The words “sorcery” and “witchcraft” are used to talk about someone using magic. The word “magic” is used to talk about a power that a human does not normally possess. This power does not come from God. Someone who uses sorcery attempts to do powerful things by the help of spirits or gods. A “sorcerer” is someone who does these powerful things that a human cannot normally do. A sorcerer often speaks magical spells. That is, a sorcerer repeats words to make powerful things happen. The practice of using sorcery to learn about the future is called “divination.”
Magic and sorcery can be used to do good things, such as healing someone. Magic and sorcery can also be used to do bad things, such as putting a curse on someone. However, all kinds of magic and sorcery are wrong because they all use the power of evil spirits (see: Deuteronomy 18:9-13).
In Egypt, when God did miraculous things through Moses, Pharaoh’s sorcerers were able to do some of the same things. But their power did not come from God (see: Exodus 7:8-13). Jezebel used sorcery as part of her idolatry (see: 2 Kings 9:22). King Saul was condemned for going to a woman who spoke to spirits and dead people (see: 1 Samuel 28).
The apostle Paul fought against a sorcerer when he visited the city of Cyprus (see: Acts 13:4-12). Paul listed sorcery as one of the “works of the flesh” (see: Galatians 5:19). John taught that sorcerers will be separated from God forever in hell (see: Revelation 21:8).
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