Short answer: The Bible clearly condemns witchcraft. It lists it among the works of the flesh, forbids it in Deuteronomy 18, and treats it as idolatry and rebellion against God, because it seeks power, knowledge or protection from sources other than him. It is a sin, but it is not an unforgivable one: anyone who turns from it to Christ is forgiven.
In This Article
When people hear the word "witch," many picture fireballs, brooms and cartoon villains. The Bible has something much more sober in mind. Yet the question is a real one, because people are curious about the occult, some have dabbled in it, and others are afraid of it.
People in the pews kept asking whether witchcraft is really sin, whether Christians should fear it, and whether anyone who has been involved is beyond hope. This article takes those questions from Scripture, with the answer to that last one first: no, there is hope.
Is Witchcraft A Sin In The Bible?
Yes. The popular image of a witch, much like a comic-book hero or villain with supernatural powers, is far removed from the biblical description. Such depictions come from pagan myths and folklore. When the Bible forbids witchcraft, it is mostly describing practices like divination, casting spells, consulting the dead and appealing to spirits for information or power. Ancient peoples did these things in rituals, chants and charms.
The New Testament lists witchcraft with other sins of the flesh:
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,
Galatians 5:19-20 (NIV)
The Greek word behind "witchcraft" here is pharmakeia, which is where we get the word pharmacy. Many scholars think it points to the use of drugs and potions in occult rituals, though it covers sorcery more generally. That is a hint that the practice involves reaching for spiritual power by means other than trust in God.
Samuel put the root of it bluntly when he rebuked King Saul:
For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
1 Samuel 15:23 (NIV)
A word of fairness. Many people who practice Wicca or other forms of modern witchcraft do not see themselves as serving Satan; they think of it as nature spirituality or personal empowerment. I do not doubt their sincerity, and I want to speak kindly to them. But the Bible's concern is not about their intentions. It is about where the power comes from. Scripture says there are only two spiritual sources, God and the rebellious powers opposed to him, and that seeking spiritual power apart from God is spiritually dangerous whatever we call it.
What Does Deuteronomy 18 Forbid?
This is the central passage. As Israel was about to enter the land, God warned them against copying the nations around them:
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)
| Practice Named | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Divination | Trying to learn hidden or future things through signs or spirits |
| Sorcery and witchcraft | Using spells, charms or rituals to produce an effect |
| Interpreting omens | Reading events or objects as messages about the future |
| Medium or spiritist | Contacting spirits on someone's behalf |
| Consulting the dead | Seeking guidance from those who have died |
God calls such things detestable, and the reason is that they replace trusting him with trying to control or foresee what only he governs. The desire to know the future and manipulate events is the same desire that led Eve to think she could be like God. The nations that did these things also did them alongside cruelty, including child sacrifice, which is why God was so severe.
The law also set a penalty. Under the Mosaic law for ancient Israel, witchcraft carried the penalty of death (Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 20:27). That was the civil law of a nation where idolatry was treason against the God who governed it, not a command for the church today. King Saul's story shows the consequence: he consulted a medium, and Scripture counts it among the reasons for his downfall (1 Chronicles 10:13). If you want more on this, see What Does The Bible Say About Medium? and What Does The Bible Say About Psychics?
Revelation 22:15 lists those who practice magic arts among the people outside the city of God. It is a warning about where unrepentant persistence ends, and a call to turn.
Did Jesus Say Anything About Witches?
The Gospels do not record Jesus using the word "witch." But he said and did a great deal about the spiritual realm. He cast out demons, he spoke of Satan as a real enemy, and he showed that Satan's kingdom is real but is being overthrown. He never taught his people to fear dark powers or to bargain with them. His authority over them was the whole point.
The apostles did the same in Acts. Paul confronted a sorcerer who opposed the gospel in Cyprus. In Ephesus, a city known for magic, people turned to Christ and made a costly public break with their past:
A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly.
Acts 19:19 (NIV)
So the New Testament picture is not of Christians hunting witches. It is of the gospel setting people free from them. That is the posture I want us to have: compassion for people trapped by it, firmness about what it is, and confidence in Christ.
Is Witchcraft An Unforgivable Sin?
No. Jesus names one unforgivable sin, and it is not witchcraft. It is the settled, hardened rejection of the Holy Spirit's witness to Christ, which I describe in What Is The Unforgivable Sin? A person who is troubled by their past in the occult, and wants to be free, is showing exactly the opposite of that hardness.
The promise stands for every sin, this one included:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9 (NIV)
The Ephesians who burned their scrolls were forgiven, not condemned. See also Does God Forgive All Sins?
How Do You Leave Witchcraft Behind?
If you have been involved, even lightly, here is the path Scripture suggests.
- Repent and trust Christ. Tell God plainly what you have done and ask his forgiveness. You do not need a special formula.
- Remove what ties you to it. Like the Ephesians, get rid of the books, cards, charms and objects connected to the practice. Do it as a decision, not out of panic.
- Break the habit of seeking guidance elsewhere. That includes horoscopes, tarot and psychics. Bring your questions to God in prayer and in his Word. See Is Numerology A Sin In The Bible? and What Does Halloween Mean In The Bible? for related questions.
- Join a church. You were not meant to do this alone. Ask a pastor or mature Christian to pray with you.
- Stand on God's protection. Protection in the Bible is never a ritual. It is God himself:
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:7 (NIV)
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
1 John 4:4 (NIV)
That is the answer to fear. Satan's power is real but limited to what God allows, and a believer does not need to be afraid of spells, curses or symbols. Even so, I would not play with these things out of curiosity. Anything that invites you to seek power, knowledge or comfort apart from Jesus Christ is a door worth keeping closed. For where this fits in the larger picture, read What Is Sin?
Key Bible Verses About Witchcraft
- Deuteronomy 18:10-12: God forbids divination, sorcery, spells, mediums and consulting the dead.
- Leviticus 19:31: do not turn to mediums or spiritists, for they defile.
- 1 Samuel 15:23: rebellion is like the sin of divination.
- Galatians 5:19-21: witchcraft is listed among the acts of the flesh.
- Acts 19:18-19: converts in Ephesus burn their sorcery scrolls.
- James 4:7: submit to God and resist the devil.
- 1 John 4:4: the one in you is greater than the one in the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is witchcraft a sin in the Bible?
Yes. Scripture lists witchcraft among the acts of the flesh in Galatians 5:20, forbids it in Deuteronomy 18, and warns that those who practice it are outside the kingdom in Revelation 22:15. The common thread is seeking power or knowledge from sources other than God.
How can I protect myself from witchcraft according to the Bible?
Scripture's answer is not a charm or ritual but trust in God. Submit to him, resist the devil, put on the full armor of God in Ephesians 6, stay in prayer and the Word, and remember that the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. Believers belong to Christ and do not need amulets; see What Does God Say About Using Amulets?
What is God's punishment for witchcraft?
Under the law of ancient Israel, which was both civil and religious, the penalty was death (Exodus 22:18). That was the law for a nation under a theocracy, not a command for the church today. The New Testament's warning is spiritual: those who persist in such practices without repenting are excluded from the kingdom, but those who repent are forgiven.
Is witchcraft an unforgivable sin?
No. The one sin Jesus calls unforgivable is a hardened, final rejection of the Holy Spirit's testimony to Christ. Witchcraft, like any other sin, is forgiven when a person repents and trusts in Christ. See What Is The Unforgivable Sin?
Did Jesus say anything about witches?
The Gospels do not record Jesus speaking about witches by name. He did confront demons directly, taught that Satan's kingdom is real but already defeated, and told his followers to fear God rather than spiritual powers. The apostles, in Acts, confronted sorcerers and received converts who gave up the occult.
Are tarot cards and horoscopes the same as witchcraft?
They belong to the same family of practices the Bible warns about: seeking hidden knowledge or guidance about the future apart from God. I treat them in my article on tarot cards and on astrology.
