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Rebirth
12. On the same day the Sadducees, who hold the opinion there is no reincarnation, came to him.
13. They asked him, "Master, Moses has said, 'When a man dies and has no children his brother shall take the widow as his wife and begot descendants for his brother.'
14. "Once there were seven brothers among us. The first one was married and died, and because he had no descendants he left his wife to his brother;
15. "and so did the second and the third, until the seventh.
16. "At last the woman also died.
17. "Now you teach there is a renewed life. Whose wife will she be among the seven in the new life, for she was the wife to all of them."
18. Jmmanuel, however, answered, saying, "You are mistaken and do not know the unadulterated scriptures of the elders, nor do you know the laws of Creation.
19. "Truly, I say to you, Moses never gave this commandment; but he gave the commandment that a brother should take his brother's wife to himself in honour, so if one died the other would take care of the widow of his brother.
20. "How is it possible for a brother to begot descendants for his brother, since everyone's seed is different?
21. "In the next incarnation they all will be strangers because they will not recognize each other; therefore, no law says the wife then belongs to this one or that one.
22. "In each new life the person determines for himself whom he wishes to marry; thus he can marry whoever is not spoken for.
23. "Take heed of the laws of Creation, which teach that in a new life people do not remember their former lives. Thus your question is superfluous.
24. "At this point it is only the prophets who remember former lives, since they follow the laws of Creation and therefore live in wisdom.
25. "But since you and the Israelite people will continue to live in piercing darkness for an extended period, cognizance and wisdom of the spirit and of the consciousness will remain hidden from you for a long time.
26. "Other peoples will advance beyond you and will evolve greatly in spirit and consciousness, and will follow the laws of Creation.
27. "Therefore, other peoples will be superior to you in spirit and in consciousness and gather great wisdom, so that many among them will soon be like the prophets and have recollections about their former lives.
28. "But you and the Israelite people shall remain poor in consciousness, and thus drift in piercing darkness.
29. "To wit: whoever incurs punishment shall also endure it."
30. When the people heard that, they were aghast and afraid.