Understanding Βελίαλ (Belial) Strong’s G955: The Ancient Adversary in Biblical History and Spiritual Warfare

Pronunciation Guide: beh-lee-AHL (with emphasis on the final syllable)

Basic Definition

Strong’s G955: Βελίαλ (Belial) refers to a personification of evil, literally meaning “worthlessness” or “wickedness.” In Jewish and early Christian thought, Belial evolved from a term denoting worthlessness into a proper name for a powerful demonic entity or Satan himself. In the New Testament, it appears only once in 2 Corinthians 6:15, where Paul uses it to represent the antithesis of the Messiah and all that opposes God’s righteous kingdom.

Etymology and Morphology

• Part of Speech: Noun (proper name)
• Origin: Hebrew בְּלִיַּעַל (beliyyaʻal)
• Literal Meaning: “Worthlessness,” “wickedness,” or “destruction”
• Etymology: Compound of בְּלִי (beli, “without”) and יַעַל (ya’al, “worth” or “usefulness”)
• Primary Usage: Found in apocalyptic literature, moral teaching, and discussions of spiritual opposition to God

Βελίαλ Morphology:

• Βελίαλ (nominative singular) – Belial (as a subject)
• Βελίαρ (variant spelling in some manuscripts) – Beliar (Hellenized form)

Origin & History

The term Βελίαλ entered the Greek language through the Septuagint translation of the Hebrew Bible, where בְּלִיַּעַל (beliyyaʻal) appears frequently. In Hebrew texts, it originally functioned as a descriptive term rather than a proper name, referring to worthless or wicked people as “sons of Belial” (בְּנֵי־בְלִיַּעַל). Philo of Alexandria, in his work “On the Confusion of Tongues,” interprets the term as representing apostasy, calling Belial “the vile one” who leads people away from righteousness.

By the intertestamental period, Jewish apocalyptic literature had transformed בְּלִיַּעַל from an abstract concept into a personal entity. The Dead Sea Scrolls frequently mention Belial as the chief antagonist to the “Sons of Light,” most notably in the “War Scroll” (1QM), which describes the eschatological battle between the forces of light and the armies of Belial. This personification became firmly established in texts like the Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs, where Belial is portrayed as a chief demon who ensnares humanity in various sins.

Expanded Definitions & Translation Options

• Personified Evil – A proper name for a demonic entity opposing God’s purposes
• Worthlessness – The original abstract concept of that which has no value or merit
• Lawlessness – The embodiment of rebellion against divine order
• Destruction – That which brings ruin and devastation

Βελίαλ Translation Options:

• “The Worthless One” – Capturing the original Hebrew etymology while personalizing the concept
• “Belial” – Transliteration that preserves the term as a proper name, appropriate when referring to the personified entity
• “The Evil One” – Functional equivalent that communicates the concept to modern readers
• “The Lawless One” – Emphasizing the aspect of rebellion against God’s order, particularly appropriate in eschatological contexts

Biblical Usage

In the New Testament, Βελίαλ appears only in 2 Corinthians 6:15, where Paul establishes a series of contrasts to illustrate the incompatibility between believers and unbelievers: “What harmony is there between the Messiah and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?” Here, Paul employs Belial as the supreme antithesis to the Messiah Yeshua, representing all that stands against God’s kingdom.

While Βελίαλ appears only once in the Greek New Testament, its Hebrew equivalent בְּלִיַּעַל occurs frequently in the Old Testament. The Septuagint typically translates this term using Greek words like παράνομος (lawless one) or ἀσεβής (impious one) rather than transliterating it as Βελίαλ, showing that the translators understood it as a descriptive term rather than a proper name in most contexts.

• “And what accord has the Messiah with Βελίαλ?” 2 Corinthians 6:15
• “Certain men, the children of בְּלִיַּעַל, went out from among you and seduced the inhabitants of their city.” Deuteronomy 13:13 (LXX: παράνομοι, “lawless ones”)
• “Now the sons of Eli were בְּנֵי־בְלִיַּעַל; they did not know יהוה (Yahweh).” 1 Samuel 2:12 (LXX: υἱοὶ λοιμοί, “pestilent sons”)
• “A בְּלִיַּעַל man digs up evil, and on his lips is a scorching fire.” Proverbs 16:27 (LXX: ἀνὴρ ἄφρων, “foolish man”)
• “The floods of בְּלִיַּעַל made me afraid.” Psalm 18:4 (LXX: χείμαρροι ἀνομίας, “torrents of lawlessness”)

Cultural Insights

During the Second Temple period, Jewish apocalyptic literature developed an elaborate demonology in which Belial featured prominently. The Community Rule from Qumran (1QS) describes how God created two spirits—the Prince of Light and the Angel of Darkness (Belial)—allowing them to govern humanity until the appointed time of judgment. This dualistic worldview likely influenced Paul’s stark contrast between the Messiah and Belial in 2 Corinthians.

The concept of Belial was so significant in ancient Jewish thought that members of the Qumran community took a specific oath to “hate the sons of the pit” (a reference to Belial’s followers) and separated themselves physically from the wider Jewish community, whom they viewed as corrupted by Belial’s influence. This understanding adds depth to Paul’s urgent call for believers to “come out from among them and be separate” in the immediate context of his mention of Belial (2 Corinthians 6:17). For Paul’s readers, many of whom were Jewish believers familiar with these traditions, the mention of Belial would have evoked this entire framework of spiritual warfare and the need for radical separation from evil influences.

Theological Significance

Paul’s singular use of Βελίαλ in the New Testament carries profound theological significance. By placing Belial in direct opposition to the Messiah, Paul establishes a cosmic antithesis that transcends mere moral categories. This is not simply a contrast between good and evil in abstract terms, but between the incarnate Son of God and the personification of rebellion against divine authority. In this framework, there is no neutral ground—one either belongs to the Messiah or to the domain of Belial.

This stark dualism reflects the New Testament’s broader teaching about the present age as a battleground between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness. The appearance of Βελίαλ in 2 Corinthians 6:15 serves as a theological anchor for Paul’s practical exhortation about separation from idolatry and uncleanness. By invoking Belial, Paul reminds believers that seemingly innocent compromises with pagan culture actually constitute participation in a spiritual system fundamentally opposed to יהוה (Yahweh).

Moreover, the identification of Belial as the antithesis of the Messiah reinforces the New Testament’s high Christology. If Yeshua stands as the complete opposite of Belial (who represents all that is against God), then Yeshua must fully embody all that is aligned with God. This theological contrast thus implicitly affirms the Messiah’s divine nature and His perfect embodiment of the Father’s character and purposes.

Personal Application

Understanding the concept of Βελίαλ challenges us to recognize the binary nature of spiritual reality. In our pluralistic culture that celebrates moral ambiguity, Paul’s stark contrast between the Messiah and Belial reminds us that certain associations and influences in our lives cannot be reconciled with our identity in the Messiah. This calls for discernment about what we allow to influence our minds, hearts, and relationships.

The appearance of Belial in 2 Corinthians 6:15 invites us to examine areas where we might be attempting to create “harmony” between opposing spiritual influences. Are there beliefs, habits, or relationships in your life that fundamentally oppose the Messiah’s lordship? Paul’s rhetorical question—”What harmony is there between the Messiah and Belial?”—demands an honest assessment of the compromises we may have normalized. True freedom comes not from accommodation to the values of this age, but from whole-hearted devotion to the Messiah and His kingdom.

Related Words

• Σατανᾶς (Satanas, sah-tah-NAS) – The adversary or accuser; while Belial emphasizes worthlessness and corruption, Satan emphasizes opposition and accusation. Both represent spiritual forces opposing God’s kingdom, but with different nuances. See G4567
• διάβολος (diabolos, dee-AB-oh-los) – The slanderer or false accuser; conceptually related to Belial as a spiritual enemy, but highlighting the aspects of deception and slander rather than worthlessness. See G1228
• πονηρός (ponēros, poh-nay-ROSS) – The evil one; represents active evil and malignancy that seeks to corrupt, similar to Belial but more frequently used in the New Testament as a descriptor of Satan. See G4190
• ἄνομος (anomos, AN-oh-mos) – Lawless one; conceptually connected to Belial as representing rebellion against divine law and order, particularly in eschatological contexts. See G459
• ἀντίχριστος (antichristos, an-TEE-kris-tos) – Antichrist; like Belial, represents opposition to the Messiah, but specifically in the context of false teaching and eschatological deception. See G500

Did you Know?

• The transformation of Belial from an abstract concept to a personal demonic entity mirrors a broader development in Jewish theology during the Second Temple period, when angels and demons became more clearly defined and personified. This evolution reflects Israel’s encounter with Persian dualism during the Babylonian exile, where they were exposed to Zoroastrian beliefs about the cosmic struggle between Ahura Mazda (the good deity) and Angra Mainyu (the evil spirit).
• In medieval demonology, Belial was considered one of the four crown princes of Hell, alongside Lucifer, Satan, and Leviathan. According to the 17th-century grimoire “The Lesser Key of Solomon,” Belial was created immediately after Lucifer and was believed to appear as a beautiful angel in a fiery chariot, commanding 80 legions of demons. This elaborate development shows how ancient biblical concepts can evolve dramatically through cultural transmission.
• The Hebrew term בְּלִיַּעַל (beliyyaʻal) appears in modern Hebrew as a literary term for “scoundrel” or “good-for-nothing.” This preserves something of the original biblical usage, where “sons of Belial” referred to worthless or wicked individuals before the term became personified as a proper demonic name. This linguistic evolution demonstrates how biblical terminology continues to shape modern language even in secular contexts.

Remember This

Βελίαλ stands as the ultimate antithesis to the Messiah, reminding us that in God’s kingdom there are no gray areas—what has no worth in the divine economy cannot claim our allegiance when we belong to the One who is altogether worthy.