What does the Bible say about palm readers?

Bible Topic · WEB

The Bible forbids seeking guidance, power, or hidden knowledge through palm reading and other forms of divination, calling God’s people instead to trust and seek the Lord alone. Deuteronomy 18:10-12 and Leviticus 19:31 condemn fortune-telling and consulting spiritual mediums because such practices turn hearts away from God. Isaiah 8:19 urges people to inquire of their God rather than the dead or occult sources. Acts 16:16-18 shows that supernatural insight may be connected with an evil spirit, not God’s blessing. Scripture calls believers to reject these works of darkness, repent where necessary, and find wisdom through God’s Word, prayer, and faithful obedience in Christ.

Top passages, ranked by readers

Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible

  • Deuteronomy 18:10-12

    [10] There shall not be found with you anyone who makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices sorcery, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer, [11] or a charmer, or a consulter with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer. [12] For whoever does these things is an abomination to Yahweh: and because of these abominations Yahweh your God does drive them out from before you.

  • Leviticus 19:31

    "'Don't turn to those who are mediums, nor to the wizards. Don't seek them out, to be defiled by them. I am Yahweh your God.

  • Leviticus 20:6

    "'The person that turns to those who are mediums, and to the wizards, to play the prostitute after them, I will even set my face against that person, and will cut him off from among his people.

  • Galatians 5:19-21

    [19] Now the works of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness, [20] idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, [21] envyings, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

  • Revelation 21:8

    But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."

  • Acts 16:16-18

    [16] It happened, as we were going to prayer, that a certain girl having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune telling. [17] Following Paul and us, she cried out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation!" [18] She was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!" It came out that very hour.

  • Isaiah 8:19

    When they shall tell you, "Consult with those who have familiar spirits and with the wizards, who chirp and who mutter:" shouldn't a people consult with their God? on behalf of the living [should they consult] with the dead?

  • 2 Kings 21:6

    He made his son to pass through the fire, and practiced sorcery, and used enchantments, and dealt with those who had familiar spirits, and with wizards: he worked much evil in the sight of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger.

  • 1 Chronicles 10:13-14

    [13] So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against Yahweh, because of the word of Yahweh, which he didn't keep; and also because he asked counsel of one who had a familiar spirit, to inquire [thereby], [14] and didn't inquire of Yahweh: therefore he killed him, and turned the kingdom to David the son of Jesse.

  • Exodus 22:18

    "You shall not allow a sorceress to live.

Related topics

Go deeper

Ask Explain Bible AI about palm readers and get a fuller answer from a Reformed theological perspective.

Ask what the Bible says about palm readers