Lexicon

G4567 - satanas

Strong's: 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; 14:30; 16:11); "the prince of the power of the air" (Eph 2:2); "the god of this aiōn" (2 Cor 4:4)
5. A defeated enemy, Christ has triumphed (Col 2:15); Satan's final defeat is sure (Rom 16:20; Rev 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, 8, 10, 11; Lk 4:2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 13).

Satan's activities in NT

• Tempter, Mt 4:1-11; 1 Th 3:5
• Accuser of the brethren, Rev 12:10; Job 1-2 background
• Sower of evil seed, Mt 13:38-39
• Snatching of the Word, Mt 13:19; Mk 4:15; Lk 8:12
• Inflicting disease / suffering, Lk 13:16; 2 Cor 12:7
• Possessing / influencing, Lk 22:3; Jn 13:27 (entered Judas)
• Hindering ministry, 1 Th 2:18
• Disguising as angel of light, 2 Cor 11:14
• Schemes against believers, 2 Cor 2:11; Eph 6:11

Christ vs Satan, the cosmic conflict

The NT presents the redemption-narrative as a cosmic conflict:

• Genesis 3:15, protoevangelium, "He shall bruise you on the head"
• Mark 1:13; Mt 4:1-11, Jesus vs Satan in the wilderness
• Mark 3:22-27, Beelzebub controversy; Christ binds the strong man
• Luke 10:18, "I saw Satan fall like lightning"
• John 12:31; 16:11, Satan judged at the cross
• Colossians 2:15, "having disarmed rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them"
• Hebrews 2:14, "through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil"
• 1 John 3:8, "the Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil"
• Revelation 12:7-12, war in heaven; Satan cast down
• Revelation 20:1-3, 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 1-2, the figure standing in the heavenly court accusing Job
• Zechariah 3:1-2, the satan opposing the high priest Joshua
• 1 Chronicles 21:1, "Satan stood up against Israel and incited David to count Israel"
• (Genesis 3, the serpent; identified retrospectively as Satan: 2 Cor 11:3, 14; Rev 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)

Notable verses

Personal Satan / temptation

• Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13, wilderness temptation
• Matthew 16:23; Mark 8:33, Christ to Peter: "Get behind Me, Satan"
• Luke 22:3, 31, Satan entered Judas; "Satan has demanded permission to sift you"
• John 13:27, Satan entered Judas at the betrayal
• Acts 5:3, "why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?"

The cosmic conflict

• Mark 3:23-27, kingdom of Satan vs kingdom of God
• Luke 10:18, Satan fell like lightning
• John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11, ruler of this world judged
• Romans 16:20, God will crush Satan under your feet
• 2 Corinthians 11:14, Satan disguised as angel of light
• Ephesians 6:11-12, schemes of the devil; spiritual armor
• 1 Thessalonians 2:18, Satan hindered Paul
• 2 Thessalonians 2:9, Satan's power in the lawless one
• Hebrews 2:14, Christ defeats him who has the power of death
• 1 Peter 5:8, Satan as roaring lion seeking to devour
• 1 John 3:8, Christ destroys the works of the devil

Eschatology

• Revelation 12:7-12, war in heaven
• Revelation 20:1-3, 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, 1997; Powers of Darkness, 1992); Greg Boyd (God at War, 1997, Satan-and-cosmic-conflict-focused).

See also

• G1228 - diabolos, alternative name for the same figure
• G1140 - daimonion, demon
• H7854 - satan, Hebrew adversary
• Genesis 6, Nephilim / sons-of-God / demonic-engagement
• Evil as Privation of Good, ontology of evil
• Problem of Evil, Free Will Defense, theodicy
• Christology, Christ's victory over Satan

Notes

Lexical workspace for Satanas.