20 Bible Verses about Witchcraft (With Commentary)
Exploring the mysteries of ancient texts can sometimes lead to questions about darker themes, like witchcraft. The Bible doesn’t shy away, providing clear directives against these practices.
Our blog will guide you through critical verses that demystify the Biblical stance on witchcraft, offering insight and clarity. Discover truths hidden within Scripture—read on!
Condemnation of Witchcraft
Exodus 22:18
"Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live."
Exodus 22:18 says, “Thou shall not suffer a witch to live.” This strong statement from the Bible shows early laws against witchcraft. It means that people who did magic or talked with spirits were not allowed.
Many think this line is clear: only follow God’s power, nothing else.
This verse stands out in discussions about the Bible and witchcraft. Some say it’s about stopping those who use dark powers. Others see it as a sign of how serious following God was back then.
In any case, Exodus 22:18 speaks loud against practices like sorcery and magical acts in ancient times.
Deuteronomy 18:10-12
"There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee."
Deuteronomy 18:10-12 makes it clear—stay away from witchcraft and similar dark practices. No casting spells, no fortune-telling, and no talking to spirits or the dead. These things are serious no-nos.
God puts them in the same bad category as idol worship and other wicked acts.
People who follow God should not mess with this stuff; it’s like turning their backs on Him. The Bible is straightforward here: keep your life clean from these harmful practices that lead you away from true holiness.
Leviticus 19:31
"Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God."
Leviticus 19:31 sends a strong message—stay away from mediums and necromancers. It’s like a big red stop sign, telling us not to look for these people or listen to them. Back then, if you ignored this rule, the cost was your life.
So it’s clear, talking to spirits or asking the dead for advice is off-limits.
God puts it simply: “I am the Lord your God.” He wants us to trust Him alone—not ghosts or magic tricks. This verse is part of God’s guide on how to live right and stay safe from dark powers and tricks that could hurt us.
Leviticus 20:6
"And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people."
Leviticus 20:6 delivers a tough message. It says if you go to mediums or those who talk with spirits, it’s like turning your back on God. The verse pulls no punches – follow this path, and you’ll be cut off from your people.
It puts witchcraft in the same bad light as cheating and chasing after false gods.
God wants us to stay far away from these dark practices. Leviticus warns of serious trouble for anyone dipping their toes into sorcery or chatting with the dead. This isn’t just ancient advice; it’s timeless wisdom about keeping our hearts and lives clean from things that can harm us deeply.
Galatians 5:19-21
"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."
Galatians 5:19-21 puts witchcraft in the spotlight as a bad choice. It’s one of those things that come from our selfish desires. The Bible is clear—this kind of magic is not okay because it doesn’t come from God.
People who follow Jesus should stay far away from it and any other similar sins.
This part of the Bible also talks about other wrongdoings, like hating others or being jealous. All these actions are signs that someone is not living the way God wants. Choosing to live this way can keep a person away from heaven’s kingdom, where only good things belong.
Witchcraft as Rebellion
1 Samuel 15:23
"For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king."
In the Bible, 1 Samuel 15:23 says that being rebellious is as bad as witchcraft. To God, it’s a big deal when people do not follow what He says. This verse tells us that being stubborn is like worshiping false gods.
Just like idols don’t belong in our lives, neither does refusing to listen to God. When someone doesn’t want to obey God’s word, they get turned away by God himself.
This lesson from the Bible shows we need to be humble and do what God wants. Being in charge and having power can make people disobey and create chaos with God’s plan. We learn from this story that following God’s path is very important for peace and order in His kingdom.
2 Chronicles 33:6
"And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger."
King Manasseh did some very bad things that made God angry. He used witchcraft and talked to spirits, which are big no-nos in the Bible. This King even burned his own sons as an offering in a place called the Valley of Ben-Hinnom.
That was horrible and against everything God wanted for His people.
This story tells us we should stay away from dark powers and magic stuff. Instead, we must follow what is good and right – that’s what God likes!
Nahum 3:4
"Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts."
Nahum 3:4 calls a city the “mistress of witchcrafts,” a place that tricks other nations with her evil charms. This verse tells us about a “well-favored harlot” who uses her beauty and magic to lead people the wrong way.
It’s like she sells lies and bad paths as though they were treasures.
This city, full of secret tricks and dark magic, was really good at fooling others. People fell for her sorceries, getting trapped in wrongdoing. Nahum’s words warn us about how dangerous it can be when someone uses power for bad ends – they can mess with whole nations!
Micah 5:12
"And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers."
Micah 5:12 has strong words about ending witchcraft. It tells of a time when spells and enchantments won’t work anymore. This verse is tough on idols and sacred stones too, saying they will be destroyed.
It’s clear that these practices are not okay and there will come a day when they are wiped out completely.
Acts 8:9-11
"But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries."
In Acts 8:9-11, we meet Simon the Sorcerer. This guy had the Samaritans in awe with his magic tricks. They all thought he was something special—like he had God’s power. But it wasn’t real magic; it was just tricks and lies.
He kept doing this for a long time until someone else came along.
Then Philip showed up, spreading the truth about Jesus Christ. People listened to him instead of Simon because Philip did amazing things by God’s power, not fake stuff like Simon’s sorcery.
This shows us how important it is to spot what’s true and what’s not in spiritual matters.
The Dangers of Witchcraft
Revelation 21:8
"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."
Revelation 21:8 gives a clear warning. It tells us that certain people will face a tough punishment. Those who are afraid to stand up for what’s right, people who won’t believe the truth, anyone doing bad things on purpose, killers, and folks living in ways they shouldn’t—all these are in danger.
The verse says if someone practices witchcraft or worships idols instead of the true God, or even lies a lot, their end will be scary—they’ll end up in a lake burning with sulfur.
This lake is called the Second Death. Unlike our first death which happens here on earth when we stop breathing, this second one is about being separated forever from goodness and light after we’re all raised back to life.
In other words, Revelation isn’t just some old story— it’s serious talk about how choices have big outcomes and why we should choose carefully.
Revelation 22:15
"For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie."
In Revelation 22:15, witches and others who use magic arts are grouped with the worst of sinners. These people won’t get eternal life. The verse is clear—those into sorcery, along with murderers, lovers of lies, and idol worshipers are all saying no to heaven’s gift.
This part of the Bible puts witchcraft in the same bad spot as cheating, killing, and hating God’s truth. It shines a light on how serious using dark powers and magic potions is. It tells us that messing with spiritual darkness can keep you out from the best place ever—living forever happy with God.
2 Kings 21:6
"And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger."
Manasseh, the king of Judah, did some really bad things. He practiced witchcraft and even used his own son in a scary fire ritual that was part of dark pagan customs. This is all talked about in 2 Kings 21:6.
It’s a pretty serious warning about staying away from occult stuff.
Because of these actions, Manasseh ignored what God wanted and led the people down a harmful path. His choices brought big trouble on Judah, showing just how dangerous it is to mess with evil practices like sorcery or talking to spirits.
1 Chronicles 10:13-14
"So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse."
Saul messed up big time—in 1 Chronicles, it says his life ended because he didn’t follow God. He tried to get answers from a witch instead of sticking to what God said. This was bad news for him and shows us that messing with dark powers can lead to some serious trouble.
Looking for help in the wrong places turned out really bad for Saul. It’s clear—stay away from witchcraft; it’s not worth it!
Acts 16:16-18
"And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour."
Paul and Silas met a slave girl who had a spirit that could tell the future. This spirit made her masters lots of money by fortune-telling. Paul got bothered by this and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to come out of her!” Right away, the spirit left her.
This story in Acts shows us how strong Jesus’ name is against evil forces. It tells us about real spiritual battles and helps us see we need God’s help always.
Turning Away from Witchcraft
Acts 19:19
"Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver."
People in Ephesus, who once practiced magic, chose a new path. They brought their spell books and burned them for everyone to see. This showed they were leaving their old ways to follow the truth.
The value of these books was high, but they did not care about the money anymore. Now they cared more about living right and shining light on dark secrets. Acts 19:19 tells us that turning from wrong is powerful.
It changes hearts and lives.
Galatians 5:20-21
"Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."
Galatians 5:20-21 puts witchcraft on a list of bad things. It says doing stuff like that keeps you away from God’s kingdom. The Bible uses a Greek word here that could mean magic or even using potions.
This shows Paul, the writer, knew about dark magic in those days.
In these verses, doing witchcraft is like picking something else over worshipping God purely. Back then, in Asia Minor where Paul was sending his letter, lots of folks dabbled in sorcery.
Paul’s message is clear – those practices have no place if you’re living for God.
Ezekiel 13:18-20
"And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you? And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies? Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly."
Ezekiel 13:18-20 calls out false prophetesses. These women made magic charms and veils, trapping people like birds. God said He was against their tricks. He promised to free the trapped souls and tear off their magic bands.
This scripture shows how serious God is about stopping harmful witchcraft.
These verses warn us to stay away from dark powers and trust in God’s truth instead. People who followed these false prophets were playing a dangerous game, one that led them away from light and hope.
Isaiah 47:9-12
"But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments. For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me. Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know. Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail."
Babylon trusted in witchcraft, but it failed. In Isaiah 47:9-12, we learn they used spells and magic to feel safe. But these tricks were weak against God’s judgment. They felt too sure of themselves, thinking nothing bad could touch them.
The verses show us that relying on sorcery is useless when true danger comes.
The Babylonians thought their magic was strong. They worked hard at spells and talked to the stars for guidance, thinking they could know and stop future troubles. Yet all their secret knowledge didn’t save them from falling apart under God’s power.
These words remind us how empty witchcraft is compared to God’s might.
Revelation 9:21
"Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts."
In Revelation 9:21, we see people not changing their ways even after bad things happen. They keep doing wrong like witchcraft, killing, and stealing. This verse shows how hard some hearts can be, not wanting to say sorry or stop sinning.
The Bible’s message here is clear—witchcraft is a big no-no. It stands beside other bad deeds that God does not like. The people in this part of Revelation don’t care about turning away from evil; they just won’t let go of their sins.
Conclusion
So, the Bible is clear – witchcraft’s a no-go. It puts it in the same bad-news basket as idol worship and rebellion. Think about it like this: messing with magic is stepping out of bounds according to God’s playbook.
Instead, focusing on what’s good and right keeps us running on the straight track!
FAQs
1. What does the Bible say about witchcraft and magic?
The Bible mentions witchcraft and divination as wrong—see stories of Elijah and Elisha fighting against it. It also warns that fortune-tellers and those who consult mediums are far from God’s grace.
2. Are there any verses talking about spiritual warfare related to witchcraft?
Yes, indeed. The Armor of God in Ephesians 6 equips believers for spiritual warfare, including battles against dark forces like demonic powers associated with witchcraft.
3. Can you find a story about someone in the Bible confronting witches or sorcerers?
Absolutely! For example, Daniel faced off with magicians when he interpreted dreams better than they could—and there’s Jehu dealing harshly with Jezebel for her idolatry and spells.
4. Does the Bible compare anyone to “the devil” because of practicing witchcraft?
It does make comparisons; like calling false prophets “children of the devil.” Remarkably, Jesus even triumphed over such darkness by miracles showing His glory—contrasting His power to evil practices linked to “the evil one.”
5. Are there specific laws in the Bible about avoiding witchcraft?
Certainly! The Mosaic Law clearly warned Israelites not to engage in spiritism or consult teraphim—little statues some used for divination—a big no-no!
6. How did kings in the Old Testament respond to sorcery or enchanting acts?
Kings varied: Josiah tore down places where idols were worshiped; Ahaz embraced idolatrous rituals; Saul sought a medium—which led him down a tragic path contrary to trusting in Lord Jesus Christ.
