896、“挪亚移开方舟的盖观看”表示虚假一移走，他所承认并信仰的信之真理就发出光来。这从“移开盖”的含义清楚可知，“移开盖”是指移除遮光之物。由于“方舟”表示将要重生的古教会成员，所以“盖”只能表示阻碍他看见天空，也就是看见光的东西。正是虚假阻碍了它，这就是为何经上说他“观看”。在圣言中，“看”表示理解和有信，在此表示他承认并信仰真理。知道真理是一回事，承认真理完全是另一回事，而信仰真理又是另外一回事。知道是重生的第一步，承认是第二步，信仰是第三步。知道、承认和信仰之间的区别从以下事实清楚看出来：最坏的人也能知道，却不承认，如犹太人和那些试图通过似是而非的推理毁坏教义事物的人。不信的人也能承认，在某些状态下还能热情地讲道、证实和说服。然而，只有真信的人才能拥有信。
那些有信的人知道、承认并相信；他们有仁爱、有良心。因此，信仰永远不会归给任何人，也就是不能说他有信仰，除非他和这些人一样。这才是重生。仅仅知道属于信的东西是一种没有理性同意的记忆活动。承认属于信的东西是由某些原因并为了某些目的所产生的一种理性同意。而有信则是良心的一种活动，也就是说，是主通过良心作工的一种活动。这些区别从来世的人身上看得最清楚。那些仅仅知道的人有很多都在地狱。那些承认的人也有很多在地狱，因为他们在肉身生活中的承认仅限于某些状态，如前所述。但当他们在来世发现他们所宣讲、教导并说服别人相信的东西是真理时，却大为惊讶，并且只有当回想起他们曾如此宣讲时，才承认它是真理。但那些有信的人都在天堂。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]896. Noah removed the roof of the ark and looked symbolizes the light of religious truth, once falsity had been removed — truth that they acknowledged and believed. This can be seen from the symbolism of removing the roof as taking away whatever blocks the light. Since the ark symbolizes the people of the ancient church who were regenerating, the roof cannot symbolize anything but what blocked them from seeing heaven [or the sky], that is, the light. What got in the way was falsity. This is why it says that they looked, or saw. In the Word, seeing symbolizes understanding and believing. Here it means that they acknowledged the truth and put their faith in it.
Knowing the truth, acknowledging it, and believing it are three entirely different things. Knowledge is the first step of rebirth, acknowledgment is the second, and belief is the third. The differences among knowing, acknowledging, and believing can be seen from the fact that the worst people are capable of knowing without acknowledging; take Jews, for instance, and those who try to destroy the teachings of the church with their specious arguments.{*1} The faithless, moreover, are capable of acknowledging as well as knowing and, in some moods, of preaching, confirming doctrine, and persuading others of its truth, all with great zeal. But they cannot put faith in it if they are not believers.
[2] Those who have faith know, acknowledge, and believe. They have charity and they have conscience. So faith can by no means be attributed to anyone — no one can be said to believe — except one who possesses these traits. This, then, is to be regenerate.
Mere knowledge of the elements of faith is a matter of memory and does not involve the rational mind's assent. Acknowledgment of the tenets of faith requires some assent on the part of the rational mind — a state of mind produced by certain considerations, with a view to certain ends. The possession of faith, though, is a function of conscience, that is, of the Lord working through conscience.
This reality can best be seen in the inhabitants of the other world. Many of those who merely know the truth are in hell. The same goes for those who acknowledge it, since their acknowledgment in earthly life came only in certain moods, as stated. In the next life, when they realize that the things they preached, taught, and convinced others of are actually true, they are quite amazed. They acknowledge those things only when reminded that they had preached them. But everyone who truly believed is in heaven.
Footnotes:
{*1} On Swedenborg's attitude toward Jews, see note 4 in 259 and the reader's guide, pages 51-55. [JSR]
Potts(1905-1910) 896
896. And Noah removed the covering of the ark and saw. That this signifies, on the removal of falsities the light of the truths of faith, which he acknowledged and in which he had faith, is evident from the signification of "removing the covering" as being to take away what obstructs the light. As by the "ark" is signified the man of the Ancient Church who was to be regenerated, by the "covering" nothing else can be signified than what obstructs or prevents from seeing heaven, or the light. What prevented was falsity; wherefore it is said that he "saw." In the Word "to see" signifies to understand and to have faith. Here it means that the man acknowledged truths and had faith in them. It is one thing to know truths, and quite another to acknowledge them, and still another to have faith in them. To know is the first thing of regeneration, to acknowledge is the second, to have faith is the third. What difference there is between knowing, acknowledging, and having faith is evident from the fact that the worst men may know, and yet not acknowledge, like the Jews and those who attempt to destroy doctrinal things by specious reasoning; and that unbelievers may acknowledge, and in certain states preach, confirm, and persuade with zeal; but none can have faith who are not believers. [2] Those who have faith, know, acknowledge, and believe, they have charity, and they have conscience; and therefore faith can never be predicated of anyone, that is, it cannot be said that he has faith, unless these things are true of him. This then it is to be regenerate. Merely to know what is of faith is of a man's memory, without the concurrence of his reason. To acknowledge what is of faith is a rational consent induced by certain causes and for the sake of certain ends. But to have faith is of conscience, that is, of the Lord working through conscience. This is abundantly evident from those who are in the other life. Those who only know are many of them in hell. Those who acknowledge are also many of them there, because their acknowledgment in the life of the body has been in certain states only, and when in the other life they perceive that what they had preached, taught, and persuaded others is true, they wonder greatly and acknowledge it only when it is recalled to their memory as what they had preached. But those who have had faith are all in heaven.
Elliott(1983-1999) 896
896. 'Noah removed the covering of the ark, and saw out' means the light, once falsities had been removed, shed by the truths of faith which he acknowledged and in which he had faith. This becomes clear from the meaning of 'removing the covering' as taking away the things that obstruct the light. Since 'the ark' means the member of the Ancient Church who was to be regenerated, 'the covering' can mean nothing else than that which obstructed his view of the sky, that is, of the light. It was falsity that obstructed it, which is why it is said that he 'saw out'. In the Word seeing means understanding and possessing faith. In the present context it means that he acknowledged truths and had faith in them. Knowing truths is one thing, acknowledging truths altogether another, and having faith in truths yet another. Knowing is the first step in regeneration, acknowledging the second, and having faith the third. The difference between knowing, acknowledging, and having faith becomes clear from the fact that the worst people of all are capable of knowing and yet do not acknowledge, as is the case with Jews and with people who endeavour to demolish matters of doctrine with brilliant arguments. People who are not true believers are able to acknowledge as well, and in certain states are able with zeal to preach, confirm, and persuade. None but true believers however can have faith.
[2] Those who have faith know, acknowledge, and believe; they have charity, and they have conscience. Consequently faith can never be attributed to anyone, that is, he cannot be said to have faith, unless he is such as these people are. This then is what being regenerate entails. Merely knowing something that belongs to faith is an activity of memory which does not involve any assent of the rational. Acknowledging that which belongs to faith is in itself a rational assent brought about by certain causes and for the sake of certain ends. But having faith is an activity of conscience, that is, of the Lord working through conscience. These distinctions are made clear best of all from people in the next life. Of those who merely know, many are in hell; and many of those who acknowledge are there also, for the reason that their acknowledgement during their lifetime was, as stated, confined to certain states. But when they perceive in the next life that what they have preached, taught, and persuaded others of has been the truth, they are most surprised and acknowledge that it is the truth only when they are reminded that they have so preached it. But of those who have had faith, all are in heaven.
Latin(1748-1756) 896
896. Quod 'removit Noah tectum arcae, et vidit' significent remotis falsis lucem veritatum fidei quas agnovit et quibus fidem habuit, constare potest a significatione 'removere tectum,' quod sit auferre illa quae impediunt lucem; quia per 'arcam' significatur homo Antiquae Ecclesiae qui regenerandus, per 'tectum' non aliud significari potest quam id quod impedit ne videat caelum, seu lucem; quod impedivit, fuit falsum, quare dicitur quod 'vidit'; videre in Verbo significat intelligere et fidem habere; hic quod veritates agnoverit et illis fidem habuerit: prorsus apud est veritates scire, et veritates agnoscere, et veritatibus fidem habere; scire est primum regenerationis, agnoscere est secundum, fidem habere est tertium; quae differentia sit inter scire, agnoscere, et fidem habere, inde constare potest quod pessimi queant scire et usque non agnoscere, sicut Judaei et ii qui ratiociniis speciosis destruere conantur doctrinalia; quod fides possint quoque agnoscere, et cum in certis statibus sunt, ex zelo praedicare, confirmare et persuadere; sed fidem habere non possunt nisi fideles; qui fidem habent, ii sciunt, agnoscunt et credunt, ii charitatem habent, ii conscientiam; quare nusquam praedicari potest fides, seu de aliquo quod fidem habeat, nisi talis sit; hoc nunc est, regeneratum esse: solum scire quid fidei, est memoriae non consentiente ejus rationali; agnoscere quod fidei, est rationale quoddam consentiens inductum a certis causis et propter certos fines; sed fidem habere est conscientiae, hoc est, Domini operantis per conscientiam: hoc constare quam optime potest ab iis in altera vita; qui modo sciunt, sunt plures in inferno; qui agnoscunt, sunt etiam, quia agnoverunt in vita corporis, sicut dictum, in certi, statibus, sed cum percipiunt in altera vita quod verum sit quod praedicarunt, informarunt et persuaserunt, multum mirantur; agnoscunt solum quando iis revocatur in memoriam quod ita praedicaverint: sed qui fidem habuerunt, illi omnes sunt in caelo.