The Bible directly condemns divination, fortune-telling, sorcery, consulting spirits, and inquiring of the dead, and directs us to God and His Word. The words “psychic” and “horoscope” do not appear in these passages: if a modern practice consists of divination, consulting spirits, or occult fortune-telling, it falls under what these passages address, but that is an inference, not a direct quotation.
What does the Bible say about this?
- Deut. 18:9–14: Israel was commanded not to adopt the detestable practices of the nations, including divination, fortune-telling, sorcery, consulting spirits, and inquiring of the dead; whoever does these things is detestable before the Lord, and the people were to be blameless before God.
- Lev. 19:26, 31: do not practice divination or fortune-telling; do not turn to those who consult the dead or to mediums, so as not to defile yourselves through them. Lev. 20:6: the Lord will set His face against anyone who turns to them.
- Isa. 8:19–20: when people urge others to consult those who summon the dead and sorcerers, the people are told to turn to their God, to the law and the testimony: there is no light in those whose word does not agree with them.
- Acts 16:16–18: a servant girl had a spirit of divination, and her predictions brought her masters profit; in the name of Jesus Christ, Paul commanded the spirit to come out of her. This is an account of an event.
- Acts 19:18–20: many believers who had practiced sorcery brought their books and burned them, while the word of the Lord continued to spread and prevail. This is also an account.
- Conclusion: these passages condemn turning to fortune-tellers, sorcerers, and those who consult spirits and the dead, and direct people to God through His Word. The words “psychic” and “horoscope” do not appear in them.
- Application: if an activity consists of divination, consulting spirits, or occult fortune-telling, it falls under what is condemned in these passages; not everything called “psychic” necessarily does the same thing as the practices described by the ancient terms.
The brief answer was prepared by the editorial team; the Scripture passages are from the “Father’s Blessing” Bible.
Key Scriptures
7 Scripture Passages · “Father’s Blessing” Bible
Deuteronomy 18:9–14
9 When you enter the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable practices of those nations: 10 let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, practices witchcraft, 11 casts spells, consults mediums or spiritists, or inquires of the dead; 12 for all who do these things are detestable to the Lord, and because of these detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you; 13 you must be blameless before the Lord your God; 14 for these nations you are dispossessing listen to sorcerers and diviners, but the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so.
Leviticus 19:26
Do not eat anything with blood; do not practice witchcraft or divination.
Leviticus 19:31
Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists; do not defile yourselves by them. I am the Lord your God.
Isaiah 8:19–20
19 And when they say to you, “Turn to mediums and spiritists, to those who whisper and mutter,” then answer: Should not a people turn to their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living? 20 Turn to the law and the testimony. If they do not speak according to this word, there is no light in them.
Leviticus 20:6
And if any person turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from among his people.
Acts 16:16–18
16 Once, as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her masters a great profit through fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” 18 She did this for many days. Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And the spirit came out that very hour.
Acts 19:18–20
18 Many of those who believed came, confessing and disclosing their deeds. 19 And a number of those who had practiced sorcery gathered their books and burned them in the sight of everyone. When they calculated their value, it came to fifty thousand drachmas. 20 So the word of the Lord continued to spread and prevail with power.
