Satan, devil, evil one

Definition

Although the devil is a spirit being that God created, he rebelled against God and became God’s enemy. The devil is also called “Satan” and “the evil one.”

• The devil hates God and all that God created because he wants to take the place of God and be worshiped as God.
• Satan tempts people to rebel against God.
• God sent his Son, Jesus, to rescue people from Satan’s control.
• The name “Satan” means “adversary” or “enemy.”
• The word “devil” means “accuser.”

Translation Suggestions

• The word “devil” could also be translated as “the accuser” or “the evil one” or “the king of evil spirits” or “the chief evil spirit.”
• “Satan” could be translated as “Opponent” or “Adversary” or some other name that shows that he is the devil.
• These terms should be translated differently from demon and evil spirit.
• Consider how these terms are translated in a local or national language.

(See: How to Translate Unknowns)

(Translation suggestions: How to Translate Names)

(See also: demon, evil, kingdom of God, tempt)

Bible References

• 1 John 3:8
• 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20
• 1 Timothy 5:15
• Acts 13:10
• Job 1:8
• Mark 8:33
• Zechariah 3:1

Examples from the Bible stories

• __21:1 The snake who deceived Eve was Satan. The promise meant that the Messiah who would come would defeat Satan__ completely.
• __25:6 Then Satan__ showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and all their glory and said, “I will give you all this if you bow down and worship me.”
• __25:8 Jesus did not give in to Satan’s temptations, so Satan__ left him.
• __33:6 So Jesus explained, “The seed is the word of God. The path is a person who hears God’s word, but does not understand it, and the devil__ takes the word from him.”
• __38:7 After Judas took the bread, Satan__ entered into him.
• __48:4 God promised that one of Eve’s descendants would crush Satan’s head, and Satan would wound his heel. This meant that Satan would kill the Messiah, but God would raise him to life again, and then the Messiah will crush the power of Satan__ forever.
• __49:15 God has taken you out of Satan’s__ kingdom of darkness and put you into God’s kingdom of light.
• __50:9 “The weeds represent the people who belong to the evil one. The enemy who planted the weeds represents the devil__.”
• __50:10 “When the world ends, the angels will gather together all the people who belong to the devil__ and throw them into a raging fire, where they will cry and grind their teeth in terrible suffering.”
• __50:15 When Jesus returns, he will completely destroy Satan and his kingdom. He will throw Satan__ into hell where he will burn forever, along with everyone who chose to follow him rather than to obey God.

Word Data

• Strong’s: H7700, H7854, H8163, G11390, G11400, G11410, G11420, G12280, G41900, G45660, G45670