66.在澄清何谓先前的天和先前的地之前，我必须让大家知道，先前的天不是指由那些自创世以来直至今日变成天使的人组成的天堂，因为这个天堂是坚固的，将永远长存。事实上，凡抵达天堂的人都在主的保护之下；并且一旦被主接受，就没有人能从祂手中被夺走。相反，先前的天是指由那些没有成为天使，并且多半无法成为天使的人组成的“天堂”或集合体。接下来我将说明他们是谁，是什么样子。这就是经上所说的已经过去的天。它之所以被称为天，即一个天堂，是因为其中的人都住在磐石和大山上的社群中，在高处享受他们在世上所享受的那种快乐，而不是享受属灵快乐。从尘世进入灵界的人，当住在高处并享受他们在世上所享受的那种快乐时，大多以为自己在天堂。这就是为何经上把它称作天，即一个天堂，不过是“过去的先前的天”。
66. Before I clarify what is meant by the first heaven and the first earth, though, it is important for you to know that the first heaven does not mean the heavens made up of people who became angels from the time of the first creation of this world up to the present, since that heaven is steadfast and will endure forever. In fact, once people have been received by the Lord, they can never be plucked out of his hand.
Rather, the first heaven means a heaven composed of others, of people who had not become angels and in most cases proved unable to become angels. (Just below I will relate who they were and what they were like.) This is the heaven that is said to have passed away.
It is called a heaven because the people in it lived together in high places on rocks and mountains. 1There they pursued the same kind of pleasures they had enjoyed on earth, but no spiritual pleasures. Many people, as they come into the spiritual world from the physical world, believe they are in heaven when they are in high places, and believe they are experiencing heavenly joy when they experience the kind of pleasures they had enjoyed in this world. That is why the Word referred to it as a heaven, but a first heaven that was going to pass away.
Footnotes:
1. The reference here and in Last Judgment 69:1 to high places on rocks and mountains may be an allusion to Revelation 6:15-16. [RS]
66. But before revealing what is meant by the first heaven and the first earth I must make it known that the first heaven does not mean the heaven composed of those who have become angels from the time this world was first created down to the present, for this is a constant heaven which will last for ever. All who reach heaven are under the Lord's protection, and once accepted no one can be torn away from the Lord. Rather the first heaven means the collection of those who have not become angels, and for the most part could not become angels. Who they were and what they were like will be related in the following pages. That is the heaven which is said to have passed away. It is called a heaven because those who were in it lived in communities on rocks and mountains and enjoyed pleasures similar to natural ones, but no spiritual pleasures. Most people who come from earth into the spiritual world think they are in heaven when they are high up and enjoying the same kind of pleasures as they did in the world. That is why it was called a heaven, but the first heaven which passed away.
66. But before showing what is meant by "the first heaven and the first earth," it should be known, that by "the first heaven" is not meant the heaven formed of those who have become angels from the first creation of this world to the present time, for that heaven is abiding, and endures to eternity; for all who enter heaven are under the Lord's protection, and he who has once been received by the Lord, can never be plucked away from Him. But by "the first heaven" is meant that which was composed of others than those who have become angels, and for the most part of those who could not become angels. Who they were, and their quality, shall be told in the following pages. This heaven it is, of which it is said, that it "passed away." It was called heaven, because they who were in it dwelt on high, forming societies upon rocks and mountains, and living in delights similar to natural ones, but still not in any that were spiritual; for very many who come from the earth into the spiritual world, believe themselves to be in heaven, when they are on high, and in heavenly joy, when they are in delights such as they had in the world. Hence it wasn't called heaven, but "the first heaven which passed away."
66. Sed antequam manifestatur, quid per "primum caelum et primam terram" intelligitur, sciendum est, quod per "primum caelum" non intelligatur caelum quod fuit cx illis qui facti sunt angeli a prima creatione hujus mundi ad hoc usque tempus, nam id caelum constans est et permanet in aeternum; omnes enim qui in caelum veniunt, sub tutela Domini sunt, et a Domino, qui semel receptus est, nullus evelli potest; sed per "primum caelum" intelligitur id quod conflatum ex aliis quam qui angeli facti sunt, et quoad plurimam partem ex illis qui non angeli fieri potuerunt; quinam illi fuerunt, et quales, in sequentibus dicetur: id caelum est de quo dicitur quod transierat. Id vocatur caelum, quia illi qui in eo fuerunt, in alto super petris et montibus consociati degerunt, et in jucundis naturalium similibus, sed usque in nullis spiritualibus; nam plerique, qui ex terris in mundum spiritualem veniunt, credunt in caelo esse cum in alto, et in caelesti gaudio cum in jucundis in qualibus fuerunt in mundo: inde est, quod id vocatum sit caelum, sed caelum primum quod transiret.