"a demon," signified, among pagan Greeks, an inferior deity, whether good or bad. In the NT it denotes "an evil spirit." It is used in Mat 8:31, mistranslated "devils." Some would derive the word from a root da--, meaning "to distribute." More probably it is from a similar root da--, meaning "to know," and hence means "a knowing one."
not a diminutive of daimon, No. 1, but the neuter of the adjective daimonios, pertaining to a demon, is also mistranslated "devil," "devils." In Act 17:18, it denotes an inferior pagan deity. "Demons" are the spiritual agents acting in all idolatry. The idol itself is nothing, but every idol has a "demon" associated with it who induces idolatry, with its worship and sacrifices, 1Co 1:10,21, Rev 9:20; cp. Deu 32:17, Isa 13:21, Isa 34:14, Isa 1:65,11. They disseminate errors among men, and seek to seduce believers, 1Ti 4:1. As seducing spirits they deceive men into the supposition that through mediums (those who have "familiar spirits," Lev 1:20,27, e.g.) they can converse with deceased human beings. Hence the destructive deception of spiritism, forbidden in Scripture, Lev 19:31, Deu 18:11, Isa 8:19. "Demons" tremble before God, Jam 2:19; they recognized Christ as Lord and as their future Judge, Mat 8:29, Luk 4:41. Christ cast them out of human beings by His own power. His disciples did so in His name, and by exercising faith, e.g., Mat 17:20. Acting under Satan (cp. Rev 1:16,14), "demons" are permitted to afflict with bodily disease, Luk 13:16. Being unclean they tempt human beings with unclean thoughts, Mat 10:1, Mar 5:2, Mar 7:25, Luk 1:8-29, Rev 16:13, Rev 18:2, e.g. They differ in degrees of wickedness, Mat 12:45. They will instigate the rulers of the nations at the end of this age to make war against God and His Christ, Rev 16:14. See DEVIL. signifies "to be possessed of a demon, to act under the control of a demon." Those who were thus afflicted expressed the mind and consciousness of the "demon" or "demons" indwelling them, e.g., Luk 8:28. The verb is found chiefly in Matt. and Mark; Mat 4:24, Mat 1:8,28,33, Mat 9:32, Mat 12:22, Mat 15:22, Mar 1:32, Mar 1:5,16,18; elsewhere in Luk 8:36, Joh 10:21, "him that hath a devil (demon)." signifies "proceeding from, or resembling, a demon, demoniacal;" see marg. of Jam 3:15, RV (text, "devilish").
