What the Bible says about the occult
The Bible never mentions Halloween, but it says a great deal about the occult. This is the clearest passage:
“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, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.”
This is the passage that worries many Christians about Halloween, and it deserves to be taken seriously. God forbids divination, spells, consulting the dead and every other way of seeking hidden power or knowledge apart from him. The warning runs all through Scripture (Leviticus 19:31; Isaiah 8:19), and when people in Ephesus turned to Christ, those who had practiced magic burned their books in public (Acts 19:19).
Notice what the passage is about: real practices, done in earnest. A child dressed as a pirate is not consulting the dead. A Ouija board, a séance, a tarot reading or a spell is a different matter, on any night of the year. Christians can enjoy a costume party and still say no to anything that treats the occult as a game.
And notice the deeper truth: Christians do not need to fear the dark. Paul says that at the cross Christ disarmed the powers of evil, “having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:15, KJV). For the spiritual battle Christians do face, the Bible gives us the armor of God, not a reason to be afraid.
What the Bible says about Christian freedom
The Bible also speaks to the larger question underneath this one: what to do about customs it does not address. Three passages carry most of the weight.
“One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.”
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Romans 14 was written for exactly this kind of question: believers who disagreed about special days and food. Paul does not tell one side to win. He tells each person to act in faith, to do what they do “unto the Lord” (Romans 14:6, KJV), and to stop judging each other.
1 Corinthians 10:31 turns that freedom into a question you can ask about any activity: can I do this to the glory of God? Philippians 4:8 adds another: what am I filling my mind with? A lot of modern Halloween fails that test, from gore to horror marketed to children, and that is a fair concern even for Christians who enjoy the night.
Freedom also has a limit, and its name is love. Paul warns, “take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak” (1 Corinthians 8:9, KJV). And if your own conscience says no, listen to it, because “whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Romans 14:23, KJV). In Faithero you can read Romans 14 in the King James Version, tap any verse to have it explained in plain words, and have the chapter read aloud.
Should Christians celebrate Halloween? Three ways Christians respond
Sincere Christians land in three main places. You will find each of them among Catholics and Protestants, and sometimes in houses on the same street.
1. Keep away
Some Christians skip Halloween entirely. In a LifeWay Research poll cited by the historian Beth Allison Barr in 2016, about a quarter of evangelical Christians said they avoid it completely, and almost as many said they avoid what they see as its pagan elements. They see a night that celebrates death, fear and the occult, and they take Paul's words to heart: “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness” (Ephesians 5:11, KJV). For them, staying home or doing something else as a family is a matter of conscience, not a lack of fun.
2. Redeem it
Others offer an alternative or reclaim the night's Christian meaning. Some churches hold a harvest party or a trunk-or-treat, where children go from car to car in the church parking lot; NPR reported that churches began trunk-or-treat in the late 1990s out of discomfort with some of Halloween's themes, and as a safer alternative. Lutherans keep October 31 as Reformation Day. In England, many churches hold light parties, with games, costumes and the message that Christ is the light of the world, and the Church of England has given its parishes ideas for marking the night. Some Catholic parishes keep it as the eve of All Saints, with Mass and a festival.
3. Join in thoughtfully
Many Christians hand out candy, let their children dress up and treat the night as a chance to meet the neighbors, while saying no to anything occult or gory. In the same poll, about half of evangelicals said they take part fully. For them, an open door is a small way to love their neighbors (Matthew 22:39) and to be a light on a dark night.
None of these is the only faithful choice. Romans 14 asks each Christian to act in faith and to stop judging the others: “Let us not therefore judge one another any more” (Romans 14:13, KJV).
If you are unsure
Start with what Scripture forbids
Say no to anything that seeks hidden knowledge or power: fortune-telling, séances, Ouija boards, spells. That line holds every night of the year (Deuteronomy 18:10-12).
Look at what you are actually doing
A costume, a bag of candy and a walk with your children is not witchcraft. Ask what a costume, party or film celebrates, and whether you could do it to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).
Listen to your conscience
If you cannot take part with a clear conscience, do not. If you can, do it gladly and without guilt. Paul says that whatever is not of faith is sin (Romans 14:23).
Think about the people around you
A friend who came out of the occult, or a child who scares easily, may need you to set limits that freedom alone would not (1 Corinthians 8:9).
Decide together
Talk it over as a family, or with your pastor, and explain your reasons to your children, so the choice teaches them something about following Jesus.
Be kind to Christians who choose differently
Do not look down on those who join in, and do not judge those who stay home (Romans 14:3). The goal is a clear conscience and a kind heart, not one answer for everyone.
Halloween Bible verses
Halloween talks a lot about fear and death. These verses talk back. They are good to read with children before trick-or-treating, or to hold on to if the night makes you uneasy.
“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”
“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”
“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”
A prayer for Halloween night
Lord Jesus, light of the world, your light shines in the darkness, and no darkness can put it out. Tonight, as our streets fill with costumes and candy, keep every child safe and keep our hearts free from fear. Guard us from anything that would draw us toward real darkness, and make our home a place of welcome. Let our kindness to the neighbors at our door show something of your love. Amen.
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
For more, see prayers for protection and Bible verses about courage.
Frequently asked
Should Christians celebrate Halloween?
The Bible leaves it to conscience. It never mentions Halloween, it forbids real occult practice, and it tells believers who differ over special days not to judge each other (Romans 14). So some Christians keep away, some offer church alternatives such as trunk-or-treat or Reformation Day, and some join in carefully. Whatever you choose, choose it in faith and say no to anything occult.
Is it wrong for Christians to celebrate Halloween?
Not in itself. Wearing a costume, carving a pumpkin or handing out candy is not something the Bible forbids. It becomes wrong when it involves real occult practice, when it fills your mind with what is cruel or degrading (Philippians 4:8), or when you do it against your own conscience (Romans 14:23).
Is trick-or-treating a sin?
No. Going door to door in a costume for candy is not something the Bible forbids. A similar custom, souling, grew up around All Souls' Day in England, when people went door to door for soul cakes and promised to pray for the household's dead. What matters is what you dress up as and how you treat your neighbors. If your conscience objects, you are free to stay home, or simply to hand out candy.
What is Reformation Day?
Reformation Day, October 31, remembers the day in 1517 when Martin Luther made public his Ninety-five Theses, a list of points for debate about indulgences. Popular legend says he nailed them to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg; the reality was probably less dramatic, a notice posted to announce an academic debate. The date is remembered as the start of the Protestant Reformation, and Lutherans keep it on their church calendar.
Is Halloween a pagan holiday?
Its name and date are Christian: Halloween is the eve of All Saints' Day. Many popular histories trace it to the Celtic festival of Samhain, but historians such as Ronald Hutton and Nicholas Rogers caution that little is known about Samhain and that most Halloween customs grew up around the medieval Christian feasts. Today it is mostly a cultural holiday that people fill with very different things.
What does the Bible say about Halloween?
Nothing directly; the holiday did not exist when the Bible was written. The passages that apply are about the occult (Deuteronomy 18:10-12), Christian freedom and conscience (Romans 14), and what we set our minds on (Philippians 4:8).
Light on a dark night
Halloween puts darkness on display: skeletons on porches, fake graves on lawns, fear sold by the aisle. Christians do not have to pretend that death is not real. We know it is, and we know it has been beaten. Even the night's name points to the feast that follows it, All Saints, and to the company of people who have gone through death into the presence of God.
Whatever your family decides about October 31, you can walk through it unafraid. Turn on a light, pray for the children on your street, be kind to the neighbors at your door, and remember who has already won.
Where did Halloween come from?
Halloween is short for All Hallows' Eve, the night before All Saints' Day on November 1. Hallowed is an old English word for holy, and the hallows are the saints. The Church traditionally kept a vigil that night, preparing for the feast with prayer and fasting. The November date goes back to Rome: in the 700s Pope Gregory III dedicated a chapel in St. Peter's to all the saints on November 1, and in the 800s Pope Gregory IV made it a feast for the whole Church. There is more on those two days in All Saints Day vs All Souls Day.
Many popular histories, including the BBC's religion pages and History.com, say Halloween grew out of Samhain, a Gaelic festival at the end of summer that the Church later absorbed. Historians who study the period are more cautious. Ronald Hutton has said we have no real idea what actually happened at Samhain. Nicholas Rogers, in Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night (Oxford University Press, 2002), concludes that Samhain may have lent the night its eerie mood but, apart from its bonfires, few actual customs; most of those grew up around the medieval feasts of All Saints and All Souls. The dates do not fit the popular story either: the early Irish, whose festival Samhain was, kept their feast for the saints in April, while the November date took hold in Germanic lands that never kept Samhain. Summing up this work in 2016, the Baylor historian Beth Allison Barr concluded that Halloween's roots lie in the medieval Christian past and that its link to paganism is thin.
Some customs did grow up around those Christian days. In England, poor people, and later children, went door to door on All Souls' Day for soul cakes and promised to pray for the household's dead. That practice, called souling, probably lies behind trick-or-treating. Much of what fills Halloween now, from store-bought costumes to horror films, is simply modern.
So the honest answer is mixed. The name and the date are Christian. Some customs may echo older harvest festivals, and historians still debate how much. And a good deal of today's Halloween is neither pagan nor Christian: it is modern fun, or modern fright.