Attributes of demons
Demons understand who YHVH’s is
James 2:19 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.
Demons can seduce men
Jubilees 10:1-2 (RHCV, R.H. Charles Version)And in the third week of this jubilee the unclean demons began to lead astray the children of the sons of Noah, and to make to err and destroy them. And the sons of Noah came to Noah their father, and they told him concerning the demons which were leading astray and blinding and slaying his sons’ sons.
Jubilees 11:3-4 (RHCV, R.H. Charles Version)And ‘Ûr, the son of Kesed, built the city of ‘Ara of the Chaldees, and called its name after his own name and the name of his father. And they made for themselves molten images, and they worshipped each the idol, the molten image which they had made for themselves, and they began to make graven images and unclean simulacra, and malignant spirits assisted and seduced (them) into committing transgression and uncleanness. And the prince Mastema exerted himself to do all this, and he sent forth other spirits, those which were put under his hand, to do all manner of wrong and sin, and all manner of transgression, to corrupt and destroy, and to shed blood upon the earth.
Jubilees 12:20 (RHCV, R.H. Charles Version)Deliver me from the hands of evil spirits who have dominion over the thoughts of men’s hearts, And let them not lead me astray from Thee, my God. And stablish Thou me and my seed for ever. That we go not astray from henceforth and for evermore.’
Jubilees 7:27 (RHCV, R.H. Charles Version)For I see, and behold the demons have begun (their) seductions against you and against your children and now I fear on your behalf, that after my death ye will shed the blood of men upon the earth, and that ye, too, will be destroyed from the face of the earth.
Demons can smell
Tobit 8:3 (NABRE, New American Bible Revised Edition)The odor of the fish repulsed the demon, and it fled to the upper regions of Egypt; Raphael went in pursuit of it and there bound it hand and foot. Then Raphael returned immediately.
Demons can speak
Luke 4:31-37 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)And He came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and He was teaching them on the Sabbath; and they were amazed at His teaching, for His message was with authority. In the synagogue there was a man possessed by the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, “Let us alone! What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are–the Holy One of God!” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst of the people, he came out of him without doing him any harm. And amazement came upon them all, and they began talking with one another saying, “What is this message? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits and they come out.” And the report about Him was spreading into every locality in the surrounding district.
Luke 4:40-41 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)While the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and laying His hands on each one of them, He was healing them. Demons also were coming out of many, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But rebuking them, He would not allow them to speak, because they knew Him to be the Christ.
Mark 1:32-34 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)When evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. And the whole city had gathered at the door. And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.
Mark 3:11-12 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)Whenever the unclean spirits saw Him, they would fall down before Him and shout, “You are the Son of God!” And He earnestly warned them not to tell who He was.
Matthew 8:29 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)And they cried out, saying, “What business do we have with each other, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”
Demons likened to frogs
Revelation 16:13-14 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs; for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty.
Demons likened to scorpions
Luke 10:19-20 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)“Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”
Revelation 9:1-11 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him. He opened the bottomless pit, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit. Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. And they were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment for five months; and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man. And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them. The appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle; and on their heads appeared to be crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. They had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions. They had breastplates like breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle. They have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months. They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon.
Demons called “Satans”
Jubilees 46:2 (RHCV, R.H. Charles Version)And there was no Satan nor any evil all the days of the life of Joseph which he lived after his father Jacob, for all the Egyptians honoured the children of Israel all the days of the life of Joseph.
“A Satan” can also simply be a reference to a demon
Jubilees 50:5 (RHCV, R.H. Charles Version)And the jubilees shall pass by, until Israel is cleansed from all guilt of fornication, and uncleanness, and pollution, and sin, and error, and dwells with confidence in all the land, and there shall be no more a Satan or any evil one, and the land shall be clean from that time for evermore.
“A Satan” can also simply be a reference to a demon
Demons know their fate
Matthew 8:29 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)And they cried out, saying, “What business do we have with each other, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?“
People sacrifice to/worship demons
Deuteronomy 32:17 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)“They sacrificed to demons who were not God, To gods whom they have not known, New gods who came lately, Whom your fathers did not dread.
First Corinthians 10:20-21 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.
Jubilees 1:10 (RHCV, R.H. Charles Version)And they will make to themselves high places and groves and graven images, and they will worship, each his own (graven image), so as to go astray, and they will sacrifice their children to demons, and to all the works of the error of their hearts.
Jubilees 11:3 (RHCV, R.H. Charles Version)And ‘Ûr, the son of Kesed, built the city of ‘Ara of the Chaldees, and called its name after his own name and the name of his father. And they made for themselves molten images, and they worshipped each the idol, the molten image which they had made for themselves, and they began to make graven images and unclean simulacra, and malignant spirits assisted and seduced (them) into committing transgression and uncleanness.
Jubilees 22:17 (RHCV, R.H. Charles Version)They offer their sacrifices to the dead And they worship evil spirits, And they eat over the graves,And all their works are vanity and nothingness.
Leviticus 17:7 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)“They shall no longer sacrifice their sacrifices to the goat demons with which they play the harlot. This shall be a permanent statute to them throughout their generations.”‘
Psalm 106:37 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons,
Demons can cause sickness & afflictions
Acts 10:38 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)“You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
Acts 5:16 (ASV, American Standard Version)And there also came together the multitudes from the cities round about Jerusalem, bringing sick folk, and them that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.
First Enoch 15:10-12 (RHCV, R.H. Charles Version)they shall be evil spirits on earth, and evil spirits shall they be called. [As for the spirits of heaven, in heaven shall be their dwelling, but as for the spirits of the earth which were born upon the earth, on the earth shall be their dwelling.] And the spirits of the giants afflict, oppress, destroy, attack, do battle, and work destruction on the earth, and cause trouble: they take no food, but nevertheless hunger and thirst, and cause offences. And these spirits shall rise up against the children of men and against the women, because they have proceeded from them.
John 10:19-21 (ASV, American Standard Version)There arose a division again among the Jews because of these words. And many of them said, He hath a demon, and is mad; why hear ye him? Others said, These are not the sayings of one possessed with a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?
Jubilees 10:10-14 (RHCV, R.H. Charles Version)And one of us He commanded that we should teach Noah all their medicines; for He knew that they would not walk in uprightness, nor strive in righteousness. And we did according to all His words: all the malignant evil ones we bound in the place of condemnation and a tenth part of them we left that they might be subject before Satan on the earth. And we explained to Noah all the medicines of their diseases, together with their seductions, how he might heal them with herbs of the earth. And Noah wrote down all things in a book as we instructed him concerning every kind of medicine. Thus the evil spirits were precluded from (hurting) the sons of Noah. And he gave all that he had written to Shem, his eldest son; for he loved him exceedingly above all his sons.
Luke 13:11-17 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)And there was a woman who for eighteen years had had a sickness caused by a spirit; and she was bent double, and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your sickness.” And He laid His hands on her; and immediately she was made erect again and began glorifying God. But the synagogue official, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, began saying to the crowd in response, “There are six days in which work should be done; so come during them and get healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” But the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites, does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the stall and lead him away to water him? “And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day?” As He said this, all His opponents were being humiliated; and the entire crowd was rejoicing over all the glorious things being done by Him.
Luke 13:32 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)And He said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I reach My goal.’
Luke 4:38-41 (ASV, American Standard Version)And he rose up from the synagogue, and entered into the house of Simon. And Simon’s wife’s mother was holden with a great fever; and they besought him for her. And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she rose up and ministered unto them. And when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. And demons also came out from many, crying out, and saying, Thou art the Son of God. And rebuking them, he suffered them not to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.
Luke 5:12-13 (ASV, American Standard Version)And it came to pass, while he was in one of the cities, behold, a man full of leprosy: and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou made clean. And straightway the leprosy departed from him.
Luke 6:18-19 (ASV, American Standard Version)and they that were troubled with unclean spirits were healed. And all the multitude sought to touch him; for power came forth from him, and healed them all.
Luke 6:18-19 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)who had come to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were being cured. And all the people were trying to touch Him, for power was coming from Him and healing them all.
Luke 7:21 (ASV, American Standard Version)In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits; and on many that were blind he bestowed sight.
Luke 8:2 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Luke 8:27-39 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)And when He came out onto the land, He was met by a man from the city who was possessed with demons; and who had not put on any clothing for a long time, and was not living in a house, but in the tombs. Seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell before Him, and said in a loud voice, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me.” For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had seized him many times; and he was bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard, and yet he would break his bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert. And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. They were imploring Him not to command them to go away into the abyss. Now there was a herd of many swine feeding there on the mountain; and the demons implored Him to permit them to enter the swine. And He gave them permission. And the demons came out of the man and entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned. When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran away and reported it in the city and out in the country. The people went out to see what had happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened. Those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well. And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to leave them, for they were gripped with great fear; and He got into a boat and returned. But the man from whom the demons had gone out was begging Him that he might accompany Him; but He sent him away, saying, “Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.
Mark 5:2-20 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)When He got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him, and he had his dwelling among the tombs. And no one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain; because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains, and gashing himself with stones. Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him; and shouting with a loud voice, he said, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!” For He had been saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” And He was asking him, “What is your name?” And he said to Him, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” And he began to implore Him earnestly not to send them out of the country. Now there was a large herd of swine feeding nearby on the mountain. The demons implored Him, saying, “Send us into the swine so that we may enter them.” Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea. Their herdsmen ran away and reported it in the city and in the country. And the people came to see what it was that had happened. They came to Jesus and observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the “legion”; and they became frightened. Those who had seen it described to them how it had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the swine. And they began to implore Him to leave their region. As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was imploring Him that he might accompany Him. And He did not let him, but He said to him, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.
Mark 9:17 (ASV, American Standard Version)And one of the multitude answered him, Teacher, I brought unto thee my son, who hath a dumb spirit;
Mark 9:18-19 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)and whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth and stiffens out. I told Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not do it.” And He answered them and said, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!”
Matthew 10:1 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.
Matthew 12:22 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw.
Matthew 12:43-45 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)“Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it. “Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. “Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation.”
Matthew 17:14-20 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)When they came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus, falling on his knees before Him and saying, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic and is very ill; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. “I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him.” And Jesus answered and said, “You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.” And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured at once. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not drive it out?” And He said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.
Matthew 8:16 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill.
Testament of Abraham [1Q20, Column 20] 1:1 (RHCVKJ, R.H. Charles Translation, Edited by Ken Johnson, Th.D.)The afflictions troubling my Lord the king are due to Sarai. She is the wife of Abram. If you send Sarai back to her husband, the affliction of this putrid spirit will vanish. So the king called for me when I came before him. He said. What have you done to me? Why did you tell me, Sir, I was your sister when she was really your wife. That is why I took her to be my wife. Here is your wife. Take her and go. Get out of Egypt. But before you go, pray over me in my household so that this evil spirit will leave. I laid my hands on his head and prayed for his healing. Immediately the evil spirit left. And he and his household were restored to full health.
Testament of Abraham [1Q20, Column 20] 1:1 (RHCVKJ, R.H. Charles Translation, Edited by Ken Johnson, Th.D.)The afflictions troubling my Lord the king are due to Sarai. She is the wife of Abram. If you send Sarai back to her husband, the affliction of this putrid spirit will vanish. So the king called for me when I came before him. He said. What have you done to me? Why did you tell me, Sir, I was your sister when she was really your wife. That is why I took her to be my wife. Here is your wife. Take her and go. Get out of Egypt. But before you go, pray over me in my household so that this evil spirit will leave. I laid my hands on his head and prayed for his healing. Immediately the evil spirit left. And he and his household were restored to full health.
Tobit 6:13-14 (CPR, Cepher (Modified))Then the young man said to the angel, “Brother Azarias, I have heard that the woman has been given to seven husbands and that they all died in the bridal chamber. On the night they went in to her, they would die. I have also heard it said that it was a demon that killed them. It does not harm her, but it kills anyone who desires to approach her. So now, since I am the only son of my father, I am afraid that I may die and bring my father’s and mother’s life down to their grave, grieving for me-and they have no other son to bury them.”
Possession vs. Influence
Definition: Demonic possession refers to a state where a person’s body and will are taken over by demonic spirits. The individual’s actions, emotions, or thoughts are controlled by these entities, leading to a pronounced change in behavior and personality.
Luke 9:37-40 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)On the next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met Him. And a man from the crowd shouted, saying, “Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, for he is my only boy, and a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly screams, and it throws him into a convulsion with foaming at the mouth; and only with difficulty does it leave him, mauling him as it leaves. “I begged Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not.”
Demonic possession
Demons can cause sickness & afflictions
Acts 16:16-18 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling. Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, “These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.” She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out at that very moment.
Manifestations:
> Unnatural Physical Strength (Mark 5:4 )
> Severe Personality Transformation (Mark 5:14)
> Aversion to Scripture
> Speaking in Unknown Languages
> Revealing Secrets (Mark 5:7, Acts 16:17)
> Self-harm or Aggression (Mark 5:5)
> Bodily Contortions
Mark 5:1-20 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes. When He got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him, and he had his dwelling among the tombs. And no one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain; because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains, and gashing himself with stones. Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him; and shouting with a loud voice, he said, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!” For He had been saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” And He was asking him, “What is your name?” And he said to Him, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” And he began to implore Him earnestly not to send them out of the country. Now there was a large herd of swine feeding nearby on the mountain. The demons implored Him, saying, “Send us into the swine so that we may enter them.” Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea. Their herdsmen ran away and reported it in the city and in the country. And the people came to see what it was that had happened. They came to Jesus and observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the “legion”; and they became frightened. Those who had seen it described to them how it had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the swine. And they began to implore Him to leave their region. As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was imploring Him that he might accompany Him. And He did not let him, but He said to him, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.
Mark 9:17 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)And one of the crowd answered Him, “Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute;
Demonic Influence
Definition: This implies a more subtle interaction where demonic entities try to sway a person’s thoughts, emotions, or actions without taking complete control over them.
First Peter 5:8 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Manifestations:
> Persistent Sinful Habits (Romans 7:19-20)
> Pull Towards Disbelief (1 Peter 5:8)
> Feelings of Despair or Hopelessness
> Obstacles in Spiritual Growth(1 Thessalonians 2:18
> Recurring Nightmares or Disturbing Visions
First Thessalonians 2:18 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)For we wanted to come to you–I, Paul, more than once–and yet Satan hindered us.
James 4:7 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Romans 7:19-20 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.
Yeshua vs. Demons
Luke 11:14 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute; when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed.
Luke 13:10-13 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)And He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And there was a woman who for eighteen years had had a sickness caused by a spirit; and she was bent double, and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your sickness.” And He laid His hands on her; and immediately she was made erect again and began glorifying God.
Luke 8:2 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Mark 1:23-27 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, saying, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are–the Holy One of God!” And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” Throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him. They were all amazed, so that they debated among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.”
Mark 1:39 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)And He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out the demons.
Mark 16:9 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)[ Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons.
Matthew 12:22 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw.
Casting out demons
Acts 16:18 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out at that very moment.
Acts 19:11-17 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out. But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified.
While the New Testament underscores this authority, it also contains warnings. Not everyone who attempts to cast out demons does so successfully or righteously. Some Jewish exorcists tried to invoke the name of Yeshua to cast out evil spirits, but they were overpowered because they didn’t have a genuine relationship with Yeshua.
Luke 10:17 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”
Luke 10:17-20 (ASV, American Standard Version)And the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject unto us in thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. Nevertheless in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.
The authority to cast out demons is exercised “in Jesus’ name,” indicating it’s not the person’s inherent power but the power of Christ working through them. The name of Jesus is invoked as the source of authority.
The authority over unclean spirits isn’t just about showcasing power but is aligned with Yeshua’s mission to liberate humanity from all forms of bondage, whether physical, spiritual, or emotional. Casting out demons is a sign of the Kingdom of God advancing against the forces of evil.
Luke 10:19-20 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)“Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”
Mark 3:14-15 (ASV, American Standard Version)And he appointed twelve, that they might be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, and to have authority to cast out demons:
Mark 6:13 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)And they were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them.
Mark 6:7 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)And He summoned the twelve and began to send them out in pairs, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits;
Mark 9:28-29 (ASV, American Standard Version)And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, How is it that we could not cast it out? And he said unto them, This kind can come out by nothing, save by prayer.
Mark 9:38-41 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. “For he who is not against us is for us. “For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.
Matthew 10:1 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.
Matthew 7:21-23 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’
Evil spirits can return after being cast out
Luke 11:24-26 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)“When the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ “And when it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. “Then it goes and takes along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.”
Matthew 12:43-45 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)“Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it. “Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. “Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation.”
Second Peter 2:20-22 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”
Final judgement of unclean spirits
First Enoch 10:15-16 (RHCV, R.H. Charles Version)generations. And destroy all the spirits of the reprobate and the children of the Watchers, because they have wronged mankind. Destroy all wrong from the face of the earth and let every evil work come to an end: and let the plant of righteousness and truth appear: and it shall prove a blessing; the works of righteousness and truth’ shall be planted in truth and joy for evermore.
Revelation 18:2 (ASV, American Standard Version)And he cried with a mighty voice, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and is become a habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird.
Zechariah 13:2 (NASB, New American Standard Bible)“It will come about in that day,” declares the LORD of hosts, “that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered; and I will also remove the prophets and the unclean spirit from the land.