Occult Practices

When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate(A) the detestable ways(B) of the nations there. 10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire,(C) who practices divination(D) or sorcery,(E) interprets omens, engages in witchcraft,(F) 11 or casts spells,(G) or who is a medium or spiritist(H) or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you.(I) 13 You must be blameless(J) before the Lord your God.(K)

The Prophet

14 The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination.(L) But as for you, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so.

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Avoid Wicked Customs

“When you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, (A)you shall not learn to follow the [a]abominations of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter (B)pass[b] through the fire, (C)or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 (D)or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or (E)one who calls up the dead. 12 For all who do these things are [c]an abomination to the Lord, and (F)because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you. 13 You shall be [d]blameless before the Lord your God. 14 For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the Lord your God has not [e]appointed such for you.

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 18:9 detestable acts
  2. Deuteronomy 18:10 Be burned as an offering to an idol
  3. Deuteronomy 18:12 detestable
  4. Deuteronomy 18:13 Lit. perfect
  5. Deuteronomy 18:14 allowed you to do so