Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 9077

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9077. 'He shall pay for the redemption of his [soul]' means painful experiences of repentance. This is clear from the meaning of 'redeeming' as giving something in place of it, in order that it may be delivered. 'Redemption' has various meanings; what these are, see 2954, 2959, 2966, 6281, 7205, 7445, 8078-8080. The reason why 'the redeeming of the soul' here means painful experiences of repentance is that the subject is deliverance from damnation. But a person cannot be delivered from damnation except through the removal of evil, and the removal of evil cannot be accomplished except through active repentance, which involves a change in the life one leads; and these things are accomplished through spiritual temptations, which are the painful experiences of repentance. Regarding deliverance from damnation, or what amounts to the same thing, deliverance from sins, that it is the removal of evil, and that this is accomplished by repentance involving a change of life, see 8389-8394, 8958-8969, which is accompanied by temptations, 8958-8969.


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