Could the devil be saved?
By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10
No, the devil cannot and will not be saved. According to the Coptic Orthodox faith and the teachings of the Holy Fathers, the fall of the devil and his demons is permanent and final.
- The Nature of Angelic Choice: Unlike humans, who are subject to the limitations of time and the changeability of the flesh, angels were created as pure spirits with high intelligence. When the devil (originally a high archangel) rebelled, he did so with full knowledge and a direct rejection of God’s light. This choice was fixed and eternal. As the Fathers teach, there is no repentance for angels after their fall, just as there is no repentance for humans after death.
- Lack of Repentance: Salvation requires repentance. The devil is not merely "mistaken" but is characterized by a hardened, eternal pride and an absolute hatred for God and His creation. He continues to blaspheme and works tirelessly to destroy humanity. There is no desire for reconciliation in him.
- The Incarnation: Our Lord Jesus Christ became man to save mankind. St. Paul explains in the Epistle to the Hebrews: "For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham" (Hebrews 2:16). Christ assumed human nature to heal it; He did not assume the nature of angels to redeem them.
- Biblical Judgment: Holy Scripture is clear regarding the end of the devil. The Lord says that the "everlasting fire" was specifically "prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41). The Book of Revelation confirms that the devil will be "cast into the lake of fire and brimstone" to be "tormented day and night forever and ever" (Revelation 20:10).
The idea that the devil could eventually be saved is a heretical concept known as apokatastasis (universal restoration), which was proposed by Origen and strictly condemned by the Church. The Coptic Orthodox Church maintains that the devil is the "enemy of all righteousness" and that his condemnation is eternal.