Exploring the Meaning of Daimonion in Greek

δαιμόνιον names a demon in Gospel scenes where such beings are expelled, attributed as a cause of affliction, or invoked in disputes about spiritual authority. In the passages quoted below, the word appears both in recounting acts of casting out demons and in speech that accuses or evaluates those acts.

Occurrences

“Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’” (Matthew 7:22)

Here δαιμόνιον occurs in a self-description: “in your name cast out demons.” The word functions as the object of an action claimed to be done “in your name,” set alongside prophecy and “many mighty works.” In this scene, casting out demons is treated as a conspicuous religious act that can be appealed to as evidence of spiritual standing.

“When the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke. The multitudes marveled, saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!”” (Matthew 9:33)

δαιμόνιον is a single demon connected with a concrete disability: “the mute man spoke” once it “was cast out.” The word anchors the narrative link between deliverance and restored speech, and it frames the crowd’s amazement as a response to an expulsion that produces immediate, visible change.

“But the Pharisees said, “By the prince of the demons, he casts out demons.”” (Matthew 9:34)

This instance places δαιμόνιον inside an accusation. The Pharisees interpret the repeated act of expelling demons (“he casts out demons”) as empowerment sourced from a superior figure, “the prince of the demons.” The word thus appears in a contested explanation: the same action described in other verses is here re-labeled as an operation within demonic hierarchy.

“Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Freely you received, so freely give.” (Matthew 10:8)

δαιμόνιον is part of an imperative list of ministry actions. “Cast out demons” stands alongside healings and cleansing, portraying demon-expulsion as a regular, expected work rather than an isolated wonder. The word’s contribution is to name one category of affliction or oppression addressed by authorized action.

“For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’” (Matthew 11:18)

δαιμόνιον appears as an allegation attached to a person: “He has a demon.” In this line, the word does not describe an expulsion but a charge intended to interpret John’s lifestyle (“neither eating nor drinking”) negatively. The demon is presented as an explanatory label applied by critics, not as something observed directly in an exorcism scene.

“But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “This man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons.”” (Matthew 12:24)

δαιμόνιον is again embedded in polemic: “does not cast out demons, except by…” The claim concedes the reality of demon-expulsion while disputing its source, attributing it to “Beelzebul, the prince of the demons.” The word helps shape the controversy by making the activity (“cast out demons”) the agreed-upon datum and the question of authority the point of conflict.

“If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.” (Matthew 12:27)

In this response, δαιμόνιον is the shared object of comparison: “cast out demons” is something done by more than one group (“I” and “your children”). The word carries argumentative weight: if demon-expulsion is attributed to a demonic source in one case, consistency would demand the same accusation in the other. The demon is thus central to a public test of the fairness of the accusation.

“But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then God’s Kingdom has come upon you.” (Matthew 12:28)

δαιμόνιον here stands at the hinge between action and inference. “Cast out demons” is treated as an act that can be done “by the Spirit of God,” and its occurrence yields a conclusion about God’s reign: “then God’s Kingdom has come upon you.” The demon, as the thing expelled, marks the boundary where divine power is asserted over a hostile presence.

“Jesus rebuked him, the demon went out of him, and the boy was cured from that hour.” (Matthew 17:18)

δαιμόνιον is portrayed as an indwelling presence (“went out of him”) whose departure coincides with healing (“the boy was cured”). The sequence—rebuke, exit, cure—presents the demon as something that can be addressed indirectly through authoritative speech and whose removal produces lasting change (“from that hour”).

“He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. He didn’t allow the demons to speak, because they knew him.” (Mark 1:34)

Here δαιμόνιον appears in the plural and is distinguished from “various diseases”: both are addressed, but demon-expulsion is a separate work (“cast out many demons”). The second sentence adds a narrative detail: the demons are depicted as capable of speech, yet silenced—“He didn’t allow the demons to speak”—and as possessing recognition (“because they knew him”). The word thus carries implications of personal agency within the story world: these are not merely conditions but beings restrained and expelled.

“He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons.” (Mark 1:39)

δαιμόνιον is paired with preaching as an ongoing pattern across locations. “Preaching and casting out demons” presents demon-expulsion as a recurring feature of public activity “throughout all Galilee,” including synagogue settings. The demon is thus part of the repeated opposition met and overcome in the course of proclamation.

“and to have authority to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons:” (Mark 3:15)

δαιμόνιον appears in a statement about delegated “authority.” The infinitive “to cast out demons” defines one sphere in which authority operates, set alongside “to heal sicknesses.” In this scene, the demon is the kind of adversary that requires not only willingness but recognized authorization to expel.

Sense and Usage

Across these passages, δαιμόνιον functions as a concrete referent in three main discourse settings: narrated deliverance, public controversy, and stated authorization. In narrated deliverance (Matthew 9:33; Matthew 17:18; Mark 1:34), the demon is shown as something that can be “cast out” or can “go out,” and the exit is closely tied to restoration—speech returns to a mute man, and a boy is “cured.” Mark 1:34 adds that demons can be multiple (“many demons”), can attempt speech, and can be restrained from speaking.

In controversy (Matthew 9:34; Matthew 12:24; Matthew 12:27; Matthew 12:28), δαιμόνιον is central because the act of expelling demons is publicly visible, but its interpretation is disputed. The repeated phrase “cast out demons” becomes common ground: both accusers and respondent speak as though the action is happening. The dispute turns on the alleged source of power (“by Beelzebul” versus “by the Spirit of God”) and on what that action signifies (“then God’s Kingdom has come upon you”). Within this rhetorical setting, the demon is less a medicalized symptom and more the focal point of a clash over spiritual allegiance and divine authority.

In statements of mission and authority (Matthew 10:8; Mark 1:39; Mark 3:15; Matthew 7:22), δαιμόνιον appears in lists that define what recognized ministers do: they “cast out demons” as part of a broader ministry that includes healing and proclamation. Yet Matthew 7:22 shows that the action can also be claimed as an impressive credential—something people may cite alongside prophecy and mighty works. The word therefore participates in both the practical depiction of deliverance and the social-religious evaluation of those who perform or claim to perform such acts.

Finally, Matthew 11:18 uses δαιμόνιον in a different way: not as the object of expulsion but as a charge—“He has a demon.” This use places the word within hostile labeling, where “demon” serves as a stigmatizing explanation offered by observers.

Imagery

The repeated verbal pairing with “cast out” gives δαιμόνιον an image of removal and displacement: demons are driven out, prevented from speaking, and contrasted with sicknesses as a separate target of authority. At the same time, the word can function as a weaponized accusation (“He has a demon”) or as the centerpiece of debate about whether an expulsion signals demonic collusion or the arrival of God’s Kingdom.

Sources: Lexical data from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and the Translators Brief Lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (STEPBible, CC BY). Occurrence data from the Translators Amalgamated Greek New Testament (STEPBible, CC BY). Scripture quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).