24、创世记1:6.神说，诸水中间要有一个穹苍，把水和水分开。
神的灵，或主的怜悯，将真理和良善的知识带入白昼，赐予第一缕光，即：主是存在的，祂是良善本身和真理本身，若非从祂而来，就没有良善和真理之后，下一步祂便将内在人与外在人，因而将内在人中的知识或认知和属于外在人的世俗知识或记忆知识分开。内在人被称为“穹苍”，内在人中的知识或认知被称为穹苍以上的水，属于外在人的记忆知识或事实被称为穹苍以下的水。
人在重生之前甚至不知道内在人的存在，更不知道它的性质和品质，还以为内在人与外在人彼此并无区别。因为他沉浸于肉体和世俗事物，故将属于其内在人的事物也沉浸于其中，把截然不同的事物制造成一个混乱而模糊的整体。因此，经上首先说“诸水中间要有一个穹苍”，然后说“把水和水分开”；而不是说把穹苍“以下”的水和穹苍“以上”的水分开。如下一节所说的：
神就造出穹苍，将穹苍以下的水、穹苍以上的水分开了；事就这样成了。神称穹苍为天。（创世记1:7-8）
在重生的过程中，人注意到的第二件事就是，他开始知道有一个内在人，内在人中的事物是唯独属于主的良善和真理。当人正在重生时，外在人具有这种性质：他仍以为他所行的良善是凭他自己而行的，他所说的真理是凭他自己而说的。其实是主利用这些事物（主允许它们看似人自己的，因为这是他的思维模式）引导他实行良善、言说真理。因此，经上首先提到将穹苍以下的水分开，然后提到将穹苍以上的水分开。来自天堂的另一个奥秘是，主通过人自己的东西，包括感官幻想和欲望，引导他，把他转向真理和良善；所以重生的每时每刻，无论总体还是细节，从晚上行进到早晨，因而从外在人行进到内在人，或从“地”行进到“天”。这就是为何穹苍，或内在人现在被称为“天”。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]24. Genesis 1:6. And God said, "Let there be an expanse in the middle of the waters, and let it exist to make a distinction among the waters, in the waters."
The next step occurs after the Spirit of God — the Lord's mercy — brings out into daylight the knowledge of truth and goodness and provides the first glimmering that the Lord exists, that he is goodness and truth itself, and that nothing is good or true except what comes from him. The Spirit of God then makes a distinction between the inner and the outer being, and between the religious knowledge we possess in our inner selves and the secular knowledge belonging to our outer selves.
The inner self is called the expanse, the knowledge in the inner self is called the waters over the expanse, and the facts belonging to the outer self are called the waters under the expanse.
[2] Before we are reborn, we do not know even that an inner being exists, let alone what it is, imagining there is no difference between the two selves. This is because we are absorbed by bodily and worldly interests and merge the concerns of the inner being with those interests. Out of distinct and separate planes we make one dim, confused whole.
Therefore this verse first says that there should be an expanse in the middle of the waters, then that it should exist to make a distinction "among the waters, in the waters," but not that it should make a distinction between one set of waters and another. The next verse says that.
[3] Genesis 1:7-8. And God made the expanse, and he made a distinction between the waters that were under the expanse and the waters that were over the expanse, and so it was done; and God called the expanse heaven.
The second thing we begin to notice while being reborn, then, is that the inner self exists. We become aware that the attributes of the inner self are good feelings and true ideas, which are the Lord's alone.
While we are being reborn, our outer self is such that it still believes we are acting on our own when we do what is good and speaking on our own when we speak what is true. The Lord uses those things — allowing them to seem like our own, since such is our mindset — to lead us to doing what is good and speaking what is true. Consequently we first learn to distinguish what is under the expanse; only then do we learn to distinguish what is over the expanse.
Another secret from heaven is that the Lord leads us by means of things that really are our own — both the illusions of our senses and our cravings — but diverts us toward things that are true and good. So every single moment of regeneration carries us forward from evening to morning, just as it takes us from the outer self to the inner, or from earth to heaven. This is why the expanse (the inner self) is now called heaven.
Potts(1905-1910) 24
24. Verse 6. And God said, Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it distinguish between the waters in the waters. After the spirit of God, or the Lord's mercy, has brought forth into day the knowledges of the true and of the good, and has given the first light, that the Lord is, that He is good itself, and truth itself, and that there is no good and truth but from Him, He then makes a distinction between the internal man and the external, consequently between the knowledges [cognitiones] that are in the internal man, and the memory-knowledges [scientifica] that belong to the external man.* The internal man is called an "expanse;" the knowledges[cognitiones] which are in the internal man are called "the waters above the expanse;" and the memory-knowledges of the external man are called "the waters beneath the expanse." [2] Man, before he is being regenerated, does not even know that any internal man exists, much less is he acquainted with its nature and quality. He supposes the internal and the external man to be not distinct from each other. For, being immersed in bodily and worldly things, he has also immersed in them the things that belong to his internal man, and has made of things that are distinct a confused and obscure unit. Therefore it is first said, "Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters" and then, "Let it distinguish between the waters in the waters;" but not, Let it distinguish between the waters which are "under" the expanse and the waters which are "above" the expanse, as is afterwards said in the next verses:
And God made the expanse, and made a distinction between the waters which were under the expanse, and the waters which were above the expanse, and it was so. And God called the expanse heaven (Gen. 1:7-8). [3] The next thing therefore that man observes in the course of regeneration is that he begins to know that there is an internal man, or that the things which are in the internal man are goods and truths, which are of the Lord alone. Now as the external man, when being regenerated, is of such a nature that he still supposes the goods that he does to be done of himself, and the truths that he speaks to be spoken of himself, and whereas, being such, he is led by them of the Lord, as by things of his own, to do what is good and to speak what is true, therefore mention is first made of a distinction of the waters under the expanse, and afterwards of those above the expanse. It is also an arcanum of heaven, that man, by things of his own, as well by the fallacies of the senses as by cupidities, is led and bent by the Lord to things that are true and good, and thus that every movement and moment of regeneration, both in general and in particular, proceeds from evening to morning, thus from the external man to the internal, or from "earth" to "heaven." Therefore the expanse, or internal man, is now called "heaven." * Knowledges (cognitiones) are what we really know, as when we say I do not merely think so, I know it." Memory knowledges (scientifica) are what we have in the external memory-a vast accumulation of all kinds, theological and otherwise. For precise definitions of these words by Swedenborg himself, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 27, 896, 1486, 2718, 5212. See also the Reviser's Prefatory Notes. [Reviser.]
Elliott(1983-1999) 24
24. Verse 6 And God said, Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let there be a distinguishing of the waters from the waters. After the Spirit of God, which is the Lord's mercy, has brought out into the daylight cognitions of truth and good, and has shed the light of dawn to reveal that the Lord does exist, and that He is good itself and truth itself, and that no good or truth exists except from the Lord, a distinction is at that point made between the internal man and the external man, and so between cognitions which reside with the internal man and the facts which belong to the external man. The internal man is called 'an expanse, and the cognitions residing with the internal man are called 'the waters above the expanse', while the facts belonging to the external man are called 'the waters below the expanse'.
[2] Until his regeneration starts a person is not aware of even the existence of the internal man, let alone the identity of the internal man. Submerged in bodily and worldly concerns he imagines there is no difference between the two. Furthermore he has submerged in those same concerns the things that belong to the internal man and has made one thorough obscurity out of things that are distinct and separate. For this reason it is first said, 'Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters', and then, 'Let there be a distinguishing of the waters from the waters', and not a distinguishing of the waters. But this is followed immediately by the statement, Verses 7, 8, And God made the expanse and He made a distinction between the waters that were under the expense and the waters that were above the expanse; and it was so. And God called the expense Heaven.
[3] The second thing therefore that a person notices when being regenerated is that he is starting to become aware of the existence of the internal man, or that what reside in the internal man are goods and truths which are the Lord's alone. And since the external man during regeneration is such as still imagines that he is the source of the good deeds he performs, or of the truth he utters, and since such a person, by means of them, is led by the Lord to do good and to speak truth as if they were his own, therefore the identification of those under the expanse comes first, and the identification of those above the expanse follows. It is also a heavenly arcanum that the Lord uses those things that are man's own - both his illusions of the senses and his desires - to lead and direct him towards the things that are goods and truths. Every single movement of regeneration is accordingly a progression from evening to morning - from external man to internal, that is, from earth to heaven. This is why the expanse, or internal man, is now called 'heaven'.
Latin(1748-1756) 24
24. Vers. 6. Et dixit Deus, Sit expansum in medio aquarum, et sit distinguens inter aquas aquis. Postquam Spiritus Dei seu Misericordia Domini produxit in diem cognitiones veri et boni, et dedit primam lucem quod Dominus sit et quod Dominus sit ipsum bonum et ipsum verum, et quod nullum bonum et verum nisi a Domino, tunc distinguit inter hominem internum et externum, ita inter cognitiones quae sunt apud hominem internum, et scientifica quae sunt hominis externi. Homo internus vocatur 'expansum'; cognitiones quae apud hominem internum, appellantur 'aquae supra expansum'; et scientifica hominis externi vocantur 'aquae sub expanso.' [2] Homo antequam regeneratur, ne quidem novit quod internus homo detur, minus quid internus, putans non distinctos esse, quia immersus corporeis et mundanis; etiam, quae interni hominis sunt, immersit iisdem, et ex distinctis unum confusum obscurum fecit: ideo primum dicitur ut sit 'expansum in medio aquarum,' tum ut sit 'distinguens aquis inter aquas,' non autem distinguens 'aquas inter aquas.' Mox vero ita, Vers. 7, 8. Et fecit Deus expansum illud, et distinxit inter aquas, quae sub expanso, et inter aquas, quae supra expansum; et factum ita. Et vocavit Deus expansum, caelum. [3] Alterum itaque quod homo dum regeneratur, animadvertit, est quod scire incipiat dari internum hominem; aut quod quae sunt apud internum hominem, sint bona et vera, quae solius Domini: et quia homo externus cum regeneratur, talis est ut usque putet bona quae agit, ex se agere, et vera quae dicit, ex se dicere; et quia talis, per ea, sicut per propria, ducitur a Domino ad bonum agendum et ad veram loquendum, ideo praecedit distinctio ab iis quae sub expanso, et sequitur de iis quae supra expansum. Arcanum etiam caeleste est quod homo per propria, tam per fallacias sensuum quam per cupiditates, ducatur et flectatur a Domino ad illa quae sunt vera et bona, et sic quod omnia et singula momenta regenerationis procedant a vespera ad mane, sicut ab externo homine ad internum, seu a terra ad caelum; quare nunc expansum seu internus homo appellatur 'caelum.'