What Does the Bible Say About Spiritual Darkness?

John 8:12 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Ephesians 5:8 ESV / 4 helpful votes

For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

John 12:46 ESV / 4 helpful votes

I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.

Colossians 1:16 ESV / 3 helpful votes

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

Ephesians 6:12 ESV / 3 helpful votes

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

John 14:6 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Psalm 119:105 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Revelation 20:1-15 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while. Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. ...

Revelation 17:1-18 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth's abominations.” ...

Revelation 12:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Revelation 1:1-20 ESV / 2 helpful votes

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood ...

1 John 5:19 ESV / 2 helpful votes

We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

1 John 5:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.

1 John 3:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

1 John 2:11 ESV / 2 helpful votes

But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

1 John 2:8 ESV / 2 helpful votes

At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.

1 John 1:7 ESV / 2 helpful votes

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

1 John 1:5 ESV / 2 helpful votes

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

Hebrews 1:3 ESV / 2 helpful votes

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Colossians 2:1-23 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. ...

Colossians 1:12-14 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:1-29 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, ...

Ephesians 6:1-24 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, ...

Ephesians 4:18 ESV / 2 helpful votes

They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.

2 Corinthians 11:14 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

2 Corinthians 11:13-14 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

2 Corinthians 6:14 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

Romans 12:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 8:1-39 ESV / 2 helpful votes

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. ...

Acts 19:19 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.

John 16:11 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

John 15:10 ESV / 2 helpful votes

If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.

John 12:35 ESV / 2 helpful votes

So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.

John 12:31 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.

John 8:1-59 ESV / 2 helpful votes

But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” ...

John 3:20 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

John 3:19 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

John 3:19-21 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

John 1:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

John 1:5 ESV / 2 helpful votes

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Luke 22:53 ESV / 2 helpful votes

When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”

Matthew 5:14 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Ezekiel 28:1-26 ESV / 2 helpful votes

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord God: “Because your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of the gods, in the heart of the seas,’ yet you are but a man, and no god, though you make your heart like the heart of a god— you are indeed wiser than Daniel; no secret is hidden from you; by your wisdom and your understanding you have made wealth for yourself, and have gathered gold and silver into your treasuries; by your great wisdom in your trade you have increased your wealth, and your heart has become proud in your wealth— ...

Isaiah 59:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not overtake us; we hope for light, and behold, darkness, and for brightness, but we walk in gloom.

Isaiah 14:1-32 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For the Lord will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel, and will set them in their own land, and sojourners will join them and will attach themselves to the house of Jacob. And the peoples will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them in the Lord's land as male and female slaves. They will take captive those who were their captors, and rule over those who oppressed them. When the Lord has given you rest from your pain and turmoil and the hard service with which you were made to serve, you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: “How the oppressor has ceased, the insolent fury ceased! The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of rulers, ...

Isaiah 8:20 ESV / 2 helpful votes

To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.

Proverbs 6:23 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,

Proverbs 4:1-27 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Hear, O sons, a father's instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching. When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother, he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. ...

Psalm 82:5 ESV / 2 helpful votes

They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

Leviticus 20:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.

Genesis 3:1-24 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” ...

Genesis 2:24 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

52 Bible Verses about Spiritual Darkness

John 8:12 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ephesians 5:8 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 12:46 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Colossians 1:16 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ephesians 6:12 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 14:6 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 119:105 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Revelation 20:1-15 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Revelation 17:1-18 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Revelation 12:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Revelation 1:1-20 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 John 5:19 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 John 5:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 John 3:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 John 2:11 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 John 2:8 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 John 1:7 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 John 1:5 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Hebrews 1:3 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Colossians 2:1-23 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Colossians 1:12-14 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Colossians 1:1-29 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ephesians 6:1-24 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ephesians 4:18 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

2 Corinthians 11:14 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

2 Corinthians 11:13-14 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

2 Corinthians 6:14 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 12:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 8:1-39 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Acts 19:19 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 16:11 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 15:10 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 12:35 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 12:31 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 8:1-59 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 3:20 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 3:19 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 3:19-21 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 1:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 1:5 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 22:53 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 5:14 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ezekiel 28:1-26 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Isaiah 59:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Isaiah 14:1-32 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Isaiah 8:20 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 6:23 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 4:1-27 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 82:5 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Leviticus 20:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Genesis 3:1-24 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Genesis 2:24 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

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