If you’re wondering what the Bible says about magicians, here’s a brief overview. The Bible generally presents magicians and sorcery in a negative light, associating them with deceit, opposition to God, and reliance on supernatural powers other than God. In both the Old and New Testaments, engaging in magic and sorcery is condemned and portrayed as contrary to trusting in God’s power and commandments. The focus is on steering clear of practices that lead people away from faith in God and towards reliance on occult or magical practices.
Got a minute? Dive deeper into the biblical stance on magicians, sorcery, and how these practices contrast with God’s call for faith and reliance on Him alone. You might find the historical and spiritual context quite enlightening.
What Does the Bible Say About Magicians?
The Bible’s perspective on magicians and sorcery is woven through its narrative, from the laws given to Moses to the stories of the early church. The consistent message is clear: practices associated with magic and sorcery are incompatible with a life devoted to God. This stance is rooted in the belief that such practices divert trust and reverence from God to the manipulation of spiritual forces or entities for personal gain or power.
In the Old Testament, the Law explicitly forbids engaging in sorcery, witchcraft, and related practices, grouping them with other sins that lead the Israelites away from God. For example, when the Israelites are preparing to enter the Promised Land, God warns them through Moses not to imitate the detestable ways of the nations living there, including those who practice sorcery and divination.
The narrative of Exodus provides a striking example with the story of Moses and Aaron confronting Pharaoh’s magicians. These magicians could mimic some of the miracles performed by Aaron through their secret arts, but their power was ultimately shown to be inferior to God’s power. This story illustrates the Bible’s view that while magicians might display seemingly supernatural abilities, their power is limited and pales in comparison to the sovereignty of God.
In the New Testament, the theme continues with a clear distinction between the power of the Holy Spirit and the practice of magic. The book of Acts recounts the story of Simon the Magician, who believed and was baptized but thought he could buy the power of the Holy Spirit. Peter rebukes him strongly, highlighting the incompatibility of sorcery with the Christian faith and the danger of trying to manipulate spiritual power.
The overarching message is not merely about the prohibition of certain practices but about where one places their trust and allegiance. The Bible advocates for complete reliance on God and adherence to His commandments, warning against turning to other powers or practices for guidance, insight, or assistance. This call to faithfulness underscores a broader principle of seeking a relationship with God that is based on trust, obedience, and reverence, rather than seeking control or knowledge through forbidden means.
Bible Verses About Magicians
- Deuteronomy 18:10-12 – “Let no one be found among you 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. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord.” This passage directly condemns various forms of magical practices, including sorcery, as abominations in the sight of God, emphasizing the importance of avoiding such practices to maintain purity in one’s relationship with God.
- Exodus 7:11-12 – “Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts: Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.” This story demonstrates the conflict between God’s power, manifested through Moses and Aaron, and the power of Egyptian magicians, highlighting the supremacy of God’s power over magical practices.
- Acts 8:9-13 – “Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, ‘This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.’ But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.” This passage recounts the conversion of Simon the Magician, who turned from sorcery to faith in Jesus Christ, illustrating the transformative power of the gospel over practices of magic and sorcery.
- Galatians 5:19-21 – “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Paul includes witchcraft (or sorcery) in the list of behaviors that are contrary to living according to the Spirit, emphasizing that such practices are incompatible with the kingdom of God.
- Revelation 21:8 – “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” This verse from Revelation underscores the eternal consequences of engaging in practices like magic arts, grouping them with other sinful behaviors that lead to separation from God.
- 2 Kings 21:6 – “He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced divination, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.” This verse recounts the actions of King Manasseh, including his engagement in practices associated with magic and sorcery, highlighting how these actions were detestable to God and contributed to his evil reign in Judah.
- Leviticus 19:31 – “Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.” This command from God to the Israelites forbids the consultation of mediums and spiritists, underscoring the importance of seeking God alone for guidance and wisdom, rather than turning to other spiritual sources.
- Acts 19:19 – “A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.” This event in Ephesus demonstrates the repentance of new believers who had practiced sorcery, choosing to renounce their former ways by destroying their sorcery scrolls, a sign of their commitment to follow Jesus.
- Micah 5:12 – “I will destroy your witchcraft and you will no longer cast spells.” This prophecy from Micah speaks to the end of practices associated with magic and sorcery among the people of Israel, as part of God’s purification and restoration of His people, reinforcing His condemnation of such practices.
- Isaiah 47:12 – “Keep on, then, with your magic spells and with your many sorceries, which you have labored at since childhood. Perhaps you will succeed, perhaps you will cause terror.” This verse is part of a taunt against Babylon, mocking the futility of relying on sorcery and magic spells. It highlights the ultimate powerlessness of such practices in the face of God’s judgment and sovereignty.
These verses further solidify the Bible’s clear stance against magicians and practices associated with sorcery and magic. Through historical accounts, laws, and prophetic utterances, Scripture consistently points believers away from reliance on any power other than God, encouraging trust and faith in Him alone. This guidance underscores a foundational aspect of biblical faith: the call to seek and honor God as the ultimate source of power, wisdom, and salvation.