8977.“他若单身进来”表没有快乐的真理。这从“单身”的含义清楚可知。“单身”是指单独的真理，因而是指没有自己快乐的真理；“单身”在此表示没有一个女人，因而没有快乐的独身仆人，因为仆人的“女人”是指与真理联结的快乐，这从下文明显看出来。至于这个奥秘，情况是这样：由“希伯来奴仆”所代表的外在教会成员是指那些学习真理不是因为真理里面的快乐，仅仅因为它是教会所教导的真理，他们相信他们能通过它而得救。正是这种相信驱使他们去学习和认识真理。他们就是那些“可以单身进来，单身出去的奴仆”在内义上所表示的人。对这些人来说，真理只是被确认或强化。在来世，这种人在天堂的入口处，而不在天堂本身中；他们被称为“皮肤灵”或“表皮”，因为在大人里面，他们对应于皮肤（参看5553-5559节）。
但那些充满与快乐联结的真理之人则是此处与一个女人同来的奴仆在内义上所表示的人，因为当“男人”表示真理时，“女人”就表示良善。然而，此处“女人”表示快乐，因为这快乐取代良善而存在于一个外在教会成员中。这种人所拥有的良善并非来自一个属灵的源头，而是来自一个属世的源头，因为它品味的是为了利益或重要地位，因而为了自我而活出并教导真理的快乐。这就是它被称为“快乐”而非“良善”的原因。表面上看，它的确像良善；但它因是属世良善，也就是说，因来源于世界，而非天堂，故被称为快乐。
然而，来自一个属灵源头的良善在内义上由主人给他奴仆的那个女人来表示；不过，这良善无法与真理结合；这就是为何经上规定，当这个奴仆出去时，这个女人要归主人，她的儿女也要归主人。因为属灵良善不是为了利益或重要地位，而是为了教会和邻舍的救赎或属灵福祉的良善。这种良善无法与那些处于教会的外在，或说局限于教会外在事物的人结合，因为它是纯正的仁之良善，是从爱与情感涌出的。那些处于教会的外在，或说局限于教会外在事物的人若不将自己摆在第一位，将教会摆在第二位，是不可能对信之真理拥有任何情感的。具有这种品性的人虽能照真理而行，因而能行良善，但不是出于情感，而是出于服从而行的。他们就是那些想永远服事或想永远作奴仆的人在内义上所表示的人。
这些就是在内义上包含在关于奴仆的这些律例中的奥秘，只有那些充满仁之良善的人才能明白这些奥秘，而那些充满没有这良善的信之真理的人根本不可能明白。原因在于，那些充满仁之良善的人处于天堂之光，他们凭这光看见存在于世界之光中的事物；而那些充满信之真理，却未充满仁之良善的人则处于世界之光，凭这光不可能看见存在于天堂之光中的事物。因为天堂之光照在上面，也就是照在内层；而世界之光照在下面或外层。凭高层或内层事物能看到低层或外层事物，但反过来不行；因为天堂能流入世界，但世界不能流入天堂（3721，5119，5259，5779，6322节）。
Potts(1905-1910) 8977
8977. If in his body he shall come in. That this signifies truth without delight, is evident from the signification of "body," as being truth alone, thus truth without its delight; for by "body" is meant the manservant alone without a woman, thus without delight, for the "woman" of a manservant denotes delight conjoined with truth, as will be plain from what follows. With regard to this secret the case is this. The men of the external church, who were represented by the Hebrew servants, are they who learn truth from no delight, but solely for the reason that it is the truth of the church, by means of which they believe that they can be saved. It is this necessity which enjoins them to learn and to know it. These are they who in the internal sense are meant by "menservants who come in their body and go out in their body." With these, truth is merely confirmed. In the other life such persons are in the entrance to heaven, and not in heaven itself; they are called "the cuticulars," because in the Grand Man they correspond to the skin (see n. 5553-5559). [2] But they who are in truth to which delight is adjoined are they who in the internal sense are here meant by the menservants who come with a woman, for "the woman" signifies good, when "the man" signifies truth; but here "woman" signifies delight, for in the man of the external church this takes the place of good. The good in which this man is, is not from a spiritual origin, but from a natural origin, for it has its relish from the delight of living and of teaching truth for the sake of gain or for the sake of honor, consequently for the sake of self. This is the reason why it is called "delight," but not "good." In the external form it does indeed appear as good, but because it is natural good, that is, because it has its origin from the world, and not from heaven, it is called delight. [3] But good from a spiritual origin is meant in the internal sense by the woman whom the master gives his servant; but this cannot be conjoined; and therefore it was decreed that when the manservant should go forth, the woman should be the master's, and also her sons and daughters. For spiritual good is good not for the sake of gain, or for the sake of honor; but for the sake of the church, and for the sake of the salvation of the neighbor. Such good cannot be conjoined with those who are in the externals of the church, for it is the very good of charity, and it springs from the affection which is of love. For they who are in the externals of the church cannot be affected by the truths of faith in any other way than chiefly for the sake of themselves, and secondarily for the sake of the church; and they who are of such a character can indeed act according to truths, thus can do what is good, not from affection, but from obedience. These are they who in the internal sense are meant by those who desire to serve forever. [4] These are the arcana which in the internal sense are contained in these statutes concerning menservants, and which can in no wise be apprehended except by those who are in the good of charity; but not by those who are in the truths of faith without this good. The reason is that they who are in the good of charity are in the light of heaven, and from this light they see the things which are in the light of the world; whereas they who are in the truth of faith, and not in the good of charity, are in the light of the world, from which light the things which are in heaven cannot be seen. For the light of heaven is above, that is, within; but the light of the world is beneath or without, and lower or exterior things can be seen from higher or interior ones, but not the reverse; for heaven can flow into the world, but not the world into heaven (n. 3721, 5119, 5259, 5779, 6322).
Elliott(1983-1999) 8977
8977. 'If he comes in his body' means truth without delight. This is clear from the meaning of 'body' as truth by itself, thus truth without its delight; for 'body' is used here to mean a slave by himself without a woman, that is, without delight, since a woman linked to a slave is delight joined to truth, as will become evident from what follows below. The situation with this arcanum is that members of the external Church, who were represented by 'Hebrew slaves', are those who learn truth not because of any delight in it, only because it is the truth that is taught by the Church and is the means by which, they believe, they can be saved. This belief is what drives them to learn and know it. These are the ones who are meant in the internal sense by slaves who 'come in their body and go out in their body'. With them no more than the strengthening of truth is accomplished. In the next life such people are at the entrance to heaven and not actually in heaven; they are called skin spirits because they correspond in the Grand Man to the skin, 5553-5559.
[2] But those imbued with truth to which delight has been joined are the ones who are meant here in the internal sense by slaves who come with a woman; for 'woman' means good when 'man' means truth. Here however delight is meant, since this exists in place of good in a member of the external Church. The good which such a person possesses does not spring from a spiritual origin but from a natural origin, for it savours of a delight to do the truth in life and to teach it for the sake of gain or important position, consequently for a selfish reason. This is why the word 'delight' is used and not 'good'. To outward appearance it does indeed seem like good; but because it is natural good, that is, has a worldly origin, not a heavenly one, it is called delight.
[3] Good that springs from a spiritual origin however is meant in the internal sense by the woman whom a master gives to his slave. But it cannot be joined [to truth]; and that was why it was stipulated that when the slave went out the woman was to be the master's, as also were her sons and daughters. For spiritual good is good not for the sake of gain or important positions but for the sake of the Church and the spiritual welfare of the neighbour. Such good cannot be joined to those confined to the outward things of the Church, since it is the genuine good of charity, springing out of love and affection. Those confined to the outward things of the Church cannot have any affection for the truths of faith without putting themselves first and the Church second. Though such people can indeed act in accordance with truths, thus can do good, they do not act from affection but out of obedience. These are the ones who are meant in the internal sense by those who wish to remain slaves forever.
[4] These are the arcana which the internal sense contains in these regulations regarding slaves, which can be grasped only by those imbued with the good of charity, and not at all by those imbued with the truth of faith without that good. The reason why is that those imbued with the good of charity are in the light of heaven, and from that light see things that exist in the light of the world. But those imbued with the truth of faith and not with the good of charity are in the light of the world, from which light things that exist in the light of heaven cannot be seen; for the light of heaven shines above, that is, on an inward level, whereas the light of the world shines below or on an outward level. Things on a lower or more external level can be seen from a higher or more internal one, but not the reverse; for heaven can flow into the world, but not the world into heaven, 3721, 5119, 5259, 5779, 6322.
Latin(1748-1756) 8977
8977. `Si in corpore suo venerit': quod significet verum absque jucundo, constat ex significatione `corporis' quod sit solum verum, ita verum absque suo jucundo, per `corpus' enim {1}intelligitur servus solus absque muliere, ita absque jucundo, nam mulier servi est jucundum vero conjunctum, ut patebit a sequentibus. {2}Cum arcano hoc ita se habet: homines Ecclesiae externae, qui repraesentabantur per `servos Hebraeos,' sunt qui discunt {3} verum ex nullo jucundo, solum ob causam quia verum Ecclesiae est, per quod credunt se posse salvari; (x)haec necessitas {4}est quae injungit discere et scire illud; hi sunt qui {5}in sensu interno intelliguntur per servos qui veniunt in corpore suo et {6} exeunt in corpore suo; apud hos solum confrmatur verum; tales in altera vita in introitu ad caelum sunt et non in ipso caelo; vocantur cuticulares, quia in Maximo Homine cuti correspondent, n. 5553-5559; illi autem qui in vero sunt cui adjunctum 2 est jucundum, sunt qui in sensu interno hic intelliguntur per servos qui veniunt cum muliere, `mulier' enim significat bonum {7}quando' `vir' verum, hic autem jucundum, nam hoc pro bono est in externae Ecclesiae homine; bonum quod huic est non ex origine spirituali est sed ex origine naturali, nam sapit ex jucundo {8}vivendi et docendi id propter lucrum vel propter honorem, consequenter propter se; ea causa est quod dicatur jucundum non autem bonum; apparet quidem ut bonum in externa forma, sed quia {9}est bonum naturale, hoc est, quia trahit originem e mundo et non e caelo', vocatur jucundum; 3 bonum autem ex origine spirituali intelligitur in sensu interno per mulierem quam dominus dat servo {10}suo, sed hoc non potest conjungi, quapropter statutum est quod cum exiturus servus, mulier esset domini, et quoque ejus filii et filiae; bonum enim spirituale est bonum non propter lucrum aut propter honorem sed propter Ecclesiam et propter salutem proximi; tale bonum non (t)potest conjungi illis qui in externis Ecclesiae sunt, nam est ipsum bonum charitatis, et scaturit ex affectione quae amoris; qui enim in externis Ecclesiae sunt non possunt affici veris fidei aliter quam principaliter propter se, et secundario propter Ecclesiam, et qui {11}tales sunt, facere quidem possunt secundum vera, ita bonum, non ex affectione sed ex oboedientia; hi sunt qui in sensu interno intelliguntur per illos qui in perpetuum servire volunt. 4 Haec sunt arcana quae in sensu interno continentur in his statutis de servis, quae nullatenus capi possunt {12}quam ab illis qui in bono charitatis sunt, non autem ab illis qui in {13}vero fidei absque illo bono; causa est quia illi qui in bono charitatis sunt in luce caeli sunt, et ex illa vident quae in luce mundi, at qui in vero fidei sunt et non in bono charitatis, in luce mundi sunt, ex qua non videri possunt quae in luce caeli sunt, nam lux caeli est supra, hoc est, intra, at lux mundi est infra {14}seu' extra; {15}a superiore aut interiore possunt videri inferiora aut exteriora, non autem vicissim, influere enim potest caelum in mundum, non autem mundus in caelum, n. 371, 51 19, 5259, 5779, 6322. @1 hic significatur$ @2 Ut sciatur quomodo cum hoc arcano se habet, dicetur$ @3 i et sciunt$ @4 inde$ @5 After intelliguntur$ @6 i qui$ @7 cum$ @8 docendi vivendi secundi id$ @9 non est bonum spirituale$ @10 d status post laborem i tempus postquam$ @11 hoc faciunt$ @12 nisi$ @13 Veris IT$ @14 hoc est,$ @15 i et$