Accuser

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

1: διάβολος (Strong'S #1228 — Adjective — diabolos — dee-ab'-ol-os )

"an accuser" (cp. Accuse, B, No. 1), is used 34 times as a title of Satan, the Devil (the English word is derived from the Greek); once of Judas,  John 6:70 , who, in his opposition of God, acted the part of the Devil. Apart from  John 6:70 , men are never spoken of as devils. It is always to be distinguished from daimon, "a demon." It is found three times,  1 Timothy 3:11;  2 Timothy 3:3;  Titus 2:3 , of false accusers, slanderers.

2: κατήγορος (Strong'S #2725 — Noun Masculine — kategoros — kat-ay'-gor-os )

"an accuser," (see Accusation , Accused, B. 4.) is used in  John 8:10;  Acts 23:30,35;  24:8;  25:16,18 . In  Revelation 12:10 , it is used of Satan. In the Sept.,  Proverbs 18:17 .

 Ecclesiastes 5:7 7:8 Psalm 119:134 Amos 2:8 Psalm 72:4 Proverbs 28:16

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Psalm 109:6  Deuteronomy 19:15-21 Psalm 109:4 109:20 109:29  Matthew 27:12 Acts 22:30 Acts 25:11

The law of Moses was sufficient to accuse people of sin ( John 5:45 ), but one day accusations will cease ( Revelation 12:10 ).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Revelation 12:10 Job 1:6 Zechariah 3:1 John 8:10  Acts 23:30,35 24:8 25:16,18

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

In a forensic sense. (See Satan.)  Luke 18:3;  1 Peter 5:8;  Job 1:6;  Revelation 12:10;  Zechariah 3:1.

King James Dictionary

Accu'Ser, n. One who accuses or blames an officer who prefers an accusation against another for some offense, in the name of the government, before a tribunal that has cognizance of the offense.

Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology

See Satan

Webster's Dictionary

(n.) One who accuses; one who brings a charge of crime or fault.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(לָשִׁן, lashan', in Hiph. "accuse,"  Proverbs 30:10; and other terms signifying to slander; more properly denoted by some form of the verb רַיב, rib, to plead a cause, also in defense; Sept. and N.T. ἀντίδικος, "adversary," or κατήγορος , prosecutor).

1 . The original word, which bears this leading signification, means one who has a cause or matter of contention; the accuser, opponent, or plaintiff in any suit ( Judges 12:2;  Matthew 5:25;  Luke 12:58). We have little information respecting the manner in which causes were conducted in the Hebrew courts of justice, except from the rabbinical authorities, who, in matters of this description, may be supposed well informed as to the later customs of the nation. (See Trial). Even from these we learn little more than that great care was taken that, the accused being deemed innocent until convicted, he and the accuser should appear under equal circumstances before the court, that no prejudicial impression might be created to the disadvantage of the defendant, whose interests, we are told, were so anxiously guarded, that any one was allowed to speak whatever he knew or had to say in his favor, which privilege was withheld from the accuser (Lewis, Origines Hebraeoe, 1, 68). (See Advocate).

2. The word is also applied in Scripture, in the general sense, to any adversary or enemy ( Luke 18:3;  1 Peter 5:8). In the latter passage there is an allusion to the old Jewish opinion that Satan was the accuser or calumniator of men before God ( Job 1:6 sq.;  Revelation 12:10 sq.; comp.  Zechariah 3:1). In this application the forensic sense was still retained, Satan being represented as laying to man's charge a breach of the law, as in a court of justice, and demanding his punishment. (See Satan).

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

The original word, which bears this leading signification, means—1. One who has a cause or matter of contention; the accuser, opponent, or plaintiff in any suit ( Judges 12:2;  Matthew 5:25;  Luke 12:58). We have little information respecting the manner in which causes were conducted in the Hebrew courts of justice, except from the Rabbinical authorities, who, in matters of this description, may be supposed well informed as to the later customs of the nation. Even from these we learn little more than that great care was taken that, the accused being deemed innocent until convicted, he and the accuser should appear under equal circumstances before the court, that no prejudicial impression might be created to the disadvantage of the defendant, whose interests, we are told, were so anxiously guarded, that any one was allowed to speak whatever he knew or had to say in his favor, which privilege was withheld from the accuser. The word is also applied in Scripture, in the general sense, to any adversary or enemy ( Luke 18:3;  1 Peter 5:8). In the latter passage there is an allusion to the old Jewish opinion that Satan was the accuser or calumniator of men before God ( Job 1:6, sq.;  Revelation 12:10, sq.; comp.  Zechariah 3:1). In this application the forensic sense was still retained, Satan being represented as laying to man's charge a breach of the law, as in a court of justice, and demanding his punishment [[[Satan].]]

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a -kūz´ẽr : This word, not found in the Old Testament, is the rendering of two Greek words: (1) Κατήγορος , katḗgoros , that is, a prosecutor, or plaintiff in a lawsuit, or one who speaks in a derogatory way of another ( Acts 23:30 ,  Acts 23:35;  Acts 25:16 ,  Acts 25:18;  Revelation 12:10 ); (2) Διάβολος , diábolos , meaning adversary or enemy. This word is rendered "accuser" in the King James Version and "slanderer" in the Revised Version (British and American) and the American Standard Revised Version ( 2 Timothy 3:3;  Titus 2:3 ). According to the rabbinic teaching Satan, or the devil, was regarded as hostile to God and man, and that it was a part of his work to accuse the latter of disloyalty and sin before the tribunal of the former (see  Job 1:6;  Zechariah 3:1;  Revelation 12:10 ).