{"id":5856,"date":"2025-03-17T07:18:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-17T11:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/?p=5856"},"modified":"2025-07-30T11:36:36","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T15:36:36","slug":"biblically-accurate-demons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/topics-themes\/explainers\/biblically-accurate-demons\/","title":{"rendered":"A Field Guide to Biblically Accurate Demons (and Their Leader) [Bible Verses]"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

True to their nature, demons in the Bible are a tricky category \u2014 much harder to pin down than angels. Angels, despite having many types or kinds throughout the Bible<\/a>, are mostly referred to as malakh <\/em>in the Hebrew Old Testament and angelos<\/em> in the Greek New Testament \u2014 both literally meaning \u201cmessenger.\u201d Demons, though, can refer to many different beings in the Bible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a rule, demons in the Old Testament are more varied, ambiguous, and frightening than demons in the New Testament. While the latter are not to be trifled with \u2014 they can cause all sorts of harm to people \u2014 the former often appear to be much more ancient and cosmically powerful. But there are exceptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article will explore the many types of demons and associated evil beings, and where they can be found in Scripture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Demonology: A Brief Biblical and Historical Background<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Christian demonology developed gradually and comes from combing through and combining a variety of Biblical and extrabiblical sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Terms for \u2018Demons\u2019 in the Bible<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The English word \u201cdemon\u201d comes from the Greek daimon<\/em>, which appears in the New Testament more than 80 times. The two words sound very similar, but their meanings are quite different. The Greek word originally had a broad application: it can mean any divine or spiritual being, good or bad. In the New Testament context, though, they are usually bad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, there is no single word for \u201cdemon\u201d in Hebrew, so they do not appear as such in the Old Testament. When you see \u201cdemons\u201d in the Old Testament, they could be any of a variety of Hebrew terms, such as shedim, elohim <\/em>(a word that\u2019s, confusingly, also used for God), <\/em>or se\u2019irim<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because of this diversity in their terminology, the Bible is not clear on the overlaps and differences between classes and categories like demons, fallen angels, pagan deities, and other strange, frightening, and sometimes evil entities. Many such figures are named in the Bible (and its adjacent literature<\/a>), but it seldom specifies their origin or purpose in God\u2019s design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ambiguous Purpose<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s also not clear which of these spiritual beings operate on their own, or in service to Satan, or are themselves manifestations <\/em>of Satan. Sometimes they even seem to operate under the command \u2014 or at least approval \u2014 of God!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of these ambiguities meant that Christians had to do a lot of guesswork in the centuries after Jesus, piecing together the puzzle of what demons are and how they came to be \u2014 especially when it comes to their leader, Satan. Not all of their conclusions are actually found in the Bible, but for the most part they were very careful not to contradict<\/em> it. Still, there remains much we don\u2019t know (and perhaps aren\u2019t meant to).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for what we do know \u2014 it\u2019s usually not hard to discern which spirits are evil (key word, usually<\/em>: the devil is known as the \u201cPrince of Lies\u201d for a reason). Let\u2019s take a look at each of them now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Demons and \u2018Unclean Spirits\u2019 in the New Testament<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s get these out of the way first, because they\u2019re the most straightforward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Demons in the New Testament refer almost always to malign spirits who take possession of unwitting human beings (and occasionally animals) sometimes causing physical or mental afflictions and other times urging them toward immoral behavior. They are also often referred to as \u201cunclean spirits\u201d (cf. Mark 1:21-28<\/a>, 5:1-13<\/a>, Acts 5:16<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s this kind of demon that Jesus spends much of his ministry fighting and expelling in the Gospels. There are too many of these verses to list, but see for example Matthew 8:28-34<\/a>, 9:32-34<\/a>, 17:14-18<\/a>; Mark 7:24-30<\/a>; Luke 4:31-37<\/a>, 8:26-39<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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But despite their prevalence in the New Testament, we never learn where they come from, nor do we receive any physical descriptions of them. It\u2019s likely that they are invisible, at least to those without divine sight. It\u2019s worth mentioning, though, that many of the church fathers believed them to have been connected to the Nephilim<\/a>, the giants or fallen angels mentioned in Genesis 6:1-4<\/a> \u2014 perhaps as their disembodied spirits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The other kind of demon that crops up a few times in the New Testament, mostly in Paul\u2019s letters and Revelation, appears to be of a higher order \u2014 perhaps fallen angels or pagan gods, whom we will look at below. These demons receive sacrifices (1 Cor. 10:20<\/a>), offer teachings (1 Tim. 4:1<\/a>), and are worshiped as alternatives to the Lord (Rev. 9:20<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Demons, Fallen Angels, and Other Semi-Divine Beings in the Old Testament<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Hebrew of the Old Testament<\/a> lacks a single, specific word for demons \u2014 but it certainly does not lack for evil creatures! Some of these beings appear to be fallen angels (or descended from them), while others are specific entities with proper names who appear to be in a class of their own. A few even seem to be in the service of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nephilim<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Nephilim<\/a> are a class of angel mentioned briefly in Genesis 6:1-4<\/a> and Numbers 13:33<\/a>, who descended (or fell) and coupled with human women, spawning a race of fearsome giants. Though referred to as \u201csons of God\u201d and \u201cheroes of old,\u201d they soon took on a more sinister character. They are a central focus of the extracanonical (though highly influential) book of Enoch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shedim and Se\u2019irim<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The shedim <\/em>and se\u2019irim <\/em>are the two types of being in the Old Testament that come closest to what we now think of as demons. Neither appears frequently, but they left a strong impression on the ancient Israelites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shedim<\/em> appear only twice, in Deuteronomy 32:17<\/a> and Psalm 106:37<\/a>, where they are associated with foreign deities who demanded child sacrifice. Their physical appearance isn\u2019t mentioned, but in other ancient texts they are described as winged, sometimes serpentine spirits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The appearance of the se\u2019irim<\/em> on the other hand is much clearer: the word is associated with male goats and \u201chairiness,\u201d and is often translated \u201cgoat demon.\u201d Because of this, they are often associated with the goat-legged satyrs of Greek mythology \u2014 and are probably where the later depiction of Satan as a goat-legged figure originated. They are usually seen as a much lower form of demon, though. They appear in only four passages: Leviticus 17:6-7<\/a>; 2 Chronicles 11:14-15<\/a>; Isaiah 13:21<\/a>; and Isaiah 34:14<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lilith<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Did you read Isaiah 34:14<\/a>? It\u2019s also the only mention of Lilith, known as the \u201cMother of Demons\u201d \u2014 though only in later, Medieval thought. In fact, the word in Isaiah is disputed: it could<\/em> refer to Lilith, or simply a \u201ccreature of the night.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the ambiguity, a dense mythology developed around Lilith in the Middle Ages (long after the Bible was written), describing her as Adam\u2019s disobedient first wife and a consort of witches and succubae.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Azazel<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Like Lilith, Azazel is mentioned only once in the Bible (Lev. 16:6-10<\/a>) and it is similarly disputed whether the passage in question refers to a named demon\/fallen angel (as in the ESV, NRSVue, NABRE, CEB, and NLT) or simply to the Hebrew word for \u201cscapegoat\u201d (as in the Septuagint<\/a>, Vulgate, KJV, NIV, and NASB).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hebrew meaning is unclear, but early church fathers interpreted it through the influential extracanonical book of 1 Enoch, which identifies Azazel as one of the fallen angels who fathered the Nephilim. According to this legend, Azazel later gave various gifts (such as weapons and cosmetics) to humanity, before being defeated and chained to a rock by the archangel Raphael<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prince of Persia (and Other \u2018Princes\u2019)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Prince of Persia is another spiritual or divine being \u2014 perhaps a fallen angel \u2014 who appears only once in the Bible, though in more detail than Lilith or Azazel, in Daniel 10<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this chapter, Daniel describes a vision in which an unidentified angel (traditionally associated with the archangel Gabriel) delivers an apocalyptic message about the \u201cend of days\u201d (Dn. 10:13<\/a>). But first, the angel says he was delayed 21 days in conflict with the \u201cprince of the kingdom of Persia\u201d before \u201cMichael, one of the chief princes\u201d came to his aid. Afterwards, Gabriel will have to return to fight against the prince of Persia, and then the prince of Greece, along with Michael, \u201cyour prince\u201d (Dn. 10:20-21<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This passage has led many commentators to believe that there are perhaps angelic or spiritual beings watching over every nation \u2014 some evil (e.g., the princes of Persia and Greece) and some good (e.g., Michael). It\u2019s also likely that the angels, principalities, and powers that Paul refers to in Romans 8:38-39<\/a> are these very princes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mavet (Mot)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mot \u2014 spelled mavet <\/em>or maveth <\/em>in Hebrew \u2014 was the Canaanite god of death. In Hebrew the word (which appears over 100 times in the Old Testament) usually just means \u201cdeath,\u201d and that\u2019s nearly always how it\u2019s translated into English.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there are some places \u2014 such as Job 28:22<\/a>, Psalm 49:14<\/a>, Isaiah 28:15<\/a>, and Habakkuk 2:5<\/a> \u2014 where it seems to become more personified. Is that simply poetical, metaphorical language? Or does it suggest Mot is a demonic entity of some kind? We can\u2019t be sure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Early Christians debated about whether pagan gods: a) didn\u2019t exist; b) did exist, yet were impotent; or c) did exist, and were malevolent. The score was never really settled, and the conversation continues to this day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abaddon<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Like Mot, the word abaddon <\/em>is a Hebrew word with a general meaning \u2014 in this case, \u201cdestruction.\u201d Unlike <\/em>Mot, it only occurs six times in the Hebrew Bible, and is understood to be a proper noun \u2014 either as a place or an angel. Abaddon is closely associated with Sheol, the place of the dead \u2014 and with Mot: they appear side-by-side in Job 28:22<\/a>. (See also Job 26:6<\/a>, 31:12<\/a>; Psalm 88:11<\/a>; Proverbs 15:11<\/a>, 27:20<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abaddon also appears in the New Testament under the Greek name Apollyon (Rev. 9:11<\/a>), where he guards a bottomless pit (probably Sheol, though it\u2019s not named in the passage) from which smoke and horrifying locusts emerge to scourge the people who do not have \u201cthe seal of God on their foreheads\u201d (Rev. 9:4<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Destroying Angels: Are They Good or Evil?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many of the creatures on this list are pretty squarely evil, while a few (such as Mavet and Abaddon) are somewhat ambiguous as to whether they are demonic foes or divine agents of vengeance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Destroying angels, though, are a special case: also known as \u201cdestroyers,\u201d \u201cdeath bringers,\u201d \u201cmessengers of death,\u201d and sometimes simply \u201cthe angel of the Lord,\u201d they are fearsome and (as the name implies) destructive. Yet they operate under God\u2019s control to deliver his retribution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n