Exodus 22:18 in 19 English translations of the Bible:

Various Biblical translations render this verse as:

1. American Standard Version "Thou shalt not suffer a sorceress to live."
2. The Answer: Put to death any woman who does evil magic.
3. Amplified Bible: You shall not allow a woman to live who practices sorcery.
4. Good News Version: Put to death any woman who practices magic.
5. James Moffatt Translation: You shall not allow any sorceress to live.
6. Jerusalem Bible: You shall not allow a sorceress to live.
7. King James Version: Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
8. Living Bible: A sorceress shall be put to death.
9. Modern Language Bible: Allow no sorceress to live.
10. New American Bible: You shall not let a sorceress live.
11. New American Standard Bible: You shall not let a sorceress live.
12. New Century Version: Put to death any woman who does evil magic.
13. New International Version: Do not allow a sorceress to live.
14. New Living Translation: A sorceress must not be allowed to live.
15. New Revised Standard Version: You shall not permit a female sorcerer to live.
16. New World Translation: You must not preserve a sorceress alive.
17. The Promise: Contemporary English Version: Death is the punishment for witchcraft.
18. Revised Standard Version: You shall not permit a sorceress to live.
19. Revised English Bible: You must not allow a witch to live.

In the original Hebrew manuscript, the author used the word m'khashepah to describe the person who should be killed. The word means a woman who uses spoken spells to harm others - e.g. causing their death or loss of property. Clearly "evil sorceress" or "woman who does evil magic" would be the most accurate phrases in today's English usage for this verse.

The Good News Bible uses the term "magic." This is also a poor selection because that term has been used to refer to:

	stage magic, sleight of hand, magic tricks.
	ceremonial magic used to harm other persons.
	ceremonial magic used to heal other persons.

The King James Version and Revised English Bible use the term "witch." In North America, the term normally refers to Wiccans -- the followers of the Wiccan religion. According to the Scofield Reference Bible this verse from the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) was written in the year 1491 BCE. This is some 650 years before the origin of the Celtic people circa 850 BCE from whom some elements of Wicca were taken. So Exodus 22:18 can hardly be referring to Wiccans.

The word Witchcraft in the New International Version's translation of Deuteronomy 18:10-11 is a significant problem for Wiccans. Many Evangelical Christians naturally assume that it refers to followers of the Wiccan faith, since they are the only sizable group who identifies themselves as Witches. This verse is often quoted near Halloween; it has sometimes been used as the text of sermons that have triggered hatred, verbal attacks and even physical attacks on Wiccans.

The first part of Verse 10 apparently prohibits the ancient Israelites from engaging in child sacrifice. The Pagan tribes around Israel allegedly murdered children by casting them into a fire. Many theologians believe that this refers to some sort of a trial by fire that would not usually result in a death. Various translations render the remainder of Verse 10 and Verse 11 as:

1. American Standard Version: There shall not be found with thee any one...that useth divination, one that practiseth augury, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer, | or a charmer, or a consulter with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
2. Amplified Bible: There shall not be found among you anyone who... uses divination or is a soothsayer or an augur or a sorcerer, | or a charmer, or a medium or a wizard or a necromancer.
3. The Answer: Don't let anyone use magic or witchcraft, or try to explain the meaning of signs. | Don't let anyone try to control others with magic, and don't let them be mediums or try to talk with the spirits of dead people."
4. Good News Version: ...and don't let your people practice divination or look for omens or use spells | or charms and don't let them consult the spirits of the dead.
5. James Moffatt Translation: There must be none among you... who practices divination or soothsaying, no augur, no sorcerer, | no one who weaves spells, no medium or magician, no necromancer.
6. Jerusalem Bible: There must never be anyone among you who ... practices divination, who is a soothsayer, augur or sorcerer, | who uses charms, consults ghosts or spirits, or calls up the dead.
7. King James Version: There shall not be found among you anyone ....that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
8. Living Bible: No Israeli may practice black magic, or call on the evil spirits for aid, or be a fortune teller, | or be a serpent charmer, medium, or wizard, or call forth the spirits of the dead..
9. Modern Language Bible: There must not be found among you anyone... practicing divination, or soothsaying, observing omens, applying sorcery, | a charmer, a medium, a wizard, or a necromancer.
10. New American Bible: Let there be not be found among you anyone [who is]...a fortune-teller, soothsayer, charmer, diviner, | or caster of spells, no one who consults ghosts and spirits or seeks oracles from the dead.
11. New American Standard Bible: There shall not be found among you... one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens or a sorcerer, | or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.
12. New Century Version: Don't let anyone use magic or witchcraft. No one should try to explain the meaning of signs, | don't let anyone try to control others with magic. Don't let them be mediums or try to talk with the spirits of dead people. .
13. New International Version: Let no one be found among you who ... practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, | or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.
14. New Living Translation: Do not let your people practice fortune-telling or sorcery, or allow them to interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, | or cast spells or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead.
15. New Revised Standard Version: No one shall be found among you who practices divination, or is a soothsayer or an augur, or a sorcerer, | or one who cast spells or who consults ghosts and spirits, or who seeks oracles from the dead.
16. New World Translation: There shall not be found in you anyone ... who employs divination, a practicer of magic or anyone who looks for omens or a sorcerer | or one who binds others with a spell or anyone who consults a spirit medium or a professional foreteller of events or anyone who inquires of the dead.
17. The Promise: Contemporary English Version: ..don't try to use any kind of magic or witchcraft to tell fortunes, or to cast spells or to talk with spirits of the dead.
18. Revised Standard Version: There shall not be found among you... | anyone who practices divination, a soothsayer, or an augur or a sorcerer, or a charmer, or a medium, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
19. Revised English Bible: Let no one be found among you who makes his son or daughter pass through fire, no... an augur or soothsayer or diviner or sorcerer, | none who cast spells or traffics with ghosts and spirits, and no necromancer.

The original wording of these verses condemned individuals who followed practices defined by these 8 Hebrew words:

1. yid'oni: knowers; wizards; persons who make contact with spirits who are not of God. (Some Wiccans have engaged in spiritism and have attempted to contact the dead. However, this is not necessarily an integral part of the Wiccan religion).
2. sho'el 'ov: making forbidden contact with the dead. (Ditto) .
3. qosem q'samim: predicting the future by using lots or a similar system. (Many Wiccans as well as Christians sometimes use tarot cards, runes, scrying etc. to foretell the future, but this is not an integral part of the Wiccan religion) .
4. m'onen: predicting the future by interpreting signs in nature. (Ditto) .
5. m'nachesh an enchanter (perhaps a snake charmer, because "nachash" means snake. We have never heard of Wiccan snake charmers) .
6. chover chavar: use of knot-tying to perform magic. (Wiccans sometimes engage in knot-tying, but only for positive healing magic. Again, it is a practice that some engage in, but is not an integral part of their religion).
7. m'khaseph: an evil sorcerer (as in Exodus 22:18); a person using spoken spells to harm others. (Wiccans do not engage in this activity; they are specifically prohibited from doing so by their Wiccan Rede).
8. doresh 'el hametim: a person who makes contact with the dead - probably by another method than sho'el 'ov. (Again, there are some Wiccans who engage in spiritism, but it is not necessarily an integral part of their religion).

These verses would seem to prohibit a number of modern day activities:

	Harming or killing people through the use of: evil sorcery intended to harm others. knot magic (tying and untying knots while cursing someone).
	Engaging in methods of foretelling the future by studying nature (e.g. whether the winter will be unusually cold by studying the size of caterpillars or whether spring will be delayed by studying the actions of a groundhog). casting sticks (e.g. I Ching or perhaps runes). astrology.
	Raising ghosts or spirits through the use of spiritism (a.k.a. spiritualism) by a medium.
	Channeling; this is a New Age practice in which a spirit speaks through a person.
	Snake charming.

Wiccans are prohibited from harming, dominating, manipulating or controlling people by any means. Some use various methods of foretelling the future, as do members of other religions. Some engage in spiritism, so do followers of other faiths. The latter two practices are not necessarily an integral part of their religion.

In our opinion, none of the eight Hebrew words should be translated as Witch or Witchcraft. None of the eight words refers to the religion of Wicca. Precise terms that accurately describe the activity should be used. We suggest:

1. yid'oni: acting as a medium;
2. sho'el 'ov: communicating with the dead;
3. qosem q'samim: predicting the future using lots;
4. m'onen: predicting the future by interpreting signs in nature;
5. m'nachesh snake charming;
6. chover chavar: using knot-tying to perform magic;
7. m'khaseph: evil sorcery;
8. doresh 'el hametim: channeling

Galatians 5:19-20 in 22 English translations of the Bible:

Various translations of the Christian Scriptures render this verse as a list of "acts of the sinful nature", or "works of the flesh" and specify the following practices:

1. American Standard Version: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, sorcery..."
2. The Answer: "being sexually unfaithful, not being pure, taking part in sexual sins, worshipping gods, doing witchcraft...."
3. Amplified Bible: "immorality, impurity, indecency, idolatry, sorcery..."
4. Authentic New Testament: "adultery, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery..."
5. Good News Version: "immoral, filthy and indecent actions; in worship of idols and witchcraft..."
6. James Moffatt Translation: "sexual vice, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, magic..."
7. Jerusalem Bible: "fornication, gross indecency and sexual irresponsibility; idolatry and sorcery..."
8. King James Version: "adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft..."
9. Living Bible: "impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, spiritism (that is, encouraging the activity of demons),..."
10. Modern Language Bible: "immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, magic arts...".
11. New American Bible: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery..."
12. New American Standard Bible: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery..."
13. New Century Version: "being sexually unfaithful, not being pure, taking part in sexual sins, worshipping false gods, doing witchcraft..."
14. New International Version: "sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft..."
15. New Living Translation: "sexual immorality, impure thoughts. eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, participation in demonic activities...."
16. New Revised Standard Version: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery..."
17. New Testament & Psalms: An Inclusive Version: "fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery..."
18. New World Translation: "fornication, uncleanness, loose conduct, idolatry, practice of spiritism..."
19. The Promise: Contemporary English Version: "immoral ways, impure thoughts, and shameful deeds. They worship idols, practice witchcraft..."
20. Rheims New Testament: "fornication, uncleanness, immodesty, luxury, idolatry, witchcrafts..."
21. Revised Standard Version: "fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery..."
22. Revised English Bible: "fonication, indecency, and debauchery; idolatry and sorcery..."

The reference to adultery was not present in the earliest manuscripts. It was apparently added later by an unknown Christian forger. The key word of interest here is the Greek word "pharmakia" from which the English words "pharmacy" "pharmaceuticals," and "pharmacology" are derived. Interpreted literally, it refers to the practice of preparing poisonous potions to harm or kill others. In the above English translations it has been called:

	sorcery: 10 times;
	witchcraft: 7 times;
	magic, magical arts: twice;
	spiritism: twice;
	participate in demonic activities: once.

	A poisoner: a murderer who uses toxic potions to kill humans by stealth.
	A person who goes around spreading dissention - poisoning people's minds.

	Sorcery is inexact because current usage sometimes refers to white magic, for healing purposes, as well as black (injurious) magic.
	The use of witchcraft is particularly unfortunate. The word is hopelessly vague. It has at least 18 different meanings - some quite contradictory. The largest group whose members describe themselves as Witches are Wiccans and other Neopagans. They are prohibited from dominating, manipulating, controlling or harming others by their Wiccan Rede. Thus, they do not engage in any form of black magic. They are restricted to what the public refers to as "white magic;" they use spells to promote healing and positive outcomes.
	The use of the word spiritism is similarly unfortunate, because the Greek word does not seem to have any connection with the practice of contacting spirits. This term is used by Spiritists who form the Universal Church of the Master. (Spiritists are called Spiritualists in the UK). They use mediums to contact the spirits of the deceased, in order to grow spiritually and intellectually. They currently have about 10,000 members in the US. The New Age practice of channeling is very similar to Spiritism.

The most likely meanings do not appear in any of the Bible translations that we have checked:

Of the terms that are actually used in English translations:

We would recommend that readers of the Bible cross out the words "witchcraft," "spiritism," etc. and substitute "poisoning", because Galatians 5:19-20 has no connection with any of the words, even though they appear in popular translations of the Christian Scriptures.

How the verse is translated:

There is no consistency in the translations of this verse, as they appear in various English versions of the Bible. The sixth group which is destined for Hell has been identified as:

1. 21st century King James Version: "sorcerers"
2. American Standard Version: "sorcerers"
3. An American Translation: those who "practice witchcraft"
4. The Answer (New Century Version): those "who do evil magic"
5. Amplified Bible: "practicers of magic arts"
6. Authentic New Testament: "sorcerers"
7. Darby Translation: "sorcerers"
8. Good News Version: "those who practice magic"
9. James Moffatt Translation: "sorcerers"
10. Jerusalem Bible: "fortune tellers"
11. King James Version: "sorcerers"
12. Living Bible: "those conversing with demons"
13. Modern Language Bible: "those practicing magic arts"
14. New American Bible: "sorcerers"
15. New American Standard Bible: "sorcerers"
16. New English Bible "sorcerers"
17. New International Version: "those who practice magical arts"
18. New Living Translation: "those who practice witchcraft"
19. New Revised Standard Version: "sorcerers"
20. New Testament & Psalms: An Inclusive Version: "sorcerers"
21. New World Translation: "those practicing spiritism"
22. Phillips Modern English "those trafficking...in sorcery"
23. The Promise: (Contemporary English Version): "uses witchcraft"
24. Rheims New Testament: ""sorcerers"
25. Revised Standard Version: "sorcerers"
26. Revised English Bible: "sorcerers"
27. Today's English Version "those who practice magic"
28. Today's New International Version: "those who practice magic arts"
29. Tyndale's New Testament: "sorcerers"
30. World English Bible: "sorcerers" The translation has a footnote: "The word for 'sorcerers' here also includes users of potions and drugs."
31. Young's Literal Translation: "sorcerers"

Conclusions:

In the 31 translations studied, the original Greek has been translated as:

	Sorcerers, or those practicing evil magic: 19 times. These are people who engage in black magic to harm or murder others.
	Those who practicing magic: 6 times. This would presumably include people who either try to hurt or heal others through spells, incantations, etc. It is unclear whether this would cover Christian clergy who conduct healing services.
	Witches: 3 times. This presumably includes people performing at least one of the 18 different practices that have been referred to as "witchcraft." It is not clear to which of the 18 practices the passage refers.
	Fortune tellers: once. Presumably this would include tea-leaf readers, palm readers, preparers of horoscopes, people who predict the weather based on the actions of a groundhog, or the diameter of caterpillars, etc.
	Those who contact demons: once.
	Spiritists: those who contact the dead: once.

The latter two categories may include channeling by New Age practitioners.

It would seem that this verse has traditionally been translated incompetently. It appears that the translators simply selected their favorite evil, and inserted it into the text. This is seen throughout many translations of the Bible, particularly with passages that refer either to homosexuality, poisoning, or evil sorcery.