Reference: Magic, Divination, and Sorcery
Hastings
Magic, divination, sorcery, and witchcraft are all connected with belief in superhuman powers, and are methods whereby men endeavour to obtain from these powers knowledge of the future, or assistance in the affairs of life. Belief in magic and divination is most prevalent in the lower stages of civilization and religion. The arts of the magician and the diviner were founded upon the same logical processes as have issued in the development of modern science; but the limits within which deduction would be valid were disregarded, and the data were frequently imperfect. Accidental coincidence was often confused with causal sequence. (See Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible, art. 'Divination'). Magic and divination were derived from attempts at reasoning which were very often erroneous; but from such crude beginnings science has slowly grown.
In their beginning these arts were associated with religion; and diviners and magicians were those thought to be most intimately connected with the Deity, and, owing to their superior knowledge of Him and His ways, best able to learn His secrets or secure His aid. Among the Arabs the priest was originally also the soothsayer; the Heb. k
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And while he was having this in mind, behold! an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying.
After the birth of Jesus, which took place at Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod, lo! certain Magi arrived in Jerusalem, saying.
But because they were forbidden by God in a dream to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route.
"While praying do not say the same words over and over again, as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that by their much speaking they will gain attention.
"And if I am casting out demons in the power of Beelzebub, in whose power do your sons cast them out? So they themselves shall be your judges.
Then some of the Scribes and Pharisees accosted him. "Teacher," they said, "we want to see some sign from you."
Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came to him, and in order to test him, asked him to show them a sign from heaven.
"For they do all their good deeds to be gazed on of men. They widen their phylacteries,
And while he was seated upon the judgment-seat, his wife had sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered many things today, in a dream, because of him."
Others, tempting him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven.
So he came back again to Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. Now there was one of the king's officers whose son was lying ill at Capernaum.
Now for some time a man named Simon had been practicing sorcery in that city, and had amazed the people of Samaria. He gave himself out to be some great person.
But Elymas, "the sorcerer," for that is the translation of his name, opposed them, and tried to divert the proconsul from the faith.
Now as we were going to the place of prayer, a certain slave girl met us, who had a spirit of divination, and who brought her masters great gain by fortune-telling.
But there were also some strolling Jewish exorcists, who took it upon them to invoke the name of Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by that Jesus whom Paul preaches."
And some of them who had practised magic arts, collected their books, and burned them in the presence of all. And they counted the price of them, and found it to be fifty thousand silver coins.
idol-worship, sorcery, quarrels, party-spirit, jealousy, passionate anger, intrigues, factions, sectarianism,
he has now in his human body reconciled to God by his death, in order that he may bring you into his presence, holy and unblemished and irreproachable.
But wicked men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving others, and being themselves deceived.
And they did not repent of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their immorality, nor of their thefts.
And I heard a loud voice out of the throne, crying. "Behold, God's tent is with men, And he will tent with them, And they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them,