Bible verses about "magic" | JMNT

¹⁹ So a considerable number of the folks practicing the meddling arts (acts or works concerning [other folks]; things that work around [nature or people]; or: = sorcery or magic arts), after bringing together the scrolls, began burning [them] down (= up) in the sight of all (or: before everybody). Then folks calculated the prices (or: values) of them and they found [them worth] fifty thousand [pieces] of silver (= a day's wage per piece of silver).

⁹ Now a certain man named Simon had been previously subsisting in the city [by] habitually practicing magic (or: using sorcery) and repeatedly amazing the nation (or: ethnic group) of Samaria, constantly saying [of] and presenting himself to be someone great (= important) [note: such folks were often considered spiritual advisors, and may have had an official position], ¹⁰ to whom everyone, from small to great (= from the unimportant to the very important), kept on attentively holding [themselves] and giving heed, one after another saying, "This man is normally being called God's Great Power (or: This one continuously exists being God's Power – that usually termed Great One)!" ¹¹ So they kept on heeding and holding themselves focused to him due to the considerable time [he had] to have been displacing [things] and amazing them by the magical acts (or: with [his] magic). ¹² But when they came to trust and then believed – by Philip progressively bringing and declaring the good news of ease and well-being pertaining to the reign and kingdom of God, and [about] the name of Jesus Christ (or: Jesus [the] Anointed One) – they were being from time to time, and one after another, immersed (or: baptized): both men and women. ¹³ So Simon himself also trusted and came to believe, and then, after being immersed (or: baptized), he was constantly attached to Philip (or: habitually persistent at standing by waiting and ready to assist Philip) and continued amazed and moved out of his position while continually watching and observing both signs and great powers (or: abilities; or: may = works and deeds of power) continually happening (or: one after another being birthed into existence).

⁸ Keep watching out for and beware that someone will not be the one progressively (or: repeatedly) carrying you off captive (after stripping you of arms and seizing your goods, proceed in kidnapping you as booty or a prey) through the philosophy and empty seduction (or: a deceitful trick having no content) being handed down from and being in line with the tradition of the people (or: corresponding to the thing handed along from humans), down from (or: in line with and corresponding to) the elementary principles (or: rudimentary teachings and fundamental assumptions) of the organized System (the world of culture, religion, government, secular society or economy), and not down from Christ (or: in accord with the sphere of, and in line with, Christ; corresponding to an Anointing),

⁸ "But for the timid (cowardly) folks and for faithless ones (unbelieving people) and for abominable folks (detestable ones) and for murderers, and for prostitutes and for sorcerers (enchanters; users of drugs) and for idolaters and for all the liars (the false ones): their portion [of the inheritance?] [is] within the lake (or: basin; artificial pool; marshy area) continuously burning with Fire and Deity, which is the Second Death."

¹ Beloved ones, stop believing (or: you must not continually believe or put trust in; being loyal or pledging allegiance to) every spirit (or: expression of some influence; breath-effect; attitude), but rather, you folks must constantly examine, test and prove the spirits (influences; attitudes) to assay (or: prove) if they are existing from out of God, because many false prophets have gone (or: come) out into the ordered System (world of societal culture, government, economy and religion) and continue there.