The Bible does not directly address the issue of abortion, leading to varied interpretations among Christians. Here are some of the most frequently cited passages in discussions about abortion and how they are interpreted:
- Psalm 139:13-16: This passage describes God forming a person in the womb, which some interpret as indicating that life begins at conception. “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
- Jeremiah 1:5: In this verse, God tells Jeremiah that He knew him before he was formed in the womb, which is often interpreted as affirming the personhood of the unborn. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
- Exodus 21:22-25: This passage outlines penalties if a man causes a woman to miscarry during a fight, but interpretations differ on whether it refers to a miscarriage or a premature birth, and whether the unborn is considered a person. “If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.”
- Luke 1:41-44: In this passage, John the Baptist, still in his mother’s womb, leaps for joy when Mary, pregnant with Jesus, greets his mother. Some interpret this as suggesting that even a fetus can be aware and can respond to God’s presence. “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.'”
However, interpretations of these verses vary widely, with some arguing that they support a pro-life position and others arguing that they do not definitively address the issue of abortion. Additionally, interpretations can depend on broader theological and ethical perspectives, including views on personhood, the soul, and the sanctity of life.