Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical terms, a sorcerer is an individual who practices sorcery, which involves the use of supernatural powers or magic, often through the assistance of evil spirits or demonic forces. The Bible consistently condemns sorcery and those who engage in it, viewing it as an abomination and a direct challenge to the sovereignty and holiness of God.
Old Testament ReferencesThe Old Testament contains several references to sorcery and sorcerers, often in the context of prohibitions against such practices. In the Law of Moses, sorcery is explicitly forbidden.
Deuteronomy 18:10-12 states, "Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, practices divination or conjury, interprets omens, practices sorcery, casts spells, consults a medium or spiritist, or inquires of the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable things the LORD your God is driving out the nations before you."
The narrative of the Exodus also highlights the confrontation between the power of God and the sorcerers of Egypt. In
Exodus 7:11-12 , Pharaoh's magicians and sorcerers attempt to replicate the miracles performed by Moses and Aaron: "Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and sorcerers, and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same things by their magic arts. Each one threw down his staff, and it became a serpent. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs."
New Testament ReferencesIn the New Testament, sorcery is similarly condemned. The Book of Acts provides a notable account of a sorcerer named Simon.
Acts 8:9-11 describes him: "Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and astounded the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great. All the people, from the least to the greatest, heeded his words and said, 'This man is the divine power called the Great Power.' They paid close attention to him because he had astounded them for a long time with his sorcery."
However, upon encountering the apostles, Simon's sorcery is revealed as inferior to the true power of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 8:18-20 recounts Simon's attempt to buy the power of the Holy Spirit: "When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money. 'Give me this power as well,' he said, 'so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.' But Peter replied, 'May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!'"
The Apostle Paul also encounters a sorcerer named Elymas in
Acts 13:8-11 , who opposes the spread of the Gospel: "But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked directly at Elymas and said, 'You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right. You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun.' Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand."
Theological ImplicationsThe practice of sorcery is consistently portrayed in Scripture as a rebellion against God. It is associated with idolatry, falsehood, and the manipulation of spiritual forces for personal gain or power. Sorcery is listed among the works of the flesh in
Galatians 5:19-21 , which warns that "those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."
The biblical stance against sorcery underscores the importance of relying solely on God and His power, rather than seeking supernatural experiences or knowledge through illicit means. The Bible calls believers to trust in God's wisdom and guidance, rejecting any form of occult practice that seeks to usurp His authority.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Sorcerer[DIVINATION]
ATS Bible Dictionary
SorcererOne who practised sorcery; nearly synonymous with magician, soothsayer, or wizard. This was a class of persons who dealt in incantations and divinations, and boasted of a power, in consequence of their deep science and by means of certain rites, to evoke the spirits of the dead from their gloomy abodes, and compel them to disclose information on subjects beyond the reach of human powers.
They pretended also that, by means of certain herbs and information on subjects beyond the reach of human powers. They pretended also that, by means of certain herbs and incantations, they were able to expel demons,Acts 13:6,8. Those persons also who devoted themselves to the general studies above mentioned, often abused their knowledge and deceived the common people, by pretending to foretell the destinies of men from the motions and appearances of the planets and stars, and to cure diseases by repeating certain phrases, etc. Of this class appears to have been Simon the sorcerer, mentioned inActs 8:9,11. Females who practised such arts were called sorceresses and witches,Malachi 3:5Revelation 22:15. SeeDIVINATION,ENCHANTMENTS, andMAGIC.
Easton's Bible Dictionary
From the Latin sortiarius, one who casts lots, or one who tells the lot of others. (see
DIVINATION.)
InDan. 2:2 it is the rendering of the Hebrew mekhashphim, i.e., mutterers, men who professed to have power with evil spirits. The practice of sorcery exposed to severest punishment (Malachi 3:5;Revelation 21:8;22:15).
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
n.) A conjurer; an enchanter; a magician.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
SORCERER; SORCERYSeeASTROLOGY, 1;DIVINATION; MAGIC; WITCHCRAFT.
Greek
5333. pharmakos -- a poisoner,sorcerer, magician... a poisoner,
sorcerer, magician. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration:
pharmakos Phonetic Spelling: (far-mak-os') Short Definition: a magician
...5332. pharmakeus --sorcerer.
... 5331, 5332. pharmakeus. 5333 .sorcerer. Transliteration: pharmakeus Phonetic
Spelling: (far-mak-yoos') Short Definition:sorcerer....sorcerer....
1114. goes -- a wailer, asorcerer, a swindler
... a wailer, asorcerer, a swindler. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration:
goes Phonetic Spelling: (go'-ace) Short Definition: a conjurer, deceiver...
2387. Iambres -- Jambres, an Eg.sorcerer
...sorcerer. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: Iambres Phonetic Spelling:
(ee-am-brace') Short Definition: Jambres Definition: Jambres, asorcerer...
2389. Iannes -- Jannes, an Eg.sorcerer
...sorcerer. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: Iannes Phonetic Spelling:
(ee-an-nace') Short Definition: Jannes Definition: Jannes, asorcerer at...
3097. magos -- a Magian, ie an (Oriental) astrologer, by impl. a...
... a magician. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: magos Phonetic Spelling:
(mag'-os) Short Definition: asorcerer, magician, wizard Definition: a...
1681. Elumas -- Elymas, a magician
... Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: Elumas Phonetic Spelling: (el-oo'-mas)
Short Definition: Elymas Definition: Elymas, the name of thesorcerer at Paphos...
Strong's Hebrew
3786. kashshaph --sorcerer... 3785, 3786. kashshaph. 3787 .
sorcerer. Transliteration: kashshaph Phonetic
Spelling: (kash-shawf') Short Definition: sorcerers.
...sorcerer.
...3784. kashaph -- to practice sorcery
... Word Origin denominative verb from kesheph Definition to practice sorcery NASB Word
Usage practiced sorcery (1),sorcerer (1), sorcerers (3), sorceress (1)....
6049. anan -- to practice soothsaying
... to practice soothsaying. Transliteration: anan Phonetic Spelling: (aw-nan') Short
Definition: bring. bring, enchanter, observer of times, soothsayer,sorcerer...
Library
Simon theSorcerer
... SIMON THESORCERER. 'Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for
thy heart is not right in the sight of God.'"Acts 8:21....
Menander theSorcerer.
... Book III. Chapter XXVI."Menander theSorcerer. 1. Menander, [813] who
succeeded Simon Magus, [814] showed himself in his conduct...
System of the Magicians; Incantations of Demons; Secret Magical...
... And (thesorcerer), taking (a paper), directs the inquirer [234] to write down with
water whatever questions he may desire to have asked from the demons....
Heralds of the Gospel
... And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certainsorcerer,
a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-Jesus: which was with the deputy...
Acts xiii. 4, 5
... xi.19), and so here they betook them to the synagogues. "And when they had gone
through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certainsorcerer, a false prophet, a...
Expatriation
... The eye of thesorcerer fell on the young man's dress.... When his thoughts returned
to earth, he found the glittering eyes of thesorcerer fixed upon him....
The Burning ??sculapius; Tricks with Fire.
... The (sorcerer), however, previously washes his hands frequently in brine; the
consequence being, that the contents of the cauldron do not in any wise, though...
To the Regions Beyond
... synagogues of the Jews; and they had also John to their minister.6. And when they
had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certainsorcerer, a false...
The Teaching of Simon Cephas in the City of Rome.
... Let not Simon thesorcerer delude you by semblances which are not realities, which
he exhibits to you, as to men who have no understanding, who know not how to...
Consummation of Thomas the Apostle.
... And Thomas went and found the jailors fighting, and saying: What wrong have we done
to thatsorcerer, that, availing himself of his magic art, he has opened...
Thesaurus
Sorcerer (3 Occurrences)... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
SORCERER; SORCERY. See ASTROLOGY, 1; DIVINATION;
MAGIC; WITCHCRAFT. Multi-Version Concordance
Sorcerer (3 Occurrences).
...Barjesus (1 Occurrence)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Son of Joshua, the patronymic of Elymas thesorcerer
(Acts 13:6), who met Paul and Barnabas at Paphos....
Bar-jesus (1 Occurrence)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Son of Joshua, the patronymic of Elymas thesorcerer
(Acts 13:6), who met Paul and Barnabas at Paphos....
Enchanter (5 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) One who enchants; asorcerer or magician; also,
one who delights as by an enchantment. Multi-Version Concordance...
Elymas (2 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Magician orsorcerer, the Arabic name of the
Jew Bar-jesus, who withstood Paul and Barnabas in Cyprus....
Sorcery (10 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.SORCERER; SORCERY. See ASTROLOGY, 1; DIVINATION;
MAGIC; WITCHCRAFT. Multi-Version Concordance Sorcery (10 Occurrences)....
Magician (5 Occurrences)
... (n.) One skilled in magic; asorcerer; one who practices the black art; an enchanter;
a necromancer; asorcerer or sorceress; a conjurer. Int....
Witch (2 Occurrences)
... with the Devil; asorcerer or sorceress; -- now applied chiefly or only to women,
but formerly used of men as well. 3. (n.) An ugly old woman; a hag....
Magic (12 Occurrences)
... Simon, a magician, was found by Philip at Samaria (Acts 8:9-24); and Paul and Barnabas
encountered Elymas, a Jewishsorcerer, at Paphos (13:6-12)....
Soothsayer (4 Occurrences)
... Hebrews (seeSORCERER.). Noah Webster's Dictionary. 1. (n.) One who foretells events
by the art of soothsaying; a prognosticator. 2. (n.) A mantis....
Resources
Who was Simon the Sorcerer? | GotQuestions.orgWho was Bar-Jesus in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does the Bible say about white magic? | GotQuestions.orgSorcerer: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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