12、由此明显可知，对人来说，再也没有什么比知道何为良善，何为真理，以及一个如何专注于另一个，一个又如何与另一个结合更有必要的了。这种知识对教会成员尤为必要，因为正如天堂的一切都与良善和真理有关，教会的一切也都与良善和真理有关；因为天堂的良善和真理也是教会的良善和真理。这就是为何良善和真理会成为起点。
12、因此，对人类而言，似乎没有什么比认识真理和良善更必要的了。以及它们彼此如何相关，又彼此如何结合。 但是这种知识对教会成员尤为必要。因为，天堂里的一切事物都与良善和真理有关，天堂的良善和真理也是教会的良善和真理，因此教会里的一切事物也与此良善和真理有关。这就是应该从良善和真理出发的原因。
12. We can see, then, that nothing is more necessary for us than knowing what goodness is and what truth is and how each focuses on the other, as well as how each becomes joined to the other. It is particularly necessary, though, for people of the church, because just as everything in heaven goes back to what is good and what is true, so does everything in the church. This is because the goodness and truth that are in heaven are also the goodness and truth that are in the church. This is why I am starting off with a chapter on goodness and truth.
12. With this in mind, we can see that nothing is more important than knowing what is good and what is true, and how the two are attracted to each other and united. Religious people especially should understand these things, since just as everything in heaven relates to goodness and truth, so does everything in religion. What is good and true in heaven is also good and true in religion. So I will begin with goodness and truth.
12. From this it is clear that there is nothing a person needs more to know than what good is and what truth is, how one has the other in view, and how one is linked to the other. This is above all needed by a member of the church. For just as all things in heaven have reference to good and truth, so too do all things in the church, because the good and truth of heaven are also the good and truth of the church. This is why it is necessary to start with good and truth.
12. From this it is evident that there is nothing more necessary for man, than to know what good and what truth are: how the one has respect to the other; and how the one is conjoined to the other. But this is especially necessary for a man of the Church; for just as all things of heaven have relation to good and truth, so also have all things of the Church; because the good and truth of heaven are also the good and truth of the Church. This is why good and truth are made the starting-point.
12. Hence it appears that there is nothing more necessary for man to know than what good and truth are; how the one has respect to the other; and how one is conjoined to the other. But such knowledge is especially necessary for the man of the church; for as all things of heaven have relation to good and truth, so also have all things of the church, because the good and truth of heaven are also the good and truth of the church. It is on this account that a beginning is made from good and truth.
12. Inde patet quod nihil magis sit necessarium homini, quam ut sciat quid bonum et quid verum, et quomodo unum spectat alterum, ac quomodo unum conjungitur alteri: maxime autem necessarium est homini ecclesiae; nam sicut omnia caeli se referunt ad bonum et verum, ita quoque omnia ecclesiae, quia bonum et verum caeli sunt quoque bonum et verum ecclesiae. Haec causa est quod exordium fiat a bono et vero.