TITLES AND DESIGNATIONS
Numerous titles and designations are use of Satan in the Scriptures, with more appearing in the New Testament than in the Old Testament. These various descriptions afford insight into his nature and his activities.
Serpent – Gen. 3:1,
14; II Cor. 11:3; Rev. 12:3-9; 20:2 (“serpent of old”)
Satan - the transliteration of the Heb. word, satan, meaning “adversary” (Job 1:6-7; 2:1-7; I Chron. 21:1; Zech. 3:1-2); but the transliteration serves as the proper name for the evil one; Gr. is satanas (Rev. 12:9; 20:2)
Lucifer – The name, “Lucifer,” in the KJV and NKJV, is a Latin word meaning the “shining one” or “light-bearer”; it appears in the Vulgate (Isa. 14:12) and translates a Hebrew word which means “Day Star” (ESV)—in the NIV the Hebrew word is translated as “morning star” and “star of the morning” in the NASB
son of the morning – Isa. 14:12; “son of Dawn” in the ESV; “son of the dawn” in the NIV and NASB; this assumes that the passage is speaking of Satan (see: Creation of Lucifer)
the king of Tyre – Ezek. 28:11; this assumes that the passage is speaking of Satan (see: Creation of Lucifer)
the anointed cherub who covers – Ezek. 28:14; “an anointed guardian cherub” in the ESV; terminology reminds us of the Ark of the Covenant and the two cherubim on the Mercy Seat, which figures the dwelling place of God (I Sam. 4:4; II Sam. 6:2; Ps. 80:1; Isa. 37:16)
Devil – only used of Satan in the NT; translates the Gr., diabolos, lit., “a slanderer” or “one who accuses”; Matt. 4:1, 5, 8, 10-11 (in v. 10 Jesus refers to the Devil as “Satan”); 13:39; 25:41; Eph. 6:11; I Pet. 5:8; Rev. 2:10; 12:9; 20:2, 10; in these vs. diabolos is used with the article or used with satanas which has the article, devil is “the devil”
the tempter – Matt. 4:3; I Thess. 3:5
the evil one – poneros, “evil,” “wicked,” or “bad”; Matt. 6:13, a question of whether it is deliver us from “the evil one” as NKJV and NIV or deliver us from “evil” as ESV; 13:19, “the wicked one” in the NKJV and “the evil one” in the ESV and NIV; Jo. 17:15; I Jo. 2:13; 5:19; NKJV: “the wicked one” in I Jo.
the ruler of the demons – Matt. 9:34; 12:24; “the prince of demons” in the ESV and NIV
Beelzebub – Matt. 10:25; 12:24, 27; Lu. 11:15; a Philistine deity; name means “Lord of Flies” or “Lord of Dung” (II Ki. 1:2-3, 6, 16); Beelzebub is called “the ruler of the demons” (Matt. 12:24)
the enemy – echthros, “enemy” or “foe”; Matt. 13:25, 28, 39; in v. 39 “the enemy” is called “the devil”
a murderer – Jo. 8:44
a liar and the father of it – Jo. 8:44; ESV and NIV: “a liar and the father of lies”
the ruler of this world – Jo. 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; NIV: “the prince of this world” in each reference
the god of this age – II Cor. 4:4; ESV: “the god of this world”
Belial – from a Heb. term meaning “worthlessness”; Gr. is Beliar; II Cor. 6:15; only place in Scripture
an angel of light – II Cor. 11:14
the prince of the power of the air – Eph. 2:2; NIV: “the ruler of the kingdom of the air”; see: Eph. 6:12
the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience – Eph. 2:2; NIV: “the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient
the tempter – I Thess. 3:5
him who had the power of death – Heb. 2:14; identified as the Devil in the rest of the verse; ESV: “the one who has the power of death”
your adversary – I Pet. 5:8; an opponent at the court in a lawsuit
a roaring lion – I Pet. 5:8
he who is in the world – I Jo. 4:4; see above: “the ruler of this world”
the angel of the bottomless pit – Rev. 9:11; (see Rev. 20:1-3)
king – Rev. 9:11
Abaddon – Rev. 9:11; Heb., meaning “Destruction”; “Apollyon” in the Greek
Apollyon – Rev. 9:11; Gr., meaning “Destroyer”; “Abaddon” in the Hebrew
a great, fiery red dragon – Rev. 12:3; identified as Satan in v. 9 and also called “the great dragon”; “the dragon” in Rev. 12:7; 13:2, 11; 20:2
that serpent of old – Rev. 12:9; 20:2
the accuser of our brethren – Rev. 12:10
Satan - the transliteration of the Heb. word, satan, meaning “adversary” (Job 1:6-7; 2:1-7; I Chron. 21:1; Zech. 3:1-2); but the transliteration serves as the proper name for the evil one; Gr. is satanas (Rev. 12:9; 20:2)
Lucifer – The name, “Lucifer,” in the KJV and NKJV, is a Latin word meaning the “shining one” or “light-bearer”; it appears in the Vulgate (Isa. 14:12) and translates a Hebrew word which means “Day Star” (ESV)—in the NIV the Hebrew word is translated as “morning star” and “star of the morning” in the NASB
son of the morning – Isa. 14:12; “son of Dawn” in the ESV; “son of the dawn” in the NIV and NASB; this assumes that the passage is speaking of Satan (see: Creation of Lucifer)
the king of Tyre – Ezek. 28:11; this assumes that the passage is speaking of Satan (see: Creation of Lucifer)
the anointed cherub who covers – Ezek. 28:14; “an anointed guardian cherub” in the ESV; terminology reminds us of the Ark of the Covenant and the two cherubim on the Mercy Seat, which figures the dwelling place of God (I Sam. 4:4; II Sam. 6:2; Ps. 80:1; Isa. 37:16)
Devil – only used of Satan in the NT; translates the Gr., diabolos, lit., “a slanderer” or “one who accuses”; Matt. 4:1, 5, 8, 10-11 (in v. 10 Jesus refers to the Devil as “Satan”); 13:39; 25:41; Eph. 6:11; I Pet. 5:8; Rev. 2:10; 12:9; 20:2, 10; in these vs. diabolos is used with the article or used with satanas which has the article, devil is “the devil”
the tempter – Matt. 4:3; I Thess. 3:5
the evil one – poneros, “evil,” “wicked,” or “bad”; Matt. 6:13, a question of whether it is deliver us from “the evil one” as NKJV and NIV or deliver us from “evil” as ESV; 13:19, “the wicked one” in the NKJV and “the evil one” in the ESV and NIV; Jo. 17:15; I Jo. 2:13; 5:19; NKJV: “the wicked one” in I Jo.
the ruler of the demons – Matt. 9:34; 12:24; “the prince of demons” in the ESV and NIV
Beelzebub – Matt. 10:25; 12:24, 27; Lu. 11:15; a Philistine deity; name means “Lord of Flies” or “Lord of Dung” (II Ki. 1:2-3, 6, 16); Beelzebub is called “the ruler of the demons” (Matt. 12:24)
the enemy – echthros, “enemy” or “foe”; Matt. 13:25, 28, 39; in v. 39 “the enemy” is called “the devil”
a murderer – Jo. 8:44
a liar and the father of it – Jo. 8:44; ESV and NIV: “a liar and the father of lies”
the ruler of this world – Jo. 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; NIV: “the prince of this world” in each reference
the god of this age – II Cor. 4:4; ESV: “the god of this world”
Belial – from a Heb. term meaning “worthlessness”; Gr. is Beliar; II Cor. 6:15; only place in Scripture
an angel of light – II Cor. 11:14
the prince of the power of the air – Eph. 2:2; NIV: “the ruler of the kingdom of the air”; see: Eph. 6:12
the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience – Eph. 2:2; NIV: “the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient
the tempter – I Thess. 3:5
him who had the power of death – Heb. 2:14; identified as the Devil in the rest of the verse; ESV: “the one who has the power of death”
your adversary – I Pet. 5:8; an opponent at the court in a lawsuit
a roaring lion – I Pet. 5:8
he who is in the world – I Jo. 4:4; see above: “the ruler of this world”
the angel of the bottomless pit – Rev. 9:11; (see Rev. 20:1-3)
king – Rev. 9:11
Abaddon – Rev. 9:11; Heb., meaning “Destruction”; “Apollyon” in the Greek
Apollyon – Rev. 9:11; Gr., meaning “Destroyer”; “Abaddon” in the Hebrew
a great, fiery red dragon – Rev. 12:3; identified as Satan in v. 9 and also called “the great dragon”; “the dragon” in Rev. 12:7; 13:2, 11; 20:2
that serpent of old – Rev. 12:9; 20:2
the accuser of our brethren – Rev. 12:10
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