2946、“那田地我给你，其中的洞我也给你”表示在属于教会和信仰的事物上凭自己预备。这从“田地”、“其中的洞”，以及“给田地”和“给洞”的含义清楚可知：“田地”是指教会（参看368， 2936节）；“其中的洞”，也就是田间的洞，是指信的模糊（参看2935节）；“给田地”和“给洞”，或也可说，不接受亚伯拉罕的价银，是指不想被主救赎，而是想被自己救赎，因而想在这些事上预备自己。这是所有正在被改造并变得属灵之人的最初状态，即：他们不相信他们被主改造，而是相信他们被自己改造；也就是说，他们以为对良善的一切意愿和对真理的一切思考都源于他们自己。而且，主也将他们保持在这种状态，因为若不这样，他们就不能被改造。事实上，他们若在重生前被告知，他们凭自己不能实行任何良善，也不能思考任何真理，就会要么错误地以为，他们必须等待进入意愿的流注和进入思维的流注，否则，他们就不尝试做任何事；要么错误地以为，如果良善和真理来自其它任何源头，而不是来自他们自己，那么就没有任何东西会归给他们为公义；要么错误地以为，在这种情况下，他们就会像机器一样不是自己的主人，没有自主选择权或能力，不能自我控制；要么陷入其它一些错误。这就是为何那时他们被允许认为良善和真理源于他们自己。
但他们重生之后，这种认识就逐渐被灌输给他们，即：情况完全不是这样。他们会逐渐知道，一切良善和真理唯独来自主。当他们变得越来越完善时，会进一步认识到，凡不来自主的，都是邪恶和虚假。已经重生的人即便活在肉身期间没有获得，在来世也会获得不仅知道这一点，还感知到它的能力，因为所有天使都感知到事情就是如此。关于这些主题，请参看前面的讨论，即：一切良善和真理皆来自主（1614， 2016节）；一切聪明和智慧皆来自主（109， 112， 121， 124节）；人凭自己无法行出任何良善，也无法思考任何真理（874-876节）；尽管如此，每个人都应貌似凭自己或自己的东西实行良善，而不是垂下双手（1712节）；人若貌似凭自己强迫自己抵制邪恶、实行良善，就会从主获得一个天堂的自我（1937， 1947节）。
Potts(1905-1910) 2946
2946. The field give I thee, and the cave that is therein I give it thee. That this signifies preparation by themselves as to the things that are of the church and of faith, is evident from the signification of "field," as being the church (see n. 368, 2936); from the signification of the "cave" therein, that is, in the field, as being obscurity of faith (see above, n. 2935); and from the signification of "giving the field" and "giving the cave," or what is the same, not receiving silver from Abraham, as being not to desire to be redeemed by the Lord, but by themselves, and thus to desire to prepare themselves as to these things. Such is the first state of all who are being reformed and made spiritual, namely, that they do not believe that they are reformed by the Lord but by themselves, that is, they believe all of the will of good and of the thought of truth to be from themselves; they are also left in this state by the Lord, since in no other way can they be reformed. For if before they have been regenerated it should be said to them that they cannot do anything of good from themselves, or think anything of truth from themselves, they would then either fall into the error of thinking that they must wait for influx into the will and influx into the thought, and if this does not take place must attempt nothing; or into the error of thinking that if good and truth were from any other source than themselves, nothing would be imputed to them for righteousness; or into the idea that so they would be as it were machines, and not their own masters, or in control of themselves; or into some other error. It is therefore permitted them at that time to think that good and truth are from themselves. [2] But after they are regenerate, then by degrees the knowledge is insinuated into them that the case is otherwise, and that all good and truth are solely from the Lord; and still further, when they are becoming more perfected, that whatever does not come from the Lord is evil and false. To the regenerate, if not in the life of the body still in the other life, it is given not only to know this, but also to perceive it; for all the angels are in the perception that it is so. (See what was said above on these subjects, namely, that all good and truth are from the Lord, n. 1614, 2016; that all intelligence and wisdom are from the Lord, n. 109, 112, 121, 124; that man of himself can do nothing of good and think nothing of truth, n. 874-876; that nevertheless everyone ought to do good as if from what is his own, and not hang down his hands, n. 1712; and that if a man compels himself to resist evil and to do good, as from himself, he receives from the Lord a heavenly Own, n. 1937, 1947.)
Elliott(1983-1999) 2946
2946. 'The field I give to you, and the cave that is in it I give to you' means preparation from themselves as regards the things that belong to the Church and to faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'a field' as the Church, dealt with in 368, 2936; from the meaning of 'the cave that is in it', that is to say, in the field, as the obscurity of faith, dealt with in 2935; and from the meaning of 'giving the field and giving the cave' - or what amounts to the same, not taking any payment from Abraham - as not wishing to be redeemed by the Lord, but to achieve it by themselves and so to prepare themselves in these matters. Such is the first state of all who are being reformed and becoming spiritual; that is to say, they do not believe that they are reformed by the Lord but by themselves, that is, that all will of good and all thought of truth originate in themselves. What is more, the Lord maintains them in that state, for if He does not they are not able to be reformed. Indeed if they were told before regeneration has taken place that they are incapable by themselves of doing anything good, or by themselves of thinking anything true, they would either lapse into the mistake of supposing that they must wait for an influx into the will and an influx into thought, and not attempt a thing, if that influx does not take place; or into the mistake of supposing that if good and truth have any other origin but themselves, nothing would ever be attributed to them as righteousness; or into the mistake that in this case they would be like machines without a mind or any control of their own; or into further mistakes. Therefore they are allowed to think that good and truth originate in themselves.
[2] But after they have been regenerated, the recognition that the situation is different is gradually instilled into them - that everything true comes wholly from the Lord. And as they grow more perfect it is also instilled into them that whatever does not come from the Lord is evil and false. Those who have been regenerated are led, if not during their lifetime then in the next life, not only to know this but also to see it with perception, for all angels enjoy the perception that this is so. Please see what has been stated already about these matters in the following places:
Everything good and true comes from the Lord, 1614, 2016.
All intelligence and wisdom come from the Lord, 109, 112, 121, 124.
Of himself man cannot achieve anything good or think anything true, 874-876.
Nevertheless everyone ought to do good as if from his proprium or own self, and not stay his hands, 1712.
If man compels himself to withstand evil and to do good as if from himself he receives a heavenly proprium from the Lord, 1937, 1947.
Latin(1748-1756) 2946
2946. `Agrum do tibi, et speluncam quae in illo tibi do illam': quod significet praeparationem a seipsis quoad illa quae sunt Ecclesiae et fidei, constat a significatione `agri' quod sit Ecclesia, de qua n. 368, 2936; a significatione `speluncae quae in illo,' nempe iri agro, quod sit obscurum fidei, de qua supra n. 2935; et a significatione `dare agrum et dare speluncam,' seu quod idem, non recipere argentum ab Abrahamo, quod sit non velle redimi a Domino, sed a seipsis, ita semet praeparare quoad illa. Talis est status primus omnium qui reformantur et fiunt spirituales, nempe quod non credant reformari a Domino sed a {1}semet, hoc est, quod omne voluntatis boni et {2}cogitationis veri sit a seipsis; in {3}illo statu etiam relinquuntur a Domino, quia alioquin reformari nequeunt; si enim antequam regenerati sunt, illis diceretur quod nequeant aliquid boni a se facere, nec aliquid veri a se cogitare, tunc vel in illum errorem laberentur quod exspectandus influxus in voluntatem et influxus in cogitationem, et si non hoc fieret, nihil conarentur; vel in illum errorem quod si bonum et verum aliunde quam a se, nihil imputaretur illis in justitiam; vel in illum quod sic quasi machinae, non sui juris aut sui compotis, forent; vel in alios; [2] ideo datur illis tunc cogitare quod a seipsis bonum et verum; sed postquam regenerati sunt, tunc per gradus insinuatur illis cognitio quod aliter se res habeat, nempe quod omne bonum et verum unice a Domino; et porro, cum magis perficiuntur, quod quicquid non venit a Domino, sit malum et falsum; regeneratis, si non in vita corporis, usque in altera vita, datur illud non solum cognoscere, sed etiam percipere, nam omnes angeli in perceptione sunt quod ita sit: videantur quae de his prius dicta sunt, nempe: quod omne bonum et verum a Domino, n. 1614, 2016: quod omnis intelligentia et sapientia a Domino, n. 109, 112, 121, 124: quod homo ex semet nihil boni facere, et nihil veri cogitare possit, n. 874-876: quod usque quisque quasi ex proprio facere bonum debeat, nec remittere manus, n. 1712: quod homo si semet cogat ad resistendum malo, et ad faciendum bonum, sicut {4}a semet, quod accipiat a Domino proprium caeleste, n. 1937, 1947. @1 seipsis$ @2 i omne$ @3 quo$ @4 ex se$