9、⑴何谓过去的先前的天和先前的地（启示录21:1）。在这段经文（启示录21:1）中，先前的天和先前的地不是指世人肉眼所看到的天空，或他们所居住的大地，也不是指自创世以来所有过着良善生活的人居住的先前天堂，而是指在天堂与地狱之间为自己造假天堂的灵人的会众；由于所有灵人和天使都住在陆地上，跟世人一样，所以“先前的天”和“先前的地”是指这些陆地。我见证了这个天和地的过去，并在《最后的审判》这本小册子（45-72节）里描述了我所看到的，也就是我亲眼见证的它们的过去。
9. 1. What is meant by the first heaven and the first earth that passed away, described in Revelation 21:1. The first heaven and the first earth in this passage do not mean the heavens that we here on earth see with our eyes or the planet that we live on, nor do they mean the first heaven that is the abode of all the people since creation who have lived rightly. Rather, they mean gatherings of spirits who made pseudo-heavens for themselves between heaven and hell; and since all spirits and angels live in lands just as we do, those lands are meant by the first heaven and the first earth.
I witnessed the passing away of that heaven and that earth; in the booklet Last Judgment (45–72) I describe what I saw.
9. (i) What is meant by the former heaven and the former earth which passed away (Revelation 21:1). By the former heaven and the former earth are not here meant the sky visible to people's eyes in the world or the earth where people live. Nor does it mean the former heaven containing all who have lived good lives since the beginning of creation. What are meant are the groups of spirits who had made themselves something like heavens between heaven and hell; and because all spirits and angels like human beings live on an earth, these are what is meant by the former heaven and the former earth. That heaven and earth were seen to pass away, and their passing was described from eye-witness in the small book ON THE LAST JUDGMENT (45-72).
9. I. What is meant by "the former heaven" and "the former earth" which passed away, mentioned in the Apocalypse (Apocalypse 21:1). "The former heaven" and "the former earth" there mentioned, does not mean the heaven visible to the eyes of men in the world, nor the earth which is inhabited by men; nor the former heaven, in which all those are who have lived well since the first creation. But congregations of spirits are meant who had made seeming heavens between heaven and hell for themselves, and because all spirits and angels dwell upon lands, as well as men, therefore by "the former heaven" and "the former earth," these are meant. The passing away of that heaven and that earth was seen, and it has been described from sight in the work on The Last Judgment 45-72.
9. (i.) Quid intelligitur per "prius caelum" et per "priorem terram" quae transiverunt, de quibus in Apocalypsi (cap. 21:1).- Per "prius caelum" et per "priorem terram ibi, non intelligitur caelum quod coram oculis hominum in mundo apparet, nec terra quae ab hominibus incolitur; nec intelligitur caelum prius in quo sunt omnes a prima creatione qui bene vixerunt: sed intelliguntur congregationes spirituum, qui inter caelum et infernum sibi tanquam caelos fecerunt: et quia omnes spiritus et angeli habitant super terris, aeque ac homines, inde per "prius caelum" et "priorem terram" illa intelliguntur. Quod illud caelum et illa terra transiverint, visum est, et ex visis descriptum in opusculo De Ultimo Judicio (45-72).