Spiritual Meaning of

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 Know, Believe, Perceive

With those therefore who are merely in the memory-knowledge of a subject, and from this are in thought about it, to know' denotes to understand; but with those who are in faith, to know denotes to believe; and with those who are in love, to know" denotes to perceive.

[2] But when to know is conjoined with to understand, to see, or to believe, then to know denotes to perceive, because understanding, seeing, and believing bear relation to the understanding, consequently to truth, while to perceive bears relation to the will, consequently to good, as in these passages:--

Peter said, We have believed and have known that Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God (John 6:69).

Jesus said, Believe the works, that ye may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I In the Father (John 10:38).

Jesus said, If ye had known Me, ye would have known My Father also; and from henceforth ye have known Him and have seen Him (John 14:7).

The Spirit of truth shall be sent, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him; but ye know Him, for Be abideth with you, and shall be in you (John 14:16, 17).

Jesus spake in parables, that seeing they may see, and not know (Mark 4:11, 12).

That ye may know and see that it is an evil thing and a bitter, to forsake Jehovah thy God (Jer. 2:19).

Let him that glorieth glory in this, to understand and know Me, that I am Jehovah (Jer. 9:24).

I will betroth thee to Me in faith; and thou shalt know Jehovah (Hos. 2:20).

[3] In these passages to know denotes to perceive, and to perceive is from good; whereas to understand and to see are from truth; for they who are in good or in love perceive within themselves that a thing is so; but they who are in truth or in faith, see within themselves. Therefore they who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom have perception that a thing is so; but they who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom have faith that it is so (AR 9277, 9992, 9995, 10105); and as to what perception is, (AR 125, 371, 483, 495, 503, 521, 536, 597, 607, 1121, 1384, 1387, 1398, 1442, 1919, 2144, 2515, 2831, 3528, 5121, 5145, 5227, 7680, 7977, 8780).

[4] As in the proper sense to know signifies to perceive from good, therefore it is also said, it is known from the heart (Deut. 8:5); for from the heart denotes from the good of love (AR 3883-3896, 7542, 9050, 9300, 9495); and therefore doing good is called knowing Jehovah (Jer. 22:16). From this it is evident that by they shall know that I am Jehovah their God, is signified the perceptivity that all good and truth are from the Lord.

AC 10155

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Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. www.BibleMeanings.info