Angel vs. Devil — What's the Difference?

A celestial being believed to act as a messenger of God.

A supernatural being often regarded as the embodiment of evil and enemy of God.

A symbol of purity and goodness.

In colloquial usage, a wicked or cruel person.

In financial contexts, an investor who provides startup capital.

An extremely difficult or intractable problem.

A protector in spiritual or moral terms.

The personification of temptation and sin.

A person who is very kind or beautiful.

A device or implement characterized by its difficult usage.

An angel is a supernatural being in various religions. The theological study of angels is known as angelology.

A devil is the personification of evil as it is conceived in various cultures and religious traditions. It is seen as the objectification of a hostile and destructive force.It is difficult to specify a particular definition of any complexity that will cover all of the traditions, beyond that it is a manifestation of evil.

A spiritual being believed to act as an attendant, agent, or messenger of God, conventionally represented in human form with wings and a long robe

Often Devil In many religions, the major personified spirit of evil, ruler of Hell, and foe of God. Used with the.

A person of exemplary conduct or virtue

A subordinate evil spirit; a demon.

A person who supports a business financially, typically one who invests private capital in a small or newly established enterprise

A wicked or malevolent person.

A former English coin minted between the reigns of Edward IV and Charles I and bearing the figure of the archangel Michael killing a dragon.

A person

An aircraft's altitude (often used with a numeral indicating thousands of feet)

An energetic, mischievous, daring, or clever person.

An unexplained radar echo.

(Printing) A printer's devil.

A typically benevolent celestial being that acts as an intermediary between heaven and earth, especially in Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Zoroastrianism.

A device or machine, especially one having teeth or spikes and used for tearing.

A representation of such a being, especially in Christianity, conventionally in the image of a human figure with a halo and wings.

An outstanding example, especially of something difficult or bad

Angels(Christianity) The last of the nine orders of angels in medieval angelology. From the highest to the lowest in rank, the orders are

A severe reprimand or expression of anger

A guardian spirit or guiding influence.

(Informal) Used as an intensive

A kind and lovable person.

To season (food) heavily.

One who manifests goodness, purity, and selflessness.

To annoy, torment, or harass.

A financial backer of an enterprise, especially a dramatic production or a political campaign.

To tear up (cloth or rags) in a toothed machine.

An incorporeal and sometimes divine messenger from a deity, or other divine entity, often depicted in art as a youthful winged figure in flowing robes.

(theology) The chief devil; Satan.

(Abrahamic tradition) One of the lowest order of such beings, below virtues.

(theology) An evil creature, the objectification of a hostile and destructive force.

A person having the qualities attributed to angels, such as purity or selflessness.

(folklore) A fictional image of a man, usually red or orange in skin color; with a set of horns on his head, a pointed goatee and a long tail and carrying a pitchfork; that represents evil and portrayed to children in an effort to discourage bad behavior.

(obsolete) Attendant spirit; genius; demon.

The bad part of the conscience; the opposite to the angel.

An official (a bishop, or sometimes a minister) who heads a Christian church, especially a Catholic Apostolic Church.

A wicked or naughty person, or one who harbors reckless, spirited energy, especially in a mischievous way; usually said of a young child.

(historical) An English gold coin, bearing the figure of the archangel Michael, circulated between the 15th and 17th centuries, and varying in value from six shillings and eightpence to ten shillings.

A thing that is awkward or difficult to understand or do.

An altitude, measured in thousands of feet.

Hell.

An unidentified flying object detected by air traffic control radar.

A person, especially a man; used to express a particular opinion of him, usually in the phrases poor devil and lucky devil.

(finance) An angel investor.

A printer's assistant.

(theater) The person who funds a show.

(India) A poltergeist that haunts printing works.

(informal) A person who has Angelman syndrome.

A dust devil.

To support by donating money.

A barren, unproductive and unused area.

A messenger.

(cookery) A dish, as a bone with the meat, broiled and excessively peppered; a grill with Cayenne pepper.

A spiritual, celestial being, superior to man in power and intelligence. In the Scriptures the angels appear as God's messengers.

A machine for tearing or cutting rags, cotton, etc.

One of a class of "fallen angels;" an evil spirit; as, the devil and his angels.

A Tasmanian devil.

A minister or pastor of a church, as in the Seven Asiatic churches.

An endurance event where riders who fall behind are periodically eliminated.

Attendant spirit; genius; demon.

(nautical) devil seam: {{ngd}}

An appellation given to a person supposed to be of angelic goodness or loveliness; a darling.

To make like a devil; to invest with the character of a devil.

An ancient gold coin of England, bearing the figure of the archangel Michael. It varied in value from 6s. 8d. to 10s.

To annoy or bother.

Spiritual being attendant upon God

To work as a ‘devil’; to work for a lawyer or writer without fee or recognition.

Person of exceptional holiness

To prepare (food) with spices, making it spicy:

Invests in a theatrical production

To grill with cayenne pepper; to season highly in cooking, as with pepper.

The highest waterfall; has more than one leap; flow varies seasonally

To finely grind cooked ham or other meat with spices and condiments.

To prepare a sidedish of shelled halved boiled eggs to whose extracted yolks are added condiments and spices, which mixture then is placed into the halved whites to be served.

The Evil One; Satan, represented as the tempter and spiritual of mankind.

An evil spirit; a demon.

A very wicked person; hence, any great evil.

An expletive of surprise, vexation, or emphasis, or, ironically, of negation.

A dish, as a bone with the meat, broiled and excessively peppered; a grill with Cayenne pepper.

A machine for tearing or cutting rags, cotton, etc.

To make like a devil; to invest with the character of a devil.

To grill with Cayenne pepper; to season highly in cooking, as with pepper.

(Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions) chief spirit of evil and adversary of God; tempter of mankind; master of Hell

One of the evil spirits of traditional Jewish and Christian belief

A word used in exclamations of confusion;

A rowdy or mischievous person (usually a young man);

A cruel wicked and inhuman person

Cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations;

Coat or stuff with a spicy paste;

Angels are believed to serve as messengers and protectors, executing God's will and offering guidance to humans.

Yes, both angels and devils are said to be able to take human form to interact with humans, according to various religious and mythological stories.

Yes, there are various types of angels (like archangels, guardian angels) and devils (demon hierarchies and princes of Hell) described in religious and mythological literature.

The Devil is portrayed as the epitome of evil, often tempting humans away from God's path and seeking to cause harm and chaos.

In many religious narratives, angels and devils are in constant conflict, with angels working to thwart the plans of devils and protect humanity from their deceptions and evil influences.

While there are similarities in the depiction of angels and devils across Abrahamic religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism), there are also significant differences in their roles, interactions, and theologies.

Angels are traditionally depicted with wings and often appear in bright, shining light, symbolizing their divine and pure nature. Devils, on the other hand, are commonly depicted with horns, tails, and sometimes bat-like wings, symbolizing their malevolent and sinister nature.

The concept of angels and devils has origins in various ancient religions and mythologies, evolving significantly in Christian, Jewish, and Islamic texts.

According to religious teachings, angels are thought to influence humans towards good deeds and moral choices, while devils tempt humans towards sin and immoral actions.

Angels are often seen as protectors and guides for humans, providing support and divine intervention. Devils are viewed as tempters and deceivers, seeking to lead humans away from the right path and into wrongdoing.

Psychologically, angels often symbolize the higher, noble aspects of human nature such as altruism and virtue, while devils represent the base instincts and vices like greed, jealousy, or hatred.

In some theological views, particularly within Christian traditions, it is believed that devils were once angels who fell from grace by rebelling against God, indicating a potential for change in nature or role.

Cultural perceptions of angels and devils vary widely, with some cultures emphasizing the benevolent role of angels more than others, and some depicting devils not just as evil, but as tricksters or beings of complex moral nature.

Common symbols associated with angels include halos, light, and doves, symbolizing peace and divine favor. Devils are often associated with fire, serpents, and the color red, symbolizing danger, sin, and temptation.

Modern interpretations have varied widely, with angels and devils appearing in everything from horror and fantasy genres to romantic and comedic contexts, influencing their portrayal and the themes they represent.