To Bernhard, the plain Pastor in the church in Dinkelsbuehl (Dunkelspulensi).
Grace and peace in the LOrd! A brother in the LOrd has brought me your letter and at the same time the question about a certain woman afflicted by the devil,my dear Pastor, and although I am forced to reply very briefly since I am burdened with such a great amount of activities, yet I wanted to answer you since the bearer of this letter, Theobald Diedelhuber,is one whom I want to recommend to you.
First, your congregation with you must powerfully pray and stand firm against Satan as he also puts forth stubborn resistance. We have in this region for ten years suffered a very angry devil and we finally have prevailed in binding him with continued prayer and undoubting faith. The same will also happen with you when you carry on with despising in Christ that derisive and proud spirit and do not cease to pray. I have by this procedure suppressed many spirits in many places because the prayer of the church finally gets the upper hand. Thus you should not doubt that you truly and heartily pray that spirit will be humbled.
Secondly, you take careful consideration that there is not some of deception perpetrated by this little woman so that you all will not be derided. I have in my experience ( to say nothing of what I have read in books) found such deception so that my simplicity resulted in great disgrace. This spirit desires ( as is his custom from the beginning) when he through a woman made the Adam a fool though he could not make him godless although he still very much desired that. In sum, as it always has been and always will be it might be in this woman or in others whom you admonish he may be an Incubus, a Succubus (Buhlteufel) clothed in evry sort of monstrous forms but yet we know he is a devil. Thus we must not be reconciled to either his speaking or his deeds nor yet accept his matters and spirit but battle against him in faith and prayer. He lives, whom he crucified. However, again the Crucified has triiumphed over the crucifier so that we in Him may also triumph. Be it well with you in the LOrd. Wittenberg, the second of November Anno 1535. Martin Luther.
Note: Incubus and Succubus are devilish seducers of women and men respectively.
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