therefore they all appear clothed according to their intelligence. (That the angels are thus clothed, may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 177-182.) From these considerations it is evident that naked signifies in one sense those who are in celestial good, and in the other, those who are not in good because not in truths.

[3] But these things may be better seen from those passages, in the Word where naked and nakedness are mentioned, such as the following. In Isaiah:

Jehovah said to the prophet, "Put off the sackcloth from upon thy loins, and put off thy shoe from upon thy foot. And he did so. Then Jehovah said, Like, as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years; so shall the king of Assyria lead the captivity of Egypt, and the crowd of Cush that is to be carried off, the boys and the old men, naked and unshod, and their buttocks uncovered, the nakedness of Egypt" (20:2-4).

No one can see what is stored up in these words concerning the church and heaven, unless he knows their spiritual sense; for in every detail of the Word something pertaining to heaven and the church is contained, because the Word is spiritual: it shall therefore be explained. By the prophet is here meant the doctrine of the church; by putting off sackcloth from upon his loins, or by making the loins naked, is meant to reveal filthy loves. By the usual sackcloth of the prophet are here meant the covering garments, and by the loins are signified those loves. By putting off the shoe from upon his foot, or unshoeing the soles of the foot, is signified to reveal the filthy things of nature. By the king of Assyria leading the captivity of Egypt, and the crowd of Cush that is to be carried off, is meant that the perverted Rational would confirm evils and falsities by scientifics (scientifica) and fallacies. By boys and old men are meant by all things, both in general and in particular. By naked and barefoot is meant that they are deprived of all truth and of all good. By their buttocks uncovered are meant the evils of self-love; by the nakedness of Egypt the falsities therefrom. It is therefore clear what is here treated of concerning the church and heaven, namely, that the perverted Rational, which denies God, and attributes all things to nature, confirms itself by scientifics and by fallacies, until it is deprived of all understanding of truth and will of good. (That by prophet in the Word is meant doctrine, may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 2534, 7269; by the loins are signified the loves in each sense, n. 3021, 4280, 5059; by the feet are signified the natural things pertaining to man, and by the soles of the feet those which are in the ultimates, n. 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952; by shoes are signified the same things as to the covering of them, n. 1748, 2162, 6844; by the king of Assyria is signified the Rational in both senses, n. 119, 1186; by Egypt is signified the Scientific (scientificum) of the natural man, also, in both senses, good and evil, n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 5700, 5702, 6015, 6651, 6679, 6683, 6692, 7296, 9340, 9391; by Cush are signified the fallacies of the senses, n. 1163, 1164, 1166.)

[4] In Ezekiel:

"When I passed by thee, and saw thee, I covered thy nakedness, and I washed thee and clothed thee. But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot. Thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare. Thou hast committed fornication with the sons of Egypt and with the sons of Asshur. Thou hast moreover multiplied thy fornication in the land unto Chaldea; wherefore thy nakedness is revealed by thy whoredoms; therefore they shall stone thee with stones, and shall cut thee in pieces with their swords. And they shall burn thine houses with fire" (16:6, and following verses).

Jerusalem is here treated of, by which is meant the church as to doctrine; and by these and many other expressions in the same chapter, the quality of the church in the beginning, and what it became when it declined from good and truth, is described. Its quality when established by the Lord, thus its quality in the beginning, is described by, "when I passed by thee, and saw thee, I covered thy nakedness, I washed thee and clothed thee." To cover nakedness signifies to remove the evils of the will and the falsities of the understanding; to wash signifies to purify from evils, and to clothe signifies to instruct in truths. But the quality of the church when it declined from good and from truth, is described in what follows. Thou didst trust in thy beauty, signifies intelligence from the proprium, and that the church was delighted with it. By committing whoredom is signified that thus it imbued falsities; by committing fornication with the sons of Egypt and with the sons of Asshur, are signified falsifications confirmed by scientifics and rational things therefrom. By multiplying fornication unto Chaldea, is signified even to the profanation of truth. Hence it is clear what is signified by wherefore thy nakedness is revealed by thy whoredoms; namely, that the church by falsities and falsifications would be deprived of all understanding of truth. By they shall stone thee with stones, is signified that the church would perish by falsities. By they shall cut thee in pieces with their swords, is signified that the church would perish altogether by the falsifications of truth. And by they shall burn thy houses with fire is signified that it would wholly perish by infernal loves: houses denote everything pertaining to man, and fire denotes infernal loves. From these considerations it is clear what pertaining to heaven and the church is contained in those words, and that this appears solely from the spiritual sense. (That washing signifies to purify from evils and falsities, may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 3147, 10237, 10240, 10243; that to clothe signifies to instruct in truths, n. 1073, 2576, 5248, 5319, 5954, 9212, 9216, 9952, 10536; that beauty signifies intelligence, n. 3080, 4985, 5199, in this case intelligence from the proprium. That to commit whoredom denotes to be imbued with falsities, see above, n. 141: that Egypt denotes the Scientific, and Asshur the Rational, may be seen just above. That Chaldea denotes the profanation of truth, Arcana Coelestia 1182, 1283, 1295, 1304, 1306, 1307, 1308, 1321, 1322, 1326: that to stone with stones signifies to perish by falsities, n. 5156, 7456, 8575, 8799: that sword signifies falsity fighting against truth and destroying it, n. 2799, 4499, 7102, hence to cut in pieces with swords denotes to perish altogether by falsifications of truth; that fire signifies infernal love, n. 1861, 5071, 6314, 6832, 7575, 10747; and that a house signifies the whole man, and the things pertaining to him, thus which pertain to his understanding and his will, n. 710, 2231, 2233, 2559, 3128, 3538, 4973, 5023, 6690, 7353, 7848, 7910, 7929, 9150; hence it is evident what is signified by they shall burn thy houses with fire.)

[5] In Hosea:

"Contend with your mother, that she may put away her whoredoms and her adulteries, lest peradventure I strip her naked and make her as a desert, as a land of dryness, and slay her with thirst; and her sons will I not pity, because they are the sons of whoredoms" (2:2-4).

The subject here treated of is also the church fallen into falsities and evils; the mother with whom they would contend signifies the church. Whoredoms and adulteries signify falsities and evils therefrom; to make her as a wilderness and set her as a land of dryness signifies the deprivation of good and of truth. To slay her with thirst signifies a total defect of truth; her sons signify all the falsities thereof, in general, therefore they are called sons of whoredoms. (That mother signifies the church, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 289, 2691, 2717, 3703, 4257, 5581, 8897; that desert signifies where there is no good because no truth, n. 2708, 4736, 7055; that a dry land signifies where there is no truth is, because water signifies the truth of faith, n. 2702, 3058, 5668, 8568, 10238; that to be slain with thirst, signifies to perish from defect of truth, n. 8568 at the end. That sons signify affections of truth, and truths in general, n. 2362, 3963, 6729, 6775, 6778, 9055; thus, in the opposite sense, affections of falsity and falsities in general. Hence it may be evident that by stripping her naked is signified, her being without good and truth.)

[6] In Lamentations:

"Jerusalem hath sinned a sin; therefore all that honoured her, despise her, because they have seen her nakedness" (1:8).

In Ezekiel:

Aholah, which is Samaria, committed whoredom with the Egyptians, and with the sons of Asshur; they uncovered her nakedness, her sons and her daughters have they taken, and at length they have slain her with the sword: "therefore will I give thee into the hand of those whom thou hast hated, that they may deal with thee from hatred, and take away all thy labour, and leave thee naked and bare, that the nakedness of thy whoredoms may be uncovered" (23:4, 8, 9, 10, 18, 28, 29).

The subject treated of in this chapter is Samaria, which is called Aholah, and Jerusalem, which is called Aholibah, the church being signified by both. By Samaria, where the sons of Israel were, is signified the church in which were no truths, but falsities, and by Jerusalem, the church where there were no goods, but evils. What is signified by committing whoredom with the Egyptians and with the sons of Asshur, and what by slaying her sons and daughters with the sword, was explained above; hence it is clear, that by leaving her naked and bare is signified to be without good and truth.

[7] In Isaiah:

"The Lord will make bald the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and Jehovah will make naked their buttocks" (3:17).

The daughters of Zion signify the celestial church and the things of that church, but, in this case, perverted. By the crown of the head, which shall be made bald, is signified intelligence of which it shall be deprived; and the buttocks, which shall be made naked, signify the love of evil and of falsity.

[8] In Nahum:

"Woe to the city of bloods, wholly in a lie, and full of rapine; because of the multitude of her whoredoms I will uncover thy skirts over thy faces, and will make nations see thy nakedness, and kingdoms thy lightness" (3:1, 4, 5).

The city of bloods signifies the doctrine of falsity which offers violence to the good of charity.

[9] In Habakkuk:

"Woe unto him that maketh his companion to drink, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakednesses. Drink thou also, that thy foreskin may be uncovered" (2:15, 16).

To make a companion drink, and make him drunken, signifies to impart falsities until he does not see truth: to look on their nakednesses, denotes to cause the falsities of the understanding and the evils of the will to appear. The foreskin which would be uncovered, denotes filthy loves. (That to drink denotes to be instructed in truths, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 3069, 3772, 4017, 4018, 8562, 9412; hence, in the opposite sense, it denotes to impart falsities; that to be made drunken denotes to become insane from falsities, thus not to see truths, n. 1072; that the foreskin signifies corporeal and terrestrial loves, n. 4462, 7045.) Hence it is evident what is signified by the fact that

Noah drank wine and was drunken, so that he lay naked in the midst of his tent, and that Ham laughed at the nakedness of his father, but that Shem and Japheth covered his nakedness, and turned away their faces that they might not see the nakedness of their father (Genesis 9:21-23).

(But these things may be seen explained in Arcana Coelestia where they are treated of.)

[10] In Lamentations:

"The cup also shall pass over unto thee, O daughter of Edom: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt be naked" (4:21).

Here, by being drunken and naked are signified the same things as above. (But who in particular are signified by Edom may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 3322, 8314.)

In Isaiah:

Daughter of Babel and Chaldea, "sit upon the earth. Take the millstones, and grind meal; uncover thy hair, uncover thy thigh, pass over the rivers. Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, and also thy shame shall be seen" (47:1-3).

By the daughter of Babylon and Chaldea are meant those who profane the goods and truths of the church. To grind meal signifies to falsify truths; to uncover the hair and the thigh signifies to be deprived of the understanding of truth, and the will of good; to pass over the rivers, and to uncover her nakedness have also a similar signification.

[11] Because nakedness signified the deprivation of the understanding of truth and of the will of good, it was therefore commanded that Aaron and his sons should not ascend by steps upon the altar, lest their nakedness should be uncovered thereon (Exodus 20:26). Also that

They should make for them breeches of linen to cover the flesh of their nakedness, and that they should be upon them when they entered the tent of the assembly, and when they came near to the altar, and that otherwise they should bear iniquity and die (Exodus 28:42, 43).

From these considerations it is clear what is signified by the words in the following verse of this chapter: "I counsel thee to buy of me white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear." And also in the following words of this book of the Apocalypse: "Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame" (16:15).

[12] Moreover, by the naked, in the Word, are also meant those who are not in truths and thence not in good, because they are ignorant of truths, but yet desire them. This is the case with those who are within the church where those who teach are in falsities; also those who are out of the church, and have not the Word, and hence neither know truths nor anything concerning the Lord. These are described in the following passages. In Isaiah:

"This is the fast that I have chosen, to break bread with the hungry, and when thou seest the naked that thou cover him" (58:6, 7).

In Ezekiel:

"Let him give his bread to the hungry, and cover the naked with a garment" (18:7).

And in Matthew:

"I was naked, and ye clothed me" (25:36, 38).

To cover with a garment, and to clothe, signify to instruct in truths. (That garments denote truths, may be seen above, n. 195. That naked also signifies the good of innocence, may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 165, 8375, 9960; and in the work, Heaven and Hell 179, 180, 280.)

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