What Does the Bible Say About Childlessness?

Isaiah 54:1 ESV / 69 helpful votes

“Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married,” says the Lord.

Luke 23:29 ESV / 41 helpful votes

For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’

1 Corinthians 7:8 ESV / 33 helpful votes

To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am.

Revelation 21:4 ESV / 30 helpful votes

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Isaiah 56:3-5 ESV / 24 helpful votes

Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say, “The Lord will surely separate me from his people”; and let not the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.” For thus says the Lord: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.

Psalm 127:3-5 ESV / 23 helpful votes

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Leviticus 20:21 ESV / 17 helpful votes

If a man takes his brother's wife, it is impurity. He has uncovered his brother's nakedness; they shall be childless.

Matthew 7:7 ESV / 13 helpful votes

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

Psalm 5:4 ESV / 12 helpful votes

For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you.

1 Samuel 1:15-18 ESV / 11 helpful votes

But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

Luke 1:34 ESV / 9 helpful votes

And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

Luke 1:30 ESV / 9 helpful votes

And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

Luke 1:18 ESV / 9 helpful votes

And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”

Job 2:10 ESV / 9 helpful votes

But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Revelation 1:1 ESV / 8 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,

Ephesians 4:30 ESV / 8 helpful votes

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Psalm 51:1-19 ESV / 8 helpful votes

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. ...

1 Corinthians 7:1-40 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. ...

Acts 1:7 ESV / 7 helpful votes

He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.

John 1:13 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Luke 1:13 ESV / 7 helpful votes

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.

Matthew 28:19-20 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 19:12 ESV / 7 helpful votes

For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it.”

Proverbs 16:1 ESV / 7 helpful votes

The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

Genesis 11:30 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Now Sarai was barren; she had no child.

1 Corinthians 2:3 ESV / 6 helpful votes

And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling,

Luke 1:43 ESV / 6 helpful votes

And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

Luke 1:12-22 ESV / 6 helpful votes

And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, ...

Genesis 25:21 ESV / 6 helpful votes

And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

John 3:16-17 ESV / 5 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.

Luke 1:10 ESV / 5 helpful votes

And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.

Proverbs 16:1-33 ESV / 5 helpful votes

The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble. Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished. ...

1 Chronicles 3:17-18 ESV / 5 helpful votes

And the sons of Jeconiah, the captive: Shealtiel his son, Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama and Nedabiah;

Ephesians 4:4 ESV / 4 helpful votes

There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—

Philippians 2:2 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

1 Corinthians 2:1-16 ESV / 3 helpful votes

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. ...

Acts 1:4-5 ESV / 3 helpful votes

And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

1 Samuel 1:6 ESV / 3 helpful votes

And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb.

Acts 2:37-41 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

Luke 1:7 ESV / 2 helpful votes

But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.

Ezekiel 26:1-21 ESV / 2 helpful votes

In the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, because Tyre said concerning Jerusalem, ‘Aha, the gate of the peoples is broken; it has swung open to me. I shall be replenished, now that she is laid waste,’ therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and will bring up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves. They shall destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers, and I will scrape her soil from her and make her a bare rock. She shall be in the midst of the sea a place for the spreading of nets, for I have spoken, declares the Lord God. And she shall become plunder for the nations, ...

41 Bible Verses about Childlessness

Isaiah 54:1 ESV / 69 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 23:29 ESV / 41 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 7:8 ESV / 33 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Revelation 21:4 ESV / 30 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Isaiah 56:3-5 ESV / 24 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 127:3-5 ESV / 23 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Leviticus 20:21 ESV / 17 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 7:7 ESV / 13 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 5:4 ESV / 12 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Samuel 1:15-18 ESV / 11 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 1:34 ESV / 9 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 1:30 ESV / 9 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 1:18 ESV / 9 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Job 2:10 ESV / 9 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Revelation 1:1 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ephesians 4:30 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 51:1-19 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 7:1-40 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Acts 1:7 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 1:13 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 1:13 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 28:19-20 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 19:12 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 16:1 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Genesis 11:30 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 2:3 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 1:43 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 1:12-22 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Genesis 25:21 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 3:16-17 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 1:10 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 16:1-33 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Chronicles 3:17-18 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ephesians 4:4 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Philippians 2:2 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Corinthians 2:1-16 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Acts 1:4-5 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

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

Acts 2:37-41 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 1:7 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ezekiel 26:1-21 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

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