8870.“也不可作任何形像”表来自神的事物的一个表象。这从上下文清楚可知：从上文可知，他们“在耶和华神面前不可有别的神”，“不可为自己造雕像”，这些话表示来自另一个源头，而非来自神，然而却被阐述得如同来自神的真理之真理；从下文可知，“上天、下地和水中的各物”，以此表示到处诸如来自神的那类事物。
此处必须阐述一下当如何理解来自神的事物的一个表象，因为本节其余的经文和下一节经文的开头论述了这些事物。当人们口头谈论神的真理，在行为上也做神所吩咐的那类事，在如此行时使其他人以为他们处于良善和真理，然而心里完全不是这么想的，并且只意愿坏事时，那些来自神的事物的表象就会产生。这些人就是伪君子，假冒为善的人和骗子。他们就是那些制造来自神的事物的表象之人。在来世，恶灵会制造来自神的事物的表象；他们在外在上呈现出一种样式和形像，然而这样式和形像里面根本没有丝毫神之事物。在来世，伪君子，假冒为善的人和骗子就学会了这样做，如所有通过频繁的练习而养成说一套，想一套，行一套，意愿一套的习惯之人惯常所行的。通过这种练习，有些人想要获得名声，有些人是为了使自己看似良善，从而迷惑他人；有些人则是为了自己能行使统治权。
在来世，这些事也是对对应关系的滥用。不过，他们用来伪装仁与信的那类事物的外在会逐渐从他们那里被夺走；这时，邪恶和恐怖的内在就暴露出来。结果，这些人被引导出于他们在世上所获得的真实本性行事，不再有任何伪装或伪善。当具有这种秉性的人意识到外在要从他们那里被夺走时，他们声称，如果把外在留给他们，他们就能在来世与同伴混居，表面上行善事，和以前在世时一样。但这是不可能的，因为他们那看似良善的外在使他们以某种方式与天堂，也就是说，与那些在天堂的边缘地带、与大人里面的表皮相对应的简单人接触；而他们的内在却使他们与地狱接触。由于在里面的恶欲占主导地位，因为它们占据意愿，外在伪装的良善则沦为恶人获得统治权的一种手段，所以让他们像在世时那样以伪装和伪善自由行动是违反神性秩序本身的。因此，这些事物从他们那里被夺走，他们就只剩下其意愿的邪恶本身。
Potts(1905-1910) 8870
8870. Nor any likeness. That this signifies a semblance of those things which are from the Divine, is evident from the signification of a "likeness," as being a semblance. That it denotes a semblance of those things which are from the Divine, is plain from what precedes and from what follows-from what precedes, that they shall have "no other gods before the faces of Jehovah God," and that they shall not "make to themselves a graven image," by which words are signified truths from another source than the Divine, and yet which are set forth like them; and from what follows, as "of that which is in the heavens, or which is in the earth, or which is in the waters," whereby are meant such things as are from the Divine everywhere. [2] It must here be told what is meant by a semblance of those things which are from the Divine, because these things are treated of in what follows of this verse and in the beginning of the following verse. Semblances of those things which are from the Divine are made by men when they speak Divine things with the mouth, and also in act do such things as have been commanded by the Divine, and thus induce a belief that they are in good and truth, when yet at heart they think altogether otherwise, and will nothing but evil: such are dissemblers, hypocrites, and the deceitful, and these are they who make semblances of those things which are from the Divine. In the other life evil spirits make semblances of those things which are from the Divine, who set forth a likeness and appearance in outward things, within which there is nothing of the Divine. Dissemblers, hypocrites, and the deceitful learn to do this in the other life, and in general all who from frequent use have contracted the habit of speaking otherwise than they think, and of doing otherwise than they will. Some by such practices wish to get reputation, that they may seem to be good, and thus deceive; some that they may exercise command. [3] Moreover there, such things are abuses of correspondences. But the outward things whereby they have made a pretense of such things as are of charity and faith, are successively taken away from them; for in this way they act from their very nature that has been acquired in the world, and no more from any pretense or hypocrisy. They who are of this character, and who perceive that these external things are to be taken away from them, say that if these external things were left them, they would be able to live with their associates in the other life, and do what is good in appearance, just as formerly in the world. But this cannot be done, because by the externals which are apparently good they would communicate in some measure with heaven, that is, with those who are in the encompassing parts there and are simple, who correspond to the cuticles in the Grand Man; while by their internals they would communicate with the hells. And as the evils which are within rule, because they are of the will, and the goods that are made a pretense of in externals serve the evil as a means for acquiring dominion, therefore it is contrary to Divine order itself to leave them free to act with pretense and hypocrisy as in the world. Wherefore such things are taken away from them, and they are remitted into the very evil of their will.
Elliott(1983-1999) 8870
8870. 'Or any likeness' means a resemblance of those things which are from God. This is clear from the meaning of 'a likeness' as a resemblance. The fact that the resemblance is of those things which are from God is evident from what comes before and after. What comes before declares that there must be no other gods before Jehovah God's face, and that people must not make for themselves a graven image, meaning truths that spring from a source other than God yet are made to look like those from Him. And what comes after speaks of that which is in heaven, that which is on the earth, and that which is in the waters, meaning such things everywhere as are from God.
[2] How a resemblance of those things which are from God should be understood must be stated here, since they are the subject in the rest of the present verse and in the first part of the next. A resemblance of those things which are from God is produced when people speak God's truths with their lips and also perform the kinds of deeds which have been commanded by God, and in so doing lead others to believe that they are governed by what is good and true, when yet at heart they think in a completely different way, and are intent only on what is bad. Such people are pretenders, hypocrites, and deceivers. These are the ones who produce a resemblance of those things which are from God. In the next life evil spirits produce a resemblance of those things which are from God; they present a likeness and appearance in externals, which inwardly have nothing at all of God in them. Pretenders, hypocrites, and deceivers in the next life learn to behave in this way, as in general do all who by frequent practice have become habituated to saying one thing while thinking another, and to doing one thing while being intent on another. People who engage in such presences wish to earn a reputation, some in order that they may seem to be good, and so may mislead other people, others in order that they may exercise dominion.
[3] Such things there are also misuses of correspondences. But the externals by means of which they have performed deeds that simulate acts of charity and faith are gradually removed from them, and then the internals, which are wicked and horrid, are laid bare. For as a result of this those people are led to act out their true nature which they acquired in the world, and no longer some presence or hypocrisy. When people like these realize that externals are to be taken away from them they say that if the externals were left with them they could mix with companions in the next life and seemingly perform good deeds just as well as when they had previously been in the world. But this is impossible. Their externals which are seemingly good would place them in contact in some way with heaven - that is to say, with those who are in the outskirts there and are simple, who correspond to skin in the Grand Man - while their internals would place them in contact with hell. And since the evil desires within predominate because they occupy the will, and the simulations of good deeds in externals serve to acquire dominion for the evil, it is contrary to Divine order to leave those people free to dissemble and act hypocritically as they did in the world. Therefore such things are taken away from them, and they are left to the evil itself present in the intentions of their will.
Latin(1748-1756) 8870
8870. `Et ullam similitudinem' significat instar illorum quae a Divino; constat ex significatione `similitudinis' quod sit instar; quod sit instar illorum quae a Divino, patet ab illis quae praecedunt et ab illis quae sequuntur; ab illis quae praecedunt, quod `non erunt dii alii coram faciebus Jehovae (x)Dei, et quod `non facient sibi sculptile,' per quae significantur vera {1} aliunde quam (c)ex Divino, et tamen quae illis similia sistuntur; et ex illis quae sequuntur, ut `quae in caelis, (o)et quae in terra, et quae in aquis,' per quae intelliguntur {2} talia quae a Divino ubivis. [2] Quid per instar illorum quae a Divino intelligitur, hic dicendum, quia de illis in sequentibus hujus versus ac in initio sequentis agitur; instar illorum quae a Divino fiunt ab hominibus cum ore loquuntur Divina, et quoque opere faciunt qualia a Divino mandata sunt, et sic inducunt credere quod in bono et vero sint, cum tamen prorsus aliud corde cogitant, nec nisi quam malum volunt; tales sunt simulatores, hypocritae, dolosi; hi sunt qui faciunt instar illorum quae a Divino; in altera vita `faciunt mali spiritus {3} instar illorum {4} quae a Divino, qui sistunt similitudinem et apparentiam {5} in externis, in quibus intus nihil Divini est; hoc discunt simulatores, hypocritae, et dolosi in altera vita, in genere omnes qui ex frequenti usu habitum traxerunt aliud loquendi quam cogitant, et aliud faciendi quam volunt {6}; (x)quidam per talia volunt aucupare famam ut videantur boni, et sic fallant, quidam ut imperent; [3] sunt etiam talia ibi abusus correspondentiarum; (s)sed {7} illis successive adimuntur externa per quae simulaverunt talia quae charitatis et fidei sunt, [et tunc patent interna, quae scelestia et horrenda sunt,] nam sic agunt ex ipsa sua natura in mundo acquisita, non magis {8} ex aliqua simulatione et hypocrisi {9}; illi {10} qui tales sunt, et appercipiunt quod externa illis adimenda sint, dicunt {11} quod si illis relinquerentur externa, potuissent aeque cum sociis in altera vita conversari et apparenter bona facere, sicut prius in mundo; sed hoc fieri non potest, quia per externa, quae (x)apparenter bona sunt, communicarent aliquo modo cum caelo, nempe cum illis qui in circuitibus (o)ibi sunt ac simplices sunt, qui correspondent cuticulis in Maximo Homine; at per interna communicarent cum infernis; et quia mala quae intus sunt {12} dominantur, (o)quoniam ea sunt voluntatis, et bona quae (o)in externis simulantur serviunt ad acquirendum dominium {13} malis, idcirco est {14} contra ipsum ordinem Divinum relinquere illis licentiam {15} simulate et hypocritice agendi, sicut in mundo, quapropter talia illis auferuntur, ac ii in ipsum malum voluntatis suae remittuntur.' @1 i quae$ @2 significantur$ @3 a spiritibus malis faciunt illi$ @4 d illorum i eorum$ @5 i Divinorum$ @6 ut primum illuc veniunt$ @7 See Appendix Volume for a primary but d ending of this number$ @8 autem$ @9 i ut prius$ @10 ipsi$ @11 credunt$ @12 i apud tales$ @13 pro$ @14 foret$ @15 simulare bona, hoc est, aliud agere et aliud loqui, quam velle et cogitare, inde est quod talia illis auferantur, ne ii in ipsam suam naturam remittantur$