# G4567 - satanas **Strong's:** [G4567](https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4567/) · BLB lookup **Pronunciation:** sat-an-as' **Part of speech:** masculine noun (proper name; transliteration of Hebrew *satan*) **NT occurrences:** 36 **Hebrew equivalent:** *satan* (H7854, adversary, accuser) ## Semantic range 1. **Satan**, the proper-name title for the chief adversary of God and humanity 2. **Adversary**, the etymological sense (rare in NT; almost always specific personal-Satan) The word transliterates the Hebrew *satan* (literally "the adversary" / "the accuser"), preserving the OT's name for this figure. ## Theological force ### *Satanas* as personal evil being The NT presents *Satanas* as: 1. **A real, personal, fallen spiritual being**, not a metaphor for evil-in-general 2. **A creature, not a co-eternal anti-God**, created good, fell into rebellion (against dualism) 3. **The chief adversary of God**, opposing God's purposes, accusing the saints 4. **The ruler of the present fallen-world-system**, "the ruler of this *kosmos*" ([John 12:31](/codex/john-12-31/); 14:30; 16:11); "the prince of the power of the air" ([Eph 2:2](/codex/ephesians-2-2/)); "the god of this *aiōn*" ([2 Cor 4:4](/codex/2-corinthians-4-4/)) 5. **A defeated enemy**, Christ has triumphed ([Col 2:15](/codex/colossians-2-15/)); Satan's final defeat is sure ([Rom 16:20](/codex/romans-16-20/); [Rev 20:10](/codex/revelation-20-10/)) ### *Satanas* / *diabolos*, the same figure The NT uses two principal names for this figure: - **Satanas** (G4567), Aramaic-derived; emphasis on adversary - **Diabolos** (G1228), Greek; literally "slanderer" / "accuser" These are not different beings; they are different names for the same figure, used interchangeably ([Mt 4:1](/codex/matthew-4-1/), [8](/codex/matthew-4-8/), [10](/codex/matthew-4-10/), [11](/codex/matthew-4-11/); [Lk 4:2](/codex/luke-4-2/), [3](/codex/luke-4-3/), [5](/codex/luke-4-5/), [6](/codex/luke-4-6/), [8](/codex/luke-4-8/), [13](/codex/luke-4-13/)). ### Satan's activities in NT - **Tempter**, [Mt 4:1-11](/codex/matthew-4-1-11/); [1 Th 3:5](/codex/1-thessalonians-3-5/) - **Accuser of the brethren**, [Rev 12:10](/codex/revelation-12-10/); [Job 1](/codex/job-1/)-2 background - **Sower of evil seed**, [Mt 13:38-39](/codex/matthew-13-38-39/) - **Snatching of the Word**, [Mt 13:19](/codex/matthew-13-19/); [Mk 4:15](/codex/mark-4-15/); [Lk 8:12](/codex/luke-8-12/) - **Inflicting disease / suffering**, [Lk 13:16](/codex/luke-13-16/); [2 Cor 12:7](/codex/2-corinthians-12-7/) - **Possessing / influencing**, [Lk 22:3](/codex/luke-22-3/); [Jn 13:27](/codex/john-13-27/) (entered Judas) - **Hindering ministry**, [1 Th 2:18](/codex/1-thessalonians-2-18/) - **Disguising as angel of light**, [2 Cor 11:14](/codex/2-corinthians-11-14/) - **Schemes against believers**, [2 Cor 2:11](/codex/2-corinthians-2-11/); [Eph 6:11](/codex/ephesians-6-11/) ### Christ vs Satan, the cosmic conflict The NT presents the redemption-narrative as a cosmic conflict: - [Genesis 3:15](/codex/genesis-3-15/), *protoevangelium*, "He shall bruise you on the head" - [Mark 1:13](/codex/mark-1-13/); [Mt 4:1-11](/codex/matthew-4-1-11/), Jesus vs Satan in the wilderness - [Mark 3:22-27](/codex/mark-3-22-27/), Beelzebub controversy; Christ binds the strong man - [Luke 10:18](/codex/luke-10-18/), "I saw Satan fall like lightning" - [John 12:31](/codex/john-12-31/); 16:11, Satan judged at the cross - [Colossians 2:15](/codex/colossians-2-15/), "having disarmed rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them" - [Hebrews 2:14](/codex/hebrews-2-14/), "through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil" - [1 John 3:8](/codex/1-john-3-8/), "the Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil" - [Revelation 12:7-12](/codex/revelation-12-7-12/), war in heaven; Satan cast down - [Revelation 20:1-3](/codex/revelation-20-1-3/), [7-10](/codex/revelation-20-7-10/), Satan bound, then released, then finally cast into the lake of fire The cross is **the decisive defeat** of Satan; the eschaton is the **final consummation** of that defeat. ### *Satanas* and the OT *Satan* The Hebrew *ha-satan* ("the adversary") appears in: - **[Job 1](/codex/job-1/)-2**, the figure standing in the heavenly court accusing Job - **[Zechariah 3:1-2](/codex/zechariah-3-1-2/)**, the *satan* opposing the high priest Joshua - **[1 Chronicles 21:1](/codex/1-chronicles-21-1/)**, "Satan stood up against Israel and incited David to count Israel" - ([Genesis 3](/codex/genesis-3/), the serpent; identified retrospectively as Satan: [2 Cor 11:3](/codex/2-corinthians-11-3/), [14](/codex/2-corinthians-11-14/); [Rev 12:9](/codex/revelation-12-9/); 20:2) The OT figure develops; in second-temple Judaism (1 Enoch; Jubilees; Qumran texts) Satan emerges more definitely as the personal evil being. The NT picks up this developed conception and ratifies it. ## Apologetic significance *Satanas* anchors: 1. **The reality of personal spiritual evil**, against modern liberal-Christian denial of personal demons / Satan 2. **The contingent / created status of evil**, Satan is not a co-eternal anti-God (against dualism / Manicheism); he is a creature in rebellion 3. **The cross as cosmic-conflict victory**, not just legal-forensic atonement but real conquest of evil 4. **The eschatological finality**, Satan's defeat is sure; the lake of fire is the final disposition 5. **The Christian's spiritual-warfare context**, believers wrestle "not against flesh and blood" ([Eph 6:12](/codex/ephesians-6-12/)) ## Notable verses ### Personal Satan / temptation - **[Matthew 4:1-11](/codex/matthew-4-1-11/); [Luke 4:1-13](/codex/luke-4-1-13/)**, wilderness temptation - **[Matthew 16:23](/codex/matthew-16-23/); [Mark 8:33](/codex/mark-8-33/)**, Christ to Peter: "Get behind Me, Satan" - **[Luke 22:3](/codex/luke-22-3/), [31](/codex/luke-22-31/)**, Satan entered Judas; "Satan has demanded permission to sift you" - **[John 13:27](/codex/john-13-27/)**, Satan entered Judas at the betrayal - **[Acts 5:3](/codex/acts-5-3/)**, "why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?" ### The cosmic conflict - **[Mark 3:23-27](/codex/mark-3-23-27/)**, kingdom of Satan vs kingdom of God - **[Luke 10:18](/codex/luke-10-18/)**, Satan fell like lightning - **[John 12:31](/codex/john-12-31/); 14:30; 16:11**, ruler of this world judged - **[Romans 16:20](/codex/romans-16-20/)**, God will crush Satan under your feet - **[2 Corinthians 11:14](/codex/2-corinthians-11-14/)**, Satan disguised as angel of light - **[Ephesians 6:11-12](/codex/ephesians-6-11-12/)**, schemes of the devil; spiritual armor - **[1 Thessalonians 2:18](/codex/1-thessalonians-2-18/)**, Satan hindered Paul - **[2 Thessalonians 2:9](/codex/2-thessalonians-2-9/)**, Satan's power in the lawless one - **[Hebrews 2:14](/codex/hebrews-2-14/)**, Christ defeats him who has the power of death - **[1 Peter 5:8](/codex/1-peter-5-8/)**, Satan as roaring lion seeking to devour - **[1 John 3:8](/codex/1-john-3-8/)**, Christ destroys the works of the devil ### Eschatology - **[Revelation 12:7-12](/codex/revelation-12-7-12/)**, war in heaven - **[Revelation 20:1-3](/codex/revelation-20-1-3/), [7-10](/codex/revelation-20-7-10/)**, millennial binding; final loosing; final destruction ## Patristic / scholarly note Patristic engagement: extensive across early-church demonology. 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, Satan-and-cosmic-conflict-focused). ## See also - [G1228 - diabolos](/codex/g1228-diabolos/), alternative name for the same figure - [G1140 - daimonion](/codex/g1140-daimonion/), demon - [H7854 - satan](/codex/h7854-satan/), Hebrew adversary - [Genesis 6](/codex/genesis-6/), Nephilim / sons-of-God / demonic-engagement - [Evil as Privation of Good](/codex/evil-as-privation-of-good/), ontology of evil - [Problem of Evil, Free Will Defense](/codex/problem-of-evil-free-will-defense/), theodicy - [Christology](/codex/christianity/), Christ's victory over Satan ## Notes _Lexical workspace for Satanas._