Specific scriptural cites and quotes for abortion=murder position?

Question

Without arguing whether or not they are right, I think we can agree that the dominant view in fundamentalist Christianity is that abortion is murder.

Given that fundamentalists are, by their own definition, biblical literalists, I would expect that there must be specific, direct textual support for this view.

Is there? I would appreciate cites with the quotes, and vice versa.

Please no polemics.

Note: I am happy to see bible cites & quotes from Roman Catholics too, but I did not specifically include Roman Catholicism in the question because, by its own doctrines and methodology, the RC church can develop rules that are not straight out of the bible, and I am not so much interested in whether later philosophers developed certain arguments as in the direct textual support.

Jesussaves & bregweid:
Thanks, but none of those appears to refer to abortion as such.

I don't need cites that are anti-murder, I need the cites that define abortion as murder.

Anything that says that an unborn is an ensouled human would probably also do the trick.

I'll take a little more time to read the super-long first answer, but at first glance, most of the quotes are non-responsive to the question.

Father K --

Thanks. That's kind of a scattershot answer, but I do think at least part II of your outline is relevant.

Within that, a follow-up question: Do any of these specifically support a life-begins-at-conception position? On the face of it, most of them seem to support the view that says life/ensoulment begins at the quickening, which I believe is much closer to the traditional view on the subject. Thanks.

God is love & Father K:
Those verses (Ex 21:22-25) actually cut against an abortion=murder argument, as they say that if they cause a miscarriage, it falls under basic tort law, but if in the process they hurt or kill the mother, it falls under criminal sanctions, including punishment for murder.

(God is love -- What translation is that from? It doesn't really reflect quite what the text says.)

Father K -- Pre-written notes??? And to think I was impressed at your amazing typing speed and total recall of chapter & verse!

Answer 1

"They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and their daughters...
and the land was polluted with blood..." (Psalms 106:38)

I. Life is sacred, and it begins at conception.

A. God is the Author of life.
Genesis 2:7
Deuteronomy 30:20
Job 12:10
Psalms 66:9
Isaiah 42:5
Ezekiel 37:10
Daniel 5:23
Zechariah 12:1
Acts 17:25, 28
Hebrews 12:9

B. Only God is entitled to determine the end of one's life. The deliberate destruction of human life without cause is sin, punishable by death.

Psalms 31:15 "My times are in thine hand."
1 Corinthians 6:20 "You are not your own, you are bought with a price..."
Exodus 20:13 (cp. Deuteronomy 5:17) "Thou shalt not murder."

II. Personhood of the Unborn

A. Scripture refers to the unborn as children, not "blobs of tissue."

1. In Luke 1:36 we read that Elizabeth had "conceived a son." Notice that the "product of conception," as pro-aborts would call "it," is simply called a "baby."

2. In Matthew 1:18, 23, Mary is said to be "with child."

3. When Rebekah conceived twins, it says, "the children struggled together within her..." (Genesis 25:22)

B. The unborn child is a separate being, apart from the mother.

1. The unborn child is able to sense such feelings as "joy," etc.
Luke 1:44, 45 Elizabeth's "babe leaped in [her] womb for joy."

2. The unborn babe, independent of the mother, made movements ("leaped") – so "it" cannot be reduced to merely a "part of the woman's body" – a necessary step in reducing the issue to that of "a woman's right."

3. When Rebekah conceived, "the (twin) children struggled together within her..." (Genesis 25:22) They "struggled," not she. This reinforces the fact that the unborn child is a separate being apart from the mother. (See also Romans 9:10-11.)

C. The unborn child is clearly a person, according to Exodus 21:22-25 – and causing it to die is murder, punishable: "life for life.. eye for eye, tooth for tooth."

Exodus 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

D. Even some basic personal characteristics of individuals are determined before birth. Of Jacob, whose name means supplanter, we read: "he (implying personhood) took his brother (also implying personhood, based on their biological relationship) by the heel in the womb." (Genesis 25:21-24)

III. The Plan of God.

When we presume to play God, we interfere with the plan of the Creator.

A. God has a plan for each life, established at conception.

Psalms 139:13-16
Isaiah 49:1, 5
Jeremiah 1:5
Galatians 1:15

B. Abortion is the direct interference with that plan and, thus, a direct defiance of God's will. This truth is clearly presented in both the Old and New Testaments.
Jeremiah 1:5 "While you were being formed in the belly of the womb," God told the prophet Jeremiah, "I knew you and ordained (intended for) you to be a prophet to the nations."
Isaiah 49:1, 5 "The Lord hath called me from the womb, from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name... to be his servant, to bring Jacob again unto him..."
Galatians 1:15 Paul said he was "called from my mother's womb."
Psalms 139:13-16 The psalmist wrote of his being "formed in secret," in his mother's womb, referring to himself in such a state, "yet imperfect (incomplete)," as "I" – that is, a person (Psalm 139:13-16).

C. God reigns sovereign over the timing and circumstances of birth and conception. "In the fulness of time, God sent His Son" – just as He raised up Moses, Isaiah, Deborah, etc. – "for such a time as this."

Answer 2

Exodus 21:22-25 “And in case men should struggle with each other and they really hurt a pregnant woman and her children do come out but no fatal accident occurs, he is to have damages imposed upon him without fail according to what the owner of the woman may lay upon him; and he must give it through the justices. But if a fatal accident should occur, then you must give soul for soul, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, branding for branding, wound for wound, blow for blow.

Answer 3

Exodus 20:13
Thou shalt not kill. Old Testament

Matthew 19:17-19
17And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

18He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,

19Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

new testament Jesus clarified it as murder

Matt 19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. Kingdom of heaven is physical and God wants them on his earth.

ok what you want is

Jeremiah 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.

Isaiah 49:5
And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.

Answer 4

"thou shall not kill"