What does Paul mean by "witchcraft" in Galatians 5:20?

Question

I recently came across this:

Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Would Christianity have me believe in [the existence of] witchcraft, too!?

Answer 1

It wouldn't have you believe in witchcraft it would just have you avoid it.

Whether you believe in it or not is entirely separate from it existing, see this wiki about Ouija boards.

So you don't have to believe that Ouija boards work, I personally don't. However, even though I don't believe they work, I still don't associate with those types of things.

Incidentally this is related to How does one test the spirits and identify false preachers?.

The power of satan is real, just see the story of Moses in Exodus:

7:22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened,

Which is why we have tests to know the power of the Lord from the power of the devil.

Answer 2

You have to remember that the worldview of the NT and HB are very different than our own. The use of magic in the Greco-Roman world was more akin to a "Science" than religion. It was a very technical trade that required precision and attention to detail. I'll let you decide whether or not it was actually effectual, I generally don't.

We have gobs of magical texts from all over the Greco-Roman world. The basic purpose of magic was to forceably manipulate the cosmic order by way of incantations or ritual. Magic was a way for people without real power influence their daily lives and combat the powers (whether real or only perceived) which oppressed them. As such, public officials often were the "victims" of magical spells and frequently felt the need to practice counter-magic to remain safe.

It also makes for a fun story.

In other words, you have to think about what is being forbidden; the passage doesn't make any claims about whether magic is effectual (though I suspect many people assumed it was), rather it is about Christians trying to manipulate cosmic forces for their benefit---a job that should be only God's. The so-called Witch of En Dor text actually provides a rather nice negative example in the person of Saul. Because Yahweh stopped speaking to Saul in dreams, he sought a way to circumvent God's silence, by trying to contact Samuel through a medium.

Answer 3

Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

Strong's G5331

φαρμακεία

pharmakeia

far-mak-i'-ah

From G5332; medication (“pharmacy”), that is, (by extension) magic (literal or figurative): - sorcery, witchcraft.

Exo 22:18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

Deu 18:10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,

1Sa 28:7 Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.

Act 16:16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:

Yes the Bible would have you believe that there are people assocated with wicked spirits who might be classified as witches or warlocks. Its very rare. There are those who are commonly called witches in First Samuel and Acts. I did leave off Balem and Simon both warlocks. No witchcraft in Gal 5:20 refers mostly to drug abuse as it is the word from which we get pharmacy its secondary meaning is magical witchcraft.

Answer 4

The word 'witch' is of Germanic origin. The New Testament was written in Greek, and the real word in the text was 'pharmakeia'. The meaning of that is obvious - the use of drugs. One would suppose this meant mind altering drugs, unless the ancient Israelites were so benighted as to have no medicines.

This has nothing to do with the word 'witch', derived from 'witge' or 'way' and referring to the 'way of the goddess' - the goddess being Inanna, who was beloved in northern Europe before Christianity arrived there. Chaldees in northern Europe - 'wizards' or 'viziers', i.e. 'seers' - worshipped only God (by definition as Chaldees) so they secularized the way of the goddess. It would become known as the 'way of wisdom' in English.

This code of honour was the precursor to modern notions of good form, and its principles were the foundation of pre-Indo European social values in northwestern Europe. Some teachings of wisdom were that you should never be proud or ashamed of anything you have not done yourself, that dignity comes from within and has nothing to do with shallow appearance, that you should never be ashamed of physical defeat, that you should not waste your time trying to be better than everyone else, and other such sterling values. It also taught a deep regard for nature, and an awareness of unsaid truths that lie hidden behind what is declared.

Both the Chaldees and the devotees of Inanna spoke of the 'way' or 'witge' to Germanic people, hoping to teach them their own rules of conduct, but since they had a vast array of medicines (living in a rainforest) the 'way' was assumed to be their medical science rather than their ethical code. Thus it is not surprising that in English translations of the New Testament, 'pharmakeia' came to be translated as 'witchcraft', especially since it was a common practice for Germanic invaders to vilify the inhabitants of regions they took over.

Answer 5

the original word refers to "the use of drugs and effects on the mind" as we get our English word from this Greek word.. for example our word pharmacy is made-up from this Greek word defined from Wuest Studies in the New Testament from Theological Dict. of the New Testament..\ Although many have their "ideas" as they read the words "witchcraft" or sorcery" depending on the translation used, a study of the original word "is possible" and that is actually the correct understanding this word.. "use of drugs which affect the mind" are prohibited by God. It has nothing to do with "magic" or "casting spells" as some might think