Satan and Evil According to the Bible
Satan and evil are among the most asked-about subjects, yet ones often loaded with fear and misunderstanding. This page summarizes, neutrally and descriptively, which words and narratives the Bible uses on the topic. The aim is not to convey frightening detail or to impose a particular interpretation but to show how the text treats evil and what hope it emphasizes in its face, and then to help you read the relevant passages for yourself.
What does the word "Satan" mean?
The Hebrew word rendered as "Satan," "satan," literally means "one who opposes, an adversary, an accuser"; its Greek counterpart, "diabolos," carries the sense of "slanderer, divider." For this reason the word is often used in the biblical text to name a power or a tendency that stands against goodness and against God. Rather than describing this figure in frightening detail, the text draws attention to the reality of the temptation and evil that people face.
Evil and temptation in the Old Testament
The theme of evil appears on the very first pages of the Bible. The garden narrative recounted in Genesis 3 tells, in symbolic language, of the choice a person makes in the face of a temptation and its consequences. The book of Job, through the story of an upright person who suffers, openly asks the question "why does evil come upon good people?" These chapters treat evil not as a mere element of fear but as part of human reality and of the relationship with God.
Narratives of temptation in the New Testament
In the New Testament, evil and temptation are most often recounted together with the resistance shown against them. In the Gospels, Jesus' temptation in the wilderness before he begins his ministry (for example Matthew 4) is such a narrative; here the emphasis falls not on the temptation itself but on the resolve shown against it. In the letters, too, believers are counseled to respond to evil with good, to stand firm and not to lose their hope. In this way the text, while acknowledging the presence of evil, also points to the remedy and the anchor alongside it.
The problem of evil and the emphasis on hope
The question "why is there evil in a good world?" is one the Bible, too, faces honestly; the book does not suppress this question but, on the contrary, voices it openly in the psalms and in books such as Job. Yet the general orientation of the text is not fear but hope: the hope that evil does not have the last word, and that pain and injustice will one day come to an end, stands out in many chapters. For this reason what the Bible says about evil is often read intertwined with the themes of comfort and endurance.
How can I read about this on this site?
You can read the relevant passages here, chapter by chapter, free and ad-free. Genesis is a good starting point for the theme of temptation and choice, Job for the problem of pain and evil, and Matthew for resistance to temptation. You can also browse the themes of hope and comfort, and reach the text directly by searching for a word on the search page.
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- What Is the Gospel (İncil)?
- What Are the Torah, Psalms (Zebur) and Gospel?
- The Four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
- Who Wrote the Bible? When Was It Written?
- How Many Books Are There in the Bible?
- Chapters and Verses: How to Read a Reference Like "John 3:16"
- Who Is Jesus Christ?
- What Is the Zebur (Book of Psalms)?
- What Is Baptism?
- How Did the Bible Reach Us? (Manuscripts and Translation)
- What Is Prayer and How Do You Pray?
- What Are the Ten Commandments?
- What Are the Parables of Jesus?
- What Are the Old and New Testaments?
- What Is Christmas? When and Where Was Jesus Born?
- What Are Easter and the Resurrection?
- Who or What Is the Holy Spirit?
- What Is a Church (Kilise)?
- What Is Christianity?
- What Is Sin (Günah)?
- What Are Angels?
- What Are Heaven and Hell?
- What Is a Prophet?
- What Is the Trinity?
- Satan and Evil According to the Bible
- How Do You Memorize Bible Verses?
- Kadıköy Kilise Translation (KKR): Sources and Revision Notes
What is Satan according to the Bible?
In the biblical text the word "Satan" is used to name a power or tendency that stands against goodness and against God. The Hebrew "satan" means "one who opposes, an accuser," and the Greek "diabolos" means "slanderer, divider." The text mentions this figure not with frightening detail but by drawing attention to the reality of temptation.
How is evil described in the Bible?
Evil is treated from the first pages of the Bible together with human choices and suffering. The garden narrative in Genesis 3 recounts temptation, and the book of Job the suffering of an upright person. The text handles evil not as a mere element of fear but as part of human reality.
What hope does the Bible offer in the face of evil?
The Bible expresses in many chapters, with hope, that evil does not have the last word and that pain and injustice will one day end. For this reason what it says about evil is often read intertwined with the themes of comfort, endurance and hope.
Where is Jesus' temptation in the wilderness recounted?
Jesus' temptation in the wilderness before he begins his ministry is recounted in the Gospels, for example in Matthew 4. The emphasis there falls not on the temptation itself but on the resolve shown against it. You can read this chapter here for free.
Does this page defend a particular view?
No. This page only reports, neutrally, which words and narratives the biblical text uses regarding Satan and evil; it does not enter into frightening detail and does not choose between different interpretations.