84.“并要悔改，行起初所行的事”表他们要将其生命状态反转过来。人皆将教义真理置于首位，只要这样行，他就好比未熟的果子。而重生之人在吸取真理后，便将生活的良善置于首位，并且他越是这样行，就越发成熟，好比成熟的果子；随着他逐渐成熟，那么他成熟到什么程度，他里面的种子就多产到什么程度。我曾在那些成为灵的人当中观察过这两种状态。在第一种状态下，他们看似朝向地狱上方的山谷；而在第二种状态下，则看似朝向天堂的乐园。这种生命状态的反转就是此处所表示的。这一切通过悔改及此后生活的良善实现，这就是“并要悔改，行起初所行的事”的意思。
84. "'And repent and do the first works.'" This symbolically means, in order to turn the state of their life around.
Everyone regards doctrinal truths in first place, but as long as he does this, he is like unripe fruit. After he has absorbed those truths, however, someone who is being regenerated regards goods of life in first place, and in proportion as he does so, he is like ripening fruit, and as that fruit ripens, the seed in it becomes fertile.
I have seen these two states in people after they became spirits, and in the first state they appeared to be facing toward valleys situated above hell, while in the second state they appeared to be facing toward the paradisal gardens that are found in heaven.
This turning around of their state of life is what is meant here. It is achieved by repentance, and after that by goodness of life, and this is what is meant by the statement, "Repent and do the first works."
84. 'And repent, and do the first works' signifies so that they may invert the state of their life. Every man has the truths of doctrine in view in the first place, but as long as he does this he is like unripe fruit. He who is being regenerated, however, after having absorbed those truths, has the goods of life in view in the first place; and in so far as he does this, he ripens like fruit, and in so far as he ripens, so far the seed in that fruit becomes productive. These two states have been seen by me in the case of men when they have become spirits. In the first state they appeared turned in the direction of the valleys that are above hell; and in the second turned towards the paradises that are in heaven. This turning round of the state of life is what is understood here. That this is effected by means of repentance, and after that by the good of life, is understood by 'Repent, and do the first works.
84. And repent, and do the first works, signifies that they ought to invert the state of their life. Every man regards the truths of doctrine in the first place, yet so long as he does this, he is like unripe fruit; but he who is regenerated, after he has imbibed truths, regards the goods of life in the first place, and in proportion as he does so, he grows ripe like fruit; and in proportion as he grows ripe, and as far as he grows ripe, so far the seed in him becomes prolific. These two states have been seen by me, among men who had become spirits. In the first state, they appeared turned to the valleys which are above hell; and in the second, to the paradises which are in heaven. This turning of the state of life is what is here meant. That this is effected by repentance, and after it by the good of life, is meant by "Repent, and do the first works."
84. "Et resipisce, et prima opera fac," significat ut invertant statum vitae suae. - Omnis homo primo loco spectat vera doctrinae, sed quamdiu hoc facit, est sicut fructus immaturus: at qui regeneratur, postquam imbuerat illa, spectat bona vitae primo loco; et quantum hoc facit, sicut fructus maturescit; et quantum maturescit, tantum semen in illo sit prolificum. Bini illi status mihi visi sunt apud homines tunc spiritus, et apparuerunt in primo statu conversi ad valles quae supra infernum, et in secundo ad paradisos qui in Caelo: haec conversio status vitae est quae hic intelligitur: quod hoc fiat per paenitentiam, et post illam per bonum vitae, intelligitur per "resipisce, et prima opera fac."