spirits and ghosts
What does the Bible say about spirits and ghosts? These are the passages readers found most helpful — tap any citation to read it in context.
20 passages · most helpful first
31Do not turn aside to astrologers, nor consult with soothsayers, so as to be polluted through them. I am the Lord your God.
7Therefore, be subject to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
13But when the Spirit of truth has arrived, he will teach the whole truth to you. For he will not be speaking from himself. Instead, whatever he will hear, he will speak. And he will announce to you the things that are to come.
16So then, I say: Walk in the spirit, and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh.
16And when evening arrived, they brought to him many who had demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word. And he healed all those having maladies,
19Now the works of the flesh are manifest; they are: fornication, lust, homosexuality, self-indulgence, 20the serving of idols, drug use, hostility, contentiousness, jealousy, wrath, quarrels, dissensions, divisions, 21envy, murder, inebriation, carousing, and similar things. About these things, I continue to preach to you, as I have preached to you: that those who act in this way shall not obtain the kingdom of God.
14Yet truly, each one is tempted by his own desires, having been enticed and drawn away.
27A man or a woman, in whom there is an oracle-like or a divining spirit, shall be put to death. They shall stone them. So let their blood be upon them.
9When you will have entered into the land which the Lord your God will give to you, be careful that you are not willing to imitate the abominations of those nations. 10Do not let there be found among you one who would purify his son or daughter by leading them through fire, nor one who consults seers, nor one who observes dreams or omens. Do not let there be found among you one who practices the occult, 11nor one who uses spells, nor one who consults demonic spirits, nor a diviner, nor one who seeks the truth from the dead. 12For the Lord abominates all these things. And, because of these wicked ways, he will destroy them at your arrival.
1Stand firm, and do not be willing to be again held by the yoke of servitude. 2Behold, I, Paul, say to you, that if you have been circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3For I again testify, about every man circumcising himself, that he is obligated to act according to the entire law. 4You are being emptied of Christ, you who are being justified by the law. You have fallen from grace. 5For in spirit, by faith, we await the hope of justice. 6For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision prevails over anything, but only faith which works through charity.
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3All things were made through Him, and nothing that was made was made without Him. 4Life was in Him, and Life was the light of men. 5And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 6There was a man sent by God, whose name was John.
9If we confess our sins, then he is faithful and just, so as to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all iniquity.
16Do you not know to whom you are offering yourselves as servants under obedience? You are the servants of whomever you obey: whether of sin, unto death, or of obedience, unto justice.
18Flee from fornication. Every sin whatsoever that a man commits is outside of the body, but whoever fornicates, sins against his own body. 19Or do you not know that your bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20For you have been bought at a great price. Glorify and carry God in your body.
38For I am certain that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor the present things, nor the future things, nor strength,
6And he caused his sons to pass through fire in the Valley of the son of Hinnom. He observed dreams, followed divinations, served the occult arts, had with him magicians and enchanters, and worked many evils before the Lord, so that he provoked him.
9When Michael the Archangel, disputing with the devil, contended about the body of Moses, he did not dare to bring against him a judgment of blasphemy, so instead he said: “The Lord commands you.”
26But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will suggest to you everything whatsoever that I have said to you.
10So I say to you, there will be joy before the Angels of God over even one sinner who is repentant.”
26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been established, so that those who might want to cross from here to you are not able, nor can someone cross from there to here.’