what does the bible say about ghosts

The Bible does not support the idea of ghosts as the spirits of deceased people returning to haunt the living. It says that after death, a person’s spirit goes immediately before God, either to Heaven or Hell, and does not come back to the earthly realm. Jesus himself said that a spirit does not have flesh and bones like a living person, emphasizing the difference between the living and the dead (Luke 24:39). What some people interpret as ghosts may actually be demons—evil spiritual beings that can masquerade as deceased loved ones to deceive people (2 Corinthians 11:14-15). The Bible also forbids contacting the dead through mediums or necromancers (Leviticus 19:31; Deuteronomy 18:10-11). Angels, described as ministering spirits sent to help believers, are good spiritual beings, while demons are malevolent and seek to harm people (Hebrews 1:14; Ephesians 6:12). Reports of paranormal activity or ghost sightings are better understood biblically as interactions with spiritual beings rather than the spirits of dead humans returning to haunt the living. In summary, the Bible denies the existence of ghosts as spirits of the dead returning to earth. Instead, it teaches that spiritual beings exist as angels and demons, with demons sometimes masquerading as ghosts to deceive people. Believers are cautioned to avoid any involvement with the occult or attempts to contact spirits of the dead.