791# “说，谁能比这兽”表示坦白没有什么比这更真实的了。这从前文与这句话的联系，因而从所论述的各个系列清楚可知。因为在前文，经上说“他们都拜那龙，它把权柄给了兽，他们又拜那兽”；这话表示对将信仰与生活分离的信条的承认，因为它通过设计的与善行的结合，以及推理被确立或强化和证实，通过这些推理，表面上看，它与圣言的不一致似乎被清除了(对此，参看AE789,790a节)。由于虚假由此变得就像真理，所以经上说：“谁能比这兽？”这就是为何这句话表示坦白没有什么比这更真实的了；但在真正意义上表示没有什么比这更虚假的了。因为被追随者信以为真理的异端在智慧人看来就是虚假。
791. Saying, Who is like unto the beast? That this signifies a confession that nothing is truer is evident from the connection of what precedes with those words, thus from the series of the things treated of. For in what goes before, it is said that they worshipped the dragon, which gave power to the beast, and that they worshipped the beast; which signifies an acknowledgment of the dogma concerning the separation of faith from life, because it was strengthened and confirmed by devised conjunctions with good works; also by reasonings, by which its discordance with the Word was apparently removed (concerning which see above, n. 789, 790). And because the false was thereby made to appear as true, it is therefore said, "Who is like unto the beast?" By these words therefore is signified a confession that nothing is truer; but, in the genuine sense, that nothing is falser. For a heresy which is believed by its partisans to be the truth, is seen by wise men to be falsity.
791. Saying, Who is like unto the beast? signifies the confession that nothing is more true. This is evident from the connection of what precedes with these words, thus from the series of the things treated of; for in what goes just before it is said that "they worshipped the dragon which gave authority unto the beast, and they worshipped the beast;" which signifies the acknowledgment of the dogma of the separation of faith from life, because it was established and confirmed by devised conjunctions with good works, so also by reasonings by which its disagreement with the Word was apparently cleared away (See above, n. 789, 790); and as falsity was thereby made to appear like truth it is said, "Who is like unto the beast?" This is why these words signify a confession that nothing is more true; but in the genuine sense, that nothing is more false. For a heresy that is believed by its followers to be truth is seen by wise men to be falsity.
791. "Dicentes, Quis similis est bestiae?" Quod significet confessionem quod nihil verius, constat ex nexu antecedentium cum his verbis, ita ex serie rerum; nam in mox antecedentibus dicitur quod "adoraverint draconem qui dedit potestatem bestiae", et quod "adoraverint bestiam", per quae significatur agnitio dogmatis de separatione fidei a vita, quia id firmatum et corroboratum est per inventas conjunctiones cum bonis operibus; tum quoque per ratiocinia, per quae discordantia cum Verbo apparenter summota est (de quibus supra, n. 789, 790 [a]); et quia per id factum est quod falsum appareret sicut verum, ideo dicitur, "Quis similis est bestiae?" Quare per illa verba significatur confessio quod nihil verius, at in sensu genuino quod nihil falsius; haeresis enim ab asseclis creditur veritas, quae a sapientibus videtur falsitas.