Devil

Greek word - (diabolos G1228)

Quiz - Choose the answer that is closest to what you think DEVIL is.
A - an opponent
B - another name for Satan
C - a demon
D - an accuser

Problem - Transliteration

KJV Example - "And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years" (Revelation 20:2).

Explanation

Devil is a transliteration of the Greek word, diabolos. Diabolos is Greek for accuser. The Greek verb form of diabolos is diaballo which means to accuse.

Diabolos usually refers to Satan in the New Testament and is translated as devil. But three times it refers to people and is not translated as devil (1 Timothy 3:11, 2 Timothy 3:3, and Titus 2:3).

This is another example of the King James Version (and all other Bible versions) transliterating a Greek word some of the time and translating it the other times. Devil is the transliteration of diabolos and accuser is the translation.

This is also an example of the inconsistency in the King James Version. It translates diabolos three different ways. It is obvious why it translates it as devil 35 times (because each refers to Satan), but why does it translate it two more ways the other three times? It uses slanderer in 1 Timothy 3:11 and false accuser in 2 Timothy 3:3 and Titus 2:3. It could have used slanderer in all three verses or false accuser in all three verses. The Greek word is the same.

So devil is the transliteration of a Greek word that means accuser. It shows who Satan is, an accuser.

In the Bible, devil is accuser.

Modern Synonym - accuser

Bible Version Tally (how other versions translate this word) - devil (50 of 50)

Breakthrough Version - "And he took hold of the dragon (the original snake who is an accuser and the Opponent) and locked him up 1000 years." (Revelation 20:2)