Paul has evil spiritual beings in view in other passages: Rom 8:38 1 Cor 15:24 Eph 1:21 3:10 6:12 Col 2:10, 15.
While both terms can be used of human rulers, spiritual entities are in view in Col 1:16. Rulers, Principalities (Greek: arche and archon). Instead he employs a range of terms that all have one thing in common-they are terms used of geographical dominion. Paul rarely uses Greek daimon or daimonion when speaking of hostile powers of spiritual evil. The fact that Greek daimon or daimonion is used to describe the fallen gods of the nations helps us to discern where Paul’s theology of the powers of darkness comes from. The related verb forms, daimonao and daimonizomai (“be under the influence of, or be possessed by, a divine entity”) reinforce the context of spiritual evil.Īngels and Demons: What About Paul’s Principalities and Powers? One significant point that is missed in English translations-and which helps explain the use of the terms in the plural to denote evil beings-is that the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, uses these terms to describe the fallen gods of the nations (Isa 65:11 Psa 90:6 Deut 32:17 Psa 106:37). Curiously, though, when they occur in the plural the context is often negative or sinister, and this is way the New Testament writers employ both terms. These terms are widely used in classical Greek literature in a neutral way to refer to divine beings whether good or evil. The word “demon” is actually a transliteration of Greek daimon or daimonion, not a translation of either term. Most of the time it refers to non-human divine messengers (Matt 4:11 13:41 Luke 2:9 John 1:51 Gal 1:8 2 Thess 1:7). The term is basically a job description, since it means “messenger.” Occasionally the New Testament uses angelosof human messengers (e.g., Luke 7:24, 27 9:52 James 2:25). The word translated “angel” in the New Testament is Greek aggelos (pronounced angelos).
“Angel” and “demon” are actually very generic terms. The New Testament actually has a wide range of terms for both good and evil spiritual beings. Many Bible readers assume that, aside from God and Satan, the spiritual world of the Bible is made up of only angels and demons.
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