259. The internal sense of the Word is chiefly for the angels; and it is also for men. In order that it may be known what the internal sense is, and what its nature and origin, a summary must here be made concerning it: In heaven they speak and think differently from what they do in the world; in heaven they speak and think spiritually, in the world naturally; when, therefore, a man reads the Word, the angels who are with him perceive it spiritually, whilst men perceive it naturally; the angels consequently are in the internal sense while men are in the external; but still they make one by correspondence. The Word is understood differently by the angels in the heavens from what it is by men on earth; the former have the internal, that is, the spiritual sense, but the latter the external, that is, the natural sense, nos. 1887, 2395. The angels perceive the Word in the internal, and not in the external sense; which is shown from the experience of those who have spoken with me out of heaven, while I was reading the Word, nos. 1769-1772. The angelic ideas and utterances are spiritual, but human ideas and utterances are natural; wherefore the internal sense which is spiritual, is for the angels; illustrated by experience, no. 2333. Nevertheless, the sense of the letter of the Word serves the spiritual ideas of the angels as mediums; comparatively, as with a man the expressions of speech are of use to the meaning of a subject, no. 2143. The things belonging to the internal sense of the Word, fall into such as belong to the light of heaven, and thus into the angelic perception, nos. 2618, 2619, 2629, 3086. Wherefore the things which the angels perceive from the Word are precious to them, nos. 2540, 2541, 2545, 2551. The angels do not understand a single expression of the sense of the letter of the Word, nos. 64, 65, 1434, 1929. They are unacquainted with the names of the persons and places mentioned in the Word, nos. 1434, 1888, 4442, 4480. Names cannot enter into heaven, and cannot be pronounced there, nos. 1876, 1888. All names in the Word signify things, and in heaven are changed into the ideas of things, nos. 768, 1888, 4310, 4442, 5225, 5287, 10329. The angels also think abstractedly from persons, nos. 6613, 8343, 8985, 9007. How exquisite the internal sense of the Word is, although [in the letter] there are mere names; shown by examples from the Word, nos. 1224, 1888, 2395. Many names in a series also express a single thing in the internal sense, no. 5095. All numbers in the Word signify things, nos. 482, 487, 647, 648, 755, 813, 1963, 1988, 2075, 2252, 3252, 4264, 6175, 9488, 9659, 10217, 10253. Spirits also perceive the Word in its internal sense, in the proportion that their interiors, are open into heaven, no. 1771. The sense of the letter of the Word which is natural, on account of its correspondence, is changed instantly with the angels into the spiritual sense, no. 5648. And this is brought about without that which is contained in the literal or external sense, being heard or known, no. 10215. The literal or external sense consequently is only with man, and does not proceed any further, no. 2015. There is the internal sense of the Word, and also the inmost or highest sense; concerning which senses see nos. 9407, 10604, 10614, 10627. The spiritual angels, that is, those who are of the Lord's spiritual kingdom, perceive the Word in its internal sense; and the celestial angels, that is, those who are of the Lord's celestial kingdom, perceive the Word in its inmost sense, 1108. 2157, 2275. The Word is for men, and also for angels, being accommodated to each, nos. 7381, 8862, 10322. The Word is what unites heaven and earth, nos. 2310, 2495, 9212, 9216, 9357. The conjunction of heaven with man is effected through the Word, nos. 9396, 9400, 9401, 10452. Wherefore the Word is called the "covenant," no. 9396; because a covenant signifies conjunction, nos. 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 6804, 8767, 8778, 9396, 10632. In the Word there is an internal sense, because the Word has descended from the Lord even to man through the three heavens, nos. 2310, 6597. Whereby it became accommodated to the angels of the three heavens, and also to men, nos. 7381, 8862. Hence it is that the Word is Divine, nos. 2989, 4989; and that it is holy, no. 10276; and that it is spiritual, no. 4480; and that it is inspired by the Divine, no. 9094. That is inspiration, no. 9094. The man, also, who has been regenerated is actually in the internal sense of the Word, although he is ignorant of it, since his internal man which enjoys spiritual perception, has been opened, no. 10400. With him, however, the Spiritual of the Word flows into natural ideas, and thus is presented naturally, because while he lives in the world he thinks in the Natural, no. 5614. The light of truth, consequently, with those who are being enlightened, is from their Internal, that is, it is from the Lord through the Internal, nos. 10691, 10694. Through the same way, also, holiness flows in with those who esteem the Word holy, no. 6789. Since the regenerate man is actually in the internal sense of the Word, and indeed in the holiness of it, although he is ignorant of the fact, therefore after death he comes into that sense, and is no longer in the sense of the letter, nos. 3226, 3342, 3343.