Dear Anthony:

The Revised Standard Version-Catholic Edition translates the Hebrew word "kâshaph" as "sorceress". The Douay-Rheims translates it as "wizards". The King James translates it as "witch". All of these words, "sorceress", "wizards", and "witch" all mean the same thing.

The Hebrew word "kâshaph" means to "whisper a spell, to inchant or practise magic".

The Navarre Bible Commentary states on this verse:

Sorcery, which only women used to engage in was punished by death (cf. Lev 20:6, 27; Deut 18:10-14), being a form of idolatry (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2177).

Witchcraft and any sort of divination and the like is a violation of the First Commandment. There is no more serious crime against God than idolatry. In ancient times violations of the First Commandment were punishable by death as such practices seriously threatened the society and the faith of God's people. This threat was so serious that death was the penalty. God, Himself, ordered Israel to kill peoples who were idolatrous and to have nothing to with them. In disobedience the Jewish people failed to follow God's orders on this and instead saved some of the woman and children to bring into their houses as slaves. As a result of this the Jews became contaminated by the practices these slaves brought with them. This story was repeated over and over again in the Jews disobeying God to keep themselves holy and separate.

The Church, however, does not now, nor did it ever inflict a punishment of death on witches, heretics, or the like. When those things occurred it was the State, who saw such people as a threat to the state, who executed them. There were clerics who colluded with the state to kill witches and heretics (or perceived heretics), such as the Bishop who colluded to kill St. Joan of Arc, but these clerics were sinning by doing so and thus not following official Church teaching.

The most severe penalty the Church inflicted on anyone is anthanama (a more severe form of excommunication).

A proper understanding of this Old Testament text for today is that we are not to associate with witches, sorcerers, psychics, fortune-tellers, or anyone else who persists in breaking the First Commandment -- except to evangelize them.

For example, St. Paul admonishes:

(1 Cor 5:11)  But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.

Also:

(Eph 5:3-11)  But fornication and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is fitting among saints. Let there be no filthiness, nor silly talk, nor levity, which are not fitting; but instead let there be thanksgiving. Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure man, or one who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for it is because of these things that the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not associate with them, for once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

Such people are dead already, that is, they are spiritual dead. We must pray for them that the Holy Spirit may succeed in enlightening their minds and souls to the truth and thus leave their wicked ways and come to Christ.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary