212.天堂分为三层，即最高层、中间层和最低层。最高天堂构成主的属天国度，中间天堂构成祂的属灵国度，最低天堂构成祂的属世国度。正因天堂有三层，所以圣言也有三层含义，即一个属天含义，一个属灵含义和一个属世含义。这和前面说的（210节）一致，也就是说，最初在中间里面，并经由中间而在最末里面，正如目的在起因里面，并经由起因而在结果里面。这清楚表明圣言的性质，即：圣言的字义，也就是属世之义，包含内在意义，也就是属灵之义，而这属灵之义则包含至内在的意义，也就是属天之义。因此，最外在或最末层的意义，也就是属世之义或所谓的字义，就是这两个内在意义的容器，因而也是它们的基础和支撑。
212. 天國有三層, 最高的,中間的和最低的。最高的天國構成主的屬天國度, 中間的天國構成祂的屬靈國度, 最低的天國構成祂的屬世國度。正因有三層天國, 聖言亦有三層含義:屬天,屬靈和屬世的含義。
之前第210節表達的觀點與這些觀點相吻合:基本部分呈現於中間部分, 並籍著中間部分同樣呈現於外在部分。或者說, 目的呈現於手段之中, 並籍著手段呈現於結果之中。
這也將聖言的屬性說明了:在其文字意義(屬世含義)中包含內在意義(屬靈含義), 在屬靈含義中有最內在的意義(屬天含義)。因此, 屬世含義(字面意義)是兩個內在含義(屬靈和屬天)的容器。因而也是這兩層含義的基礎, 也是支撐。
212. There are three heavens: the highest, the middle, and the lowest. The highest heaven constitutes the Lord's heavenly kingdom; the middle heaven, his spiritual kingdom; and the lowest heaven, his earthly kingdom. Just as there are three heavens, there are three layers of meaning in the Word: the heavenly meaning, the spiritual meaning, and the earthly meaning.
The points made above in 210 coincide with the points just made: the primary component is present in the middle component; and by means of the middle component it is also present in the outermost component. In exactly the same way, a purpose is present in the means; and through the means the purpose is present in the result.
This shows what the Word is like. Inside its literal meaning, which is earthly, there is an inner meaning that is spiritual; and inside the spiritual meaning there is an innermost meaning that is heavenly. The outermost meaning, which is earthly and is called the literal meaning, is a container for the two inner meanings. Therefore it is a foundation for them and also a structural support.
212. There are three heavens, the highest, the middle and the lowest. The highest heaven makes up the Lord's celestial kingdom, the middle heaven His spiritual kingdom, the lowest heaven His natural kingdom. Just as there are three heavens, there are three senses in the Word, a celestial, a spiritual and a natural sense. What was said above in 210 applies to these too; that is to say, the first is contained in the middle and through the middle in the last, exactly as the end is contained in the cause and through the cause in the effect. This makes plain the nature of the Word; its literal sense, which is natural, contains an interior sense which is spiritual, and this contains an inmost sense which is celestial. Thus the last sense, the natural one called the literal sense, is the container, basis and support of the two interior senses.
212. There are three heavens a highest, a middle, and a lowest. The highest heaven forms the Lord's celestial kingdom, the middle His spiritual kingdom, and the lowest heaven His natural kingdom. As there are three heavens so there are three senses of the Word, a celestial, a spiritual, and a natural; and this agrees with what has been said above (n. 210), namely, that the first is in the middle and through the middle in the last, precisely as the end is in the cause and through the cause in the effect. This makes clear the nature of the Word, namely, that in the sense of its letter, which is natural, there is an inner sense which is spiritual, and in this an inmost sense which is celestial; and thus that the outmost sense, which is natural and is called the sense of the letter, is the containant, and thus the basis and support of the two interior senses.
212. There are three heavens, the highest, the middle, and the lowest; the highest heaven constitutes the Lord's celestial kingdom, the middle heaven His spiritual kingdom, and the lowest heaven His natural kingdom. Just as there are three heavens, so also are there three senses of the Word, the celestial, the spiritual and the natural. To these senses is also applicable what was said above in210, that the first is in the middle, and by means of the middle in the last, just as the end is in the cause, and thereby in the effect. Hence the nature of the Word is clear; namely, the sense of its Letter, which is the natural sense, has an interior sense, which is the spiritual, and within this there is an inmost sense, which is the celestial; and thus the lowest sense, which is the natural, and called the sense of the Letter, is the containant of the two interior senses, and consequently their basis and support.
212. Sunt Tres Coeli, Supremum, Medium, et Infimum; Supremum Coelum facit Regnum Coeleste Domini, Medium Coelum facit Regnum Spirituale Ipsius, et Infimum coelum facit Regnum Ipsius Naturale: quemadmodum Tres Coeli sunt, ita quoque Tres Sensus Verbi sunt, Coelestis, Spiritualis, et Naturalis; cum quibus etiam coincidunt illa, quae supra 210 dicta sunt, videlicet quod Primum sit in Medio, et per Medium in Ultimo, prorsus sicut finis in causa, et per causam in effectu. Inde patet, quale est Verbum, quod nempe in Sensu literae ejus, qui est Naturalis, sit interior Sensus qui est Spiritualis, et in hoc intimus qui est Coelestis; et sic quod Ultimus Sensus, qui est Naturalis et vocatur Sensus literae, sit binorum Sensuum interiorum Continens, ita Basis et Firmamentum.