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VRSZ
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Translation
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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
Oecumenius
He says, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years should be fulfilled; for it was necessary that the Lord's abiding on earth should have some further element of providential oversight and guardianship, in order by this to prevent the unclean demons from working against men as they had done in the times before the Incarnation. And after these things, he says, that he must be released for a little while. What does he mean by little while? …
Western Saints
Augustine of Hippo
The devil was cast into the "abyss," taken in the sense of the countless number of godless people whose bitter hatred of God's church comes from the abysmal depths of their hearts. The devil was cast into those hearts, not in the sense that he was not there before, but because in proportion as he has been more and more shut out from believing hearts, he has taken still deeper hold upon unbelievers. …
Bede
After that, he must be released for a little while. Then he will be released, as Saint Augustine says, when there will also be a short time (for it is read that he will rage with all his might for three and a half years), and there will be those with whom he will wage war, who cannot be overcome by his great force and tricks. If he were never released, his malignant power would appear less, the faithful patience of the holy city would be less tested, and it would be less evident how God, the Almighty, has used his great evil so well.
Translation