Biblical Answer

Are unborn babies considered persons in Scripture?

The Biblical Argument

The Bible presents a clear and consistent view of the unborn child as a person. In Exodus 21:22-25, the law regarding injury to a pregnant woman and the potential loss of the unborn child is presented. The interpretation of this passage by Cottrell and others suggests that the unborn child is considered a person. This is further supported by the fact that the law does not distinguish between the mother and the unborn child, treating them as one entity.

The Biological Argument

From a biological perspective, the unborn child is a human being from the moment of conception. It is a unique individual with its own DNA code and is totally dependent on the mother before birth, just as it is after birth. This dependency does not negate its humanity, and a conscientious Christian will treat a fetus as human, since it is highly likely that God regards a fetus as a person capable of fellowship with God.

The Value of the Unborn

The Bible consistently views the birth of a child as an act of God, and God's care for little ones begins at conception. In Psalm 139, we find strong support for the value of the unborn, and in heaven's view, there is no distinction between the unborn child and any other person. Killing an unborn child in his mother's womb is the same as killing any other person, and a conscientious Christian will treat a fetus as human, since it is highly likely that God regards a fetus as a person capable of fellowship with God. Ultimately, the Bible presents a clear and consistent view of the unborn child as a person, and this understanding should inform our practice and worldview.