What Does the Bible Say About Taking Your Own Life?

Ecclesiastes 7:17 ESV / 108 helpful votes

Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time?

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV / 74 helpful votes

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

1 Corinthians 3:17 ESV / 62 helpful votes

If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Genesis 9:5-6 ESV / 59 helpful votes

And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.

1 John 4:1 ESV / 48 helpful votes

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

1 Corinthians 6:19 ESV / 41 helpful votes

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,

Exodus 20:13 ESV / 28 helpful votes

“You shall not murder.

James 1:2-4 ESV / 19 helpful votes

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

1 Samuel 31:3-6 ESV / 18 helpful votes

The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers. 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 mistreat me.” But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it. And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together.

Job 12:10 ESV / 16 helpful votes

In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.

Mark 1:1-16:20 ESV / 12 helpful votes

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’” John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. ...

Deuteronomy 28:47-48 ESV / 12 helpful votes

Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things, therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness, and lacking everything. And he will put a yoke of iron on your neck until he has destroyed you.

Galatians 6:7 ESV / 10 helpful votes

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

Proverbs 13:3 ESV / 9 helpful votes

Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

Proverbs 3:5 ESV / 9 helpful votes

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

Matthew 6:25 ESV / 8 helpful votes

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

1 Peter 2:16 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.

Romans 6:23 ESV / 7 helpful votes

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

John 14:6 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 3:16-17 ESV / 7 helpful votes

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

1 Samuel 2:6 ESV / 7 helpful votes

The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up.

1 John 1:9 ESV / 6 helpful votes

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Romans 6:2 ESV / 6 helpful votes

By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

Numbers 1:3 ESV / 6 helpful votes

From twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go to war, you and Aaron shall list them, company by company.

Revelation 1:1 ESV / 5 helpful votes

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,

Colossians 3:3 ESV / 5 helpful votes

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Matthew 6:3 ESV / 5 helpful votes

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

Jeremiah 1:5 ESV / 5 helpful votes

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

Exodus 21:12 ESV / 5 helpful votes

“Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death.

Genesis 3:3 ESV / 5 helpful votes

But God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’”

Romans 8:6 ESV / 4 helpful votes

For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

John 8:12 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 3:16 ESV / 4 helpful votes

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Matthew 6:34 ESV / 4 helpful votes

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Genesis 3:17-19 ESV / 4 helpful votes

And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

Ephesians 5:2 ESV / 3 helpful votes

And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Romans 8:2 ESV / 3 helpful votes

For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

Ezekiel 47:7 ESV / 3 helpful votes

As I went back, I saw on the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other.

Isaiah 3:10 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.

Proverbs 24:11 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.

Genesis 4:9-11 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?” And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.

Psalm 119:105 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Psalm 16:11 ESV / 2 helpful votes

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

43 Bible Verses about Taking Your Own Life

Ecclesiastes 7:17 ESV / 108 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV / 74 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 3:17 ESV / 62 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Genesis 9:5-6 ESV / 59 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 John 4:1 ESV / 48 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 6:19 ESV / 41 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Exodus 20:13 ESV / 28 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

James 1:2-4 ESV / 19 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Samuel 31:3-6 ESV / 18 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Job 12:10 ESV / 16 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Mark 1:1-16:20 ESV / 12 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Deuteronomy 28:47-48 ESV / 12 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Galatians 6:7 ESV / 10 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 13:3 ESV / 9 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 3:5 ESV / 9 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 6:25 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Peter 2:16 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 6:23 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 14:6 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 3:16-17 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Samuel 2:6 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 John 1:9 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 6:2 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Numbers 1:3 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Revelation 1:1 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Colossians 3:3 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 6:3 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jeremiah 1:5 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Exodus 21:12 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Genesis 3:3 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 8:6 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 8:12 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 3:16 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 6:34 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Genesis 3:17-19 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ephesians 5:2 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 8:2 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ezekiel 47:7 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Isaiah 3:10 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 24:11 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Genesis 4:9-11 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 119:105 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 16:11 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

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