Sorcery is a practice that seeks to invoke supernatural powers apart from God, often resulting in deception and harm. The Bible warns against engaging in such practices, emphasizing the importance of seeking God alone for wisdom, guidance, and power. Below are key Bible verses addressing sorcery. Do read on!
Also Read: Bible Verses About Divination
The Prohibition of Sorcery in the Old Testament
The Old Testament clearly forbids sorcery and related practices, emphasizing God’s holiness and the danger of turning to other sources of power. These verses establish a strong foundation for understanding why sorcery is unacceptable in the eyes of God.
Exodus 22:18
“You must not allow a sorceress to live.”
Leviticus 19:31
“Do not defile yourselves by turning to mediums or to those who consult the spirits of the dead. I am the Lord your God.”
Deuteronomy 18:10-12
“For example, never sacrifice your son or daughter as a burnt offering. And do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord.”
Micah 5:12
“I will put an end to all witchcraft, and there will be no more fortune-tellers.”
2 Kings 21:6
“Manasseh also sacrificed his own son in the fire. He practiced sorcery and divination, and he consulted with mediums and psychics. He did much that was evil in the Lord’s sight, arousing his anger.”
Sorcery as a Work of the Flesh
The New Testament describes sorcery as one of the works of the flesh that stands opposed to a life led by the Spirit. Christians are warned to avoid such practices, as they lead to spiritual destruction.
Galatians 5:19-21
“When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.”
Revelation 21:8
“But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Revelation 22:15
“Outside the city are the dogs—the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie.”
Acts 8:9-11
“A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great. Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as ‘the Great One—the Power of God.’ They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.”
Acts 13:6-8
“Afterward they traveled from town to town across the entire island until finally they reached Paphos, where they met a Jewish sorcerer, a false prophet named Bar-Jesus. He had attached himself to the governor, Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent man. The governor invited Barnabas and Saul to visit him, for he wanted to hear the word of God. But Elymas, the sorcerer (as his name means in Greek), interfered and urged the governor to pay no attention to what Barnabas and Saul said. He was trying to keep the governor from believing.”
The Deception of Sorcery
Sorcery is often linked with deception and manipulation. Those who practice it attempt to control others through counterfeit power, leading them away from the truth of God.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-10
“This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them.”
Isaiah 47:12-13
“Now use your magical charms! Use the spells you have worked at all these years! Maybe they will do you some good. Maybe they can make someone afraid of you. All the advice you receive has made you tired. Where are all your astrologers, those stargazers who make predictions each month? Let them stand up and save you from what the future holds.”
2 Timothy 3:13
“But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived.”
Revelation 18:23
“The light of a lamp will never shine in you again. The happy voices of brides and grooms will never be heard in you again. For your merchants were the greatest in the world, and you deceived the nations with your sorceries.”
Matthew 24:24
“For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones.”
Also Read: Bible Verses About Rebuking Spirits
Sorcery and God’s Judgment
Throughout Scripture, sorcery is associated with divine judgment. Those who practice sorcery reject God’s authority and will face the consequences of their actions. God’s justice ensures that such practices will not go unpunished.
Revelation 9:20-21
“But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood—idols that can neither see nor hear nor walk! And they did not repent of their murders or their witchcraft or their sexual immorality or their thefts.”
Malachi 3:5
“At that time I will put you on trial. I am eager to witness against all sorcerers and adulterers and liars. I will speak against those who cheat employees of their wages, who oppress widows and orphans, or who deprive the foreigners living among you of justice, for these people do not fear me, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”
Isaiah 47:9
“Well, both these things will come upon you in a moment: widowhood and the loss of your children. Yes, these calamities will come upon you, despite all your witchcraft and magic.”
Jeremiah 27:9-10
“So do not listen to your prophets, fortune-tellers, interpreters of dreams, mediums, or sorcerers who say, ‘The king of Babylon will not conquer you.’ They are all liars, and their lies will lead to your being driven out of your land. I will drive you out and send you far away to die.”
1 Chronicles 10:13
“So Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord. He failed to obey the Lord’s command, and he even consulted a medium.”
Deliverance from Sorcery Through Christ
Christ’s power offers complete deliverance from the bondage of sorcery. Those who turn to Him can be set free and experience the peace and truth that come from a relationship with God.
Colossians 1:13-14
“For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.”
Luke 10:19
“Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.”
1 John 4:4
“But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.”
Acts 19:18-19
“Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices. A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars.”
2 Corinthians 5:17
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”
Seeking Wisdom from God, Not Sorcery
The Bible calls believers to seek wisdom and guidance from God, not from sorcery or other sources of false power. True wisdom comes from fearing the Lord and walking in His ways.
James 1:5
“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”
Isaiah 8:19
“Someone may say to you, ‘Let’s ask the mediums and those who consult the spirits of the dead. With their whisperings and mutterings, they will tell us what to do.’ But shouldn’t people ask God for guidance? Should the living seek guidance from the dead?”
Psalms 32:8
“The Lord says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.'”
Proverbs 1:7
“Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”