Bede : These men are servants of the Most High God. This is not a confession from the will, followed by a reward for confessing, but compelled by the fear of the Holy Spirit, the lying spirit speaks truth, not daring to hide its darkness any longer in the present light. But God says to the sinner: Why do you recount my statutes? Let us not be corrupted by the bitter honey of deceit, if he who serves falsehood sings truth, as Arator says. — Commentary on Acts John Chrysostom : What may be the reason that both the demon spoke these words, and Paul forbade him? Both the one acted maliciously, and the other wisely: the demon wished in fact to make himself credible. For if Paul had admitted his testimony, he would have deceived many of the believers, as being received by him: therefore he endures to speak what made against himself, that he may establish what made for himself: and so the demon himself uses accommodation in order to destruction. O thou accursed, thou execrable one! if then thou knowest that it is "His way of salvation" that "they show," why dost thou not come out freely? But just what Simon wished, when he said, "Give me, that on whomsoever I lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost", the same did this demon: since he saw them becoming famous, here also he plays the hypocrite: by this means he thought to be allowed to remain in the body, if he should preach the same things. But if Christ "receive not testimony from man," meaning John, much less from a demon. "Praise is not comely in the mouth of a sinner", much less from a demon. For that they preach is not of men, but of the Holy Ghost. Because they did not act in a spirit of boasting. — Homily on Acts 35 Origen of Alexandria : For this reason our Lord Jesus too does not deign to receive testimony from demons, but says: "Be silent and come out of him." His own apostle Paul too, imitating him, "grieving," it says, "turned and said to the spirit of Python: I command you in the name of Jesus Christ; depart from her." In which you may perhaps ask why Paul, grieving, rebukes the spirit of Python. Had it said anything blasphemous? For "a woman," it says, "having a spirit of Python followed Paul and those who were with him, and cried out, saying: These men are servants of the Most High God, who announce to you the way of salvation. And she did this for many days." Whence it is shown that Paul grieved not because of blasphemy, but because he judged it unworthy that testimony be given to his preaching by a spirit of Python. — HOMILIES ON Numbers 16.7