Short answer: The Bible never mentions tarot by name, but it clearly forbids divination, which means seeking hidden knowledge or the future from any source other than God. Tarot readings fall into that category, so Christians are called to avoid them. Guidance and wisdom are meant to come from God through prayer, Scripture and godly counsel.
In This Article
Tarot has moved from the fringe into mainstream culture. It shows up in social media videos, bookshop shelves and "daily card" apps, and many people treat it as harmless fun or a form of self-care. When a believer is invited to a reading, or finds a deck at a friend's house, the question comes quickly: is this a sin?
The answer depends on what tarot is and what it is used for. This article looks at where tarot came from, what Scripture says about divination, why the practice is spiritually dangerous even when it feels gentle, and what to do instead when you want guidance.
Where Do Tarot Cards Come From And What Are They Used For?
A standard tarot deck has 78 cards, divided into the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana. The cards first appeared in Italy in the fifteenth century as playing cards, used in a game. The use of tarot for divination developed later, as occult writers attached esoteric meanings to the images, and from there it grew into the practice we know today.
In a reading, the person shuffles and draws cards, and the reader interprets the images to say something about the past, present or future. Some readers claim to channel spirits. Others describe tarot as a mirror for the subconscious and say they do not predict anything. Both approaches, though, ask the cards for knowledge a person cannot get by ordinary means, and that is what puts tarot in the territory the Bible addresses.
Does God Allow Tarot Cards?
The Bible does not have a verse that says "do not use tarot," because tarot did not exist. It does have a clear verdict on the practice tarot belongs to. Moses gave Israel this instruction before they entered the promised land.
Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.
Deuteronomy 18:10-11 (NIV)
Divination, omens, mediums and spiritists are all in the list, and the next verse says the Lord detests anyone who does these things (Deuteronomy 18:12). The reason is given in the verses that follow: God's people already have a source of guidance. He promised to send prophets who would speak his words. Seeking guidance from the cards is a way of going around him.
The same attitude runs through the Bible. When King Saul was desperate and God was silent, he went to a medium, and Scripture counts it among the reasons for his downfall (1 Chronicles 10:13-14). In Acts, Paul confronted a slave girl with a spirit by which she predicted the future, and he drove it out in Jesus' name (Acts 16:16-18). The New Testament does not soften the Old Testament on this point. In the list of the works of the flesh, Paul includes witchcraft, translated sorcery in some versions, and the Greek word behind it also covers the use of drugs and spells (Galatians 5:19-21).
So does God allow tarot? I do not believe the Bible leaves room for it as a source of guidance.
What Does The Bible Say About Psychics And Tarot Cards?
Psychics, tarot readers, mediums and astrologers all do a similar thing: they claim access to hidden information. Leviticus 19:31 warns against turning to mediums and spiritists, because it makes a person unclean. The prophets mocked those who consulted them instead of their God (Isaiah 8:19).
People sometimes tell me the reading was accurate, or that it made them feel better, or that the reader was a kind person who prayed. I do not doubt that readings can feel uncanny. The Bible does not say that these practices never produce a result. It says to stay away because of where they lead. A reading that is vague enough to fit anyone feels personal. One that is specific may come from a source we should not trust. Paul warned that deception can come dressed as light (2 Corinthians 11:14). More on this in our article on psychics and mediums, and on the related practice of astrology.
Is Tarot Reading A Mortal Sin?
Mortal sin is a Catholic and Orthodox category, not an evangelical one, so the question gets a different answer depending on the tradition. The Catholic Catechism includes divination and the consulting of horoscopes, mediums and similar things among practices contrary to the first commandment. Catholic teaching also says that a sin is mortal only when it involves grave matter, full knowledge and deliberate consent. Evangelicals do not use that sorting system. I would say that tarot is a serious matter because it turns a person away from God as the source of guidance, and that every sin is forgiven in Christ for those who repent. More on that in What Is A Mortal Sin?
Why Is Tarot Spiritually Risky Even When It Feels Harmless?
Three problems stand out to me.
First, tarot offers guidance without accountability. A reader can tell you anything, and nobody checks it. The Bible praises counsel from people who know you and answer to God (Proverbs 11:14).
Second, it trains dependence. A person who checks the cards before every decision slowly stops using the mind and conscience God gave them, and stops praying. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to trust in the Lord with all our heart and not lean on our own understanding, and that applies to a card spread as much as to our own cleverness.
Third, it opens a door. Scripture says our struggle is against spiritual powers (Ephesians 6:12). I do not want anyone to be afraid of a deck of cards as though it were a curse. I do want people to take seriously that the Bible places this practice on the wrong side of the line.
Where Should A Christian Turn For Guidance Instead?
Not knowing what comes next is one of the most human feelings there is, and the pull toward tarot is usually the pull toward certainty. God does not leave that need unmet. He offers something better than a prediction.
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
James 1:5 (NIV)
Ask in prayer. Read the Bible, which is the place God has spoken most clearly (see How To Understand The Bible). Take the decision to mature Christians and to your pastor, and weigh it with them. God will not usually tell you the future, but he promises to give wisdom, and to be with you whatever comes.
If you have used tarot in the past, you are not beyond forgiveness. Confess it, stop, and discard any decks you cannot treat as simply cards. First John 1:9 is as true here as anywhere else. Turn the page and ask for wisdom the proper way.
Key Bible Verses About Tarot And Divination
- Deuteronomy 18:10-12: divination, omens and mediums are detestable to the Lord.
- Leviticus 19:31: do not turn to mediums or spiritists.
- Isaiah 8:19: a people should inquire of their God, not of the dead.
- Acts 16:16-18: Paul frees a girl from a spirit of fortune-telling.
- Galatians 5:19-21: witchcraft is among the works of the flesh.
- Proverbs 3:5-6: trust the Lord rather than your own understanding.
- James 1:5: ask God for wisdom and he gives generously.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does God allow tarot cards?
Scripture treats seeking hidden knowledge through divination as off limits for God's people (Deuteronomy 18:10-12). Tarot is a form of that practice, so I would say no: not as a guide for decisions or for knowing the future. A collector admiring card artwork is a different matter from using the cards to seek direction.
What does the Bible say about psychics and tarot cards?
The Bible lumps together mediums, spiritists, fortune-tellers and diviners and tells God's people to have nothing to do with them. A reader who uses cards is doing the same kind of work. For more, see What Does The Bible Say About Psychics?
Is tarot card reading a mortal sin?
That is a Catholic category, so it depends whom you ask. The Catechism of the Catholic Church lists divination as contrary to the first commandment, and a sin is mortal only when it involves grave matter, full knowledge and deliberate consent. As an evangelical, I do not rank sins that way, but I take tarot seriously. See What Is A Mortal Sin?
I have already had my cards read. What should I do?
Do not panic, and do not carry shame around. Confess it to God, turn from the practice, and get rid of any cards you own if you cannot treat them as harmless. First John 1:9 promises that God forgives and cleanses. Read How To Repent for the next steps.
Can a Christian use tarot cards as just a game or for self-reflection?
Playing the old card game that predates tarot reading is one thing. Using the cards to prompt self-reflection is where Christians should be careful, because the practice still puts the cards in the place of prayer and Scripture. The honest test is whether you are asking them for direction.
