3391. After that he was seasoned. For evil spirits that were capable of such things began to torment him, namely, by twisting (igenom gnuggande 1), so that the whole of him was being so miserably twisted again and again, folded 2(gnuggad 3) back and forth, very painfully, at first by turns not so fast, and not such fast intervals, that I was surprised that one who was not evil was nevertheless undergoing such punishment. I realized, however, that the evil spirits could not operate except into his outward parts; for the inward parts I perceived to be like those of others who would be preserved.
But while he was thus being twisted and tormented by the evil so that he would agree with them, he, being good, was still kept by companies of good inward spirits and angels in such a state that he would not agree, but would resist. So they had been unable to force him to become as they had hoped he would through punishment. Thus he was gradually introduced into swifter gyres, and so into the first plane of gyration, so that he would be able to be among inward spirits also with his outer qualities - which is the first plane into which outer qualities are brought back so as to agree with inner ones.
This process is accompanied by torment, but they are ever held in such a state that they do not feel the torment, and this of course by the Lord, namely, that their inward qualities may then be such that they seem to themselves as wanting to resist, and to conquer the evils, lest the enemies from without who are tormenting their bodily parts should conquer. So they are gradually inaugurated. Their state is also then a kind of sleep, also so that they may not feel.
Footnotes:
1. Swedish for "by rubbing."
2. The Latin is plicatus, perhaps intended to be fricatus (see next footnote.)
3. Swedish for "rubbed."
3391. After that he was tempered; for evil spirits who [are] on the same level with such began to torment him, to wit, by twisting him, in their manner [igenom gnuggande], so that his whole body was thus miserably twisted by folding back and forth [gnugges], not in so [very] rapid times, and not so rapid moments: and this with great pain; and I wondered that he, not being evil should yet undergo such punishment; but I perceived that evil spirits could not but have acted into his exteriors; for [his] interiors were perceived like [those] of others who were preserved; but when he was so twisted and tormented by the evil, that he might agree with them, he, being good, was still held by companies of good spirits and angels in that state, that he should not consent but resist; so that they could not compel him to be such, as they desired, through punishment; so that by degrees he was initiated into swifter gyres, thus into the first plane of gyration; so that he could also be with [his] externals amongst interior spirits, which is the first plane into which externals are reduced, so as to correspond with internals, which indeed occurs with torment; but still they are kept in that state that they do not feel torment, yea by the Lord, to wit that interiors are then of such a character that they seem to themselves to wish to resist and conquer evils, lest external enemies, who twist their bodies, may conquer: thus are they inaugurated by degrees; they are then also in a state of a certain sleep, so that thus they do not feel [pain.]
3391. Postea temperatus est is, spiritus enim mali, qui adaequati talibus, incipiebant eum cruciare, nempe torquendo suo modo, (igenom gnuggande {a}) sic ut totus ita per vices primum non ita celeres, et non ita celeribus momentis, misere torqueretur vicissim et retro plicatus (gnuggad {b}) et hoc cum magno dolore, et miratus quod is quia non malus, usque subiret talem poenam, sed percepi quod mali spiritus non potuissent agere nisi in exteriora ejus; nam interiora percepta sicut aliorum qui conservarentur; sed cum ita torqueretur et cruciaretur a malis, ab iis ut consentiret cum iis, [is] quia bonus, tenebatur usque ab interiorum spirituum bonorum et angelorum consortiis in eo statu, ut non consentiret, sed resisteret, sic ut eum non potuerint adigere, ut talis esset, qualem per poenam cupiebant, ita sensim initiatus in gyros celeriores, sic in planum primum gyrationis, ut esse posset etiam cum externis inter spiritus interiores, quod est primum planum, in quod rediguntur externa, ut cum internis correspondeant, quod quidem fit cum cruciatu, sed tenentur usque in eo statu, ut non sentiant cruciatum, et quidem a Domino, nempe ut interiora talia tunc sint, ut videantur sibi resistere velle, et vincere mala, ne externi hostes, qui corporea eorum torquent, vincant, ita sensim inauguranturr sunt quoque tunc in statu cujusdam somni, ut sic quoque non sentiant.