195. From the Lord there proceed, one after the other, the celestial Divine, the spiritual Divine and the natural Divine. The name 'celestial Divine' is given to whatever proceeds from His Divine love, and it is good. The name 'spiritual Divine' is given to whatever proceeds from His Divine wisdom, and it is all truth. The natural Divine comes from both of these, being their totality at the outermost level. The angels of the celestial kingdom, which make up the third or highest heaven, are in the Divine called celestial which proceeds from the Lord, for they are in possession of the good of love coming from the Lord. The angels of the Lord's spiritual kingdom, who make up the second or middle heaven, are in the Divine called spiritual which proceeds from the Lord, for they are in possession of Divine wisdom coming from the Lord. The angels of the Lord's natural kingdom, who make up the first or lowest heaven, are in the Divine called natural which proceeds from the Lord, and they possess the faith of charity coming from the Lord. However, the people who make up the church are in one or other of those kingdoms, depending upon their love, wisdom and faith; and after death they come into the same kingdom as that in which they were previously. The pattern of heaven is repeated in the Word of the Lord. In its outermost sense it is natural, in a more inward sense spiritual, and in its inmost sense celestial, each sense being Divine. It is consequently suitable for the angels of the three heavens and also for men.

321. THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT

You are not to bear false witness against your neighbour.

Appearing as a false witness against one's neighbour or giving false evidence means in the strictest natural sense not being a false witness before a judge, or before other people out of court, against someone who is wrongly accused of some crime, and asserting this in God's name, or swearing by anything else holy, or by oneself, or by such things as affect the reputation of one's name. In a wider natural sense this commandment forbids all kinds of lying and hypocrisy in public life with evil intent; also, criticising and slandering one's neighbour so as to undermine his honour, name and reputation, on which the whole of a person's character depends. In the widest natural sense it includes using trickery, guile and deliberate wrong-dealing against someone for various causes, such as enmity, hatred, revenge, envy, rivalry, etc. These evil actions contain bearing false witness hidden within them.