Lexicon

G1140 - daimonion

Strong's: 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 / G1228 - diabolos), the chief evil being; one
• Daimonia, many; subordinate to Satan (Mt 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; 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)
• The kingdom-arrival, Christ's exorcisms signal the breaking-in of God's reign (Mt 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, the Strong-Man-bound

Demonic recognition of Christ

Strikingly, demons consistently recognize Christ's identity:

• Mark 1:24, "I know who You are, the Holy One of God!"
• Mark 3:11; 5:7, "Son of the Most High God"
• Luke 4:34, 41; 8:28, same-pattern recognitions
• 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, 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, Capernaum synagogue
• Mark 5:1-20, Gerasene demoniac (Legion)
• Mark 7:24-30, Syrophoenician woman's daughter
• Mark 9:14-29, boy with deaf-mute spirit
• Acts 16:16-18, slave girl with divining spirit
• 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)
4. Anti-syncretism, pagan "deities" are daimonia (1 Cor 10:20)
5. Christian spiritual-warfare context, believers acknowledge real spiritual enemies

Notable verses

Christ's exorcisms

• Mark 1:21-28; 5:1-20; 7:24-30; 9:14-29, major narratives
• Matthew 12:22-32; Luke 11:14-23, Beelzebub controversy
• Matthew 17:14-21, disciples' failure
• Mark 16:9, Mary Magdalene (seven demons)

Demonic recognition

• Mark 1:24, 34; 3:11; 5:7, recognitions of Christ
• Luke 4:34, 41; 8:28, parallel
• Acts 19:13-16, sons of Sceva

Apostolic authority

• Matthew 10:1, 8, disciples sent with authority
• Mark 6:13, the Twelve
• Acts 8:7, Philip's exorcisms
• Acts 16:16-18, Paul

Theological reflection

• 1 Corinthians 10:20-21, pagan sacrifices to daimoniois
• 1 Timothy 4:1, last days; didaskaliais daimoniōn, doctrines of demons
• James 2:19, even demons believe
• Revelation 9:20; 16:14, eschatological daimonia

Patristic / scholarly note

Patristic engagement: extensive across early Christian writings. Early apologists (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, 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, Satan
• G1228 - diabolos, devil
• G4151 - pneuma, spirit (when pneumata akatharta)
• Genesis 6, Nephilim / sons-of-God
• Christology, Christ's authority over demons
• Evil as Privation of Good, ontology of evil

Notes

Lexical workspace for daimonion.