What Does the Bible Say About Talking to the Dead?

The Short Answer

The Bible warns God’s people against attempting to consult the dead for guidance or hidden knowledge. Deuteronomy 18 places necromancy among practices Israel was commanded to reject, and Isaiah 8:19 directs people to seek God instead of mediums.

That warning concerns deliberate spiritual contact. A grieving person speaking aloud at a grave may simply be expressing love or sorrow. Scripture becomes especially clear when the person seeks a response, instruction or supernatural information from the deceased.

Christian guidance belongs with God. Prayer, Scripture and faithful Christian counsel give the believer a positive path that does not depend on attempting contact with the dead.

What the Main Passages Establish

The main passages for What Does the Bible Say About Talking to the Dead? are Deuteronomy 18:10-12 and Isaiah 8:19. They should be read for the claims they actually make rather than used to fill gaps Scripture leaves open.

Questions about the dead often carry grief as well as theology. A careful answer can state what Scripture supports, identify where Christian traditions differ and leave uncertain details with God.

Related study: Can Dead Relatives Hear Us When We Talk to Them?.

Study This Question in More Depth

For a complete study connected with What Does the Bible Say About Talking to the Dead?, What Happens When You Die? What the Bible Really Says About Death, Heaven, Hell and the Afterlife (available to our members also) works through the biblical teaching on death, heaven and the afterlife in one focused guide.

The Extra Study below looks more closely at the passages behind What Does the Bible Say About Talking to the Dead?, the limits of what they establish and how Christians can respond faithfully when grief or unusual experiences raise further questions.