What does the Bible say about euthanasia?

The word “euthanasia” refers to the practice of ending a life in a painless manner. It is combination of two Greek words: “eu”, that means good, and “thanatos”, that means death. This combination means “good death”. Its origins explain that euthanasia is the art and discipline to die with dignity and peace. Today this term refers to killing without pain those who suffer from an incurable very painful disease. Sometimes it is called “mercy killing” or “physician assisted suicide” and it a legal practice in Belgium, Luxembourg, Holland, Switzerland, Oregon state from United States and Thailand. What does the Bible say about this practice?

You shall not murder

God’s command is very clear, it doesn’t have two meanings, but it says:

You shall not murder. (Exodus 20:13)(NASB)

Man was created in God’s own image, that’s why the price of his life is inestimable, it can not be valued with money, or with anything else, and whoever murders a person, has to pay with his own life, as it is written:

Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man. (Genesis 9:6)(NASB)

God allows neither the person who suffers nor others who surround that person take his life, because God has given him the life and He is the only one who can take it away when He decides to do this.

Job didn’t resort to euthanasia

God relates us in the Bible about a righteous man, Job, who was tested in this way:

he LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.” Satan answered the LORD and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. However, put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse You to Your face.” So the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took a potsherd to scrape himself while he was sitting among the ashes. (Job 2:3–8)(NASB)

From a man’s point of view, this is an incurable disease, that’s why…

his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. (Job 2:9–10)(NASB)

God can heal any disease

The Scripture says that Job was definitely healed and that…

After this, Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons and his grandsons, four generations. And Job died, an old man and full of days. (Job 42:16–17)(NASB)

I have recently met an exceptional Christian couple. Last week I visited them and I found out miraculous things God had performed in their lives. The wife fell ill two years ago and she got anaemia, that is when you don’t have enough red blood cells and it causes clotting problems. Even when they went to hospital, doctors told them she would live less then three days and they sent her husband and mother to get ready for her burial. She had a long period of treatment, that brought no effect in her life, until God healed her once in a miraculous way, after she asked Him to do that. I was looking at that lady and at the pictures from the hospital, and I couldn’t believe that was the same person.

Life is worth the price

Those who insist on legalizing euthanasia explain that it makes no sense to save one’s life if he suffers so much, and there is no chance to be healed, and much money is paid for his treatment. Every man’s life price is much, much greater than any amount of money this world can give. It is not by chance that God doesn’t accept any redemption for one’s life than another life. That’s why, it is right to fight for everyone’s life to the end, until he is either healed or God decides to take that person’s life. I can refer to the example of the couple I have mentioned above. After they saw that there was no chance to be healed in Chisinau, they decided to leave for Moscow, where there is a special clinic for such diseases. They stayed there so much time and they had to borrow 16,000 Euro for treatment, and it showed no effect in the end, it was even worse. The wife was very depressed and maybe, there was a time when she could think that death is a better option than to spend too much money, seeing no effect of the treatment and the bad quality of her life at that moment. But it was not so. God healed her in a miraculous way, and her husband showed divine love doing his utmost to save his wife.

Let us treasure life! Let us treasure it the way God treasures the life of each of us!

Translated by Felicia Djugostran