What does the Bible say about assisted suicide?
Bible Topic · WEB
The Bible teaches that human life belongs to God, who alone gives life and appoints its end, so we should not intentionally take innocent human life, including our own. Exodus 20:13 forbids murder, while 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 reminds believers that they belong to God and are to honor him in their bodies. Scripture honestly recognizes severe suffering and despair, yet calls us to seek God’s sustaining grace, as 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 and Psalm 34:17-20 show. Ecclesiastes 3:1-3 and Job 1:20-21 affirm God’s sovereign care over life and death. Christians should therefore offer compassionate presence, pain relief, prayer, and faithful support to the suffering while entrusting life’s final timing to the Lord.
Top passages, ranked by readers
Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible
- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 25 votes
Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
- Ecclesiastes 7:17 21 votes
Don’t be too wicked, neither be foolish. Why should you die before your time?
- Exodus 20:13 12 votes
“You shall not murder.
- Psalms 5:6 8 votes
You will destroy those who speak lies. Yahweh abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
- 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 7 votes
He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me. Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, and in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.
- Psalms 34:17-20 6 votes
The righteous cry, and Yahweh hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but Yahweh delivers him out of them all. He protects all of his bones. Not one of them is broken.
- Ecclesiastes 8:7-8 4 votes
For he doesn’t know that which will be; for who can tell him how it will be? There is no man who has power over the spirit to contain the spirit; neither does he have power over the day of death. There is no discharge in war; neither shall wickedness deliver those who practice it.
- Ecclesiastes 3:1-3 3 votes
For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
- Job 1:20-21 2 votes
Then Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down on the ground, and worshiped. He said, “Naked I came out of my mother’s womb, and naked will I return there. Yahweh gave, and Yahweh has taken away. Blessed be Yahweh’s name.”
- 1 Samuel 31:4-5 2 votes
Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through and abuse me!” But his armor bearer would not, for he was terrified. Therefore Saul took his sword and fell on it. When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword, and died with him.
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