What does the King James Version of the Bible say about abortions?

Answer 1

Nowhere does The Bible deal directly with the subject of abortion, potentially leaving the matter open for theologians and ethicists to determine. The nearest we have to a biblical ruling on abortion is at Exodus 21:22.

The King James Version says: "If men strive and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit desert from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall surely be punished according as the woman's husband shall lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine."

The meaning of this passage seems to be that if men negligently cause a woman to suffer a miscarriage, then it is a civil matter, with the penalty to be determined by the woman's husband and payment supervised by the judges. But, if the woman herself is hurt then it is a criminal matter. From this we may deduce that the biblical authors would probably have approved of abortion, provided that the procedure had the consent of the woman's husband.