xi
Changes to and insertions in the text This translation is based on the
fi rst Latin edition, published by Swedenborg himself. The system used
in Swedenborg’s footnotes to indicate corrections and additions has also
been applied to citations of the Bible and of Swedenborg’s works that
appear in the main text of the translation: that is, italicized brackets indi-
cate a correction and roman brackets indicate an addition. Words not
appearing in the fi rst Latin edition, but necessary for the understanding
of the text, also appear in roman brackets; this device has been used spar-
ingly, however, even at the risk of some inconsistency in its application.
Chapter numbering Swedenborg did not number the chapters of
Heaven and Hell. His decision not to do so seems to have been deliber-
ate, and in accord with it chapter numbers are not included in the text.
However, because some studies of this work make reference to chapter
numbers, the table of contents provides them.
Titles of Swedenborg’s works References to Swedenborg’s writings in
this edition accord with the short titles listed below, except where he
gives his own version of a title in the text of the translation. In this list,
the short title is followed by the traditional translation of the title; by the
original Latin title, with its full translation; and fi nally by the place and
date of original publication if Swedenborg published it himself, or the
approximate date of writing if he did not. The list is chronological.
Biblical titles Swedenborg refers to the Hebrew Scriptures as the Old
Testament; his terminology has been adopted in this edition. As was the
custom in his day, he refers to the Psalms as the book of David and to the
Book of Revelation as John. For example, in § 129 he writes, “it says in
David,” and then quotes a passage from Psalm 104. Conventional refer-
ences supplied in parentheses after such quotations specify their sources
more precisely.
Theological Works Published by Swedenborg
Secrets of Heaven
Traditional title: Arcana Coelestia
Original title: Arcana Coelestia, Quae in Scriptura Sacra, seu Verbo Domini
Sunt, Detecta:... Una cum Mirabilibus Quae Visa Sunt in Mundo Spiri-
tuum, et in Coelo Angelorum [A Disclosure of Secrets of Heaven Con-
tained in Sacred Scripture, or the Word of the Lord,... Together with
Amazing Things Seen in the World of Spirits and in the Heaven of
Angels]. London: 1749 – 1756.
short titles & other conventions