2871、地狱灵不知道其它任何自由，只知道爱自己和爱世界所要求的那种自由。这些要求与他们的欲望有关，就是掌控每个人，迫害和仇恨所有不服侍他们的人，折磨每个人，如有可能，不惜摧毁整个世界以达到自己的目的，偷窃和篡夺凡属于他人的东西等等的欲望。当满足这些和类似欲望，或说进行这些和类似活动时，他们就在享受自己的自由，因为他们正在获取自己的快乐。他们的生命就在于这种自由，甚至到了这种程度：若从他们那里夺走它，他们就只剩下新生婴儿所拥有的那种生命。活生生的经历向也证明了这一点。有一个恶灵坚信这类欲望能从他那里被除去，他以这种方式便能进入天堂；因此，他的生命能奇迹般地变成天堂的生命。于是，他的爱及其欲望从他那里被拿走了（这种事在来世通过分离，也就是切断一个人与其他人的联系而实现）。这时，他看似一个婴儿，用手划水，尽管他几乎不能挥动双手。与此同时，他处于这种状态：他的思考能力甚至不如一个婴儿；他完全不会说话，什么也不知道。但他很快就恢复了自己的快乐，从而恢复了自己的自由。这件事清楚表明，凡从爱自己、爱世界中为自己获取生命，从而陷入这些爱的自由之人都不可能进入天堂。如果这生命从这样一个人里被拿走，他根本就不会有任何思维或意愿留在自己里面。
Potts(1905-1910) 2871
2871. Infernal spirits do not know that there is any other freedom than that which is of the love of self and the love of the world; that is, of the cupidities of commanding, of persecuting and hating all who do not serve them, of tormenting everyone, of destroying the universe if they could for the sake of self; of taking away and claiming to themselves whatever is another's. When they are in these and similar things, they are in their freedom, because they are in their delight. Their life consists in this freedom to such a degree that if it were taken away from them, nothing more of life would remain to them than that of a newborn infant. This was also shown by living experience. A certain evil spirit was in the persuasion that such things could be taken away from him, and that in this way he could come into heaven; consequently that his life could be miraculously changed into heavenly life; on which account those loves together with their cupidities were taken away from him (which is done in the other life by dissociation), and he then appeared like an infant paddling with his hands, which he could scarcely move; and he was at the same time in such a state as to be less able to think than any infant, and unable to speak anything at all, or to know anything. But he was soon restored to his delight, and thus to his freedom. From this it is manifest that it is impossible for anyone to come into heaven who has procured a life for himself from the love of self and the world, and consequently who is in the freedom of these loves; for if that life were taken away from such a person, he would not have anything of thought and will remaining.
Elliott(1983-1999) 2871
2871. Spirits in hell do not know of the existence of any other freedom than that which goes with self-love and love of the world, that is, with the desires to exercise control over others, to persecute, and to hate all who do not serve them, to torment everyone, to destroy for their own ends if they could the whole world, and to carry away and claim for themselves whatever belongs to another. While gratifying these and similar desires they are enjoying what to them is freedom, for they are attaining what is their delight. Their life consists in that freedom to such an extent that if it is taken away from them no more life is left to them than that of a new-born child. This has also been shown to me through an actual experience. A certain evil spirit was convinced that such things could be taken away from him, and that if they were he could enter heaven, and that consequently his life could be miraculously transformed into heavenly life. His loves and the desires belonging to these were therefore taken away from him - which is done in the next life by dissociation.a He now looked like a small child floating around, scarcely able to move its hands. He was at the same time in such a state that he was able to think even less than any infant, being totally unable to speak anything at all or to know anything. But shortly he was restored to his own delight and thus freedom. From this it was evident that it is impossible for anyone to enter heaven who has acquired life for himself from self-love and love of the world, and whose freedom consequently rests in these. For if that life were taken away from such a person he would not have any thought or will at all remaining in him.
Latin(1748-1756) 2871
2871. Infernales spiritus non sciunt quod aliud liberum sit quam quo est amoris sui et amoris mundi, hoc est, cupiditatum imperandi, persequendi et odio habendi omnes qui non serviunt, cruciandi quoscumque, destruendi sui causa, si possent, universum, auferendi et sibi vindicandi quicquid est alterius; cum in his et similibus sunt, in suo libero, quia in suo jucundo, sunt; in illo libero consistit vita eorum usque adeo ut si illud iis auferatur, non plus vitae iis supersit quam quantum infanti recens nato: ostensum quoque hoc per vivam experientiam; spiritus quidam malus in persuasione erat quod tali potuissent ei auferri, et sic venire in caelum, proinde quod potuisset vita ejus miraculose transcribi in vitam caelestem, quare ei amores illi cum eorum cupiditatibus auferebantur, quod fit in altera vita per dissociationem, et visi tunc manifeste sicut infans natans manibus quas vix posset movere, et erat simul in statu ut minus quam aliquis infans posset cogitare, nihil prorsus loqui, nec quicquam scire; sed mox restitutus est suo jucundo et sic libero: inde patuit quod impossibile sit, qui ex amore sui et mundi, et consequenter in illorum libero, vitam sibi comparavit, possit in caelum venire; si enim tali auferretur illa vita, non aliquid cogitationis et voluntatis residuum haberet.