218.在来世，许多善人被囚禁，而恶人得享自由。关于最后审判之时无信之人的状态。良善的灵魂以哪种方式仍在被囚禁，对此，我已被恩准知道得如此清楚，以致再没有比这更清楚的了。我被允许经历、感受这一切，同时与他们交谈。同样，我获知他们有时被赐予自由，似乎从囚禁当中获得喘息的机会。我无法描述这种经历本身，以及我如何清楚地经历它，甚至整整几天都在经历；也无法描述他们如何从囚禁中被提升上来，恢复某种自由，然后一次又一次不知不觉地回到囚禁的状态。我无法照他们的描述讲述那些身处地狱之人如何受到折磨，是什么样的仇恨在那里掌权，使他们互相迫害，甚至将彼此置于死地。与此同时，那些邪恶、极端亵渎的人仍享有自由。原因也向我清楚显明，即：除非这些灵人享有自由，否则信仰已荒废的人类就不能活在肉体和世俗的快乐和感官享受中，而是不断陷入悲惨和良心的折磨。因为如果善灵和天使在最低层天堂掌权，凡人必被持续的良心折磨所侵扰；由于众多原因，只要荒废的过程仍持续，这是不允许的。但在最后审判之时，活在无知中的正直人，也就是先知所说的“外邦人”，就要从囚禁中被释放出来，恶灵则陷入残酷的囚禁和地狱，正如先知在许多地方所预言的。那时，弥赛亚神亲自，以及经由先知所谈论的忧虑会临到那些过着邪恶生活的凡人，同样会临到来世那些像他们一样的人。我曾与那些陷入囚禁的人谈论这些事，也与那些得以自由的人谈论过。那些被囚禁的人得了安慰，从而有了希望。许多自由放飞的人对此根本就不在乎，不相信这是真的。
218. Many of the good are held in captivity, while the evil are enjoying freedom, in the other life
About the State of disbelievers at the time of the last judgment 1
How good souls are still being held in captivity has been made known to me so openly that nothing could be clearer. I was allowed to undergo it, and at the same time to speak with them; likewise, to learn that they are sometimes granted freedom and seemingly a reprieve from captivity. I cannot describe that experience, how perceptibly I underwent it, and for days at a time; also how they were raised up out of captivity and restored to a certain freedom, and again drifted back, one after another, into captivity. Then too, from their description, how those who are in hell were tormented, and what hatred reigns there, causing one to persecute another, even unto death.
Meanwhile others, who are ungodly and extremely profane, are still enjoying freedom. The reason for this has been revealed to me, which is that unless those spirits enjoyed freedom, the human race, whose faith has now been devastated, would not be able to live in such bodily and earthly pleasure, and sensual pleasures, as they do, but would be in continual misery and torment of conscience. For if good [spirits] and angels ruled in that lowest heaven, they could not but infest mortals with continual torment of the conscience; and this, for many reasons, is not allowed as yet, while the devastation process still goes on.
But at the time of the last judgment, the upright who have lived in ignorance, called by the prophets "the gentiles," are to be released from their captivity, and evil spirits to be thrust down into harsh captivity and hell, as the prophets foretell in many passages. Then there will come upon mortals leading an ungodly life, and also upon those like them in the other life, the anxiety about which God the Messiah speaks [Himself], 2as well as through the prophets. 1747, the 24th day of October (old calendar).
I have spoken about these matters with those who are in captivity, and those who are in freedom. Those in captivity take consolation, thus have hope. Many of those who flit about freely have no care, believing that this is not true.
Footnotes:
1. This second heading in the original is emphasized by the word "Observe" written and underlined in the margin.
2. Possibly a reference to Matt. 24:15, Mark 13:14, Luke 21:20.
218. IN THE OTHER LIFE VERY MANY OF THE GOOD ARE HELD IN CAPTIVITY, WHILST THE EVIL ENJOY FREEDOM. CONCERNING THE STATE OF THE UNFAITHFUL AT THE TIME OF THE LAST JUDGMENT
In what manner good souls are as yet held in captivity has been granted me to know so manifestly that nothing is more manifest; it has been given me to feel this, and at the same time to speak with them. In like manner [I learned] that liberty was sometimes granted them and as it were, respite from captivity. I am unable to describe the experience itself, and how I manifestly perceived it, even for whole days, also in what manner those spirits were raised out of captivity, and restored to a kind of liberty, and again by turns drifted back into captivity. Nor can I relate how, according to their description, those who are in hell are tormented, and the kind of hatred that there reigns, with which one persecutes another, even to death. In the meanwhile others who are wicked and in the highest degree profane still enjoy liberty. The reason was also made clear to me, namely, that unless those spirits enjoyed their liberty, the human race, now vastated as to faith, would not be able to live in such corporeal and earthly delight, and in pleasures, but would continually be in misery and torment of conscience. For if good spirits and angels ruled in that ultimate heaven, then mortals could not but be infested by continual torment of conscience, which as yet, so long as the vastation continues, is not allowed for many reasons. But still at the time of the last judgment, the upright who have lived in ignorance, who are called "gentiles" by the prophets, will then be released from their captivity, and the evil spirits thrust down into grievous captivity and into hell, as the prophets prophesied in many places. Then the anxiety of which God Messiah spoke Himself, and through the prophets, will overtake those mortals who have led a wicked life, and likewise those in the other life who are like them. 1747, Oct. 24, o.s. I spoke about these things both with those who are in captivity, and with those who are at liberty: those who are in captivity have consolation, thus hope; very many of those who fly about in liberty, care nothing at all about it; they do not suppose it is true.
218. Quod plurimi boni in captivitate teneantur, dum mali fruantur libertate, in altera vita. De Statu infidelium tempore ultimi judicii
Quomodo animae bonae adhuc teneantur in captivitate, ita manifeste mihi scire datum est, ut nihil manifestius; sentire id datum est 1
, et simul loqui cum iis; similiter, quod iis quandoque libertas concessa, et quasi respiratio a captivitate, experientiam istam non possum describere, quomodo eam percepi manifeste, et per integros dies, tum quomodo elevabantur a captivitate, et restituerentur libertati cuidam, et per vices iterum in captivitatem refluebant; tum etiam, secundum eorum descriptionem, quomodo cruciarentur ii qui in inferno sunt, et quale odium regnat, quo unus alterum persequitur usque ad mortem; interim alii, qui impii sunt, et summe prophani, adhuc libertate fruuntur, causa mihi etiam manifestata est, nempe quod nisi spiritus isti libertate fruerentur, quod genus humanum, nunc quoad fidem vastatum, non potuissent in tali jucunditate corporea et terrestri, inque voluptatibus vivere, sed continue in miseria et cruciatu conscientiae, nam si boni, ac angeli regnarent in coelo isto ultimo, tunc non potuissent non infestari mortales a continua conscientiae cruciatione, quod adhuc, dum vastatio persistit, ex pluribus causis, non admittitur; at vero tempore ultimi judicii, tunc probi, qui in ignorantia vixerunt, "gentes" a prophetis appellati, e captivitate sua exsolvendi sunt, et mali spiritus in captivitatem duram ac infernum detrudendi, sicut prophetae multis in locis prophetant; tunc superventura est mortales qui impiam vitam agunt, ac similiter similes in altera vita, anxietas, de qua Deus Messias loquitur, et per prophetas. 1747, die 24 Oct. st. v. De his cum iis qui in captivitate 2
sunt, et qui in libertate, loquutus sum; qui in captivitate sunt, consolationem habent, sic spem; plurimi eorum qui libere volitant, ii nihil curant, putant id non verum.
Footnotes:
1. This is how it appears in J.F.I. Tafel's edition; the Manuscript has et
2. The Manuscript has captivite