I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, little children, because you know the Father.
kakos, "evil in the abstract," and poneros, "evil in active opposition to the good." The kakos man is content to perish in his own corruption. The poneros man seeks to drag everyone else down with him into his ultimate downfall. Satan is of the latter character, pernicious (124).