The Word Abortion Does Not Appear In The Bible

It is frequently asserted that the Bible does not address the issue of abortion and that the specific term "abortion" does not even appear in its text. Often, this observation is followed by the argument that, since the word is absent, the Bible does not condemn abortion.

While it is accurate that the specific word "abortion" is not used in the Biblical text, there are several other terms—such as suicide, missionary, and rapture—that also do not appear explicitly, though their associated concepts are present within Scripture. The concept related to abortion IS explicitly referenced in the Bible.

Although the term itself is not mentioned, acts concerning the termination of unborn human life are addressed in various passages. The protection of innocent life, whether born or unborn, is a significant theme within the Mosaic law, among its more than 600 statutes. Biblical law prescribes severe consequences for the taking of human life, including that of an unborn child.

The discussion regarding abortion often revolves around two principal questions:

1. What constitutes life?
2. When does life begin?

Subsequent considerations include:

1. What is the history of abortion?
2. What rights do unborn children possess?
3. What directives does the Bible provide concerning those who take innocent life?

The following verses show what the Bible says about each one of those issues. What we find is that the Biblical texts advocate a 100% pro-life stance, emphasizing reverence and compassion for all human life, both born and unborn.

We must protect and cherish the right to life of not only the already born but also of the innocent, unborn as well.

In summary, in the Bible, the preservation and respect for the right to life is viewed as extending to all individuals, inclusive of the unborn.

Life Is A Soul Present In A Body

Life: The body contains a SOUL. The breath in a body is not the life, the SOUL in the body is the life.

Life Begins When A Soul Enters The Body

Life is in the soul, not the breath. This verse says that "man became a living soul," not "man became a living breath."

Genesis 2:7 (KJV) And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

The soul is the CAUSE of life, the breath is the SIGN of life.

Breathing is a sign that there is a soul in the body. However, after the soul is gone, even if you can artificially make the dead body breathe, it will never come back to life. When this passage is referred to in the New Testament the emphasis is on the soul and spirit, not the breath.

1 Corinthians 15:45 (KJV) And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

The emphasis on the life of the physical body of Adam was the soul and the spirit, not his breath.

Life Ends (Death) When The Soul Leaves The Body

Rachel’s Death (Her Soul Was In Departing)

The following passage dose NOT say that Rachel died because she stopped breathing. It very clearly defines death as the soul leaving the body... "her soul was in departing"

No soul, no life... the being is no longer living, it is dead.

Genesis 35:16 (KJV) ¶ And they journeyed from Beth-el; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour.

Genesis 35:17 (KJV) And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.

Genesis 35:18 (KJV) And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin.

Genesis 35:19 (KJV) And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Beth-lehem.

Genesis 35:20 (KJV) And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day.

This passage dose NOT say that she died because she stopped breathing. It very clearly defines death as the soul leaving the body... "her soul was in departing"

After Rachel died, she was placed in a grave. Bodies that were living and then died are placed in graves. Graves are for dead bodies. If you bury something that was never alive the location in which it was buried is not called a grave.

David Knew That The Absence Of A Soul Was Death

When David talks about living and being delivered from death he talks about his soul being delivered from death, not his breath being delivered from death.

Psalm 56:11 (KJV) In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.

Psalm 56:12 (KJV) Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee.

Psalm 56:13 (KJV) For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

How God Defines Death: He Takes The Soul

God defines the leaving of a soul from a body as death. The rich man planned on living a life of luxury but God said that he would die that night: "...this night thy soul shall be required of thee..."

Luke 12:13 (KJV) ¶ And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.

Luke 12:14 (KJV) And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?

Luke 12:15 (KJV) And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

Luke 12:16 (KJV) And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:

Luke 12:17 (KJV) And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

Luke 12:18 (KJV) And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.

Luke 12:19 (KJV) And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

Luke 12:20 (KJV) But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

Luke 12:21 (KJV) So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

This rich mans soul was going to leave his body, he was going to die. Yes, he stopped breathing too... and his heart stopped working.... and he wasn't able to move any more... Why? His SOUL was gone!

The Living Body Of Every Animal And Human Contains A Soul

The Breath Of Life

Although this passage does not specifically mention the soul it shows that there is a difference between plant life and animal life. It also shows that all of the LAND-DWELLING animals died.

They drowned; they couldn't breathe. When they couldn't breathe any more their life ended... their soul departed. The WATER DWELLING animals still lived. They didn’t breathe air but still had a soul in their bodies and lived. Just because something is not breathing air does not mean that it is not alive. It is the presence of a soul that determines life.

Genesis 7:17 (KJV) ¶ And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth.

Genesis 7:18 (KJV) And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters.

Genesis 7:19 (KJV) And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered.

Genesis 7:20 (KJV) Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered.

Genesis 7:21 (KJV) ¶ And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man:

Genesis 7:22 (KJV) All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.

Genesis 7:23 (KJV) And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.

Genesis 7:24 (KJV) And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days.

The Blood Of Life

The breath of life is similar to the blood of life, if either the breath or the blood is removed from a body the body will die. The soul will vacate the body and the body will die.

Genesis 9:4 (KJV) But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.

Leviticus 17:10 (KJV) ¶ And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people.

Leviticus 17:11 (KJV) For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

Leviticus 17:12 (KJV) Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood.

Leviticus 17:13 (KJV) And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust.

Leviticus 17:14 (KJV) For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.

Deuteronomy 12:23 (KJV) Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh.

The Soul Of Every Living Thing

Every living animal contains a soul. Plants do not have a soul. If a tree dies, no soul leaves it because no soul was ever present in it. However, if an animal dies (beast, fowl, or fish) a soul leaves the body.

Job 12:7 (KJV) But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:

Job 12:8 (KJV) Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

Job 12:9 (KJV) Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?

Job 12:10 (KJV) In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

The soul gives the body life, the breath is an indicator that a soul is present.

Every Living Soul Died

In the sea are whales, dolphins and various mammals that breath air to live. But there are a lot of fish that don't need to come to the surface for air to breath. Just like a child that is still in its mothers womb, it is not breathing air (like the fish in the sea) but it is still alive.

Revelation 16:3 (KJV) And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.

All of these animals, mammals or non-mammals, have a soul in them and all of them died... every living SOUL died.

The Bible's definition of life (soul) even applies to the fish in the sea. When the soul leaves a mammal, it dies. When an animal dies (the soul leaves its body) it stops breathing, and moving, etc... BECAUSE it has no soul, it is dead. When the soul leaves a fish, even though it doesn’t breathe air like a mammal, it dies too. When the soul leaves a child that is in its mothers womb the child dies too.

The life is in the soul, not the breath. However, breathing is a sign that the soul exists in the body.

When A Human Soul Goes To Hell It Can Never Leave

Jesus tells the story of a man who died and went to hell. As he was burning in torments he asked Abraham to send Lazarus back from the dead to warn his brothers about hell. Abraham's response was that after a persons soul is placed in hell it can never leave.

Luke 16:19 (KJV) ¶ There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

Luke 16:20 (KJV) And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

Luke 16:21 (KJV) And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

Luke 16:22 (KJV) And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

Luke 16:23 (KJV) And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Luke 16:24 (KJV) And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

Luke 16:25 (KJV) But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

Luke 16:26 (KJV) And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

Luke 16:27 (KJV) Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:

Luke 16:28 (KJV) For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

Luke 16:29 (KJV) Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

Luke 16:30 (KJV) And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

Luke 16:31 (KJV) And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

There are instances in the Bible of various people that God raised from the dead. This is a miraculous event that happened to a very few. None of the people that were raised from the dead had their soul retrieved from hell.

Mankind does not have power over their soul or spirit, either to retain them in their body, or to bring them back from heaven or hell.

Ecclesiastes 8:8 (KJV) There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

If the breath WAS life, then you could pump air back into those lungs and bring that person back to life. If the blood WAS life, you could pump blood through the veins and bring the person back to life. But the sad fact is, once the soul is gone there is nothing that you can do to bring that person back to life (to bring that persons soul back into his body). Pump oxygen into his lungs, pump blood through his veins... breathing and blood flowing through the veins are signs of life... but they are not THE life... the soul gives the body life and it has returned to God and can't be taken back.

Life Begins At Conception

So, according to the Bible, when does the soul enter the body? Since there is not a phrase in the Bible that specifically says, "Life begins at conception" why do people that study the Bible say that the Bible teaches that life DOES begin at conception?

The answer is that the Hebrew words that refer to a woman being pregnant mean "with child"

According to the Bible, life begins at conception – when a baby is conceived in the womb, before it is born, when the mother is pregnant (with child).

Strongs Hebrew

בֶּטֶן | beṭen, beh'-ten | 990

from an unused root probably meaning to be hollow; the belly, especially the womb; also the bosom or body of anything:—belly, body, as they be born, within, womb.

noun

הָרָה | hârâh, haw-raw' | 2029

a primitive root; to be (or become) pregnant, conceive (literally or figuratively):—been, be with child, conceive, progenitor.

verb

הָרֶה | hâreh, haw-reh' | 2030

from H2029; pregnant:—(be, woman) with child, conceive, × great.

noun

יָלַד | yâlad, yaw-lad' | 3205

a primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage:—bear, beget, birth(-day), born, (make to) bring forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch, labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman).

verb

Now that we have established that being alive is synonimous with having a soul. So, in the Bible when talking about being alive you know it means a soul is present. If a soul was present and then the soul left it means that person died.

You can't die if you are not alive. Jerimiah wished that God had killed him in his mothers womb. You can't be killed if you are not alive! Graves are for beings that were once alive and then died. He wished that his mothers womb was his grave. These statement show that he was child that was alive with his own soul while he was in his mothers womb.

Jeremiah 20:14 (KJV) ¶ Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.

Jeremiah 20:15 (KJV) Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee; making him very glad.

Jeremiah 20:16 (KJV) And let that man be as the cities which the LORD overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide;

Jeremiah 20:17 (KJV) Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me.

Jeremiah 20:18 (KJV) Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?

The History Of Abortion In The Bible

Unborn Children Have Rights Too

God's Command Regarding The Killing Of Innocent Children

What About Rape, Incest, And Life Of The Mother?

NOT Your Body, Soul, Or Spirit, NOT Your Choice!

It Is Not YOUR Body, Soul, Or Spirit

It's Not YOUR Body!

"My body, my choice." is a lie! It's not your body nor is it a choice that you have the right to make.

1 Corinthians 6:19 (KJV) What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

1 Corinthians 6:20 (KJV) For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost and doesn't belong to you. It is on loan to you from God. Your body, soul and spirit belong to God.

It's Not YOUR Soul!

Luke 12:20 (KJV) But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

Everyone will die. It is God taking back the soul that was given on loan for a short while to that person. Then, God will require that person to give an account of what he did with the life that he was given.

It's Not YOUR Spirit!

God gave the body, soul, and spirit to each person. The body will go back to the dust from whence it came and the soul and spirit will return back to God.

Ecclesiastes 12:7 (KJV) Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

God is going to take back the life that he gave to you also. 100% for certain.

And YOU Are Going To Die!

You are going to die and after you die God will hold you accountable for what you have done in your life and with your life.

Hebrews 9:27 (KJV) And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

After you die you will stand before God and be judged for the way you lived your life on earth.

2 Corinthians 5:10 (KJV) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

God is going to use the morality that He defined in the Bible to judge your works. YOUR opinion about what is right or wrong won't matter, you won't be asked to share it.

Revelation 20:11 (KJV) ¶ And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

Revelation 20:12 (KJV) And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Revelation 20:13 (KJV) And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

Revelation 20:14 (KJV) And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Revelation 20:15 (KJV) And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Only God's opion will matter and you can find His opinion in the Bible. If you don't like it your soul will be thrown into the lake of fire for eternity.