To “generate” something is to create it, and that idea underpins the meaning of a “generation” of people -- it is a group that was created together, at roughly the same time, from the same parents or group of parents. On a spiritual level, we can be “generators” by using what we know from the Lord to create ideas of how to be good, and also to create good actions based on those ideas -- what the Writings call things of faith and things of charity. In general, then, a “generation” in the Bible represents the spiritual ideas and activities created by a church -- with a “church” being anything from an individual believer to a group lasting thousands of years. “Generation” can also pick up specific meanings from context. For instance, when the Bible says the people of Israel were captive in Egypt for four generations, it means a state of temptation based on the meaning of “four.” When paired with “eternity,” meanwhile, “generations” represents ideas and actions surrounding love of serving others, with “eternity” representing things springing from love of the Lord. Finally, “generations and generations” is used in the Bible to represent forever.

6655. 'Come, let us use prudence with them' means guile. This is clear from the meaning of 'prudence' - when that word is used by the evil who are alienated from truth and goodness - as guile, for the evil speak of what they accomplish by the use of guile, and also of deceit, as prudence. Let something about the guile meant by 'prudence' be mentioned here. All who are under the influence of evil speak of guile as prudence and do not consider intelligence and wisdom to consist in anything else. People who are like this in the world become worse in the next life, where by the use of guile they constantly act in opposition to whatever is good and true. And those among them are thought of as the intelligent and wise who are able, as they themselves see it, to employ falsities to break down and demolish truths, behaving in any artful or malicious way they can to accomplish this. From this one can see what people within the Church are like when they identify prudence with guile; one can see that such people are in touch with the hells. But those who are true members of the Church are so far removed from guile that they utterly abhor it; and those among them who are like angels are willing, if at all possible, to have their minds laid open so that anyone may see plainly what they are thinking. For they intend nothing but good towards their neighbour; and if they notice anything bad in someone they make allowances for it. It is different with those who are governed by evil. They are afraid of having anything they think or will brought to light, for they intend nothing but ill for their neighbour, or if they do intend good it is for their own benefit. If they actually perform anything good, it is merely an outward appearance of good, done so that others may see them, for the sake of their own monetary gain and high position. For they know that whatever is good and true, just and fair, and also honourable, has a strong and hidden power within it to attract people's minds, even those of the wicked.