491.“说预言一千二百六十天”表要教导这两条，即对主的承认和遵行十诫的生活，也就是新教会的两大基本要素，直到结束和开始。这两条，即对主的承认和遵行十诫的生活，就是新教会的两大基本要素，由“两个见证人”来表示（参看490节）；“说预言”表示教导（8，133节）。“一千二百六十天”表示直到结束和开始，也就是直到前教会的结束和新教会的开始。该数字之所以具有这样的含义，是因为它和“三个半”的含义是一样的，而“三个半”表示一个结束和一个开始（505节）；一千二百六十这个数字化为年时，相当于三年半。在下一章，这个数字所表相同：
妇人就逃到旷野，在那里有神给她预备的地方，使他们在那里养活她一千二百六十天。（启示录12:6）
491. "And they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days." This symbolically means that these two - an acknowledgment of the Lord and a life in accordance with the Ten Commandments, which are the two essential elements of the New Church - must be taught until the end and a new beginning.
That these two, an acknowledgment of the Lord and a life in accordance with the Ten Commandments, are the two essential elements of the New Church, and are meant by the two witnesses, may be seen just above in no. 490. And that to prophesy means, symbolically, to teach, in nos. 8, 133.
One thousand two hundred and sixty days means, symbolically, until the end and a new beginning, that is, until the end of the previous church and thus the beginning of a new one. This is the symbolic meaning of the number because the number has the same symbolic meaning as three and a half; for when expressed in terms of years, 1260 days is equivalent to three and a half years, 1and three and a half symbolizes an end and a beginning (no. 505).
This same number has the same symbolic meaning in the next chapter:
Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days. (Revelation 12:6)
Footnotes:
1. Reckoning a year to comprise 360 days, or 12 months of 30 days each, a reckoning common in the ancient Near East before the establishment of the Julian calendar.
491. 'And they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days' signifies that these two, the acknowledgment of the Lord, and a life in accordance with the precepts of the Decalogue, being the two Essentials of the New Church, are to be taught even to the end and the beginning. That these two, the acknowledgment of the Lord and a life in accordance with the precepts of the Decalogue, are the two Essentials of the New Church and are understood by the 'two witnesses' may be seen just above (490); and that 'to prophesy' signifies to teach (Arcana Coelestia 8, 133). By '1260 days' is signified to the end and the beginning, that is, to the end of the former Church thus to the beginning of the New. This is signified by that number because by that number the like is signified as by 'three and a half,' for the number 1260, when reduced into years, makes three years and a half, and by 'three and a half' is signified the end and the beginning (505). Something similar to what is here is signified by that number in the following chapter:
And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they may feed her there a thousand two hundred and sixty days. Revelation 12:6.
491. And they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days, signifies that these two, the acknowledgment of the Lord, and a life according to the precepts of the Decalogue, which are the two essentials of the New Church, are to be taught until the end and the beginning. That these two, the acknowledgment of the Lord, and a life according to the precepts of the Decalogue, are the two essentials of the New Church, and are meant by "the two witnesses," may be seen above, (490); and that "to prophesy" signifies to teach, (8, 133). By "one thousand two hundred and sixty days," is signified until the end and the beginning, that is, until the end of the former church, thus to the beginning of the New. The reason why this is signified by this number, is, because it has the same signification as three and a half, and by three and a half is signified an end and a beginning, (505); for the number one thousand two hundred and sixty, when reduced into years, makes three years and a half. The like is signified by the same number in the next chapter:
And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and sixty days, (Rev 12:6).
491. "Et prophetabunt diebus mille ducentis sexaginta," significat quod duo illa, agnitio Domini, et vita secundum praecepta Decalogi, quae sunt duo Essentialia Novae Ecclesiae, docenda sint usque ad finem et principium. - Quod duo illa, agnitio Domini et vita secundum praecepta Decalogi, sint duo Essentialia Novae Ecclesiae, et intelligantur per "duos testes," videatur mox supra (490); et quod per "prophetare" significetur docere (8, 133); per "dies mille ducentos sexaginta" significatur ad finem et principium, hoc est, ad finem prioris Ecclesiae sic ad principium Novae; quod hoc per illum numerum significetur, est quia per illum numerum simile significatur, quod per tria et dimidium, nam numerus "1260" in annos redactus facit annos tres et dimidium, ac per "tria et dimidium" significatur finis et principium (505). Simile, quod hic, significatur per illum numerum in capite sequente:
"Et Mulier fugit in desertum, ubi habet locum praeparatum a Deo, ut ibi alant eam Dies mille ducentos sexaginta," (Apocalypsis 12:6).