# G1228 - diabolos **Strong's:** [G1228](https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1228/) · BLB lookup **Pronunciation:** dee-ab'-ol-os **Part of speech:** adjective used substantivally as proper name **Root:** *dia-* (through / across) + *ballō* (to throw / cast), literally "thrower-across" / "slanderer" **LXX equivalent:** in Job and Zechariah, renders Hebrew *satan* (H7854) **NT occurrences:** 37 ## Semantic range 1. **The devil** (capitalized; proper-name use), the personal evil being 2. **Slanderer, accuser, false witness**, etymological / lower-case sense 3. **Adversarial / hostile** in some contexts ## Theological force ### *Diabolos* / *Satanas*, the same figure *Diabolos* is the **Greek equivalent name** for the same being called [G4567 - satanas](/codex/g4567-satanas/) (Satan): - *Satanas*, Aramaic-derived name; emphasis on adversary - *Diabolos*, Greek-derived name; emphasis on slanderer / accuser The NT uses both interchangeably (e.g., [Mt 4:1](/codex/matthew-4-1/), [8](/codex/matthew-4-8/), [10](/codex/matthew-4-10/), [11](/codex/matthew-4-11/), Satan in v. 10, devil in vv. 1, 5, 8, 11; [Lk 4:2-13](/codex/luke-4-2-13/), both terms; [Rev 12:9](/codex/revelation-12-9/), "the great dragon… *ho diabolos kai ho Satanas*"; [Rev 20:2](/codex/revelation-20-2/), same combined identification). ### *Diabolos* as accuser / slanderer The Greek root sense, *one who throws (accusations) across*, captures the devil's distinctive activity: **accusing**. - **[Revelation 12:10](/codex/revelation-12-10/)**, "the *katēgōr tōn adelphōn hēmōn* (accuser of the brethren)… who accuses them before our God day and night, has been thrown down" - **[Job 1](/codex/job-1/)-2**, the OT-Hebrew *ha-satan* function, accusing Job before God - **[Zechariah 3:1-2](/codex/zechariah-3-1-2/)**, Satan accusing the high priest Joshua The pattern: the *diabolos* accuses humans before God; he amplifies guilt; he twists truth into accusation. The cross-resurrection victory deprives him of legitimate accusation against the redeemed ([Romans 8:33-34](/codex/romans-8-33-34/), "who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies"). ### NT *diabolos* uses #### Tempter / opposer of Christ - **[Matthew 4:1](/codex/matthew-4-1/), [5](/codex/matthew-4-5/), [8](/codex/matthew-4-8/), [11](/codex/matthew-4-11/); [Luke 4:2-13](/codex/luke-4-2-13/)**, wilderness temptation - **[John 8:44](/codex/john-8-44/)**, "you are of your father the *diabolou*… he was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him; whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies" #### Sower of evil among believers - **[Matthew 13:39](/codex/matthew-13-39/)**, "the enemy who sowed them is the *diabolos*" - **[Acts 13:10](/codex/acts-13-10/)**, Elymas: "you son of the *diabolou*" #### Possessor / influencer - **[Luke 8:12](/codex/luke-8-12/)**, *diabolos* takes away the word from hearts - **[John 6:70-71](/codex/john-6-70-71/)**, Judas as *diabolos* (used here adjectivally) - **[John 13:2](/codex/john-13-2/)**, *diabolos* puts treachery in Judas's heart - **[Acts 10:38](/codex/acts-10-38/)**, Christ "healing all who were oppressed by the *diabolou*" #### Adversary of the church / Christians - **[Ephesians 4:27](/codex/ephesians-4-27/)**, "do not give the *diabolō* an opportunity" - **[Ephesians 6:11](/codex/ephesians-6-11/)**, schemes of the *diabolou* - **[1 Timothy 3:6-7](/codex/1-timothy-3-6-7/)**, fall into the condemnation / snare of the *diabolou* - **[2 Timothy 2:26](/codex/2-timothy-2-26/)**, escape the snare of the *diabolou* - **[James 4:7](/codex/james-4-7/)**, "resist the *diabolō*, and he will flee from you" - **[1 Peter 5:8](/codex/1-peter-5-8/)**, *diabolos* as roaring lion - **[1 John 3:8](/codex/1-john-3-8/), [10](/codex/1-john-3-10/)**, children of the *diabolou* vs children of God; works of the *diabolou* #### Christ's victory over *diabolos* - **[Hebrews 2:14](/codex/hebrews-2-14/)**, "through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the *diabolon*" - **[1 John 3:8](/codex/1-john-3-8/)**, "the Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the *diabolou*" #### Eschatological judgment of *diabolos* - **[Matthew 25:41](/codex/matthew-25-41/)**, "eternal fire which has been prepared for the *diabolō* and his angels" - **[Revelation 12:9](/codex/revelation-12-9/), [12](/codex/revelation-12-12/); 20:2, 10**, final judgment ## *Diabolos* as adjectival / human use The word appears 4 times in the Pastoral Epistles applied to **slanderous people** (lower-case adjective use): - **[1 Timothy 3:11](/codex/1-timothy-3-11/)**, "women must be… not *diabolous* (slanderers)" - **[2 Timothy 3:3](/codex/2-timothy-3-3/)**, last days: "*diaboloi*… without self-control" - **[Titus 2:3](/codex/titus-2-3/)**, "older women… not *diabolous*" This usage preserves the etymological / common-Greek sense (slanderous person) without identifying the human as Satan-the-personal-being. Context distinguishes the proper-name and adjective uses. ## Apologetic / theological significance *Diabolos* anchors: 1. **The reality of personal evil**, the devil is a real personal being, not impersonal force 2. **The lying / accusation strategy**, Satan's primary modus operandi is deception and accusation 3. **Christ's defeating of the lying-accuser**, the cross silences the legitimate accusation; the resurrection ends Satan's death-grip 4. **Christian resistance**, believers are equipped to resist ([James 4:7](/codex/james-4-7/); [Eph 6:10-18](/codex/ephesians-6-10-18/)) 5. **Final judgment**, the *diabolos* and his angels face eternal judgment ## Connection to OT *satan* tradition The OT Hebrew tradition (*ha-satan* in [Job 1](/codex/job-1/)-2; [Zech 3](/codex/zechariah-3/)) develops into the NT *diabolos* / *Satanas*. The figure is consistently: - Personal (not impersonal evil principle) - Created (not co-eternal anti-God) - In rebellion against God - An accuser of humans - Defeated by Christ's redemptive work - To be finally destroyed at the eschaton ## Notable verses - **[Matthew 4:1-11](/codex/matthew-4-1-11/); [Luke 4:2-13](/codex/luke-4-2-13/)**, wilderness temptation - **[Matthew 13:39](/codex/matthew-13-39/)**, sower of weeds - **[Matthew 25:41](/codex/matthew-25-41/)**, eternal fire prepared for the *diabolō* - **[John 8:44](/codex/john-8-44/)**, *diabolos* as father of lies - **[John 13:2](/codex/john-13-2/)**, Judas - **[Acts 10:38](/codex/acts-10-38/)**, those oppressed by the *diabolou* - **[Ephesians 4:27](/codex/ephesians-4-27/); 6:11**, schemes of the *diabolou* - **[1 Timothy 3:6-7](/codex/1-timothy-3-6-7/)**, snare - **[2 Timothy 2:26](/codex/2-timothy-2-26/)**, snare - **[Hebrews 2:14](/codex/hebrews-2-14/)**, Christ defeats him who has the power of death - **[James 4:7](/codex/james-4-7/)**, resist the *diabolō* - **[1 Peter 5:8](/codex/1-peter-5-8/)**, roaring lion - **[1 John 3:8](/codex/1-john-3-8/), [10](/codex/1-john-3-10/)**, Christ destroys the works of the *diabolou* - **[Revelation 12:9](/codex/revelation-12-9/), [12](/codex/revelation-12-12/); 20:2, 10**, final judgment ## Patristic / scholarly note See [G4567 - satanas](/codex/g4567-satanas/) for fuller treatment of the same figure. ## See also - [G4567 - satanas](/codex/g4567-satanas/), alternative name for same figure - [G1140 - daimonion](/codex/g1140-daimonion/), demon - [H7854 - satan](/codex/h7854-satan/), Hebrew adversary - [Genesis 6](/codex/genesis-6/), Nephilim / fallen-spirit context - [Evil as Privation of Good](/codex/evil-as-privation-of-good/), ontology - [Christology](/codex/christianity/), Christ's victory ## Notes _Lexical workspace for diabolos._