2891、从这个世界新来的灵人绞尽脑汁试图理解这个观念：没有人能凭自己实行良善，或凭自己思考真理，他只有从主那里才能如此行。他们以为如果这种观念是真的，那么他们就成了机器，什么也控制不了；若真是这样，他们只好放下双手，任由摆布。但他们被告知，他们尽可以凭自己思考、意愿并实行良善；也只有这样，他们才能发展出天堂的自我和天堂的自由。不过，他们也被告知，他们仍应承认良善和真理并非来自他们自己，而是来自主。他们被教导，所有天使都处于这样一种承认，甚至感知，即：事情就是如此。他们越敏锐地感知到他们被主引导，因而在主里面，就越自由。
Potts(1905-1910) 2891
2891. Spirits fresh from this world severely torment themselves by trying to comprehend how no one can do good of himself, or think truth of himself, except from the Lord; believing that thus they would be like machines, having no control of anything; and that if this is really so they should let their hands hang down, and suffer themselves to be acted upon. But they were told that they ought by all means to think, to will, and to do good of themselves; and that in no other way could they have an Own that is heavenly, and heavenly freedom; but that still they should acknowledge that the good and truth are not from them, but from the Lord: and they are instructed that all the angels are in such an acknowledgment, nay, in the perception that it is so; and the more exquisitely they perceive that they are led by the Lord, and thus are in the Lord, the more are they in freedom.
Elliott(1983-1999) 2891
2891. Those who have become spirits only recently torment themselves very much by trying to grasp the idea that no one is able to do good of himself, or to think what is true of himself, but that he does so from the Lord. For they believe that if that idea is true they would accordingly be like mere machines and have control of nothing at all; and that being so they would let hands hang down and allow themselves to be acted upon. But they are told that they ought by all means to think, to will, and to do good of themselves, and that in no other way could they have a heavenly proprium and heavenly freedom. But they are also told that they ought nevertheless to acknowledge that good and truth do not originate in themselves but in the Lord, and they are informed that such acknowledgement and indeed perception that this is so exists with all angels. And the more keenly they perceive that they are led by the Lord and so abide in Him the more they are in freedom.
Latin(1748-1756) 2891
2891. Spiritus recentes maximopere se torquent, quomodo capiant quod nemo possit facere bonum a se, nec cogitare verum a se, sed a Domino, credentes quod sic forent sicut machinae nullius rei compotes, et si ita, quod remitterent manus et paterentur se agi: sed illis dicitur quod omnino debeant cogitare, velle, et facere bonum a se, et quod aliter non habere possent proprium caeleste, et liberum caeleste; sed usque agnoscere quod bonum et verum non sit ab iis sed a Domino; et instruuntur quod in tali agnitione, immo in perceptione quod ita sit, omnes angeli sint; et quo exquisitius percipiunt se duci a Domino, et sic esse in Domino, quod eo magis in libero sint.