When you ask what does witchcraft mean in the bible, you are asking about far more than costumes or folklore. Scripture uses the word for real attempts to gain hidden knowledge or spiritual power apart from God, through sorcery, divination, mediums, and enchantments that He has forbidden to His people.
That sober picture runs from Moses to Revelation without changing its mind. Israel hears a clear ban, Saul falls after visiting Endor, Babylon and Nineveh are judged for sorceries, and Paul still names pharmakeia among the works of the flesh.
Witchcraft Key Scripture References
| Verse | Passage Snippet | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Exodus 22:18 | You shall not permit a sorceress to live | Covenant law for Israel at Sinai |
| Leviticus 20:27 | A medium or spiritist shall be put to death | Holiness code guards the camp |
| Deuteronomy 18:10 | No one who practices divination or sorcery | Warning before entering Canaan |
| Deuteronomy 18:12 | Whoever does these things is detestable | Practices linked to pagan nations |
| 1 Samuel 15:23 | Rebellion is like the sin of divination | Samuel confronts disobedient Saul |
| 1 Samuel 28:7 | Seek me a woman who is a medium | Saul visits Endor by night |
| 2 Kings 9:22 | The witchcrafts of your mother Jezebel | Jehu answers a false peace |
| Isaiah 47:9 | Despite your many sorceries and enchantments | Babylon faces sudden judgment |
| Nahum 3:4 | Mistress of sorceries who enslaved nations | Nineveh exposed before her fall |
| Acts 19:19 | They burned their magic books publicly | Ephesian believers renounce old arts |
Witchcraft Bible Translation Comparison
| Verse | KJV | NIV | ESV | NASB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exodus 22:18 | Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live | Do not allow a sorceress to live | You shall not permit a sorceress to live | You shall not allow a sorceress to live |
| Deuteronomy 18:10 | No diviner or sorcerer among you | Let no one practice divination or sorcery | There shall not be found among you a diviner | There shall not be found among you a diviner |
| 1 Samuel 15:23 | Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft | Rebellion is like the sin of divination | Rebellion is as the sin of divination | Rebellion is like the sin of divination |
| Isaiah 47:9 | For the multitude of thy sorceries | Despite your many sorceries | In spite of your many enchantments | Despite your many sorceries |
| Nahum 3:4 | The mistress of witchcrafts | Mistress of sorceries | Mistress of sorceries | Mistress of sorceries |
| Acts 8:9 | Simon used sorcery and bewitched people | Simon practiced sorcery in the city | Simon had practiced magic arts | Simon was practicing magic in the city |
| Galatians 5:20 | Idolatry and witchcraft and hatred | Idolatry and witchcraft | Idolatry and sorcery and enmity | Idolatry and sorcery and enmities |
| Revelation 21:8 | Sorcerers shall have part in the lake | Those who practice magic arts | Sorcerers and their portion in the lake | Sorcerers and their part in the lake |
Witchcraft People and Characters Associated
| Person | Role | Connection |
|---|---|---|
| Saul | First king of Israel | Banned mediums then consulted one at Endor |
| Medium of Endor | Spiritist visited by night | Saul seeks her after God falls silent |
| Samuel | Prophet who anointed Saul | His message seals Saul’s coming judgment |
| Jezebel | Queen beside Ahab | Her witchcrafts mark a corrupt royal house |
| Manasseh | King of Judah | Filled Jerusalem with sorcery and mediums |
| Josiah | Reforming king of Judah | Removed mediums and spiritists from the land |
| Simon Magus | Samaritan sorcerer | Amazed crowds then tried to buy the Spirit |
| Elymas | Sorcerer at Paphos | Opposed Paul and was struck blind briefly |
| Philippian slave girl | Girl with a spirit of divination | Her owners profited until Paul freed her |
Witchcraft Original Hebrew and Greek Words
| Original Word | Transliteration | Strong’s # | Literal Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| כָּשַׁף | Kashaph | H3784 | To practice sorcery |
| מְכַשֵּׁפָה | Mekashshephah | H3785 | Sorceress or female practitioner |
| קֶסֶם | Qesem | H7081 | Divination or sought oracle |
| עוֹנֵן | Onen | H6049 | Soothsayer or observer of clouds |
| אֹב | Ob | H178 | Medium or familiar spirit |
| יִדְּעֹנִי | Yiddeoni | H3049 | Spiritist or knowing spirit |
| φαρμακεία | Pharmakeia | G5331 | Sorcery or witchcraft with potions |
| φάρμακος | Pharmakos | G5333 | Sorcerer or poisoner by charms |
| μαγεία | Mageia | G3095 | Magic arts practiced openly |
| μάγος | Magos | G3097 | Magician or wise astrologer figure |
Witchcraft Related Biblical Concepts
| Concept | Connection | Supporting Verse |
|---|---|---|
| Divination | Seeking hidden knowledge apart from God | Deuteronomy 18:10 |
| Idolatry | Sorcery serves powers besides the Lord | Galatians 5:20 |
| Rebellion | Samuel pairs stubborn revolt with divination | 1 Samuel 15:23 |
| Mediums | Claimed contact with the dead | Leviticus 20:27 |
| Enchantments | Spoken charms trusted for control | Isaiah 47:12 |
| Fortune telling | Paid prediction in Philippi streets | Acts 16:16 |
| Astrology | Sky signs trusted in Babylon courts | Isaiah 47:13 |
| Renunciation | Burning books shows costly repentance | Acts 19:19 |
| False prophecy | Counterfeit guidance opposes apostles | Acts 13:8 |
Witchcraft Historical and Cultural Context
| Aspect | Detail | Biblical Source |
|---|---|---|
| Canaanite religion | Neighbor nations consulted omens and spirits | Deuteronomy 18:9 |
| Ancient court magic | Kings kept magicians near the throne | Daniel 2:2 |
| Household mediums | Private grief made spirit seeking tempting | 1 Samuel 28:3 |
| Babylonian enchantments | Empire trusted spells for lasting power | Isaiah 47:9 |
| Assyrian cruelty | Sorcery pictured as seductive domination | Nahum 3:4 |
| Greco Roman scrolls | Magic formulas carried real market value | Acts 19:19 |
| Samaritan fame | Simon built a name on amazed crowds | Acts 8:9 |
| Temple economies | Occult profit fought the gospel openly | Acts 16:19 |
Witchcraft Theological Themes
| Theme | Explanation | Scripture |
|---|---|---|
| God alone reveals secrets | Hidden things belong to the Lord | Deuteronomy 29:29 |
| Power without obedience | Gifts sought apart from God corrupt worship | 1 Samuel 15:22 |
| Spiritual adultery | Sorcery chases other unseen masters | 2 Kings 9:22 |
| Judgment on proud empires | Sorcery cannot save Babylon or Nineveh | Nahum 3:5 |
| Mercy after renunciation | Ephesus burns books and grows in faith | Acts 19:20 |
| Freedom in Christ | Paul frees a girl used for profit | Acts 16:18 |
| Flesh against Spirit | Pharmakeia fights the fruit of the Spirit | Galatians 5:17 |
| Final separation | Unrepentant sorcerers remain outside the city | Revelation 22:15 |
Witchcraft Modern Application for Believers
| Area | Practice | Scripture |
|---|---|---|
| Discernment | Test every spiritual claim by Scripture | 1 John 4:1 |
| Entertainment | Refuse content that celebrates occult power | Deuteronomy 18:10 |
| Prayer | Bring hidden fears to God in honest prayer | Philippians 4:6 |
| Possessions | Remove objects kept for occult use | Acts 19:19 |
| Guidance | Seek counsel from the word and church | Psalm 119:105 |
| Parenting | Teach children that God alone is Lord | Deuteronomy 6:5 |
| Repentance | Confess past involvement and receive mercy | 1 John 1:9 |
| Daily walk | Choose the fruit of the Spirit daily | Galatians 5:22 |
Pharmakeia and Mageia Give Witchcraft Its New Testament Voice
Paul reaches for pharmakeia in Galatians 5 because his readers knew a world where potions, charms, and drug linked rites promised control over unseen powers. He places that word beside idolatry and hatred, so you see sorcery as a work of the flesh rather than a harmless curiosity or a private hobby with candles and whispered formulas.
Luke gives you the companion word mageia in Acts 8, where Simon had amazed Samaria with magic arts before Philip arrived preaching Christ. The contrast is sharp and pastoral. One power performs for applause and profit, while the other power heals, baptizes, and points every wondering heart away from the performer and toward the risen Lord Jesus.
What Does Witchcraft Mean in the Bible When Kings Fall and Cities Repent
Saul shows you the slow tragedy behind the ban, because the king who removed mediums from the land later crept to Endor in disguise when heaven seemed silent. His story warns you that desperation never makes a forbidden door safe, and that seeking a hidden voice usually means you have stopped trusting the God who already spoke clearly.
Ephesus shows you the brighter side of the same truth, because new believers brought costly scrolls into the street and burned them without waiting to sell them quietly. Their repentance was public, expensive, and free. When a city turns from sorcery toward Christ, old tools lose their price because a better treasure has captured the heart.
Endor and Ephesus and the Witchcraft Warnings You Still Need
Translation helps you read these passages with calm care, because the KJV word witch in Exodus 22 can sound like a fairy tale figure to modern ears. The Hebrew mekashshephah points to a real female practitioner of sorcery in a covenant community, and newer versions render that plain sense with sorceress so the law sounds serious rather than quaint or theatrical.
You also need the wider canon to keep your balance, because Scripture never treats these practices as a game and never treats people trapped by them as beyond reach. Simon hears a rebuke and a call to repent, the Philippian girl is freed in Jesus name, and Ephesian converts find a church family ready to receive them.
Witchcraft Questions from Careful Bible Readers
What does pharmakeia mean in Galatians 5 and why is it listed with idolatry?
Pharmakeia means sorcery tied to potions and charms, and Paul lists it with idolatry because both chase spiritual power and help apart from God.
How are the Magi of Matthew 2 different from Simon Magus in Acts 8?
The Magi came to worship the newborn King and obeyed God’s warning, while Simon used mageia for fame and tried to purchase the Holy Spirit.
Why did Saul visit the medium at Endor after he had banned mediums himself?
Saul panicked when God gave no fresh answer before battle, and his visit in 1 Samuel 28 shows fear turning a desperate king toward the very practice he once removed.
What should a believer today do with objects once used for occult practices?
Follow the Ephesian pattern in Acts 19 by removing and destroying them in clear repentance rather than keeping, selling, or passing them to someone else.
Does Revelation 22 leave any hope for people who once practiced sorcery?
Yes, Revelation 22:15 warns the unrepentant who remain outside, yet the same gospel that judged sorcery in Ephesus welcomed former practitioners who repented and believed.