What does the Bible say about witches?

from the old testament

• Witchcraft and those who practice it (“witches,” mediums, diviners, sorcerers) are explicitly forbidden because they represent turning away from God to seek spiritual power or guidance elsewhere (Exodus 22:18; Deuteronomy 18:10–12).
• God calls His people to seek Him alone for direction. Consulting spiritual intermediaries or the dead replaces trust in Him with deception (Leviticus 19:31; Isaiah 8:19–20).
• Witchcraft is described as detestable and spiritually corrupting because it involves rebellion against God’s authority and openness to deceptive spiritual influence (Leviticus 20:6; 1 Samuel 15:23).
• The Old Testament shows real consequences for engaging in occult practices, such as Saul’s downfall after consulting a medium (1 Samuel 28:7–19).
• God’s power is consistently shown to be supreme over any occult practice, reinforcing that no “witchcraft” has authority over Him (Exodus 7:11–12).

from the new testament

• Witchcraft (often translated “sorcery” or “magic arts”) is listed among works of the flesh that are incompatible with life in the Spirit (Galatians 5:19–21; Revelation 21:8).
• The New Testament connects occult practices with spiritual deception and darkness, urging believers to avoid them entirely (Ephesians 5:11).
• People who come to Christ are shown repenting by abandoning magical or occult practices, marking a clear break from that way of life (Acts 19:18–19).
• Spiritual authority belongs only to God through Christ, who has complete authority over demonic powers and deceptive spiritual forces (Luke 10:17–20; Acts 8:9–23). Witches claim to receive power from spiritual sources outside of God—whether through spirits, hidden knowledge, rituals, or manipulation of unseen forces—but Scripture frames these sources as deceptive and ultimately powerless compared to God. The Bible consistently contrasts this with the true and final authority of God, who alone rules over all spiritual reality and cannot be rivaled or controlled.
• Believers are commanded to test spiritual claims carefully because not every spiritual experience or claim is from God (1 John 4:1; 2 Corinthians 11:14–15).

implications for today

Witches and witchcraft have been a fascination to humanity since the beginning of time. From ancient pagan rituals and biblical accounts of divination to medieval witch trials in Europe, where fear and superstition led to widespread persecution, to early modern accusations that swept through colonies like Salem, the idea of witches has repeatedly shaped cultures through fear, curiosity, and power. Today, that same fascination shows up in a very different form—through TV shows like Charmed, The Vampire Diaries, American Horror Story, and The Witcher, alongside fantasy franchises like Harry Potter, as well as tarot readings on social media, astrology apps, “manifestation” trends, and aestheticized witchcraft communities online. What once was feared as dark and dangerous is now often rebranded as empowering, mystical, or harmless spirituality, but the underlying pull toward hidden knowledge and unseen power remains strikingly consistent across the centuries.

What Scripture consistently reveals, however, is that beneath the intrigue is a spiritual reality that is neither neutral nor harmless. The Bible warns that these practices are not simply alternative spirituality but turning away from the One true God—sources that distort truth, enslave hearts, and lead people away from life.

That’s why witchcraft is never treated as just curiosity in Scripture but as a serious rejection of God’s authority and a dependence on spiritual forces that cannot save, heal, or lead to truth. While culture often packages it as empowerment or secret knowledge, the Bible exposes it as deception that slowly pulls people into darkness while promising control. Even when it feels entertaining or imaginative in media, it can subtly shape what we look to for power, meaning, or direction in life.

The contrast is clear: what looks like power in witchcraft is counterfeit, but true authority belongs only to God through Christ. He alone has authority over all spiritual forces, and He alone speaks truth that leads to life rather than confusion or bondage. Everything else may promise insight or control but it cannot deliver what it offers. In the end, it only leads further into darkness, deception, and destruction—while God alone leads into light, truth, and life.