What does the Bible say about witchcraft?

The entertainment industry has created a variety of "witches." Sabrina the Teenage Witch (2018), the Wizard of Oz (1939), and Harry Potter (2001) that have made witches seem relatable. Movies like The Witch (2015) and The Blair Witch Project (1999) play into the horror aspects of witchcraft. Stories like Hocus Pocus (1993) and The Witches of Waverly Place (2007) present alternatively goofy, angsty, or silly examples of fictional witchcraft.

As different as those many perspectives on witchcraft are, they all have two important traits in common:

1. Nobody on earth legitimately has those powers.
2. Most fictional witches are very different from what the Bible means when it uses the term “witchcraft.”

Fictional Witchcraft

What most people think of when they hear the term "witch" is nothing like what the Bible describes. Performing supernatural feats through occult powers, like a comic book superhero or villain, is generally based on pagan myth—not a Christian claim. Scripture does not explicitly say, "Do not turn invisible, shoot fireballs, fly on brooms, levitate objects, or turn into animals." That’s because such things cannot happen.

Yes, it would be bad to pick up a skyscraper and throw it at someone, but there’s no good reason for God to tell people not to do that exact thing—because they couldn't do it anyway. So this fictional witchcraft isn't even what the Bible speaks about.

Biblical Witchcraft

In the Bible, the idea of witchcraft is similar to divination. It’s an attempt to communicate with evil spirits so they’ll provide information or insight. In some cases, it can mean attempting to use a ritual or chant (e.g. spell) in an effort to convince a spirit to do something.

The Bible’s view is essentially saying, "Yes, you CAN, in fact, interact with demons—but DON'T." And that’s what it means when it forbids witchcraft. The Bible tells us not to try and cast spells or talk to the dead—not because we really can, but because it opens us up to dangerous forces.

When Things Get Real

The Bible condemns all forms of witchcraft—whether it’s information-based or spell-based, effective or pointless, minor or major. Casting an occult spell is not a harmless thing, even if there’s no chance of it really working, because doing so means following the lead of a demonic spirit. This is why God told the people of Israel not to get involved in such things when they came into the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 18:9-12).

Just because witchcraft can’t allow someone to throw fireballs or turn others into frogs, that doesn’t mean God takes the subject lightly.

Under Old Testament law, the penalty for witchcraft was death (Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 20:27). Real people attempting to commune with spirits have engaged in human sacrifice, child sacrifice, drug use, and other sinful behaviors in their efforts to contact a spiritual entity. And the only beings listening to that kind of prayer are demons who aren't interested in being your friend (1 Samuel 15:23; Isaiah 8:19).

A really important point to keep in mind is that while spells, hexes, fortunes, and such are not "real" in the sense that they can’t actually do what they claim, they should still be considered dangerous because they involve contact with demons. Demonic beings have ZERO interest, whatsoever, in making deals, bargains, or promises. And they’re not interested in helping humanity attain spirituality, knowledge, or power. Quite the opposite.

At its most harmless, a person participating in witchcraft is just wasting their time. At its worst, a person performing "magic" will reach an evil spirit who only wants to destroy them.

Satan has a great deal of power (1 Thessalonians 2:18; Job 1:12-18; 1 Corinthians 5:5), but he’s not going to jump when a wannabe-witch snaps their fingers. However, he’d be more than happy to tempt, warp, twist, deceive, and abuse anyone who opens themselves up to the influence of his demons by attempting witchcraft.

Which witch is which?

Does this mean Christians need to run screaming from everything touched by the term "witchcraft"? The answer is a very carefully qualified NO.

The problem is not the word—it’s what the word might mean. What most people call witchcraft is foreign to the Bible. Harry Potter’s version of magic, for instance, is more like the Force from Star Wars (1977) or the "bending" abilities from Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005).

This kind of "magic" is explicitly NOT something involving demons or Satan. It's totally different from what the Bible means when it refers to sorcery, magic, and divination.

The Importance of Spiritual Discernment

Now, that doesn’t automatically green-light all movies about magic or witchcraft for all people at all times. It’s fair to say that if someone's faith is weak or immature, or if they're not using spiritual discernment about the content they consume, then they may suffer confusion about what’s real and what’s not.

These kinds of stories could potentially affect the faith of a new or immature believer. So understanding our spiritual boundaries and personal convictions are important when deciding what's OK for us personally.

In contrast, things like Ouija boards and seances are the biblical definition of witchcraft and can’t honestly be defended under any circumstances. Most occult concepts are deliberately tied to Satanic demons or spirits—and that’s extremely dangerous territory.

When in doubt, it’s wise for believers to keep their distance from anything called "witchcraft" in real life until they know more about what’s really involved.

For Bible references in this video, check the description on YouTube.

ALSO SEE:

• Were the Salem Witch Trials biblical?
• Do some Christmas traditions have pagan origins?
• Is Harry Potter OK for Christians?
• Should Christians read horoscopes?
• What's the difference between miracles and magic?
• Should Christians celebrate Halloween?
• What is the Christian view on Goth/Emo?
• What's wrong with stories about demons?
• The Truth About Demons