Home>Christian Resources>20 Bible Verses About Abortion And What The Bible Says
Christian Resources
20 Bible Verses About Abortion And What The Bible Says
Modified: January 9, 2024
Ericka Andersen, an editor at Christian.net, expertly merges digital strategy with content creation, focusing on faith and societal issues. Her communication skills enhance the platform's engaging narratives, fostering meaningful dialogue on belief's impact on society.
These Bible verses about abortion answers and opens the core behind what the Bible says about the act that is now prevalent the society.
(Many of the links in this article redirect to a specific reviewed product. Your purchase of these products through affiliate links helps to generate commission for Christian.net, at no extra cost. Learn more)
According to the Worldometer, there are approximately 22 million abortions just this year starting from January 1 until July 2020. However, this number hasn’t stopped for the number of abortions is still increasing in every passing second. Also, the World Health Organization reports that 125,000 abortions are conducted daily. Therefore, these data points out the truth that is happening as of today’s time. But, how can we relate today’s decisions to the truth the Bible verses about abortion tells us?
What is An Abortion?
Before anything, we need to know what happens in an abortion. There are three classifications of abortion. One is a miscarriage or also known as “spontaneous abortion”. This occurs without the intention of the mother. In most cases, a pregnancy fails due to natural circumstances like accidents, stress, or depression. A rare case of abortion is called “long term abortion”. This happens when a late termination occurs and causes the death of the infant. This kind of abortion is extremely dangerous for the mother’s part because the infant has already reached the level of growth.
On the other hand, the most common type of abortion is called “induced miscarriage” or induced abortion. This requires full consent and acknowledgment of the mother to terminate her child. This type of abortion can either be done by a professional through abortion pills or surgeries. For countries that do not offer these or are legally unallowed to practice abortions, miscarriages can be self-induced. This method is also highly risky for the part of the mother.
However, the question here lies around what is inside a pregnant woman. In the very first six weeks of pregnancy, a child already develops a breathing, beating, and a fully working heart. Therefore, an offspring in this stage and even before that already has a life of its own. The word “life” is a reflection of existing. It is easy to understand that what comes with existence, comes with life.
Read more: 20 Of The Best Bible Verses About Death
Bible Verses About Abortion: Offense Of An Opinion
Opposing the concept behind supporting life, others believe that abortion does not end life or that it is merely a choice that doesn’t equate to murder. But, think about this deeply; murder is a sin that takes away a person’s life. So, what makes something “alive”? It is easy to answer that anything that is able to move, feel, and exist is in fact, “alive”. Therefore, the act of terminating this equates to taking away its life. Below are the Bible verses about abortion that answer the offense of an opinion that attempts to separate abortion from termination of life.
Murder
- “You shall not murder.” – Exodus 20:13
- “And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” – Mark 7:20-23
- “Or why was I not as a hidden stillborn child, as infants who never see the light?” – Job 3:16
- “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” – Matthew 18:10
- “But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 19:14
- “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.” – Psalm 127:3
- “Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watching over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work?” – Proverbs 24:11-12
Think of this; if an act stops a pulsing heart from beating, a growing body from forming, and a person from feeling, is this not murder? Abortion is indeed a highly sensitive topic that women argue about for the past years. While it does have varying opinions as to its morality, there is one thing that’s absolute and that’s how abortion stops life.
Blood Of The Innocent
- “‘Cursed be anyone who takes a bribe to shed innocent blood.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’” – Deuteronomy 27:25
- “Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked.” – Exodus 23:7
- “There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.” – Proverbs 6:16-19
- “And for your lifeblood, I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man, I will require a reckoning for the life of man. “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” – Genesis 9:5-6
“Innocent” is a word that is repeated in these verses. Clearly, the unborn child inside a mother’s womb is innocent. The child carries no threat, he or she cannot even protect themselves – Of course, this child is innocent. God loathes violence and sin, especially murder. Actually, Proverbs 6:16-19 highlights how “hands that shed innocent blood” is an abomination to Him. God has blessed humanity with the ability to multiply. But remember, while we can multiply, we are in no power or right to subtract someone’s life from the very hands’ God made for them to cherish.
Bible Verses About Abortion: The Value of Life
What abortion fails to see is the value of one’s life. When life is created, its worth does not depend on the duration the child has existed in a mother’s body. Today, pro-life or anti-abortion activists insist on asserting how abortion equates to murder. Here are some of the Bible verses about abortion revolving on the subject of how precious life is before and after a child’s presence inside a mother’s womb.
Read more: What The Bible Says About Hymns
Someone’s Purpose
- “For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.”– Luke 1:44
- “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” – Jeremiah 1:5
- “On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother’s womb, you have been my God.” – Psalm 22:10
In these Bible verses about abortion, we see the complex yet ravishing beauty that comes with birth. Looking back to Jeremiah 1:5, this verse clarifies that every living person is already appointed with a purpose before they were even formed in the womb. From the trees to the birds, to even the tiniest atomic substances that exist today, everything has a purpose. In the same manner, eliminating the chances and beauty of existence God has given goes against a person’s right to life. No life exists on Earth without God’s pure and full love engraved in their existence.
Choosing Life
- “And Hazael said, “Why does my lord weep?” He answered, “Because I know the evil that you will do to the people of Israel. You will set on fire their fortresses, and you will kill their young men with the sword and dash in pieces their little ones and rip open their pregnant women.” – 2 Kings 8:12
- “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live.” -Deuteronomy 30:19
Above, we are given a commandment – to choose life. Admittedly, the problem behind abortion’s premise is how it thinks humans have the entitlement to take life away. Since we have a calling to “choose life”, this doesn’t mean we can also “not choose life”. The problem starts when people forget that only God has the power to give life and to take life. Meanwhile, in 2 Kings 8:12, we see how dashing someone’s “little ones” upsets the Lord. See, we all receive the calling of choosing life. We can only cherish, choose, and nourish life. Nevertheless, we should never try to take it away.
Bible Verses About Abortion: Love Behind Creation
Aside from whether or not abortion is murder, the act is offensive to God. As stated earlier, every single life has a purpose. But, there’s a “universal purpose” for all of us and that’s how we should be taking care of God’s Creations. We were given the blessing of being stewards of the beautiful world God has created for us. Sometimes, we forget how these “Creations” include humans. In fact, among all of God’s doings, humans are given the highest level since we are gifted with language, logic, and intellect animals nor plants do not have. Here is the Holy Bible’s take on this matter.
Blessing of Birth
- “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” – Genesis 1:27
- “When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for the joy that a human being has been born into the world.” – John 16:21
Looking at John 16:21, we get to see the line “she no longer remembers the anguish, for the joy that a human being has been born into the world”. In these lines, it tells us that giving birth is indeed painful but, nothing can take away the fact that it is a blessing. Being able to start a life from one’s own life is a majestic blessing God allows the human population to experience. However, not everyone sees the wonders behind this blessing.
The Process of Life
- “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” – Psalm 51:5
- “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” – Psalm 139:13-16
No matter who we are, there is a reality that we can never deny or run away from and that’s God’s love. He loves everyone with all His heart and He never fails to prove that in every second. The way we talk, act, our personalities, fears, ambitions – All of these were made by God in full details. Not only did He make us with love, but He also accepts and adores every single part of our individuality despite its imperfections. God is like a proud artist in an exhibit. Now, if an artist witnesses how one of her creations is ruined and thrown away, would she find this acceptable?
Bible Verses About Abortion: A Call For Responsibility
Indeed, abortion is a sensitive topic in today’s society. With its increasing statistics from all over the world, it remains a threat to those who firmly believe in the value of life inside a woman’s womb. As humans, we are responsible for our actions and the consequences that it awaits. The stated Bible verses about abortion are a few of the many signals that tell us not to terminate someone’s blessing to enjoy life.
Truly, giving birth to someone is a big responsibility. But, we should always remember that the outcomes of today are reflections of the decisions taken in the past. Hopefully, we learn from this and take responsibility so no life shall be harmed under our names. Although others might point out their financial or personal problems, the Bible tells us that there is no acceptable excuse to end someone’s life. No circumstance should be the cause of someone to be deprived of their lives – This is the message behind abortion.