901.启21:13.“东边有三门，北边有三门，南边有三门，西边有三门”表对真理与良善的认知，其中就有来自主出于天堂的属灵生命，被引入新教会也是凭着它们，这些认知是为了那些或多或少处于爱或对良善的情感之人，也为了那些或多或少处于智慧或对真理的情感之人。“门”表示对真理与良善的认知，其中有来自主出于天堂的属灵生命，因为门上有十二位天使，还写着以色列人十二支派的名字，以此表示这些认知里面的属灵生命，这一点从前面的解释（900节）明显可知；“门”表示对真理与良善的认知，引入教会就凭着这些认知（参看899节）。之所以“东边有三门，北边有三门，南边有三门，西边有三门”，是因为“东”表示较高程度上、因而更多的爱和对良善的情感；“西”表示较低程度上、因而更少的爱和对良善的情感；“南”表示较高程度上、因而更多的智慧和对真理的情感；“北”表示较低程度上、因而更少的智慧和对真理的情感。“东”、“西”、“北”、“南”之所以具有这些含义，是因为主是灵界的太阳，面对祂的方面就是东和西，两边则是南和北，右边是南，左边是北；所以，那些处于对主之爱，因而更多地处于情感的人就住在东方；那些更少地处于情感的人则住在西方；那些出于对真理的情感更多地处于智慧的人住在南方；那些更少地处于智慧的人则住在北方。天上天使的居所就是以这种次序排列的，这一点可见于1758年伦敦出版的《天堂与地狱》（141-153节）一书。之所以每边都有三道门，是因为“三”表示全部（400，505节）。
901. 21:13 Three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. This symbolically means that concepts of truth and goodness which have in them spiritual life from the Lord out of heaven and introduce into the New Church are provided for people who possess more or less love or affection for goodness, and for people who possess more or less wisdom or affection for truth.
The gates now symbolize concepts of truth and goodness which have in them spiritual life from the Lord out of heaven, because over the gates were twelve angels with the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel written on them, and these symbolize this life in those concepts, as is apparent from the explanation just above in no. 900. That the gates symbolize concepts of truth and goodness which introduce into the New Church may be seen in no. 899 above.
There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west, because the east symbolizes love and an affection for goodness in a higher degree, thus in greater measure, whereas the west symbolizes love and an affection for goodness in a lower degree, thus in lesser measure; and the south symbolizes wisdom and an affection for truth in a higher degree, thus in greater measure, whereas the north symbolizes wisdom and an affection for truth in a lower degree, thus in lesser measure. The east, west, south and north have these symbolic meanings because the Lord is the sun in the spiritual world, and east and west are determined by the direction He faces, with the south and north on either side - to His right the south, and to His left the north. Consequently people who possess love toward the Lord and its attending affection in a greater measure live in the east, and in a lesser measure in the west, while those who possess wisdom from an affection for truth in a greater measure live in the south, and in a lesser measure in the north.
That the dwellings of angels in heaven are arranged in this way may be seen in the book Heaven and Hell (London 1758), nos. 141-153.
There are three gates facing each of the cardinal points of the compass because the number three symbolizes all (nos. 400, 505).
901. [verse 13] 'Towards the east three gates, towards the north three gates, towards the south three gates, and towards the west three gates' signifies that the cognitions of truth and good, in which they have spiritual life out of heaven from the Lord, by means of which introduction into the New Church is effected, are for those who are in the love or affection of good, [some] more and [some] less, and for those who are in the wisdom or affection of truth, [some] more and [some] less. By 'the gates' are now signified the cognitions of truth and good in which there is spiritual life out of heaven from the Lord, because over the gates were twelve angels, and the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel written, by which is signified that life in those cognitions, as is plain from the exposition just above (900). That 'the gates' signify the cognitions of truth and good by which introduction into the New Church is effected, may be seen above (Arcana Coelestia 899). The reason why there were three gates towards the east, three towards the north, three towards the south and three towards the west, is because by 'the east' is signified the love and affection of good in a higher degree, thus more; and by 'the west' is signified the love and affection of good in a lower degree, thus less; and by 'the south' is signified the wisdom and affection of truth in a higher degree, thus more; and by 'the north' is signified the wisdom and affection of truth in a lower degree, thus less. The reason why those things are signified by 'east,' 'west,' 'south,' and 'north' is because the Lord is the Sun of the spiritual world, and facing Him are the east and the west, and the south and north are towards the sides, the south on the right and the north on the left. Those therefore who are in love directed to the Lord and consequently are more in affection dwell in the east, those who are less so being in the west, and those who are more in wisdom derived from the affection of truth dwell in the south, while those who are less so dwell in the north. That the dwelling-places of the angels of heaven are in such an order may be seen in the work CONCERNING HEAVEN AND HELL, published at London in 1758 (141-153). The reason why there were three gates towards each quarter is because 'three' signify all (400, 505).
901. Verse 13. On the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates, signifies that the knowledges of truth and good in which there is spiritual life from heaven from the Lord, and by which introduction into the New Church is effected, are for those who are more or less in the love or in the affection of good, and for those who are more or less in wisdom or in the affection of truth. By "gates" are now signified the knowledges of truth and good, in which there is spiritual life from heaven from the Lord, because over the gates there were twelve angels, and the names written of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel, by which that life in those knowledges is signified, as is evident from what was explained above, (900); that "gates" signify the knowledges of truth and good, by which introduction into the New Church is effected, may be seen above, (899). The reason why there were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south, and three on the west, is because by "the east" is signified love and the affection of good in a higher degree, thus more; and by "the west" is signified love and the affection of good in a lower degree, thus less; by "the south" is signified wisdom and the affection of truth in a higher degree, thus more; and by "the north" is signified wisdom and the affection of truth in a lower degree, thus less. The reason of this signification of "east," "west," "north," and "south," is because the Lord is the sun of the spiritual world, and from His face are the east and west, and at the sides are the south and north, on the right side the south, and on the left side the north, wherefore they who are in love to the Lord, and thence more in affection, dwell in the east; they who are less so, in the west; and they who are more in wisdom from the affection of truth, dwell in the south; and they who are less so in the north. That the habitations of the angels of heaven are arranged in this order may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell, published at London, 1758 (141-153). The reason why there were three gates toward each quarter is because "three" signify all, (400, 505).
901. (Vers. 13.) "Ab oriente portae tres, a septentrione portae tres, a meridie portae tres, et ab occasibus portae tres," significat quod cognitiones veri et boni, in quibus spiritualis vita est e Caelo a Domino, per quas fit introductio in Novam Ecclesiam, sint pro illis qui in amore seu affectione boni sunt plus et minus, et pro illis qui in sapientia seu affectione veri sunt plus et minus. -Per "portas" nunc significantur cognitiones veri et boni, in quibus spiritualis vita est e Caelo a Domino, quia super portis erant duodecim Angeli, et nomina duodecim tribuum filiorum Israelis scripta, per quae illa vita in cognitionibus illis significatur, ut patet ab explicatis mox supra (900); quod "portae" significent cognitiones veri et boni, per quas fit introductio in Novam Ecclesiam, videatur supra (899). Quod tres portae ab oriente, tres a septentrione, tres a meridie, et tres ab occasibus essent, est quia per "orientem" significatur amor et affectio boni in gradu superiori, ita plus; et per "occasus" significatur amor et affectio boni in gradu inferiori, ita minus; per "meridiem" significatur sapientia et affectio veri in gradu superiori, ita plus; et per "septentrionem" significatur sapientia et affectio veri in gradu inferiori, ita minus: quod illa per "orientem," "occidentem," "meridiem" et "septentrionem" significentur, est quia Dominus est Sol mundi spiritualis, et a facie Ipsius sunt oriens et occidens, et a lateribus sunt meridies et septentrio, a latere dextro meridies, et a sinistro septentrio: quare illi qui in amore in Dominum et inde in affectione sunt plus, habitant in oriente; qui minus in occidente; et qui in sapientia ex affectione veri sunt plus, habitant in meridie; et qui minus in septentrione. Quod in tali ordine sint Habitationes Angelorum Caeli, videatur in Opere De Caelo et Inferno, Londini 1758 edito (141-153). Quod portae essent tres ab unaquavis plaga, est quia "tres" significant omnes (400, 505).