6663.“只是越发苦害它，它越发多起来”表真理照侵扰的程度而增多。这从“苦害”和“多起来”的含义清楚可知：“苦害”是指侵扰；“多起来”（即增多）是指在真理方面的增长，如前所述（6656节）。有必要说一说这类侵扰，因为如今若没有经历来世所发生的事，没有人能知道它们是什么样子。从世上来，并照主的诫命生活的灵人在能被提入天堂，加入那里的社群之前，大多都会被他们自己的邪恶和虚假侵扰，以便这些邪恶和虚假能被除去（参看6639节）；因为它们是这些灵人活在肉身期间所沾染，完全与天堂格格不入的杂质。这些侵扰通过他们沉浸于自己的邪恶和虚假而发生。当他们沉浸于其中时，陷入类似邪恶和虚假的灵人就会出现，并千方百计引他们远离真理和良善。不过，他们并未过深地沉浸于自己的邪恶和虚假，以致从主经由天堂而来的流注无法战胜。所发生的事都被精准控制，仿佛在天平上称量好了一样。目的就是让受到侵扰的人觉得自己似乎处于自由，因而凭自己与邪恶和虚假争战，然而却（如果不是当时，以后也会）承认，一切抵抗能力皆来自主（1937，1947，2881，5660节）。当这一切正在进行时，不仅以前所植入的真理和良善会变得更强大，而且还有更多真理和良善被引入。这就是人在其中得胜的一切属灵争战的成果。
这一切的真实性也可从日常经验明显看出来，因为凡扞卫自己观点，反对别人攻击它的人都会更加确信自己的观点，同时还会发现他以前没有注意、能强化它的其它观点，以及驳斥对立观点的许多观点。他以这种方式强化自己的观点，并用进一步的考虑来说明它。这更完美地适用于属灵的争战，因为这种争战发生在灵里，涉及良善和真理；尤其因为这种争夺涉及永生和拯救，故主会同在，通过天使进行引导。在这类争战中，主通常将地狱所谋划的一切邪恶都转变为良善；因此，地狱被允许所唤起的邪恶，不会超过或不同于能被转变为适合陷入争战之人的良善的那些邪恶。这些事之所以以这种方式发生，是因为主的国是功用的国，因此那里所发生的任何事，都是为了良善能从中出来，或说那里不会有任何事发生，除非良善能从中出来。由此可见当如何理解“只是越发苦害它，它越发多起来”所表示的真理照侵扰的程度而增多这一观念。
Potts(1905-1910) 6663
6663. And as they afflicted it, so it was multiplied. That this signifies that truths grew according to the infestations, is evident from the signification of "afflicting," as being infestation; and from the signification of "being multiplied," as being to grow in respect to truths (of which above, n. 6656). How the case herein is shall be told, because without experience of what is done in the other life, no one can now know what it is. Most spirits who come from the world and have lived the life of the Lord's commandments, before they can be uplifted into heaven and joined to societies there, are infested by the evils and falsities pertaining to them, to the end that they may be removed (see n. 6639); for there are impurities which they have contracted in the life of the body that in no wise agree with heaven. The infestations take place by their being immersed in their evils and falsities; and while they are in them, spirits who are in like evils and falsities are present, and labor by every means to lead them away from truth and good. But still they are not immersed so deeply in their evils and falsities that the influx through the angels from the Lord may not prevail; and the balance is maintained with exactness. The purpose of this is, that he who is infested may seem to himself to be in freedom, and thus to fight against the evils and falsities of himself, yet with the acknowledgment, if not at the time, yet afterward, that all the power of resisting was from the Lord (n. 1937, 1947, 2881, 5660). When this is being done, not only are the truths and goods strengthened which had been implanted before, but more are instilled; this being the result of every spiritual combat in which the combatant is victorious. That it is so is also plain from common experience; for he who defends his opinion against others who attack it, confirms himself the more in his opinion, and then also finds other confirmations of it which he had not before observed, and also others which deny the opposite; and in this way he strengthens himself in his opinion, and also illustrates it with further considerations. This is still more perfectly the case with spiritual combats, because the combat takes place in the spirit, and concerns goods and truths; and especially because the Lord is present and leads by the angels; for the contest is concerning eternal life and salvation. It is common in such combats for the Lord to turn into good all the evils which the hells intend; wherefore it is not permitted them to bring forth more or other evils than can be turned into good that is suited to him who is in combat. The reason of this originates in the fact that the Lord's kingdom is a kingdom of uses, and therefore nothing can be done there that is not a source of good. From all this it can now be seen how it is to be understood that truths grow according to infestations, which is signified by "as they afflicted it, so it was multiplied."
Elliott(1983-1999) 6663
6663. 'And according as they afflicted them, so they multiplied' means that in the measure that there were molestations, so the truths increased. This is clear from the meaning of 'afflicting' as molestation, and from the meaning of 'multiplying' as increasing in truths, dealt with above in 6656. Since people at the present day cannot, without experience of what goes on in the next life, know what such molestations are like, something must be said about them. The majority of spirits who come from the world and have led a life in keeping with the Lord's commandments are subjected to molestation before they can be raised to heaven and become attached to communities there. The molestation is caused by the evils and falsities residing with them and takes place for the purpose of removing those evils and falsities, see 6639; for they are impurities which those spirits acquired during their lifetime and are wholly out of keeping with heaven. The molestations come about by engulfing those spirits in their own evils and falsities. While they are engulfed in them other spirits steeped in similar evils and falsities are present, and these others strive in every way to lead them away from what is true and good. Yet they are not engulfed too deeply in their evils and falsities for the Lord's influence coming by way of the angels to prevail. What happens is controlled precisely, as if weighed in a balance, to the end that the one who suffers molestation may appear to himself to be in freedom and so to be fighting on his own against the evils and falsities, yet acknowledging - if not at the time, then subsequently - that all power to resist has come from the Lord, see 1937, 1947, 2881, 5660. While all this is going on, not only are previously implanted truths and forms of good made stronger but also more are introduced. This is how it is with all spiritual conflict in which the one involved becomes the victor.
[2] The truth of this is also evident from everyday experience, for anyone who defends his opinion against others attacking it becomes all the more convinced of his opinion and also at the same time discovers further ideas which he has not previously taken note of that strengthen it, as well as many that refute opposing ideas. He thus becomes more firmly established in his opinion and also illuminates it with further ideas. The same applies but in a far more perfect way to spiritual conflicts, because that kind of conflict takes place in the spirit and has to do with forms of good and with truths, and especially because - since the conflict is over eternal life and salvation - the Lord is present and leads by means of angels. As a general rule in such conflicts the Lord turns all evils intended by the hells into good, and therefore the hells are not allowed to evoke evils in excess of or different from those which can be turned into good appropriate for the person involved in the conflict. The reason why things happen in this way is that the Lord's kingdom is a kingdom of usefulness, and therefore nothing can take place there unless good can come out of it. From all this one may now see how to understand the idea that truths increase in the measure that there are molestations, meant by 'according as they afflicted them, so they multiplied'.
Latin(1748-1756) 6663
6663. `Et quemadmodum afflixerunt illum, ita multiplicabatur': quod significet quod secundum infestationes vera crescerent, constat ex significatione `affigere' quod sit infestatio, et ex significatione `multiplicari' quod sit crescere quoad vera, de qua supra n. 6656. Haec quomodo se habent, quia non absque experientia ex illis quae fiunt in altera vita, hodie non sciri possunt, dicendum est: plerique spiritus qui e mundo veniunt, et vixerunt vitam praeceptorum Domini, antequam elevari {1}possunt in caelum, et ibi adjungi societatibus, infestantur a malis et falsis {2} apud illos ob finem ut illa removeantur, videatur n. 6639, nam impura sunt quae contraxerunt in vita corporis, quae nullatenus concordant cum caelo; infestationes fiunt per {3}immersiones in sua mala et falsa, {4} in quibus cum sunt, spiritus qui in similibus malis et falsis sunt adsunt, et allaborant omni modo illo a vero et bono abducere; sed usque non altius in sua mala e falsa immerguntur quam ut influxus per angelos a Domino praevaleat, {5} hoc fit exactitudine sicut ad libram; ex causa ut qui infestatur appareat (x)sibi in libero esse, et sic ex se contra mala et falsa {6} pugnare cum agnitione tamen, si non tunc usque postea, quod a Domino omnis vis resistendi fuerit, videatur n. 1937, 1947, 2881, 5660; cum hoc fit, tunc non modo firmantur vera et bona quae prius implantata sunt, sed etiam plura insinuantur; hoc {7} omnis pugna spiritualis in qua pugnans fit victor, secum habet; quod ita sit, etiam a communi 2 experientia patet, qui enim defendit sententiam suam contra alios qui eam impugnant, is confirmat se magis in sua sententia, et quoque tunc plura confirmantia pro sua sententia, quae prius non animadverterat, ut et plura negantia pro opposita, invenit, ac ita se in sententia sua firmat, et quoque illam pluribus illustrat; cum pugnis spiritualibus adhuc perfectius se habet quia pugna fit in spiritu, ac de {8}bonis et veris, ac imprimis quia Dominus adest et per angelos ducit, nam agitur de vita et salute aeterna; {9} in talibus pugnis commune est quod Dominus omnia mala quae inferna intendunt vertat in bonum, quare nec permittitur plura et alia mala producere quam quae in bonum conveniens ei qui in pugna est verti {10}queunt; causa quod ita fiat, ducit originem ex eo quod regnum Domini sit regnum (m)usuum, quapropter nihil ibi fieri potest quam unde bonum.(n) Ex his nunc constare potest quomodo intelligendum quod vera secundum infestationes {11}crescant, quae (x)significantur per `quemadmodum afflixerunt illum, ita multiplicabatur.' @1 queunt$ @2 i quae$ @3 immersionem$ @4 i quae contraxerant in vita corporis,$ @5 i et$ @6 i sua$ @7 i enim$ @8 veris et bonis$ @9 i et$ @10 queant$ @11 crescerent$