232.相反的情形则临到那些通过错误的宗教教义阅读圣言之人身上，尤其临到那些通过圣言证明这错误教义，并且这样是为了他们自己的荣耀和世俗的财富之人身上。对这些人来说，圣言的真理仿佛被投入夜晚的昏暗中，而虚假则仿佛在白昼之光里。他们阅读真理，却看不到它们；即便看到真理的影子，也会歪曲之。他们就是主所论说的那些人：他们有眼却看不见，有耳却不明白（马太福音13:14，15）。所以，他们在有关教会属灵事物上的启示，纯粹是属世的，他们的内在视觉就像那躺在床上醒来看见幽灵之人的视觉，或像梦游者的视觉，他自认为是醒着的，其实已经睡着了。
232. 相反的一面就會落在這等人身上:在讀聖言時遵循錯誤信仰的教義, 甚至那些舉聖言內容來證明錯誤教義,以至於專注自身榮耀和世間財富的人們。對於這些人而言, 聖言的真理如同被放入夜晚的黑暗中, 而偽謬如同在白晝當中。他們雖讀真理, 然而卻不明白; 倘若他們看見一點真理的影像, 卻歪曲它們。這些人就是主所說的:他們有眼卻看不見, 有耳卻不明白(馬太福音13:14-15)。因此, 對他們涉及教會屬靈事物的啟示, 變得全然屬世, 他們的思想視野就像某位睡在床上醒著看見幽靈, 又或像個夢遊者, 堅信自己是醒的, 其實是睡著的。
232. Something opposite to this happens to people who read the Word under a false body of religious teaching, especially if they use the Word to support their body of teaching and are pursuing their own glory or the wealth of the world. Under these circumstances the truths in the Word seem to be in the shadows of night and things that are false seem to be in the light of day. Such people read truths but do not see them. If they see the shadow of truths, they falsify those truths. The Lord was referring to people like this when he said that they have eyes but they do not see; they have ears, but they do not understand (Matthew 13:14-15). The light in which they view spiritual things related to the church becomes nothing but earthly as a result. The things their minds then see are like the ghosts people sometimes see when just waking up in bed, or like the mistaken impression sleepwalkers have that they are wide awake.
232. The reverse befalls those who follow a doctrine of false religion in their reading of the Word, and the more so in the case of those who prove that doctrine from the Word, having in view then their own glory and worldly wealth. For these people the truths of the Word are as if plunged in the shades of night, while falsities are as if in daylight. They read the truths, but do not see them; and if they see their shadow, they falsify them. These are those of whom the Lord says that they have eyes and do not see, they have ears and do not understand (Matthew 13:14-15). Thus their enlightenment in spiritual matters, which concern the church, becomes purely natural, and their mental vision like that of one in bed who on waking sees ghosts, or like a sleepwalker, who believes he is awake when he is really asleep.
232. The opposite occurs with those who from the doctrine of a false religion read the Word, and still more with those who confirm that doctrine by the Word, doing this with a view to their own glory and worldly possessions. With such the truths of the Word are as if in the dimness of night, and falsities are as if in the light of day. They read truths but see them not; and if they but see the shadow of them, they falsify them. These are they of whom the Lord says,
That they have eyes and see not, and ears but do not understand (Matthew 13:14, 15).
Consequently their light in respect to spiritual matters, which pertain to the church, is merely natural, and their mental vision like that of one who when he awakens in his bed sees phantoms, or like that of a sleepwalker, who thinks himself to be awake when he is asleep.
232. The contrary takes place with those who read the Word from the doctrine of a false religion, and more especially with those who confirm that doctrine from the Word, looking to their own glory and worldly wealth. With them the truths of the Word appear as in the shade of night, and falsities as in the light of day. They read the truths, but they do not see them; and if they see the shadow of them, they falsify them. These are they of whom the Lord says:
they have eyes, and see not, and ears, and do not understand" Matthew 13:14-15.
Hence their light in spiritual things pertaining to the Church is merely natural, and their mental vision like that of one who in bed sees spectres when he awakens, or like that of a sleep-walker, who fancies himself wide awake when he is fast asleep.
232. Contrarium fit illis, qui ex Doctrina Religionis falsae legunt Verbum; et plus illis, qui Doctrinam illam ex Verbo confirmant, et tunc spectant ad sui gloriam et ad Mundi opes; apud hos Vera Verbi sunt sicut in Umbra noctis, et falsa sicut in luce diei; legunt Vera, sed non vident illa, et si umbram illorum vident, falsificant illa; sunt hi, de quibus Dominus dicit, Quod oculos habeant, et non videant, et quod aures, et non intelligant, Matthaeus 13:14-15. Inde fit lux eorum in rebus spiritualibus, quae Ecclesiae sunt, mere naturalis, et visus mentis illorum sicut videntis larvas in lecto dum expergiscitur, aut sicut noctambuli, qui credit se vigilem cum dormit.