3474.有一个灵人来找我，我从以下事实判断他刚离世不久：即他尚不知道自己已进入来世，还以为自己仍在世上。我发觉他一直致力于学术研究，我便与他谈论这事。但他突然被举到高处，这令我愕然。我猜测他是那种崇尚高级事物的人，因为这种人通常被举到高处。或者，他以为天堂在高处，因为这种人同样常被举到高处，以便他们通过亲身体验知道，天堂不在高处，而在于内在之物。但我很快发现，他被提到了位于正前方稍向右一点的天使灵那里，就在天堂的入口处。然后，他从那里与我对话，声称他看到的事物如此高尚，根本不是人类头脑所能领悟的。这事发生的时候，我正在读申命记第一章，是关于犹太人的，即他们如何打发人窥探迦南地，看看那里有什么。当我读这一章时，他说，他对字义上的事物毫无觉察，只感知到灵义上的事物，这些都是奇迹，远非他所能描述的。这还只是天使灵天堂的门槛，那么在那天堂自身里面必有何等奇迹！而在天使天堂又必有何等奇迹！
当时，与我同在的一些灵人因原来不相信主的圣言具有这样的性质，故开始忏悔他们的不信。他们说，在当前的状态下，他们已相信，因为他们听见那个灵人声称他已经听到看到，并发觉这是事实。但有些灵人仍坚持不信，声称那不是真的，全都是幻觉。所以，他们也被突然举到高处，从那里与我说话。他们现在坦承确有其事，不是幻觉。因为他们现在真实地感觉到事情的确如此，事实上，他们的感知远比活在肉身时所能被赋予的任何感觉还要敏锐。
不久之后，也有些灵人被提到那个天堂。其中一个人活在肉身时我就认识他，他也作了类似见证。他还说了其中一件事：他因圣言的内义而神魂颠倒，以至于难以描述它的荣耀。此时此刻，他怀着某种怜悯之情说，奇怪的是，世人对这类事物一无所知。
此后有两次，我看见有人被提到天使灵的第二层天，他们从那里与我对话，当时我正在阅读申命记第三章全文。他们说，他们只明白圣言的内义，同时声称，圣言的一笔一划无不具有某种属灵之物，这属灵之物以最优美的方式与其它一切事物联结起来。他们还说，名字都表示真实事物。对此，这些人也确认了，因为他们原先不相信圣言的每一个事物都是主所启示的。他们还想在其他人面前发誓肯定这一点，但未被允许。
Potts(1905-1910) 3474
3474. A certain spirit came to me not long after his departure from the body, as I was able to infer from the fact that he did not yet know that he was in the other life, but supposed that he was living in the world. It was perceived that he had been devoted to studies, concerning which I spoke with him. But he was suddenly taken up on high; and, surprised at this, I imagined that he was of those who have aspired to high things, for such are wont to be carried up on high; or else that he had placed heaven on high, for such likewise are often taken up on high, in order that they may know from experience that heaven is not in what is high, but in what is internal. But I soon perceived that he was carried up to the angelic spirits who are in front a little to the right at the first entrance into heaven. He then spoke with me from thence, saying that he saw things more sublime than human minds could possibly apprehend. While this was taking place I was reading the first chapter of Deuteronomy, concerning the Jewish people, in that men were sent to explore the land of Canaan and what was in it. While I was reading this, he said that he perceived nothing of the sense of the letter, but the things in the spiritual sense; and that these were wonders that he could not describe. This was in the first entrance to the heaven of angelic spirits. What wonders then would be perceived in that heaven itself! And what in the angelic heaven! [2] Certain spirits who were with me, and who before had not believed that the Word of the Lord is of such a nature, then began to repent of their unbelief; and in this state they said that they believed because they heard that spirit say that he heard, saw, and perceived it to be so. But other spirits still persisted in their unbelief, and said that it was not so, but that these things were fancies; and therefore they too were suddenly taken up, and spoke with me from thence; and they confessed that it was anything but fancy, because they really perceived it to be so, and this by a perception more exquisite than can ever be given to any sense during the life of the body. [3] Soon others also were taken up into the same heaven, and among them one whom I had known in the life of his body, who testified to the same effect, saying also, among other things, that he was too much amazed to be able to describe the glory of the Word in its internal sense. Then, speaking from a kind of pity, he said that it was strange that men know nothing at all of such things. [4] On two occasions after this I saw others taken up into the second heaven among the angelic spirits, and they spoke with me thence while I was reading the third chapter of Deuteronomy from beginning to end. They said that they were only in the interior sense of the Word, at the same time asserting that there was not even a point in which there was not something spiritual that coheres most beautifully with all the rest and further that the names signify actual things. Thus they too were confirmed, for they had not believed before that each and all things in the Word have been inspired by the Lord; and this they desired to confirm before other, by an oath, but it was not permitted.
Elliott(1983-1999) 3474
3474. A certain spirit came to me not long after he had departed this life. This I was able to deduce from the fact that he still did not know that he had entered the next life but supposed that he was living in the world. I perceived that he had been a person dedicated to scholarly pursuits, about which I spoke to him. But at that moment he was suddenly carried up on high, which amazed me. I presumed that he was one of those people who had aspired to high things, since such people are usually taken up on high; or else that he was one of those who imagined heaven to be far away up on high and who likewise are usually taken away up on high, so that from up there they may know that heaven does not exist up on high but in what is internal. But shortly after that I noticed that he was carried up to the angelic spirits who were in a forward position and slightly to the right, on the very threshold of heaven. From there he then spoke to me, saying that he saw things more exalted than human minds could ever take in. While all this was happening I was reading Deuteronomy 1, about the Jewish people - how the men were sent to explore the land of Canaan and what was in it. As I read it he said that he discerned nothing of that which occurs in the sense of the letter, only the things in the spiritual sense, and that these were marvels beyond his powers of description. This was merely at the threshold of the heaven of angelic spirits, so what must the marvels be within that heaven itself, and what must they be within the angelic heaven!
[2] Certain spirits who were with me at the time, and who had not previously believed that the Word of the Lord was of such a nature, began to repent of their unbelief. They said that in their present state they now believed because they had heard that spirit say he had heard, seen, and perceived that it was so. But other spirits continued in their unbelief, saying that it was not so but all a delusion. They also were therefore suddenly carried up, and spoke to me from where they were. They now confessed that it was anything but a delusion, for now they perceived from amid spiritual realities that it was so, their perception indeed being far keener than can possibly be imparted to any of the senses during the life of the body. Shortly afterwards others also were carried up into the same heaven. I had known one of them during his lifetime, and he bore similar witness. Among other things he also said that he was so dazed by the glory of the Word in its internal sense that he was unable to describe it. Speaking at this time with some kind of compassion he said it was remarkable that people on earth know nothing at all of such matters. On two occasions after this I saw others who had been carried up to the second heaven among the angelic spirits, and from there they spoke to me, while I was reading Deuteronomy 3 from beginning to end. They said that they understood none but the interior sense of the Word, declaring at the same time that there was not even the smallest part of a letter which did not have a spiritual sense within it that did not link with everything else in a very beautiful way. They also said that in the interior sense the names used in the Word mean real things. Thus these people as well were confirmed in the same knowledge of such things, for they had not previously believed that every single thing in the Word has been inspired by the Lord. This they also wished to affirm before others on oath, but they were not allowed to do so.
Latin(1748-1756) 3474
3474. {1}Quidam spiritus ad me venit, non diu post excessum ejus e corpore, quod concludere potui ex eo quod adhuc nesciret se in altera vita esse, putans se vivere in mundo; perceptum quod is deditus fuerit studiis, de quibus locutus cum eo; sed tunc subito sublatus est in altum, quod miratus; autumabam quod esset ab illis qui alta spirarunt, nam tales solent in altum ferri; aut quod posuerit caelum in {2}alto, qui similiter solent in altum auferri, ut inde sciant quod caelum non sit in alto sed in interno; sed mox appercepi quod sublatus sit ad spiritus angelicos qui antrorsum paulo ad dextrum in primo caeli limine sunt; inde dein mecum locutus est, dicens quod sublimiora videat quam usquam mentes humanae capere possent; cum hoc fiebat, legebam caput primum Deuteronomii de populo Judaico, quod missi sint qui explorarent terram Canaanem et quae ibi; quod cum legerem, dixit quod nihil apperciperet {3}de sensu litterae, sed quae in sensu spirituali, et quod haec mirabilia, quae describere non posset; hoc erat in primo limine caeli spirituum angelicorum; quid non in ipso illo caelo, et quid non in caelo angelico. [2] Spiritus quidam tunc qui apud me erant, prius increduli quod tale sit Verbum Domini, coeperunt paenitere quod non crediderint; dicebant in illo statu quod credant, quia audiverunt illum dixisse, quod audiverit, viderit, et perceperit ita esse. Sed alii spiritus adhuc in sua incredulitate perstabant, et dicebant non ita esse sed esse phantasias, quare etiam hi subito sublati sunt, et inde mecum locuti et fassi quod nihil minus sit quam phantasia, quia realiter percipiunt quod ita sit, et quidem perceptione exquisitiore quam usquam dari possit alicui sensui in vita corporis. Mox etiam alii in idem caelum sublati, et inter eos unus in vita corporis ejus mihi notus, qui idem testatus, inter alia etiam dicens quod prae stupore gloriam Verbi in sensu ejus interno describere non posset; ex miseratione quadam tunc loquens, inquiit, mirum esse quod homines ne hilum ex talibus sciant. Binis vicibus postea vidi alios sublatos in alterum caelum inter spiritus angelicos, et inde mecum locuti; legebam tunc cap. iii Deut. a principio ad finem; dicebant quod solum in sensu interiore Verbi essent, asseverantes tunc quod ne apex quidem esset in quo non {4}spirituale pulcherrime cum reliquis cohaerens, tum quod nomina significent res; ita confirmati quoque, quia prius non crediderant quod omnia et singula in Verbo a Domino inspirata fuerint; hoc voluerunt etiam coram aliis juramento confirmare sed non permittebatur. @1 n. 3474 is almost a repetition of n. 1769 and 1770. It is also found with some differences in S.D. n. 2053-5 and 2061.$ @2 altissimo$ @3 quae in$ @4 sensus spiritualis as n. 1770.$