What Does the Bible Say About When Life Begins?
Here are 10 Bible verses about when life begins, ordered by how relevant readers found them, with the King James Version and the modern Berean Standard Bible side by side.
- #1Genesis 2:7
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.
BSBThen the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.
- #2Jeremiah 1:5
Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
BSB“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
- #3Exodus 21:22-25
If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
BSBIf men who are fighting strike a pregnant woman and her child is born prematurely, but there is no further injury, he shall surely be fined as the woman’s husband demands and as the court allows. But if a serious injury results, then you must require a life for a life— eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, and stripe for stripe.
- #4Psalms 139:13-16
For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
BSBFor You formed my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and I know this very well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all my days were written in Your book and ordained for me before one of them came to be.
- #5Psalms 139:13
For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
BSBFor You formed my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.
- #6Job 33:4
The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
BSBThe Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
- #7Psalms 139:16
Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
BSBYour eyes saw my unformed body; all my days were written in Your book and ordained for me before one of them came to be.
- #8Galatians 1:15
But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,
BSBBut when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased
- #9Isaiah 49:1
Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.
BSBListen to Me, O islands; pay attention, O distant peoples: The LORD called Me from the womb; from the body of My mother He named Me.
- #10Exodus 21:22
If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
BSBIf men who are fighting strike a pregnant woman and her child is born prematurely, but there is no further injury, he shall surely be fined as the woman’s husband demands and as the court allows.
Verse rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY). Scripture: KJV & BSB (public domain).