Like "say," the word "speak" refers to thoughts and feelings moving from our more internal spiritual levels to our more external ones -- and ultimately from the Lord, who is in a sense the most internal spiritual level of all. This is generally called "influx" and "perception" in the Writings, meaning they are thoughts and feelings that flow in in a complete way from the Lord, rather than being things we have to think about and figure out. On a number of occasions "speak" and "say" are used together; in these cases "speak" refers more to intellectual instruction in matters of thought and "say" refers more to feelings and affections that flow in directly.

285. 因為此律法成就了主與人,人與主之間的合作關係, 所以被稱為"約"與"見證"。被稱為"約", 因其發揮紐帶的聯結作用; 被稱為"見證", 因其證實了這種合作關係。在聖言中, "約"表示一種合作關係, 而"見證"表示對約定的確證。這就是為何有兩塊石版, 一塊適於上帝,另一塊適於我們。這種合作的關係由上帝提供, 不過只有在我們行出自己那塊石版所寫內容時才發生這種關係。主一直同在並期望進入, 只是我們當運用主所賜的自由意志去打開那門。因為祂說:"看啊！我站在門外叩門, 若有人聽見我聲音就開門的, 我要進到他那裡去, 我與他, 他與我一同坐席"(啟示錄3:20)。

律法刻於其上的石版被稱為"立約之版", 安放石版之櫃因此被稱為"約櫃", 其中的律法被稱為"約"(參看民數記10:33;申命記4:13, 23; 5:2-3; 9:9;約書亞記3:11;列王記上8:21;啟示錄11:19;以及其它章節)。

因為"約"或"立約"表示合作的關係, 聖言中論到主, 說祂將成為"眾民的約(和合本譯成'中保', 原文為'約')"(以賽亞書42:6; 49:9)。祂還被稱為"立約的使者(或約的天人)"(瑪拉基書3:1), 祂的血被稱為"立約的血"(馬太福音26:28;撒迦利亞書9:11;出埃及記24:4-10)。這就是為何聖言被稱為"舊約"與"新約"的原因。立約是為了仁愛,友好,聯盟與連接。