Quick Definition
διάβολος, ον Adj slanderous, the Slanderer, the Devil
Strong's Definition
from 1225; a traducer; specially, Satan (compare 7854)
KJV Usage: false accuser, devil, slanderer
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
adjc. | -ον | βάλλω
12.34 · Supernatural Beings and Powers · Supernatural Beings
Devil, Satan (a title for the Devil, literally ‘slanderer’) the principal supernatural evil being In a number of languages there is a well known proper name for the Devil as the chief of all demons. In other instances, however, he is given a descriptive name, for example, ‘the ruler of the evil spirits,’ ‘the chief of the demons,’ ‘the truly bad one,’ ‘the left-handed one’ (as the one who is opposed to all which is right or correct), ‘the no-good one,’ ‘the avaricious one.’ In some instances a term for the Devil may be highly idiomatic as, for example, ‘the barking one,’ a reference to the Devil’s presumed activity in animal guise.
Some translators have attempted to construct a term for Devil on the basis of the meaning of the Greek term διάβολος as ‘slanderer.’ This, however, has rarely been advisable, largely because in practically all languages there is a far more relevant way of speaking about the Devil. Other translators have attempted to render the term Devil by simply borrowing the form of the word from a dominant language, but this may also introduce complications, since one cannot always control the manner in which such a term will be understood. In one language, for example, the borrowed term ‘devil’ was identified simply as a small spirit that spreads fever among people, while in another area the borrowed term ended up meaning only a spirit which induces insanity. In this latter instance, the translators finally used an expression for the Devil which meant literally ‘the lord of all sin.’
Some translators have employed for ‘Devil’ the proper name Satan, but this is often not a satisfactory solution. In one language in West Africa, for example, the term Satan had already been borrowed but was understood in the sense of the culture hero of the people and not as a designation for the chief of demons.
MAT 4:1 · MAT 4:5 · MAT 4:8 · MAT 4:11 · MAT 13:39 · MAT 25:41 · LUK 4:2 · LUK 4:3 · LUK 4:6 · LUK 4:13 · LUK 8:12 · JHN 8:44 · JHN 13:2 · ACT 10:38 · ACT 13:10 · EPH 4:27 · EPH 6:11 · 1TI 3:6 · 1TI 3:7 · 2TI 2:26 · HEB 2:14 · JAS 4:7 · 1PE 5:8 · 1JN 3:8 · 1JN 3:8 · 1JN 3:8 · 1JN 3:10 · JUD 1:9 · REV 2:10 · REV 12:9 · REV 12:12 · REV 20:2 · REV 20:10
12.37 · Supernatural Beings and Powers · Supernatural Beings
demon, evil spirit an evil supernatural being or spirit While in a number of languages the Devil may be spoken of as ‘the chief of the demons,’ sometimes the demons are simply called ‘the spirits of the Devil’ or ‘the servants of the Devil.’
In a number of languages the difficulty in terminology for demons is not the absence of a term, but the abundance of different terms for different kinds of demons, each one of which may be responsible for particular kinds of human behavior, for example, insanity, depression, epilepsy, sex perversion, and violent assault. Sometimes demons are classified as ‘those of the home’ and ‘those of the forest,’ in which case the latter are normally regarded as more violent and virulent. When there is an abundance of different terms for demons and no generic term for all types of demons, one can usually select a class of demons which parallels most closely the descriptions of demon activity in the NT and use such a term with appropriate contextual qualifications so as to suggest that such a term is to be understood in a general sense.
For another interpretation of διάβολος in JHN 6:70, see 88.124.
33.397 · Communication · Insult, Slander
slanderer (derivative of διαβάλλω ‘to slander,’ not occurring in the NT) one who engages in slander In 1TI 3:11 it may be appropriate to render διαβόλους as ‘gossipers.’
88.124 · Moral and Ethical Qualities and Related Behavior · Bad, Evil, Harmful, Damaging
a devil (a figurative extension of meaning of διάβολος[a] ‘Devil,’ 12.34) a wicked person who has a number of characteristics typical of the Devil In some languages it would not be possible to translate JHN 6:70 literally as ‘one of you is a devil.’ The closest equivalent in such circumstances may be a simile, for example, ‘one of you is just like the Devil.’ For another interpretation of διάβολος in JHN 6:70, see 12.37.
1 The terms διάβολος and Σατανᾶς appear to function both as titles and as proper names. This results from the fact that the referent in each instance is unique. In the text of the Greek NT Σατανᾶς was traditionally written with an initial capital letter, while διάβολος was normally written with a lower case initial letter, except for the occurrences of Διάβολος in REV 12:9 and REV 20:2.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
διάβολος, -ov, (διαβάλλω, q. ν.); prone to slander, slanderous, accusing falsely, (Arstph., Andoc., Plut., al.): 1 Tim. iii. 11; 2 Tim. iii. 3; Tit. ii. 3; as subst. ὁ διάβολος, a calumniator, false accuser, slanderer, [see κατηγορέω. fin.], (Xen. Ages. 11, 5; [Aristot., al.]): Sept. Esth. vii. 4; viii. 1. In the Bible and in eccl. writ. ὁ διάβολος [also διάβ. without the art.; cf. W. 124 (118); B. 89 (78)] is applied κατ᾽ ἐξοχήν to the one called in Hebr. jOwn, ὁ σατανᾶς (q. v.), viz. Satan, the prince of demons, the author of evil, persecuting good men (Jobi.; Zech. iii. 1 sqq., cf. Rev. xii. 10), estranging mankind from God and enticing them to sin, and afflicting them with diseases by means of demons who take possession of their bodies at his bidding; the malignant enemy of God and the Messiah: Mt. iv. 1, 5, [8, 11]; xiii. 39; xxv. 41; Lk. iv. 2, [3, 5 RL, 6, 13]; viii. 12; Jn. xiii.2; Acts x. 38; Eph. iv. 27; vi. 11; 1 Tim. iii. 6 sq.; 2 Tim. ii. 26; Heb. ii. 14; Jas. iv. 7; 1 Pet. ν. 8; Jude 9; Rev. ii. 10; xii. 9,12; xx. 2,10; (Sap. ii. 24; [ef. Ps. eviii. (cix.) 6; 1 Chr. xxi. 17). Men who resemble the devil in mind and will are said εἶναι ἐκ τοῦ διαβόλου to be of the devil, prop. to derive their origin from the devil, trop. to depend upon the devil in thought and action, to be prompted and governed by him: Jn. viii. 44; 1 Jn. iii. 8; the same are called τέκνα τοῦ dia. children of the devil, 1 Jn. iii. 10; υἱοὶ τοῦ 6. sons of the devil, Acts xiii. 10, cf. Mt. xiii. 38; Jn. vil. 38; 1Jn.iii. 10. The name διάβολος is fig. applied to a man who, by opposing the cause of God, may be said to act the part of the devil or to side with him: Jn. vi. 70, cf. Mt. xvi. 23; Mk. viii. 88. [Cf. σατᾶν fin.]
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
διάβολος diabolos 37x
slanderer, 1 Tim. 3:11; 2 Tim. 3:3; Tit. 2:3; a treacherous informer, traitor, Jn. 6:70; ὁ διάβολος, the devil
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
διάβολος, -ον
(< διαβάλλω, q.v.) [in LXX for שָׂטָן (as Jb 1:6), exc. Es 7:4 8:1 (צַר, צָרַר) ;]
slanderous, accusing falsely. As subst., ὁ, ἡ, δ.;
generally (of. Es, ll. c.), a slanderer, false accuser: I Ti 3:6, 7 (CGT, in l., but v. infr.) 3:11, II Ti 3:3, Tit 2:3;
as chiefly in LXX, of Satan, the Accuser, the Devil: Mt 4:1, 5, 8, 11 13:39 25:41, Lk 4:2, 3, 6, 13 8:12, Jo 13:2, Ac 10:38, Eph 4:27 6:11, I Ti 3:6, 7 (but v. supr.), II Ti 2:26, He 2:14, Ja 4:7, I Pe 5:8, Ju 9, Re 2:10 12:9, 12 20:2, 10; εἶναι ἐκ τοῦ δ., Jo 8:44, I Jo 3:8; τέκνα τοῦ δ., I Jo 3:10; υἱὸς, Ac 13:10; metaph., of Judas, Jo 6:70 (Cremer, 121; DCG, ii, 605).†
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
διάβολος (diabolos) — devilish/the Devil. διάβολ-ος, ον, slanderous, backbiting, γραῦς [Refs 4th c.BC+]: superlative -ώτατος[Refs 5th c.BC+]; διάβολόν τι, aliquid invidiae, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II. substantive, slanderer, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; enemy, [LXX]: hence, = Sâtân,[Refs]; the Devil, [NT]
III. adverb -λως injuriously, invidiously, [Refs 5th c.BC+]