The word diabolos (Strong’s G1228) appears a total of 38 times in the King James Bible. It is translated 35 times as devil, 2 times as false accuser, and one time as slanderer. This is the word that was translated as devil to describe Judas Iscariot in John 6:70. It is mostly used to describe Satan himself.

John 6:70

Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? G1228

Matthew 25:41

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil G1228 and his angels:

Strong's Definitions: διάβολος diábolos,dee-ab'-ol-os; from G1225; a traducer; specially, Satan (compare H7854):—false accuser, devil, slanderer. prone to slander, slanderous, accusing falsely

a calumniator, false accuser, slanderer, metaph. applied to a man who, by opposing the cause of God, may be said to act the part of the devil or to side with him.

What is slander?

SLA'NDER, noun

1. A false tale or report maliciously uttered. and tending to injure the reputation of another by lessening him in the esteem of his fellow citizens, by exposing him to impeachment and punishment, or by impairing his means of lining; defamation. slander that worst of poisons, ever finds an easy entrance to ignoble minds.

2 Disgrace; reproach; disreputation; ill name.

SLA'NDER, verb transitive To defame; to injure by maliciously uttering a false report respecting one; to tarnish or impair the reputation of one by false tales, maliciously told or propagated.

What does it mean to traduce?

TRADU'CE, verb transitive

1. To represent as blamable; to condemn.

The best stratagem that Satan hath, is by traducing the form and manner of the devout prayers of God's church.

2. To calumniate; to vilify; to defame; willfully to misrepresent.

As long as men are malicious and designing, they will be traducing.

He had the baseness to traduce me in libel.

What does it mean to calumniate?

CALUMNIATE, verb transitive

To accuse or charge one falsely, and knowingly, with some crime, offense, or something, disreputable; to slander.

CALUMNIATE, verb intransitive To charge falsely and knowingly with a crime or offense; to propagate evil reports with a design to injure the reputation of another.

To slander is a main attribute of Satan.  There is no mercy, and no love behind those who slander. Just like Satan, they intend harm. Guile, bitterness, pride, anger and hatred can all manifest in slander, traducing, or calumniation.

Proverbs 10:18

He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.

The word of God has very clear warnings about false accusers, slanderers, traducers. They are lost, and they seek to sow discord amongst the children of God, which God hates (Proverbs 6:16-19). Their evil words stir up strife, and they are known by such.

Proverbs 6:14

Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.

Proverbs 15:18

A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.

Proverbs 29:22

An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.

Proverbs 28:25

He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.

1 John 3:10

In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: G1228 whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

Note that in these end times, the slandering false accusers will have “ a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.”

2 Timothy 3:2-5

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers G1228, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Those who love Jesus, love their neighbor and love their brother are not full of bitterness, wrath and guile. By God’s grace and the power of the Holy Spirit, a child of God is made free, and puts away the wicked attributes of Satan the slanderer.   

1 Peter 2:1-3

Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

Psalm 32:2

Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

Psalm 34:13

Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

3 John 1:9

I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

3 John 1:10

Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.

3 John 1:11

Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

Children of God do not exhibit a spirit of malice and prideful scorn. No Christian is perfect, we all have areas in which spiritual growth is needed. But without a doubt, there should be a pattern of putting off these sinful traits of Satan. There should be a Christlikeness, meekness, repentance, loving compassion, gentleness and temperance.

1 Corinthians 14:20

Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

Ephesians 4:27

Neither give place to the devil. G1228

Ephesians 4:31

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

Colossians 3:8

But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

1 John 3:8

He that committeth sin is of the devil; G1228 for the devil G1228 sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. G1228

Satan, the slanderer, the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10) seeks to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). He is called the father of lies in John 8:44. Satan desires to sift God’s elect like wheat.

John 8:44

Ye are of your father the devil, G1228 and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Luke 22:31

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

He loves to plant seeds of doubt, twist the facts, and falsely accuse the innocent.

John 10:10

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Jesus Christ did not come to destroy, but to save sinners.

Luke 9:56

For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

We must remember that only in the Spirit can we resist and stand against the slanderer. Submitted to God, and set apart for The Lord who is merciful, then we can resist and rejoice when false accusations and slanderous reproaches come.

Ephesians 6:11

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. G1228

James 4:7

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, G1228 and he will flee from you.

Matthew 5:11-12

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Satan the slanderer will ultimately be cast into the lake of fire. All of the liars who have crept in unawares, pretending to be followers of Jesus, will also be tormented there.

Revelation 20:10

And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Revelation 21:8

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Those who pretend cannot fool the children of God, because a malicious and wicked spirit of contention is not of God. Slanderers and liars will burn in the lake of fire with their father, the devil. Be warned, lest you repeat their lies and become a party to their sin. Beware of Satan the slanderer and his children, whose rotten fruits shall give them away. Pray for them to repent, before they perish.

Matthew 7:20

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.