What Does the Bible Say About Witchcraft?
The Bible consistently condemns witchcraft, sorcery, divination, and all forms of occult practice from Genesis to Revelation. These practices are portrayed as direct violations of God’s authority, often tied to idolatry and rebellion against His rule.
In ancient times, witchcraft was understood as the use of rituals, spells, or spirit manipulation to gain knowledge, power, protection, or harm others. While cultures around Israel considered these practices legitimate forms of spiritual activity, God’s Word clearly separated His people from such actions. The Bible makes it clear that seeking supernatural help apart from the Lord is not neutral—it is a turning to false powers in defiance of the Creator.
This opposition to witchcraft is not rooted in fear of magic itself, but in the call to worship and trust in the one true God, who alone has all authority over the spiritual realm.
1. Witchcraft in the Old Testament: Prohibition and Judgment
The Bible’s earliest laws for Israel forbid witchcraft and related practices in the strongest terms. Exodus 22:18 commands, “You shall not permit a sorceress to live,” showing the seriousness with which God viewed such sin. Deuteronomy 18:10–12 lists a range of occult activities—divination, interpreting omens, casting spells, consulting the dead—and calls them “detestable to the LORD.”
The reason for this severe stance is theological: witchcraft seeks knowledge or power outside of God’s revelation, placing trust in spiritual forces opposed to Him. It was often connected to pagan worship, which threatened to draw Israel away from covenant faithfulness.
Despite these commands, the Old Testament records moments when God’s people turned to forbidden practices. King Saul famously consulted the medium of Endor (1 Samuel 28), an act that both violated God’s law and demonstrated a lack of trust in Him. These episodes serve as warnings against seeking spiritual insight or control apart from God’s will.
2. The Spiritual Reality Behind Witchcraft
The Bible recognizes that witchcraft is not merely superstition—it is a genuine attempt to interact with spiritual beings, though those beings are not the Lord. The prophets warned that behind idols and occult practices were real spiritual powers opposed to God (Deuteronomy 32:16–17; 1 Corinthians 10:20).
This reality explains why witchcraft is treated as rebellion. In 1 Samuel 15:23, Samuel tells Saul, “Rebellion is as the sin of divination.” Witchcraft is rebellion because it seeks independence from God’s authority, placing the practitioner under the influence of powers hostile to Him.
The spiritual danger is not that such magic can overpower God—it cannot—but that it deceives people into turning their allegiance from the Creator to counterfeit sources of help. The Bible calls God’s people to reject these counterfeit powers and trust in the Lord’s protection and guidance alone.
3. Witchcraft in the World of the New Testament
By the time of the New Testament, witchcraft was still a common feature of the ancient world. In Greco-Roman culture, magical practices often blended with religion, medicine, and astrology. People used spells, charms, and incantations to seek healing, favor, or revenge.
The Bible shows the clash between the Gospel and these practices. In Acts 8, Simon the magician astonishes the people of Samaria with his sorcery, but when confronted with the message of Christ, his heart is exposed as seeking power rather than true faith. In Acts 13, Paul rebukes Elymas the sorcerer, calling him “a child of the devil” for opposing the Gospel.
A striking example occurs in Acts 19, when new believers in Ephesus publicly burn their expensive magic scrolls after turning to Christ. This act symbolized their rejection of old allegiances and their confidence in the supremacy of Jesus over all spiritual powers.
4. The Bible’s Message: Christ’s Supremacy Over All Powers
One of the Bible’s main themes in confronting witchcraft is the assurance that Jesus Christ is supreme over every spiritual force. The New Testament repeatedly affirms that no magic, spell, or demonic power can rival the authority of the risen Lord (Ephesians 1:20–21; Colossians 2:15).
For believers in the first century, this was vital encouragement. Many came from backgrounds steeped in witchcraft and feared the retaliation of spirits they once served. The Gospel’s message was clear: Christ has disarmed the powers and authorities, and those who belong to Him are secure.
This truth still speaks today. In cultures where witchcraft is openly practiced and in places where it is hidden under more modern disguises, the believer’s confidence rests in the unshakable power of Jesus, who has conquered sin, death, and every hostile power.
5. The Gospel’s Call to Reject Witchcraft
The Bible does not merely warn against witchcraft—it calls for active rejection of it in light of the Gospel. This means more than avoiding occult rituals; it means refusing to place hope in anything other than Christ. Galatians 5:19–21 lists sorcery among the “works of the flesh” that are incompatible with life in the Spirit, warning that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
For Christians, rejecting witchcraft is part of living under Christ’s lordship. It involves turning from self-reliance, superstition, or fear of spiritual forces, and instead walking in faith, prayer, and obedience. Where witchcraft once promised control, the Gospel offers freedom—not through manipulation of power, but through surrender to the One who rules over all.
This call is not only personal but communal. Just as the believers in Ephesus destroyed their occult materials, the church today is called to stand against practices that oppose the Gospel, testifying to the world that Jesus alone is Lord.
Conclusion
From the Law of Moses to the ministry of Jesus and the teaching of the apostles, the Bible is consistent in its condemnation of witchcraft. These practices are not harmless traditions but acts of spiritual rebellion, drawing people away from trust in God to dependence on counterfeit powers.
Yet the Bible does not leave God’s people in fear—it assures them of Christ’s supremacy over all powers. For those in Christ, there is no need to fear curses, spells, or spirits, because the Lord reigns over every realm. The Gospel calls believers to reject witchcraft entirely, resting in the victory and protection of the One who has triumphed over all.
10 Bible Verses About Witchcraft
Exodus 22:18 – “You shall not permit a sorceress to live.”
Deuteronomy 18:10–12 – “Anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes… is an abomination to the LORD.”
1 Samuel 15:23 – “Rebellion is as the sin of divination.”
2 Kings 21:6 – Manasseh practiced sorcery and did evil in the eyes of the LORD.
Isaiah 8:19 – “Should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?”
Acts 8:9–11 – Simon the magician amazed the people of Samaria with his sorcery.
Acts 13:8–10 – Paul rebukes Elymas the sorcerer.
Acts 19:19 – Believers in Ephesus burn their magic scrolls.
Galatians 5:19–21 – Sorcery listed among the works of the flesh.
Revelation 21:8 – “Sorcerers… will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur.”
