10238.“将水放在盆里”表信之真理，属世层中的洁净通过信之真理实现。这从“水”和“盆”的含义清楚可知：“水”是指信之真理（参看28，739，2702，3058，3424，4976，5668，8568，9323节）；“盆”是指属世层，如前所述（10235节）。人若不知道“水”表示信之真理，就不会明白圣言中许多经文的意思；如不会明白“人若不是从水和灵生的，就不能进神的国”（约翰福音3:5）这句话是什么意思。那些将此处的水只理解为水的人以为，人凭洗礼的水就能重生。而事实上，水丝毫无助于重生；唯有信之真理和爱之良善才能做到这一点；因为水只能洗去身上的污垢，绝不会洗去内心的邪恶。
人若不知道“水”表示信之真理，就不可能知道洗礼表示什么；因为他以为这种外在仪式会拯救一个人，而事实上，这种外在行为没有任何效果，真正有效的是它所表示的内在事物，也就是通过信之真理所实现的重生。洗礼将属于教会的人与全世界其他人区分开来，因为不像那些在教会之外的人，他们能通过信之真理重生。事实上，含有信之真理的圣言存在于教会之中。
人若不知道“水”表示信之真理，就不可能知道“穹苍以上的水和穹苍以下的水”（创世记1:6-10）表示什么。“穹苍以上的水”表示内在人里面的信之真理，“穹苍以下的水”表示外在人里面的信之真理；因为这一章论述的主题是上古教会成员的新造，也就是他的重生。
人若不知道“水”表示信之真理，就不可能知道下列经文中的“水”表示什么，约翰福音：
人若喝我所赐的水，就永远不渴。我所赐他的水要在他里头成为泉源，直涌到永生。（约翰福音4:13）
以赛亚书：
困苦穷乏人寻求水却没有，他们的舌头因口渴而干燥。我要在净光的高处开江河，在山谷中间开泉源；我要使沙漠变为水池，使干地变为水泉。（以赛亚书41:17，18）
同一先知书：
他们必不干渴；祂必为他们使水从磐石而流，分裂磐石，水就涌出。（以赛亚书48:20，21）
还有其它许多经文中的。不过，关于这个主题，可参看前面的阐述和说明，如：从邪恶和虚假中洁净通过信之真理实现（2799，5954e，7044，7918，9089，10229节）；重生也是通过信之真理实现的（参看9959节提到的地方）；“洗礼”表示通过信之真理所实现的重生（4255，5120e，9089节）；洁净是在属世层里面完成的（3147，9572节）；重生也是在属世层里面完成的（参看9325e节提到的地方）。
Potts(1905-1910) 10238
10238. And thou shalt put waters therein. That this signifies the truths of faith, through which there is purification in the natural, is evident from the signification of "waters," as being the truths of faith (see n. 28, 739, 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 8568, 9323); and from the signification of the "laver," as being the natural (of which above, n. 10235). He who does not know that "waters" signify the truths of faith, will fail to comprehend many passages in the Word; as what is signified by the statement that "unless a man is born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:5). They who by "water" in this passage understand nothing but water, believe that the water of baptism is that by which man is regenerated; when yet the water contributes nothing to regeneration; but the truth of faith and the good of love; for water merely washes away the uncleanness of the body, and by no means the evils of the heart. [2] He who does not know that "waters" signify the truths of faith, cannot know what baptism signifies; for he believes that this external rite saves man, when yet this external thing effects nothing; but the internal thing that is signified, which is regeneration by means of the truths of faith. For they who are of the church are distinguished by baptism from all others in the whole world, because they can be regenerated by means of the truths of faith, but not those who are outside the church, seeing that within the church is the Word, in which are the truths of faith. [3] He who does not know that "waters" signify the truths of faith, cannot know what is meant by "the waters that were above the expanse, and the waters that were under the expanse" (Gen. 1:6-10), when yet by "the waters above the expanse" are signified the truths of faith in the internal man; and by "the waters under the expanse," the truths of faith in the external man; for the subject treated of in that chapter is the new creation of the man of the Most Ancient Church, thus his regeneration. [4] He who does not know that "waters" signify the truths of faith, cannot know either what is signified by "waters" in these passages:
Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a fountain of water springing up into eternal life (John 4:13). The poor and the needy seek water, but there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst. I will open rivers on the hillsides, and I will set fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of waters, and the dry land springs of waters (Isa. 41:17, 18). They shall not thirst, He shall cause the waters to flow out of the rock for them; and He shall cleave the rock that the waters flow out (Isa. 48:20, 21). And very frequently elsewhere. But see what has been previously said and shown on this subject; as, That purification from evils and falsities is effected by means of the truths of faith (n. 2799, 5954, 7044, 7918, 9089, 10229): As also regeneration (see the places cited in n. 9959) That "baptism" signifies regeneration by means of the truths of faith (n. 4255, 5120, 9089): That purification is effected in the natural (n. 3147, 9572): And also regeneration (see the places cited in n. 9325 at the end).
Elliott(1983-1999) 10238
10238. 'And put water in it' means the truths of faith by means of which purification in the natural is accomplished. This is clear from the meaning of 'water' as the truths of faith, dealt with in 28, 739, 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 8568, 9323; and from the meaning of 'the laver' as the natural, dealt with above in 10235. Anyone who does not know that 'water' means the truths of faith will fail to grasp the meaning of very many statements in the Word, such as unless a person is born of water and the spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God, John 3:5. Those who take water here to mean nothing other than water think that the water of baptism is the means by which a person is regenerated. But in fact the water does nothing towards regeneration, only the truth of faith and the good of love do so; for water washes away solely dirt that is on the body and by no means evils present in the heart.
[2] Anyone who does not know that 'water' means the truths of faith cannot know what baptism means, either. He thinks that the external act saves a person, when in fact the external act does not accomplish anything, only the inner reality meant by it, namely regeneration by means of the truths of faith. Baptism makes people belonging to the Church different from everyone else throughout the world, because unlike those outside the Church they are able to be regenerated by means of the truths of faith. For the Word, which contains the truths of faith, exists within the Church.
[3] Nor can anyone who does not know that 'water' means the truths of faith know what is meant in Gen 1:6-10 by the waters above the expanse and the waters under the expanse. Truths of faith within the internal man are meant by 'the waters above the expanse', and truths of faith in the external by 'the waters under the expanse'; for the subject in that chapter is the new creation, thus the regeneration, of members of the Most Ancient Church.
[4] Nor can anyone who does not know that 'water' means the truths of faith know what is meant by 'water' in John,
He who drinks of the water that I shall give will never thirst. But the water that I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up into eternal life. John 4:13,14.
And in Isaiah,
The poor and the needy are seeking water, but there is none; their tongue is parched with thirst. I will open streams on the sloping heights, and I will place springs in the midst of valleys; I will make the wilderness into a pool of water, and the dry land into wellsprings of water. Isa 41:17,18.
And again in the same prophet,
They will not thirst. He will make water flow for them from the rock; and He will cleave the rock so that water flows out. Isa 48:20,21.
And in very many other places. But see what has been stated and shown previously on these matters,
Purification from evils and falsities is accomplished by means of the truths of faith, 2799, 5954(end), 7044, 7918, 9089, 10229. So too is regeneration, see the places referred to in 9959. 'Baptism' means regeneration by means of the truths of faith, 4255, 5120(end), 9089. Purification is accomplished within the natural, 3147, 9572. And so is regeneration, see the places referred to in 9325.
Latin(1748-1756) 10238
10238. `Et dabis ibi aquas': quod significet vera fidei per quae purificatio in naturali, constat ex significatione `aquarum' quod sint vera fidei, de qua n. 28, 739, 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 8568, 9323, et ex significatione `labri' {1} quod sit naturale, de qua supra n. 10,235. Qui non scit quod `aquae' significent vera fidei, perplura in Verbo non capiet, sicut quid significatur per quod nisi (t)homo generetur ex aqua et spiritu, non possit intrare in regnum Dei, Joh. iii 5; qui per aquam ibi non aliud intelligunt quam aquam, credunt quod aqua baptismi sit per quam regeneratur homo, cum tamen aqua ad regenerationem nihil {2}facit sed verum fidei et bonum amoris, aqua enim solum abluit sordes corporis et nequaquam mala cordis. [2] Qui non scit quod `aquae' significent vera fidei, nec scire potest quid baptismus significat, credit enim quod externum illud salvet hominem, cum tamen externum nihil facit, sed internum quod significatur, quod est regeneratio per vera fidei; illi enim qui ab Ecclesia sunt distinguuntur a reliquis in universo terrarum orbe per baptismum, quoniam illi possunt per vera fidei regenerari, non autem qui extra Ecclesiam sunt, est enim intra Ecclesiam Verbum, in quo vera fidei. [3] Qui non scit quod aquae significent vera fidei, nec scire potest quid intelligitur per aquas supra expansum et per aquas infra expansum, Gen. i 6-10, cum tamen per aquas supra expansum' significantur vera fidei in interno homine, et per `aquas infra expansum' vera fidei in externo; agitur enim in illo capite de nova creatione hominis Ecclesiae Antiquissimae, ita de ejus regeneratione. [4] Qui non scit quod `aquae' significent vera fidei, nec scire potest quid per `aquas' {3}significatur apud Johannem, Qui bibit ex aqua quam Ego dabo non sitiet in aeternum; sed aqua quam Ego dabo fiet in eo fons (x)aquae salientis in vitam aeternam, iv 13, 14:et apud Esaiam, Pauperes et egeni quaerentes aquam, sed non; lingua eorum siti deficit; aperiam supra clivis fluvios, et in medio vallium fontes ponam; desertum in stagnum aquarum, et terram siccam in scaturigines aquarum, xli 17, 18:
tum apud eundem, Non sitient, aquas e petra effluere faciet illis; et findet petram ut effluant aquae, xlviii 20, 21;
et perpluries alibi. Sed videantur quae prius de his dicta et ostensa sunt, ut quod purificatio a malis et falsis fiat per vera fidei, n. 2799, 5954 fin., 7044, 7918, 9089, 10,229, quod etiam regeneratio, citata n. 9959, quod `baptismus' significet regenerationem per vera fidei, n. 4255, 5120 fin., 9089, quod purificatio fiat in naturali, n. 3147, 9572, et quoque regeneratio, citata n. 9325 fin. @1 i in qua aquae,$ @2 faciat$ @3 intelligitur$