Why is Shylock is said to be devil?

In Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice, Shylock is the Jewish antagonist, who is portrayed as a greedy, malevolent moneylender. The play is set in sixteenth-century Venice, which was a period when the majority Christian population discriminated against Jewish citizens because they did not believe that Jesus Christ was the Messiah. The Christian characters in the play view Shylock with contempt and despise him for his moneylending practices. They view Shylock as a greedy usurer who unjustly charges citizens interest for borrowing his money. Antonio refers to Shylock as the devil in act 1, scene 3 by telling his friend,

Mark you this, Bassanio, The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose. An evil soul producing holy witness Is like a villain with a smiling cheek, A goodly apple rotten at the heart (Shakespeare, 1.3.95-99).

Antonio's prejudice against Jewish citizens and his contempt for Shylock's taboo lending practices are the reason he refers to Shylock as the devil. Antonio believes that, similar to the devil, Shylock is a crafty, shrewd person who cannot be trusted. The fact that Shylock does not acknowledge that Jesus is the Messiah is an additional reason Antonio compares him to the devil. Despite Antonio's views and Shylock's nefarious attitude, the audience sympathizes with Shylock to a degree because he is a victim of prejudice.