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{{other uses|Devil (disambiguation)}}

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[[File:022 devil representation.JPG|thumb|upright|Statue of the devil in the [[Žmuidzinavičius Museum]] or Devil's Museum in Kaunas, Lithuania.]]
[[File:La tenture de lApocalypse (Angers) (2).jpg|thumb|Satan (the dragon; on the left) gives to the beast of the sea (on the right) power represented by a [[sceptre]] in a detail of panel III.40 of the medieval French [[Apocalypse Tapestry]], produced between 1377 and 1382.]]
[[File:Devils-from-Rila-monastery.jpg|thumb|upright|A fresco detail from the [[Rila Monastery]], in which demons are depicted as having grotesque faces and bodies.]]

A '''devil''' is the [[personification]] of [[evil]] as it is conceived in many and various cultures and religious traditions.<ref>Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', Cornell University Press 1987 {{ISBN|978-0-801-49409-3}}, pages 11 and 34</ref> It is seen as the objectification of a hostile and destructive force.<ref>Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', Cornell University Press 1987 {{ISBN|978-0-801-49409-3}}, page 34</ref>

It is difficult to specify a particular definition of any complexity that will cover all of the traditions, beyond that it is a manifestation of evil.  It is meaningful to consider the devil through the lens of each of the cultures and religions that have the devil as part of their mythos.<ref name="ReferenceC">Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', Cornell University Press 1987 {{ISBN|978-0-801-49409-3}}, pages 41-75</ref>

The history of this concept intertwines with theology, mythology, psychiatry, art and literature, maintaining a validity, and developing independently within each of the traditions.<ref>Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', Cornell University Press 1987 {{ISBN|978-0-801-49409-3}}, pages 44 and 51</ref> It occurs historically in many contexts and cultures, and is given many different names — [[Satan]], [[Lucifer]], [[Beelzebub]], [[Mephistopheles]] — and attributes: It is portrayed as blue, black, or red; It is portrayed as having horns on its head, and without horns, and so on.<ref name="Arp, Robert 2014">Arp, Robert. ''The Devil and Philosophy: The Nature of His Game''. Open Court, 2014. {{ISBN|9780812698800}} p. 30-50</ref><ref name="ReferenceD">Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', Cornell University Press 1987 {{ISBN|978-0-801-49409-3}}, page 66</ref> The idea of the devil has been taken seriously often, but not always, for example when devil figures are used in advertising and on candy wrappers.<ref name="ReferenceC"/><ref>Russell, Jeffrey Burton, ''The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in History'', Cornell University Press (1992) {{ISBN| 978-0801480560}}, page 2</ref>

== Etymology ==
The Modern English word ''[[:wikt:devil|devil]]'' derives from the [[Middle English]] ''[[wikt:devel|devel]]'', from the [[Old English]] ''[[wikt:deofol|dēofol]]'', that in turn represents an early Germanic borrowing of the [[Latin]] ''[[:wikt:diabolus|diabolus]]''. This in turn was borrowed from the {{lang-el|[[:wikt:διάβολος|διάβολος]]}} ''diábolos'', "slanderer",<ref>[http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Ddia%2Fbolos διάβολος], Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, ''A Greek-English Lexicon'', on Perseus</ref> from {{lang|el|διαβάλλειν}} ''diabállein'', "to slander" from [[wikt:διά|διά]] ''diá'', "across, through" and βάλλειν ''bállein'', "to hurl", probably akin to the [[Sanskrit]] ''gurate'', "he lifts up".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/devil|title=Definition of DEVIL|website=www.merriam-webster.com|access-date=2016-04-23}}</ref>

==Definitions==
In his book ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', [[Jeffrey Burton Russell]] discusses various meanings and difficulties that are encountered when using the term ''devil''.  He does not claim to define the word in a general sense, but he describes the limited use that he intends for the word in his book — limited in order to “minimize this difficulty” and “for the sake of clarity”. In this book Russell uses the word ''devil'' as "the [[personification]] of [[evil]] found in a variety of cultures", as opposed to the word ''[[Satan]]'', which he reserves specifically for the figure in the [[Abrahamic religions]].<ref>Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=D2-Na937xRYC&printsec=frontcover&dq=The+Devil:+Perceptions+of+Evil+from+Antiquity+to+Primitive+Christianity&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiGsLKW1qneAhVEzoMKHYZ_DXMQ6AEIKDAA#v=onepage&q=The%20Devil%3A%20Perceptions%20of%20Evil%20from%20Antiquity%20to%20Primitive%20Christianity&f=false The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity]'', Cornell University Press 1987 {{ISBN|978-0-801-49409-3}}, pages 11 and 34</ref>

In the Introduction to his book ''Satan: A Biography'', Henry Ansgar Kelly discusses various considerations and meanings that he has encountered in using terms such as ''devil'' and ''Satan'', etc. While not offering a general definition, he describes that in his book "whenever ''diabolos'' is used as the proper name of Satan", he signals it by using "small caps".<ref>{{cite book|last=Kelly|first=Henry Ansgar|date=2006|title=Satan: A Biography|url=https://books.google.com/?id=gPIpQg0lRbMC&pg=PA12&dq=intitle:satan+inauthor:kelly#v=onepage&q=&f=false|location=Cambridge, England|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0521604024|pages=3–4|ref=harv}}</ref>

The ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'' has a variety of definitions for the meaning of "devil", supported by a range of citations: "Devil" may refer to Satan, the supreme spirit of evil, or one of Satan's emissaries or demons that populate Hell, or to one of the spirits that possess a demonic person; "devil" may refer to one of the "malignant deities" feared and worshiped by "heathen people", a demon, a malignant being of superhuman powers; figuratively “devil" may be applied to a wicked person, or playfully to a rogue or rascal, or in empathy often accompanied by the word “poor" to a person — "poor devil".<ref>Craige, W. A.; Onions, C. T. A. "Devil". ''A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles: Introduction, Supplement, and Bibliography''. Oxford: Clarendon Press. (1933) p. 283-284</ref>

==Hinduism==
The earliest Hindu texts do not offer further explanations for evil, regarding evil as something natural.<ref name="ReferenceA">Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', Cornell University Press 1987 {{ISBN|978-0-801-49409-3}}, page 56</ref> However, later texts offer various explanations for evil. According to an explanation given by the [[Brahmin]]s, both [[demons]] and gods spoke truth and untruth, but the demons relinquished the truth and the gods relinquished the untruth.<ref name="ReferenceB">Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', Cornell University Press, 1987, {{ISBN|978-0-801-49409-3}}, page 56</ref> But both [[spirits]] are regarded as different aspects of one supreme god. Even some fierce deities like [[Kali]] are not thought of as devils but just as darker aspects of God<ref>Seema Mohanty, Seema ''The Book of Kali'' Penguin Books India 2009 {{ISBN|978-0-143-06764-1}} page 115</ref> and may even manifest benevolence.<ref name="ReferenceB"/>

== Zoroastrianism ==
{{Main|Angra Mainyu|Dualistic cosmology}}
[[Zoroastrianism]] probably introduced the first idea of the conceptual ''devil''; a principle of evil independently existing apart from God.<ref name="Russell99">Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', Cornell University Press 1987 {{ISBN|978-0-801-49409-3}}, page 99</ref> In Zoroastrianism, good and evil derive from two ultimately opposed forces.<ref>John R. Hinnells ''The Zoroastrian Diaspora: Religion and Migration'' OUP Oxford 2005 {{ISBN|978-0-191-51350-3}} page 108</ref> The force of good is called [[Ahura Mazda]] and the "destructive spirit" in [[Avestan language|Avestan-language]] called [[Angra Mainyu]]. The [[Middle Persian]] equivalent is [[Ahriman]]. They are in eternal struggle and neither is all-powerful, especially Angra Mainyu is limited to space and time: in the end of time, he will be finally defeated. While Ahura Mazda creates what is good, Angra Mainyu is responsible for every evil and suffering in the world, such as toads and scorpions.<ref name="Russell99"/>

== Tengrism ==
Among the [[Tengrism|Tengristic]] myths, [[Erlik]] refers to a devil-like figure as the ruler of [[Tamag|Hell]], who is also the first human. According to one narrative, Erlik and God swam together over the primordial waters. When God was about to create the Earth, he send Erlik to dive into the waters and collect some mud. Erlik hid some inside his mouth to later create his own world. But when God commanded the Earth to expand, Erlik got troubled by the mud in his mouth. God aided Erlik to spit it out. The mud carried by Erlik gave place to the unpleasant areas of the world. Because of his sin, he was assigned to evil. In another variant, the creator-god is identified with [[Ulgen]]. Again, Erlik appears to be the first human. He desired to create a human just as Ulgen did, thereupon Ulgen reacted by punishing Erlik, casting him into the Underworld where he becomes its ruler.<ref>Mircea Eliade ''History of Religious Ideas, Volume 3: From Muhammad to the Age of Reforms'' University of Chicago Press, 31.12.2013 {{ISBN|9780226147727}} p. 9</ref><ref>David Adams Leeming ''A Dictionary of Creation Myths'' Oxford University Press 2014 {{ISBN|9780195102758}} p. 7</ref>

According to Tengrism, there is no death by meaning that life comes to an end, it is merely a transition into the invisible world. As the ruler of Hell, Erlik enslaves the souls, who are damned to Hell. Further, he lurks on the souls of those humans living on Earth by causing death, disease and illnesses. At the time of birth, Erlik sends a [[Kormos]] to seize the soul of the newborn, following him for the rest of his life in an attempt to seize his soul by hampering, misguiding and injuring him. When Erlik succeeds in destroying a human's body, the Kormos sent by Erlik will try take him down into the Underworld. However a good soul will be brought to Paradise by a ''Yayutshi'' sent by Ulgen.<ref>Plantagenet Publishing ''The Cambridge Medieval History Series volumes 1-5''</ref> Some shamans also made sacrifices to Erlik, for gaining a higher rank in the Underworld, if they should be damned to Hell.

== Yazidism ==
According to [[Yazidism]] there is no entity that represents evil in opposition to God; such [[Dualistic cosmology|dualism]] is rejected by Yazidis,<ref>Birgül Açikyildiz ''The Yezidis: The History of a Community, Culture and Religion'' I.B.Tauris 2014 {{ISBN|978-0-857-72061-0}} page 74</ref> and evil is regarded as nonexistent.<ref>Wadie Jwaideh ''The Kurdish National Movement: Its Origins and Development'' Syracuse University Press 2006 {{ISBN|978-0-815-63093-7}} page 20</ref> Yazidis adhere to strict monism and are prohibited from uttering the word "devil" and from speaking of anything related to [[Hell]].<ref>Florin Curta, Andrew Holt ''Great Events in Religion: An Encyclopedia of Pivotal Events in Religious History [3 volumes]'' ABC-CLIO 2016 {{ISBN|978-1-610-69566-4}} page 513</ref>

== Judaism ==
{{Further|Satan#Judaism}}
[[Yahweh]], the god in pre-exilic [[Judaism]], created both good and evil, as stated in [[Book of Isaiah|Isaiah]] 45:7: "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things." The devil did not exist in early Jewish scriptures. However, the influence of [[Zoroastrianism]] during the [[Achaemenid Empire]] introduced evil as a separate principle into the Jewish belief system, which gradually externalized the opposition until the Hebrew term ''satan'' developed into a specific type of supernatural entity, changing the monistic view of Judaism into a dualistic one.<ref>Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', Cornell University Press 1987 {{ISBN| 978-0-801-49409-3}}, page 58</ref> Later, [[Rabbinic Judaism]] rejected{{when|date=October 2018}} the [[Enoch (ancestor of Noah)|Enochian books]] (written during the [[Second Temple period]] under [[Persians|Persian]] influence), which depicted the devil as an independent force of evil besides God.<ref>Jackson, David R. (2004). ''Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.'' pp. 2–4. {{ISBN| 0826470890}}</ref> After the [[Apocalyptic literature|apocalyptic period]], references to [[Satan#Judaism|Satan]] in the [[Tanakh]] are thought{{by whom|date=October 2018}} to be [[allegorical]].<ref>
Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', Cornell University Press 1987 {{ISBN|978-0-801-49409-3}}, page 29
</ref>

== Christianity ==
{{Main|Devil in Christianity}}
{{See also|Satan#Christianity|War in Heaven}}
In [[Christianity]], evil is incarnate in the devil or [[Satan]], a fallen angel who is the primary opponent of [[God in Christianity|God]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kQFtlva3HaYC|title=The Oxford Companion to World Mythology|last=Leeming|first=David|date=2005-11-17|publisher=Oxford University Press, USA|isbn=9780195156690|language=en}}</ref><ref>Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', Cornell University Press 1987 {{ISBN|978-0-801-49409-3}}, page 174</ref> Christians considered the [[List of Roman deities|Roman]] and [[Greek primordial deities|Greek deities]] devils.<ref name="Arp, Robert 2014"/><ref name="ReferenceD"/>

Christianity describes him as a [[fallen angel]] who terrorizes the world through evil,<ref name=":0" /> is the [[antithesis]] of [[truth]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/devil|title=Definition of DEVIL|website=www.merriam-webster.com|access-date=2016-06-12}}</ref> and shall be condemned, together with the fallen angels who follow him, to eternal fire at the [[Last Judgement]].<ref name=":0" />

In mainstream [[Christianity]] the devil is usually also referred to as [[Satan]]. This is because Christian beliefs in Satan are inspired directly by the dominant view of [[Second Temple Judaism]], as expressed/practiced by [[Jesus]], and with some minor variations. Some modern Christians {{Who|date=April 2016}} consider the devil to be an [[angel]] who, along with one-third of the angelic host (the demons) rebelled against [[God]] and has consequently been condemned to the [[Lake of Fire]]. He is described {{Attribution needed|date=April 2016}} as hating all humanity (or more accurately creation), opposing God, spreading lies and wreaking havoc on their souls.

[[File:Backer Judgment (detail).JPG|thumb|Horns of a [[goat]] and a [[Sheep|ram]], goat's fur and ears, nose and canines of a [[pig]]; a typical depiction of the devil in [[Christian art]]. The goat, ram and pig are consistently associated with the devil.<ref>{{cite book| last = Fritscher| first = Jack| title = Popular Witchcraft: Straight from the Witch's Mouth| year = 2004| publisher = Popular Press| isbn = 0-299-20304-2| page = 23| quote = The pig, goat, ram — all of these creatures are consistently associated with the Devil. }}</ref> Detail of a 16th century painting by [[Jacob de Backer]] in the [[National Museum, Warsaw|National Museum]] in [[Warsaw]].]]

Satan is often identified {{by whom|date=April 2016}} as the [[Serpent (Bible)|serpent]] who convinced [[Eve]] to eat the [[forbidden fruit]]; thus, Satan has often been depicted as a serpent. Although this identification is not present in the [[Adam and Eve]] narrative, this interpretation goes back at least as far as the time of the writing of the [[Book of Revelation]], which specifically identifies Satan as being the serpent (Rev. 20:2).

In the [[Bible]], the devil is identified with "the dragon" and "the old serpent" in the [[Book of Revelation]] 12:9, 20:2 have also been identified with Satan, as has "the prince of this world" in the [[Gospel of John]] 12:31, 14:30; and "the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience" in the [[Epistle to the Ephesians]] 2:2; and "the god of this world" in [[Second Epistle to the Corinthians|2 Corinthians]] 4:4.<ref>{{bibleverse|2|Corinthians|2:2}}</ref> He is also identified as the dragon in the [[Book of Revelation]] (e.g.<ref>[[s:Bible (American Standard)/Revelation#Chapter 12|Rev. 12:9]]</ref>), and the tempter of the [[Gospels]] (e.g. [[Matthew 4]]:1).

The devil is sometimes called [[Lucifer]], particularly when describing him as an angel before his fall, although the reference in [[Book of Isaiah|Isaiah]] 14:12 to Lucifer, or the Son of the Morning, is a reference to a Babylonian king.<ref>See, for example, the entries in [http://studylight.org/con/ntb/view.cgi?number=T3103 Nave's Topical Bible], the [http://studylight.org/dic/hbd/view.cgi?number=T3937 Holman Bible Dictionary] and the [http://studylight.org/com/acc/view.cgi?book=isa&chapter=14&verse=12#Isa14_12 Adam Clarke Commentary].</ref>

[[Beelzebub]] is originally the name of a [[Philistines|Philistine]] god (more specifically a certain type of [[Baal]], from ''Ba‘al Zebûb'', lit. "Lord of Flies") but is also used in the New Testament as a synonym for Satan. A corrupted version, "Belzeboub", appears in ''[[Divine Comedy|The Divine Comedy]]'' (''Inferno'' XXXIV).

In other, non-mainstream, Christian beliefs (e.g. the beliefs of the [[Devil in Christianity#Unitarians and Christadelphians|Christadelphians]]) the word "satan" in the Bible is not regarded as referring to a supernatural, personal being but to any 'adversary' and figuratively refers to human sin and temptation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.christadelphia.org/pamphlet/devil.htm |title=Do you Believe in a Devil? Bible Teaching on Temptation. |accessdate=2007-05-29 }}</ref>

=== Apocrypha/Deuterocanon ===
{{See also|Apocrypha|Biblical apocrypha|Deuterocanonical books}}
In the [[Book of Wisdom]], the devil is represented as the one who brought death into the world.<ref>"But by the envy of the devil, death came into the world" - Book of Wisdom II. 24</ref> The [[Second Book of Enoch]] contains references to a [[Watcher (angel)|Watcher]] called Satanael,<ref>[[2 Enoch]] 18:3</ref> describing him as the prince of the ''[[Watcher (angel)|Grigori]]'' who was cast out of heaven<ref>"And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air continuously above the bottomless" - [[2 Enoch]] 29:4</ref> and an [[evil spirit]] who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful".<ref>"The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" - [[2 Enoch]] 31:4</ref>

In the [[Book of Jubilees]], Satan rules over a host of angels.<ref>''[[Martyrdom of Isaiah]]'', 2:2; ''[[Vita Adæ et Evæ]]'', 16)</ref> [[Mastema]], who induced God to test [[Abraham]] through the [[Binding of Isaac|sacrifice of Isaac]], is identical with Satan in both name and nature.<ref>[[Book of Jubilees]], xvii. 18</ref> The Book of Enoch contains references to [[Sathariel]], thought also {{By whom|date=April 2016}} to be Sataniel and [[Satanel|Satan'el]]. The similar spellings mirror that of his angelic brethren [[Michael (archangel)|Michael]], [[Raphael (angel)|Raphael]], [[Uriel]] and [[Gabriel]], previous to his expulsion from Heaven.{{Citation needed|date=April 2016}}

== Gnostic religions ==
{{See also|Demiurge#Gnosticism| God as the Devil}}
[[File:Lion-faced deity.jpg|thumb|right|150px|A lion-faced deity found on a Gnostic gem in [[Bernard de Montfaucon]]'s ''L'antiquité expliquée et représentée en figures'' may be a depiction of the Demiurge.]]
Gnostic and Gnostic influenced religions repeatedly addressed the idea, that the material world is inherently evil. The ''One true God'' is far remote, beyond the material universe, therefore this universe must be governed by an inferior imposter deity. This deity was identified by some sects, such as the [[Sethianism|Sethians]] or the [[Marcionism|Marcions]], with the deity of the Old testament. [[Tertullian]] accuses [[Marcion of Sinope]], that he {{quote|
[held that] the Old Testament was a scandal to the faithful … and … accounted for it by postulating [that Jehovah was] a secondary deity, a [[Demiurge|demiurgus]], who was god, in a sense, but not the supreme God; he was just, rigidly just, he had his good qualities, but he was not the good god, who was Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ.<ref name="Marcion">{{CathEncy|wstitle=Marcionites}}</ref>}} [[John Arendzen]] (1909) in the ''[[Catholic Encyclopedia]]'' (1913) mentions that [[Eusebius]] accused [[Apelles (gnostic)|Apelles]], the 2nd-century AD Gnostic, of considering the Inspirer of Old Testament prophecies to be not a god, but an evil angel.<ref name="Apelles">{{CathEncy|wstitle=Gnosticism}}</ref> These writings commonly refer to the Creator of the material world as "a [[Demiurge|demiurgus]]"<ref name="Marcion" /> to distinguish him from the ''One true God''. Some texts, such as the [[Apocryphon of John]] and [[On the Origin of the World]] not only demonized the Creator God but also called him by the name of the devil in some Jewish writings, ''[[Samael]]''.<ref>Birger A. Pearson ''Gnosticism Judaism Egyptian'' Fortress Press {{ISBN|9781451404340}} p. 100</ref>

=== Mandaeanism ===
According to [[Mandaean]] mythology, ''Ruha Qadishta'' fell apart from the "world of light" and gave birth to the "Lord of Darkness" (''malka dhshuka'')<ref>Willis Barnstone, Marvin Meyer ''The Gnostic Bible: Revised and Expanded Edition'' Shambhala Publications 2009 {{ISBN|978-0-834-82414-0}} page 552</ref> named ''Ur''. According to one tradition, Ur is an androgyne lion-headed dragon with the wings of an eagle. Together they create several evil demons, [[lilith]]s and vampires. Ruha Qadishta is described as a liar and sorcerer. Several [[Abrahamic religions|Abrahamitic prophets]] are regarded as servants of these devils or their subordinates such as [[Adonai]], including Moses.<ref>Willis Barnstone, Marvin Meyer ''The Gnostic Bible: Revised and Expanded Edition'' Shambhala Publications 2009 {{ISBN|978-0-834-82414-0}} page 553</ref> [[Jesus]] appears as another son of Ruha Qadishta and Ur, who distorted the [[Baptism]]-ritual thought by [[John the Baptist]].<ref>Nesta H. Webster ''Secret Societies and Subversive Movements'' Book Tree 2000 {{ISBN|978-1-585-09092-1}} page 71</ref><ref>Kurt Rudolph ''Mandaeism. [Mit Fig.]'' BRILL 1978 {{ISBN|978-9-004-05252-9}} page 4</ref> Eventually Ruha will be rehabilitated and return to the world of light.

=== Catharism ===
In the 12th century in Europe the [[Catharism|Cathars]], who were rooted in [[Gnosticism]], dealt with the problem of evil, and developed ideas of dualism and demonology. The Cathars were seen as a serious potential challenge to the Catholic church of the time. The Cathars split into two camps. The first is ''absolute'' dualism, which held that evil was completely separate from the good God, and that God and the devil each had power. The second camp is ''mitigated'' dualism, which considers [[Lucifer]] to be a son of God, and a brother to Christ. To explain this they used the parable of the prodigal son, with Christ as the good soon, and Lucifer as the son that strayed into evilness. The Catholic Church responded to dualism in AD 1215 in the Fourth Lateran Council, saying that God created everything from nothing, and the devil was good when he was created, but he made himself bad by his own free will.<ref>Rouner, Leroy (1983). ''The Westminster Dictionary of Christian Theology''. Westminster John Knox Press. p. 166. {{ISBN|978-0-664-22748-7}}.</ref><ref>Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages'', Cornell University Press 1986 {{ISBN|978-0-801-49429-1}}, pages 187-188</ref> In the ''Gospel of the Secret Supper'', Lucifer, just as in prior Gnostic systems, appears as a demiurge, who created the material world.<ref>Willis Barnstone, Marvin Meyer ''The Gnostic Bible: Revised and Expanded Edition'' Shambhala Publications 2009 {{ISBN|978-0-834-82414-0}} page 764</ref>

== Manichaeism ==
{{Main|Prince of darkness (Manichaeism)}}
In [[Manichaeism]], God and the devil are two unrelated principles. God created ''good'' and inhabits the realm of light, while the devil (also called the ''prince of darkness''<ref name="Mani2" /><ref name="Mani3" />) created evil and inhabits the kingdom of darkness. The existing came into existence, when the kingdom of darkness assaulted the kingdom of light and mingled with the spiritual world.<ref>Willis Barnstone, Marvin Meyer ''The Gnostic Bible: Revised and Expanded Edition'' Shambhala Publications 2009 {{ISBN|978-0-834-82414-0}} page 596</ref> At the end, the devil and his followers will be sealed forever and the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness will continue to co-exist eternally, never to commingle again.<ref>Willis Barnstone, Marvin Meyer ''The Gnostic Bible: Revised and Expanded Edition'' Shambhala Publications 2009 {{ISBN|978-0-834-82414-0}} page 598</ref>

[[Hegemonius]] (4th century AD) accuses that the Persian prophet [[Mani (prophet)|Mani]], founder of the Manichaean sect in the 3rd century AD, identified Jehovah as "the devil god which created the world"<ref name="Mani1">[http://www.themystica.org/mystica/articles/m/manichaenism.html ''Manichaeism''] by Alan G. Hefner in ''The Mystica'', undated</ref> and said that "he who spoke with Moses, the Jews, and the priests … is the [Prince] of Darkness, … not the god of truth."<ref name="Mani2">''Acta Archelai'' of Hegemonius, Chapter XII, c. AD 350, quoted in [http://www.fas.harvard.edu/%7Eiranian/Manicheism/Manicheism_II_Texts.pdf ''Translated Texts''] of Manicheism, compiled by Prods Oktor Skjærvø, page 68.</ref><ref name="Mani3">History of the ''Acta Archelai'' explained in the [http://www.fas.harvard.edu/%7Eiranian/Manicheism/Manicheism_I_Intro.pdf ''Introduction''], page 11</ref>

== Islam ==
{{see also|Azazel#In Islam|Satan#Islam}}
[[File:Adam honored.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Iblis]] (top right on the picture) refuses to prostrate before the newly created [[Adam]]]]
In Islam, the principle of evil is expressed by two terms referring to the same entity:<ref>Jane Dammen McAuliffe ''Encyclopaedia of the Qurʼān'' Brill 2001 {{ISBN|9789004147645}} p. 526</ref><ref name="ReferenceE">Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages'', Cornell University Press 1986 {{ISBN|978-0-801-49429-1}}, page 57</ref><ref>Benjamin W. McCraw, Robert Arp ''Philosophical Approaches to the Devil'' Routledge 2015 {{ISBN|9781317392217}}</ref> ''[[Shaitan]]'' (meaning ''astray'', ''distant'' or ''devil'') and ''[[Iblis]]''. Iblis is the proper name of the devil representing the characteristics of evil.<ref name="ReferenceF">Jerald D. Gort, Henry Jansen, Hendrik M. Vroom ''Probing the Depths of Evil and Good: Multireligious Views and Case Studies'' Rodopi 2007 {{ISBN|9789042022317}} page 250</ref> Iblis is mentioned in the [[Quran]]ic narrative about the creation of humanity. When [[God in Islam|God]] created [[Adam in Islam|Adam]], he ordered the angels to prostrate themselves before him. All did, but Iblis refused and claimed to be superior to Adam out of pride.{{Cite Quran|7|12}} Therefore, pride but also envy became a sign of "unbelief" in Islam.<ref name="ReferenceF"/> Thereafter Iblis was condemned to Hell, but God granted him a request to lead humanity astray,<ref>{{quran-usc|17|62}}</ref> knowing the righteous will resist Iblis' attempts to misguide them. In Islam, both good and evil are ultimately created by God. But since God's will is good, the evil in the world must be part of God's plan.<ref name="ReferenceG">Jerald D. Gort, Henry Jansen, Hendrik M. Vroom ''Probing the Depths of Evil and Good: Multireligious Views and Case Studies'' Rodopi 2007 {{ISBN|9789042022317}} page 249</ref> Actually, God allowed the devil to seduce humanity. Evil and suffering are regarded as a test or a chance to proof confidence in God.<ref name="ReferenceG"/> Some philosophers and mystics emphasized Iblis himself as a role model of confidence in God, because God ordered the angels to prostrate themselves, Iblis was forced to choose between God's command and God's will (not to praise someone else than God). He successfully passed the test, yet his disobedience caused his punishment and therefore suffering. However, he stays patient and is rewarded in the end.<ref>Jerald D. Gort, Henry Jansen, Hendrik M. Vroom ''Probing the Depths of Evil and Good: Multireligious Views and Case Studies'' Rodopi 2007 {{ISBN|9789042022317}} page 254-255</ref>

Muslims held that the [[Pre-Islamic Arabia|pre-Islamic]] [[jinn]], [[Tutelary deity|tutelary deities]], became subject under [[Islam]] to the judgment of God, and that those who did not submit to the law of God are [[Shaitan|demons]].<ref>Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', Cornell University Press 1987 {{ISBN|978-0-801-49409-3}}, page 58</ref>

Like in Christianity, Iblis was once a pious creature of God, but later cast out of Heaven, due to his pride. However, to maintain God's absolute sovereignty,<ref>Amira El-Zein ''Islam, Arabs, and Intelligent World of the Jinn'' Syracuse University Press 2009 {{ISBN|9780815650706}} page 45</ref> Islam adopts the line taken by Irenaeus, instead of the later Christian consensus, that the devil did not rebel against God, but against humanity.<ref name="ReferenceB"/><ref name="ReferenceE"/> Further, although Iblis is generally regarded as a real bodily entity,<ref name="ReferenceH">Cenap Çakmak ''Islam: A Worldwide Encyclopedia [4 volumes]'' ABC-CLIO 2017 {{ISBN|978-1-610-69217-5}} page 1399</ref> he plays a less significant role as the personification of evil than in Christianity. Iblis is merely a tempter, notable for inciting humans into sin by ''whispering'' into humans minds (waswās), akin to the Jewish idea of the devil as ''[[yetzer hara]]''.<ref name="ReferenceI">Fereshteh Ahmadi, Nader Ahmadi ''Iranian Islam: The Concept of the Individual'' Springer 1998 {{ISBN|978-0-230-37349-5}} page 79</ref><ref>Nils G. Holm ''The Human Symbolic Construction of Reality: A Psycho-Phenomenological Study'' LIT Verlag Münster 2014 {{ISBN|978-3-643-90526-0}} page 54</ref>

On the other hand, ''Shaitan'' refers unilaterally to forces of evil, including the devil Iblis, then he causes mischief.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/topic/shaitan</ref> Shaitan is also linked to humans psychological nature, appearing in dreams, causing anger or interrupting the mental preparation for prayer.<ref name="ReferenceH"/> Furthermore, the term ''Shaitan'' also refers to beings, who follow the evil suggestions of Iblis. Furthermore, the principle of ''Shaitan'' is in many ways a symbol of spiritual impurity, representing humans' own deficits, in contrast to a "[[Mumin|true Muslim]]", who is free from anger, lust and other devilish desires.<ref>Richard Gauvain ''Salafi Ritual Purity: In the Presence of God'' Routledge 2013 {{ISBN|9780710313560}} page 74</ref>

=== In Sufism and Mysticsm ===
{{See also|Nafs}}
In contrast to ''Occidental philosophy'', the Sufi idea of seeing "Many as One" and considering the creation in their essence as the Absolute, leads to the idea of the dissolution of any dualism between the ego substance and the "external" substinantial objects. The rebellion against God, mentioned in the Quran, takes place on the level of the [[Nafs|psyche]], that must be trained and disciplined for its union with the [[Ruh|spirit]] that is pure. Since psyche drives the body, ''flesh'' is not the obstacle to human, but an unawarness that allowed the impulsive forces to cause rebellion against God on the level of the psyche. Yet, it is not a dualism between body, psyche and spirit, since the spirit embraces both psyche and corperal aspects of human.<ref>Fereshteh Ahmadi, Nader Ahmadi ''Iranian Islam: The Concept of the Individual'' Springer 1998 {{ISBN|978-0-230-37349-5}} page 81-82</ref> Since the world is hold as the mirror in which God's attributes are reflected, participation in worldly affairs is not necessarily seen as opposed to God.<ref name="ReferenceI"/> The devil activates the selfish desires of the psyche, leading him astray from the Divine.<ref>John O'Kane, Bernd Radtke ''The Concept of Sainthood in Early Islamic Mysticism: Two Works by Al-Hakim Al-Tirmidhi - An Annotated Translation with Introduction'' Routledge 2013 {{ISBN|978-1-136-79309-7}} page 48</ref> Thus it is the  ''[[I (pronoun)|I]]'' that is regarded as evil, and both Iblis as well as [[Pharaohs in the Bible|''Pharao'']] are present as symbols for uttering "I" in ones own behavior. Therefore it is recommanded, to use the term ''I'' as rare as possible. It is only God who has the right to say "I", since it is only God who is self-subsistent. Uttering "I" is therefore a way to compare oneselves to God, regarded as ''[[Shirk (Islam)|shirk]]''.<ref>Peter J. Awn Satan's Tragedy and Redemption: Iblis in Sufi Psychology BRILL 1983 {{ISBN|9789004069060}} p. 93</ref>

=== In Salafism ===
{{See also|Taghut}}
[[Salafism|Salafi]] strands of Islam commonly emphasize a [[Dualistic cosmology|dualistic]] worldview between the believers and the unbelievers,<ref>Thorsten Gerald Schneiders ''Salafismus in Deutschland: Ursprünge und Gefahren einer islamisch-fundamentalistischen Bewegung'' transcript Verlag 2014 {{ISBN|9783839427118}} page p. 392 (German)</ref> with the devil as the enemy of God's path. Even though the devil will be finally defeated by God, he is a serious and dangerous opponent of humans.<ref>Richard Gauvain ''Salafi Ritual Purity: In the Presence of God'' Routledge 2013 {{ISBN|9780710313560}} page 67</ref> While in classical [[hadith]]s, the demons (''Shayateen'') and the [[jinn]] are responsible for impurity and possibly endanger people, in Salafi thought, it is the devil himself, who lurks on the believers,<ref>Richard Gauvain ''Salafi Ritual Purity: In the Presence of God'' Routledge 2013 {{ISBN|9780710313560}} page 68</ref> always striving to lead them astray from God. The devil is regarded as an omnipresent entity, permanently inciting humans into sin, but can be ''pushed away'' by remembering the name God.<ref>Richard Gauvain ''Salafi Ritual Purity: In the Presence of God'' Routledge 2013 {{ISBN|9780710313560}} page 69</ref> The devil is regarded as an external entity, threatening the everyday life of the believer, even in social aspects of life.<ref>Michael Kiefer, Jörg Hüttermann, Bacem Dziri, Rauf Ceylan, Viktoria Roth, Fabian Srowig, Andreas Zick ''„Lasset uns in shaʼa Allah ein Plan machen“: Fallgestützte Analyse der Radikalisierung einer WhatsApp-Gruppe'' Springer-Verlag 2017 {{ISBN|9783658179502}} page 111</ref> Thus for example, it is the devil who is responsible for [[Western world|Western]] [[emancipation]].<ref>Janusz Biene, Christopher Daase, Julian Junk, Harald Müller ''Salafismus und Dschihadismus in Deutschland: Ursachen, Dynamiken, Handlungsempfehlungen'' Campus Verlag 2016 9783593506371 page 177 (german)</ref>

== Bahá'í Faith ==
In the [[Bahá'í Faith]], a malevolent, superhuman entity such as a ''devil'' or ''satan'' is not believed to exist.<ref name="smith">{{cite encyclopedia |last= Smith |first= Peter |encyclopedia= A concise encyclopedia of the Bahá'í Faith |title= satan |year= 2000 |publisher=Oneworld Publications |location= Oxford |isbn= 1-85168-184-1 |pages= 304}}</ref> These terms do, however, appear in the Bahá'í writings, where they are used as metaphors for the lower nature of man. Human beings are seen to have [[free will]], and are thus able to turn towards God and develop spiritual qualities or turn away from God and become immersed in their self-centered desires. Individuals who follow the temptations of the self and do not develop spiritual virtues are often described in the Bahá'í writings with the word ''satanic''.<ref name="smith" /> The Bahá'í writings also state that the devil is a metaphor for the "insistent self" or "lower self" which is a self-serving inclination within each individual. Those who follow their lower nature are also described as followers of "the Evil One".<ref>{{cite book| author = Bahá'u'lláh|author2=Baháʼuʼlláh| authorlink = Bahá'u'lláh| title = Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed After the Kitáb-i-Aqdas| url = http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/TB/tb-8.html#pg87| origyear = 1873–92| year = 1994| publisher = Bahá'í Publishing Trust| location = Wilmette, Illinois, USA| isbn = 0-87743-174-4| page = 87| chapter = Tablet of the World }}</ref><ref>Shoghi Effendi quoted in {{cite book| last = Hornby| first = Helen| title = Lights of Guidance: A Bahá'í Reference File| url = http://bahai-library.com/hornby_lights_guidance_2&chapter=4#n1738| year = 1983| publisher = Bahá'í Publishing Trust, New Delhi, India| isbn = 81-85091-46-3| page = 513| editor = Hornby, Helen}}</ref>

== German paganism ==
In some traditions, divinities can become demons. The [[List of Germanic deities|Teutonic gods]] demonized the [[Jötunn|Giants]].<ref name="ReferenceB"/>

== Demons ==
{{more citations needed section|date=August 2018}}
[[File:Baphomet.png|thumb|upright|The [[Baphomet]], adopted symbol of some [[Left-Hand Path]] systems, including [[Theistic Satanism]].]]
In some religions and traditions, these titles are separate demons; others identify these names as guises of the devil. Even when thought of as individual demons, some are often thought of being under the devil's direct control. This identifies only those thought of as the devil; [[List of theological demons|List of demons]] has a more general listing.
{{Div col}}
* [[Asmodeus]], Asmeday (Hebrew): the King of Genies ([[Shedim]]/[[Jinn]]); Aesma-daeva ([[Avestan language|Avestan]]): the King of the Nine Hells
* [[Azazel]], Asael (Hebrew): the King of Devils
* [[Baphomet]], a demon supposedly worshiped by the [[Knights Templar]]
* [[Beelzebub]], ba'al zevuv בעל זבוב (Hebrew): the Lord of the Flies ({{bibleverse||Matthew|10:25}})
({{bibleverse|2|Corinthians|6:15}})
* [[Belial]], Beliar, Bheliar (Hebrew): without a master, despicableness of the Earth, the Lord of Pride 
* [[Mastema]], a devil in the [[Book of Jubilees]]
* [[Lilith]], a female demon in [[Jewish mythology]]
* [[Samael]], name of the devil in Jewish [[Midrashim]]
{{Div col end}}

== Titles ==
{{more citations needed section|date=September 2015}}

These are titles that almost always refer to devil-figures.
{{Div col}}
* Al-[[Shaitan]], another Arabic term referring to the devil
* [[Angra Mainyu]], Ahriman: "malign spirit", "unholy spirit"
* ''Der Leibhaftige [Teufel]'' (German): "[the devil] in the flesh, corporeal"<ref>Grimm, ''[[Deutsches Wörterbuch]]'' s.v. "leibhaftig":
"gern in bezug auf den teufel: ''dasz er kein mensch möchte sein, sondern ein leibhaftiger teufel.'' volksbuch von dr. [[Faust]] […] ''der auch blosz der leibhaftige heiszt, so in Tirol.'' Fromm. 6, 445; ''wenn ich dén sehe, wäre es mir immer, der leibhaftige wäre da und wolle mich nehmen''. [[Jeremias Gotthelf|J. Gotthelf]] Uli d. pächter (1870) 345 ''</ref>
* ''Diabolus, Diabolos'' (Greek: Διάβολος)
* The Evil One
* The Father of Lies (John 8:44), in contrast to Jesus ("I am the truth").
* [[Iblis]], name of the devil in Islam
* The [[Underworld|Lord of the Underworld]] / Lord of [[Hell]] / Lord of this world
* [[Lucifer]] / the Morning Star (Greek and Roman): the bringer of light, illuminator; the planet [[Venus]], often portrayed as Satan's name in Christianity
* Kölski (Iceland)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://visindavefur.hi.is/svar.asp?id=4793 |title=Vísindavefurinn: How many words are there in Icelandic for the devil? |publisher=Visindavefur.hi.is |accessdate=2012-04-05}}</ref>
* [[Mephistopheles]]
* [[Old Scratch]], the Stranger, [[Christian teaching about the Devil|Old Nick]]: a colloquialism for the devil, as indicated by the name of the character in the short story "[[The Devil and Tom Walker]]"
* [[Prince of darkness (Manichaeism)|Prince of darkness]], the devil in Manichaeism
* [[Satan]] / the Adversary, Accuser, Prosecutor; in Christianity, the devil
* (The ancient/old/crooked/coiling) [[Serpent (Bible)|Serpent]]
* [[Voland]] (fictional character in ''[[Goethe's Faust]]'')
{{Div col end}}

== See also ==<!-- Please respect alphabetical order -->
* [[Deal with the Devil]]
* [[Devil in popular culture]]
* [[Hades]], [[Underworld]]
* [[Krampus]],<ref>[https://derstandard.at/2000068141869/Krampus-Gezaehmter-Teufel-mit-grotesker-Maennlichkeit Krampus: Gezähmter Teufel mit grotesker Männlichkeit], in [[Der Standard]] from  05.12.2017</ref><ref>[http://www.kleinezeitung.at/steiermark/5327375/KrampusLaeufe_Wo-heut-der-Teufel-los-ist Wo heut der Teufel los ist], in [[Kleine Zeitung]] from 25.11.2017</ref> in the Tyrolean area also ''Tuifl''.<ref>[https://religion.orf.at/stories/2811496/ Krampusläufe: Tradition trifft Tourismus], in [[ORF (broadcaster)|ORF]] from  04.12.2016</ref><ref>[https://derstandard.at/2000069058111/Ein-schiacher-Krampen-hat-immer-Saison Ein schiacher Krampen hat immer Saison], in [[Der Standard]] from  05.12.2017</ref>
* [[Non-physical entity]]
* [[Theistic Satanism]]

== References ==
<references/>

== External links ==
*{{Wiktionary-inline|Devil}}
*{{Commonscat-inline|The Devil}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04764a.htm Entry] from the [[Catholic Encyclopedia]]
* [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1093498/jewish/Can-You-Sell-Your-Soul-to-the-Devil.htm Can you sell your soul to the Devil?] A Jewish view on the Devil

[[Category:Demons]]
[[Category:Fallen angels]]
[[Category:Horned deities]]