Early Christian Views on Magic and Divination

Didache, The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles Direct teaching

...ornication. You shall not steal, Exodus 20:15. You shall not practice magic. You shall not practice witchcraft. You shall not murder a child by abortion, nor kill the child that has been conceived. You shall not covet the things of your neighbor, Exodus 20:17. You shall not forswear yourself, Matthew 5:34. You shall not bear false witness, Exodus 20:16. You shall not speak evil. You shall bear no grudge. You shall not be double-minded or double-tongued, for to be double-tongued is a snare of death. Your speech shall not be false or empty, but fulfilled by deed. You shall not be covetous, nor rapacious, nor a hypocrite, nor evil disposed, nor haughty. You shall not take evil counsel against your neighbor. You shall not hate any man. But some you shall reprove, and concerning some you shall pray, and some you shall love more than your own life.

Justin Martyr, The First Apology Direct teaching

...ent awaits the wicked, make sure you are convinced and believe that these things are true. Let even necromancy, the divinations you perform with pure children, the summoning of departed human souls, and the magi, Dream-senders and Assistant-spirits (Familiars), and all such practices persuade you that souls have sensation after death. Consider those possessed by the spirits of the dead, known as dæmoniacs or madmen, and the oracles you respect, like those of Amphilochus, Dodona, Pytho, and others. Think of the views of authors like Empedocles, Pythagoras, Plato, and Socrates, the abyss of Homer, Ulysses’ descent to observe these matters, and everything similar that has been expressed. Give the same consideration to us, who believe in God not less, but more firmly, expecting to reclaim our bodies even when they have died and returned to the earth, for we believe that with God, nothing is impossible.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book I Direct teaching

Simon the Samaritan was the magician whom Luke, the disciple and follower of the apostles, mentions: "But there was a certain man named Simon, who previously practiced magic in that city and misled the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, and everyone listened to him, from the smallest to the greatest, saying, 'This man is the great power of God.' They paid attention to him because for a long time he had astonished them with his sorceries." Simon then pretended to believe, assuming that the apostles performed their healings through magic and not by God's power. Regarding their ability to fill believers with the Holy Spirit through laying on of hands, which was preached by them in Christ Jesus, he suspected this was done through a greater knowledge of magic. He offered money to the apostles, thinking he might also receive the power to give the Holy Spirit to anyone he chose. Peter said to him, "May your money perish with you, because you thought the gift of God could be bought with money. You have no part or share in this matter, for your heart is not right before God; for I see that you are full of bitterness and a captive to sin." He did not place any more faith

Tertullian, Apology Direct teaching

The same homage is paid, dutifully too, by those who consult astrologers, and soothsayers, and augurs, and magicians, about the life of the Cæsars — arts which, as made known by the angels who sinned, and forbidden by God, Christians do not even make use of in their own affairs.

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Direct teaching

These were the inventors of astrology, and soothsaying, and divination, and those productions which are called oracles, and necromancy, and the art of magic, and whatever evil practices besides these men exercise, either openly or in secret.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

...muel says, "Divination is sin," in 1 Samuel 15:23, and, "There shall be no divination in Jacob, nor soothsaying in Israel," in Numbers 23:23. You shall not use enchantments or purifications for your child. You shall not be a soothsayer or a diviner by great or small birds. Nor shall you learn wicked arts, for the law has forbidden all these things. Do not be one who wishes for evil, for you will be led into unbearable sins. You shall not speak obscenely, or use lustful glances, or be a drunkard, for from such things come whoredoms and adulteries. Do not be a lover of money, lest you serve mammon instead of God, as in Matthew 6:24. Do not be vainglorious, or haughty, or high-minded. For arrogance springs from all these things. Remember him who said, "Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty. I have not occupied myself with great matters, nor with things too high for me. But I was humble."

Didache, The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles Direct teaching

... speech or have proud eyes, because adulteries come from all these things. My child, do not observe omens, since that leads to idolatry. Do not be an enchanter, an astrologer, or a purifier, and do not even be willing to look at these things, because idolatry comes from all these things. My child, do not be a liar, since a lie leads to theft. Do not love money or be vainglorious, because thefts come from all these things. My child, do not be a murmurer, since that leads to blasphemy. Do not be self-willed or evil-minded, because blasphemies come from all these things. But be meek, since the meek shall inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5 Be patient, compassionate, innocent, gentle, and good, and always tremble at the words you have heard. You shall not exalt yourself, Luke 18:14 or give your soul too much confidence. Your soul shall not be joined to the proud, but it shall keep company with the just and lowly. Receive the things that happen to you as good, knowing that nothing comes to pass apart from God.

Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Supporting witness

but as many as are of doubtful minds and frequently repent, betake themselves to soothsaying, even as the heathen, and bring greater sin upon themselves by their idolatry.

Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Supporting witness

...such spirits, but keep away from them. But as many as are doubtful in mind and repent often turn to soothsaying, just like the heathen, and bring greater sin on themselves by their idolatry. For he who asks a false prophet about any action is an idolater, devoid of the truth, and foolish. For no spirit given by God needs to be asked. But such a spirit, having the power of Divinity, speaks all things of itself, because it proceeds from above, from the power of the Divine Spirit. But the spirit that is asked and speaks according to the desires of men is earthly, light, and powerless, and it is completely silent if it is not questioned. "How then, sir," I said, "will a man know which of them is the prophet, and which the false prophet?" "I will tell you," he says, "about both the prophets, and then you can test the true and the false prophet by my directions. Test the man who has the Divine Spirit by his life. First, he who has the Divine Spirit proceeding from above is meek, peaceable, and humble, and keeps away from all iniquity and the vain desire of this world, and is content with fewer wants than other men. And when asked, he makes no reply. Nor does he speak privately. Nor, w

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

...cles. I mean the theaters and the pomps of the heathens, their enchantments, observations of omens, soothsayings, purgations, divinations, observations of birds, their necromancies, and their invocations. For it is written, "There is no divination in Jacob, nor soothsaying in Israel," Numbers 23:23. And again, "Divination is iniquity." And elsewhere, "You shall not be soothsayers, and follow observers of omens, nor diviners, nor dealers with familiar spirits. You shall not preserve alive wizards," Leviticus 19:26; Deuteronomy 18:10. Therefore Jeremiah exhorts, saying, "Walk not according to the ways of the heathen, and be not afraid of the signs of heaven." So it is the duty of a believer to avoid the assemblies of the ungodly, of the heathen, and of the Jews, and of the rest of the heretics, lest by joining ourselves to them we bring snares on our own souls, so that by joining in their feasts, which are celebrated in honor of demons, we may not be partakers with them in their impiety. You are also to avoid their public meetings, and those sports which are celebrated in them. For a believer ought not to go to any of those public meetings, unless to purchase a slave and save a so

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

their necromancies and invocations. For it is written: There is no divination in Jacob, nor soothsaying in Israel.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

for says Samuel, Divination is sin; 1 Samuel 15:23 and, There shall be no divination in Jacob, nor soothsaying in Israel.

Leviticus 19:31 Background

“Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the LORD your God.

Tertullian, De Anima (On the Soul) Direct teaching

...ay, to be sure, what almost everybody says about it: that it is an imposture. But it is not only we Christians who notice this system of imposture. We have discovered these evil spirits, not by joining with them, but by a kind of knowledge that is against them. Nor do we deal with them by any method that attracts them, but by a power that brings them under control. I mean their miserable system, that many-sided plague on the mind of man, that maker of all error, that destroyer of our salvation and our soul at one stroke. In this way, even in magic, which is really only a second idolatry, they pretend that after death they become demons, just as in the first and literal idolatry they were thought to become gods. And why not, since the gods are only dead things? So the Aori and Biaeothanati mentioned earlier are actually called up. And not unfairly, if someone bases his belief on this principle: that those souls, more than all others, are clearly likely to be given over to violence and wrong, since they were hurried away by violence and wrong through a cruel and early death, and would have a sharp desire for revenge. However, under cover of these souls, demons are at work, especia

Origen, Against Celsus Direct teaching

But if we once admit that it is consistent with the existence of magic and sorcery (which derive their power from evil demons, who are spell-bound by elaborate incantations, and become subject to sorcerers) that some works must be found among men which proceed from a power that is divine, why shall we not test those who profess to perform them by their lives and morals, and the consequences of their miracles, viz., whether they tend to the injury of men or to the reformation of conduct?

Origen, Against Celsus Supporting witness

In the next place, again, mixing up together matters which belong to magic and sorcery, and referring them perhaps to no one — because of the non-existence of any who practise magic under pretence of a worship of this character, — and yet, perhaps, having in view some who do employ such practices in the presence of the simple (that they may have the appearance of acting by divine power), he adds: What need to number up all those who have taught methods of purification, or expiatory hymns, or spells for averting evil, or (the making of) images, or resemblances of demons, or the various sorts of antidotes against poison (to be found) in clothes, or in numbers, or stones, or plants, or roots, or generally in all kinds of things?

Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Supporting witness

The disciples, then, of this (Magus), celebrate magical rites, and resort to incantations.

Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Supporting witness

And (they are in the habit of invoking the aid of) subordinate demons and dream-senders, and (of resorting to) the rest of the tricks (of sorcery), alleging that they possess power for now acquiring sway over the Archons and makers of this world, nay, even over all the works that are in it.

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness

But the magicians, and those whom the people truly call enchanters, when they practice their detestable arts, call upon them by their true names, those heavenly names which are read in the sacred writings.

Tertullian, Apology Supporting witness

...have answered well enough the charges of the many crimes on which these fierce demands are made for Christian blood. We have fully presented our case. We have shown how we can prove that what we say is true, from the trustworthiness and antiquity of our sacred writings, and also from the confession of the powers of spiritual wickedness themselves. Who will dare to refute us, not with skill in words, but, as we have made our demonstration, on the basis of reality? But while the truth we hold is made clear to all, unbelief meanwhile, even at the very time when it is convinced of the worth of Christianity, now well known both for its benefits and from the intercourse of life, takes up the idea that it is not really something divine, but rather a kind of philosophy. "These are the very things," it says, "that the philosophers advise and profess: innocence, justice, patience, sobriety, and chastity." Why then are we not allowed the same freedom and immunity for our teachings that they have, when we are compared with them in what we teach? Or why are they not also forced to the same acts, by refusing which our lives are put in danger, if they are so much like us? For who forces a phil

Deuteronomy 18:10 Background

There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.

Numbers 23:23 Background

For there is no divination in Jacob, Nor enchantment in Israel; In season it shall be told to Jacob and Israel What God shall perform.

Acts 19:19 Background

And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.

Acts 16:16 Background

Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling.

Acts 8:9 Background

But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:

Daniel 2:2 Background

Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king.

Ezekiel 21:21 Background

For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination: he made his arrows bright, he consulted with images, he looked in the liver.

Ezekiel 13:18 Background

and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Woe to the women who sew magic charms on their sleeves and make veils for the heads of people of every height to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls of My people, and keep yourselves alive?

Ezekiel 13:20 Background

‘Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I am against your magic charms by which you hunt souls there like birds. I will tear them from your arms, and let the souls go, the souls you hunt like birds.

Exodus 7:11 Background

But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.

Acts 13:8 Background

But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.