Euthanasia

Euthanasia is not named in the Bible. This page lists the verses that speak to life and death being in God's hands, the command not to murder, and God's care for those who suffer.

Life and death in God's hands

• Deuteronomy 32:39
  See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.See now that I am He; there is no God besides Me. I bring death and I give life; I wound and I heal, and there is no one who can deliver from My hand.
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• Job 1:21
  And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.saying: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.”
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• 1 Samuel 2:6
  The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.The LORD brings death and gives life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up.
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• Ecclesiastes 3:1-2
  ¹To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: ²A 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 be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
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• Psalm 31:15
  My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.My times are in Your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me.
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• Job 14:5
  Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;Since his days are determined and the number of his months is with You, and since You have set limits that he cannot exceed,
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Thou shalt not kill

• Exodus 20:13
  Thou shalt not kill.You shall not murder.
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• Genesis 9:6
  Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man his blood will be shed; for in His own image God has made mankind.
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• Exodus 23:7
  Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.Stay far away from a false accusation. Do not kill the innocent or the just, for I will not acquit the guilty.
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Accounts in Scripture

• 1 Samuel 31:3-5
  ³And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers.When the battle intensified against Saul, the archers overtook him and wounded him critically. ⁴Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run it through me, or these uncircumcised men will come and run me through and torture me!” But his armor-bearer was terrified and refused to do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it. ⁵And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his own sword and died with him.
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• 2 Samuel 1:9-10
  ⁹He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me.Then he begged me, ‘Stand over me and kill me, for agony has seized me, but my life still lingers.’ ¹⁰So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.So I stood over him and killed him, because I knew that after he had fallen he could not survive. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”
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• 2 Samuel 1:14-16
  ¹⁴And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?So David asked him, “Why were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?” ¹⁵And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.Then David summoned one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him!” So the young man struck him down, and he died. ¹⁶And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the Lord’s anointed.For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood be on your own head because your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I killed the LORD’s anointed.’”
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God near the suffering

• Psalm 34:18
  The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the contrite in spirit.
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• Psalm 23:4
  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
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• 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
  ¹⁶For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.Therefore we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison. ¹⁸While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
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• Isaiah 46:4
  And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.Even to your old age, I will be the same, and I will bear you up when you turn gray. I have made you, and I will carry you; I will sustain you and deliver you.
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Hope beyond death

• Revelation 21:4
  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,’ and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.”
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• Romans 8:18
  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us.
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• Philippians 1:21-24
  ²¹For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ²²But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.But if I go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. So what shall I choose? I do not know. ²³For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better indeed. ²⁴Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.But it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
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See also

• Murder
• Suicide
• Death
• Suffering
• Old age

Notes

1. Verses are quoted in the translation chosen in the Translation menu at the top of the page. See Translations for sources and copyright notices.
2. Each reference links to the full chapter so the verse can be read in context.