[B-Greek] meaning of DAIMONIZOMENOS

Raymond Regalado fwgk5942 at mb.infoweb.ne.jp
Wed May 5 09:42:10 EDT 2004


On 2004.5.5, at 10:01  PM, Morgan Powell wrote:

> In verses such as matthew 4:24, 8:16,28,33 and others, the participle
> DAIMONIZOMENOS is usually translated as demon-possessed (or sometimes
> demoniac as in NASB).  Is there any justification for translating the 
> word
> as demon-possessed.  Could not the word best be defined as demonized.

The lexicons define DAIMONIZOMAI as "be possessed by a hostile spirit" 
(BDAG).  I guess the "justification" for translating the participle as 
"demon-possessed" is *general English usage*.  One's *theology* of 
"demon-possession" is a separate matter, though.  One may want to say 
things like "of course only infidels -- and not true Christians -- can 
be 'possessed' in the sense of 'owned', by devils, but anyone can be 
'demonized' in the sense of 'tormented' -- including Christians."

My two cents,

Raymond Regalado
Tokyo, Japan




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