Christian Biblical References
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This is a short list of references we use during our classes and for use during labour to help center a labouring mother as she gives birth. We will continue to update and expand this list. All passages are from NIV unless stated otherwise.

The first passage is about the "curse of Eve" which indeed was not a curse on her, but rather a command after God cursed the snake for deceiving Eve. In the NIV translation, pain is used when God spoke to Eve, but toil is used in reference to Adam. Yet the exact same word for both were in the original Hebrew scrolls. This is a cultural translation based on perceptions of clildbirth when the NIV bible was translated and does not reflect on God's wishes for women in conception or childbearing. Please see the note on the orginal Hebrew word estev below for more information. Don't miss the rest of the wonderful biblical references below as well. Especially for birth trauma and cesarean survivors.

To the woman he said, "I will greatly increase your estev* in childbearing; with estev* will you give birth to children"... to Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you... cursed is the ground because of you; through estev* you will eat of it all the days of your life."

Genesis 3:16-17

* estev {Hebrew, as taken from the original Hebrew biblical reference}: labour, concerned; anxious; displeased. Rabbi R. Hirsch explains, "... estev is only a mental pain and hurt feelings or worry... The root is a modification of forsaken, the feeling that we have to give up something that we would have liked to keep or to have attained; renouncing, forgoing (I Kings 1:6). Until [Adam and Eve sinned] Man knew no wrong, and no renunciation. But now for Man nature is no longer at one with his wishes as it was previously... only by renunciation, by giving up one thing, one enjoyment, can he attain another... Man had been allotted renunciation, Woman had been allotted renunciation." The Joy of Natural Childbirth by Helen Wessel, pp 206 -207.

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.

Jeremiah 1:5

Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.

Isaiah 66: 7-9 (KJV)

“Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery?” says the Lord. “Do I close up the womb when I bring to delivery?” says your God.

Isaiah 66:9

The Hebrew women are not like thy Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife arrives. So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous.  And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.

Exodus 1:19-21

Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.

I Chronicles 4:10

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:1-2

Lo children are a heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is His reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man so are the children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them.

Psalm 172:3

For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men.

Lamentations 3:33

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. 

James 1:5-8

I can do all things through Christ  who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:19

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.

Philippians 4:8

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Philippians 4:6

Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

For God did not give us the spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self control.

II Timothy 1:7

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother – which is the first commandment with a promise – that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Ephesians 6:1-4

Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

Titus 2:2-8

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 3:14-15

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Matthew 19:14  

Sons are a heritage from the Lord,

children a reward from Him.

Like arrows in the hands of a warrior

are sons born in one’s youth.

Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.

 

Psalm 127:3-5

 

The wise woman builds her house,

but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.

Proverbs 14:1  

A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.

Proverbs 13:22

He will bless those who fear the Lord –

small and great alike.

May the Lord make you increase,

both you and your children.

 

Psalm 115:13-14  

Blessed are all who fear the Lord,

who walk in his ways.

You will eat the fruit of your labor,

blessings and prosperity will be yours.

Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house;

your sons will be like olive shoots around your table.

This is the man blessed who fears the Lord.

May the Lord bless you from Zion

all the days of your life;

May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem,

and may you live to see your children’s children.

Peace be upon Israel.

Psalm 128  

May your fountain be blessed,

and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.

Psalm 5:18  

Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,

who finds great delight in his commandments.

His children will be mighty in the land;

each generation of the upright will be blessed.

Psalm 112:1-2  

For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully

 and wonderfully made;

Your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you

when it was made in the secret place.

When I was woven together

in the depths of the earth.

Psalm 138:13-15

From my birth I have relied on you;

you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.

I will ever praise you.

Psalm 71:6  

Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and opened her womb. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.”

Genesis 30:22-24

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

Genesis 2:24

They will not toil in vain

or bear children doomed to misfortune;

for they will be a people blessed by the Lord,

they and their descendants with them.

Isaiah 65:23  

But women will be kept safe through childbirth, if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

1 Timothy 2:15

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.

Colossians 3:18-21

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.

1 Peter 3:8

Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respect them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.

Hebrews 12:9-10

As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.

1 Thessalonians 2:7

A woman giving birth to a child has anxiety because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the pressure of contractions because of her joy that a child is born into the world.

John 16:21

Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away from the Lord.... Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose trust is the Lord.

Jeremiah 17:5-7

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The man who fears is not made perfect in love.

1 John 4:18

Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

Luke 12:27

Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

James 4:7-8

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and will bring you back from captivity.

Jeremiah 29:13

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked come against me to eat up my flesh, me enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. Through an army should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear, though war should rise up against me, in this I will be confident.

Psalm 27:1-3

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

John 14:27

I sought the Lord and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 43:4

... but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:31

He who dwell sin the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

Psalm 91:1

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.

Psalm 1:1

For I know the thoughts I think toward  you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 29:11

All scripture is God-breathed, and useful for teaching.

I Peter 5:8

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28

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.

Psalm 23:4

My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.

Psalm 119:50

I remember your ancient laws, O Lord, and I find comfort in them.

Psalm 119:52

May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.

Psalm 119:76

The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing.

Isaiah 51:3

For birth trauma and cesarean survivors:

He sent forth his word and healed them;  he rescued them from the grave.

Psalm 107:20

 
He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.
He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. 
Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.
The Lord sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground.

Psalm 147:3-6
 
His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love. Extol the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion, for he strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your people within you.

Psalm 147:10-13 (NIV) 


Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.

Psalm 125:1

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Isaiah 41:10 

 
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

Isaiah 43:2 

 

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