# G1140 - daimonion **Strong's:** [G1140](https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1140/) · BLB lookup **Pronunciation:** dahee-mon'-ee-on **Part of speech:** neuter noun (diminutive of *daimōn*) **NT occurrences:** 63 ## Semantic range 1. **Demon, evil spirit**, the dominant NT theological sense 2. **Pagan deity / lower divinity** in classical Greek (transformed in NT to *evil spirit*) In classical Greek, *daimōn* / *daimonion* could denote any sub-divine being (including benevolent ones, Plato's *daimōn* of Socrates). The NT consistently uses the term for **evil spirits** under Satan's authority. ## Theological force ### Demonic taxonomy NT distinguishes: - **Satanas / diabolos** ([G4567 - satanas](/codex/g4567-satanas/) / [G1228 - diabolos](/codex/g1228-diabolos/)), the chief evil being; one - **Daimonia**, many; subordinate to Satan ([Mt 12:24-26](/codex/matthew-12-24-26/)) - **Pneumata akatharta**, "unclean spirits" (closely synonymous with *daimonia*) - **Pneumata ponēra**, "evil spirits" (closely synonymous) - **Angeloi** in some contexts when referring to fallen angels ([2 Pet 2:4](/codex/2-peter-2-4/); [Jude 6](/codex/jude-6/)) ### Christ's authority over demons A major pattern in the Synoptic Gospels: Christ casts out demons. This demonstrates: - His **divine authority**, only God commands demons ([Mark 1:27](/codex/mark-1-27/)) - The **kingdom-arrival**, Christ's exorcisms signal the breaking-in of God's reign ([Mt 12:28](/codex/matthew-12-28/), "if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you") - The **defeat of Satan's kingdom**, [Mark 3:23-27](/codex/mark-3-23-27/), the Strong-Man-bound ### Demonic recognition of Christ Strikingly, demons consistently recognize Christ's identity: - **[Mark 1:24](/codex/mark-1-24/)**, "I know who You are, *the Holy One of God*!" - **[Mark 3:11](/codex/mark-3-11/); 5:7**, "Son of the Most High God" - **[Luke 4:34](/codex/luke-4-34/), [41](/codex/luke-4-41/); 8:28**, same-pattern recognitions - **[Matthew 8:29](/codex/matthew-8-29/)**, "have You come here to torment us before the time?" This is a **Christological proof from hostile witnesses**: even demons know who Jesus is, even when humans don't. ### [James 2:19](/codex/james-2-19/), even demons believe > You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. The verse uses *daimonia* in the famous illustration: orthodoxy (right belief) without obedience is insufficient, even demons have right beliefs about God's existence. ### NT exorcism narratives Major demon-encounter passages: - **[Mark 1:21-28](/codex/mark-1-21-28/)**, Capernaum synagogue - **[Mark 5:1-20](/codex/mark-5-1-20/)**, Gerasene demoniac (Legion) - **[Mark 7:24-30](/codex/mark-7-24-30/)**, Syrophoenician woman's daughter - **[Mark 9:14-29](/codex/mark-9-14-29/)**, boy with deaf-mute spirit - **[Acts 16:16-18](/codex/acts-16-16-18/)**, slave girl with divining spirit - **[Acts 19:11-20](/codex/acts-19-11-20/)**, sons of Sceva The pattern: Christ's authority and (subsequently) the apostolic authority by extension *binds and casts out* demons. Believers are equipped with delegated authority through Christ. ## Apologetic significance *Daimonion* anchors: 1. **The reality of personal evil spirits**, against modern liberal-Christian denial of personal demonology 2. **Christ's divine authority**, only God commands demons 3. **The kingdom-arrival apologetic**, exorcisms as kingdom-signs ([Mt 12:28](/codex/matthew-12-28/)) 4. **Anti-syncretism**, pagan "deities" are *daimonia* ([1 Cor 10:20](/codex/1-corinthians-10-20/)) 5. **Christian spiritual-warfare context**, believers acknowledge real spiritual enemies ## Notable verses ### Christ's exorcisms - **[Mark 1:21-28](/codex/mark-1-21-28/); 5:1-20; 7:24-30; 9:14-29**, major narratives - **[Matthew 12:22-32](/codex/matthew-12-22-32/); [Luke 11:14-23](/codex/luke-11-14-23/)**, Beelzebub controversy - **[Matthew 17:14-21](/codex/matthew-17-14-21/)**, disciples' failure - **[Mark 16:9](/codex/mark-16-9/)**, Mary Magdalene (seven demons) ### Demonic recognition - **[Mark 1:24](/codex/mark-1-24/), [34](/codex/mark-1-34/); 3:11; 5:7**, recognitions of Christ - **[Luke 4:34](/codex/luke-4-34/), [41](/codex/luke-4-41/); 8:28**, parallel - **[Acts 19:13-16](/codex/acts-19-13-16/)**, sons of Sceva ### Apostolic authority - **[Matthew 10:1](/codex/matthew-10-1/), [8](/codex/matthew-10-8/)**, disciples sent with authority - **[Mark 6:13](/codex/mark-6-13/)**, the Twelve - **[Acts 8:7](/codex/acts-8-7/)**, Philip's exorcisms - **[Acts 16:16-18](/codex/acts-16-16-18/)**, Paul ### Theological reflection - **[1 Corinthians 10:20-21](/codex/1-corinthians-10-20-21/)**, pagan sacrifices to *daimoniois* - **[1 Timothy 4:1](/codex/1-timothy-4-1/)**, last days; *didaskaliais daimoniōn*, doctrines of demons - **[James 2:19](/codex/james-2-19/)**, even demons believe - **[Revelation 9:20](/codex/revelation-9-20/); 16:14**, eschatological *daimonia* ## Patristic / scholarly note Patristic engagement: extensive across early Christian writings. Early apologists ([Justin Martyr](/codex/justin-martyr/); Tertullian) extensively engaged pagan-deity-vs-demon question. *De Idolatria* (Tertullian); *Against Celsus* (Origen) develop pagan-religion-as-demonic critique. Modern conservative engagement: - Sydney Page (*Powers of Evil*, 1995) - Clinton Arnold (*Three Crucial Questions about [Spiritual Warfare](/codex/spiritual-warfare/)*, 1997; *Powers of Darkness*, 1992) - Greg Boyd (*God at War*, 1997) - Michael Heiser (*The Unseen Realm*, 2015, broader divine-council theology including demonology) ## See also - [G4567 - satanas](/codex/g4567-satanas/), Satan - [G1228 - diabolos](/codex/g1228-diabolos/), devil - [G4151 - pneuma](/codex/g4151-pneuma/), spirit (when *pneumata akatharta*) - [Genesis 6](/codex/genesis-6/), Nephilim / sons-of-God - [Christology](/codex/christianity/), Christ's authority over demons - [Evil as Privation of Good](/codex/evil-as-privation-of-good/), ontology of evil ## Notes _Lexical workspace for daimonion._