Introduction
A pregnancy mixes joy, tiredness, questions and sometimes fears. Whether you are expecting a child, walking alongside a mother-to-be or looking for a verse for a card, the Bible speaks tenderly of the life being formed. These 20 verses, quoted from the World English Bible, follow five themes: God who forms the child, a gift received with joy, peace for the mother, the courage of Mary, and a blessing on the baby and the family.
God Who Forms the Child
1. Psalm 139:13-14
"For you formed my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. My soul knows that very well."
David marvels that God formed him and knit him together in his mother's womb, and he praises God for making him so wonderfully. This psalm is often read for unborn babies: every child is wanted, seen and known by God from the very first day. Read all of Psalm 139.
2. Job 10:11-12
"You have clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews. You have granted me life and loving kindness. Your visitation has preserved my spirit."
Job describes God who clothed him with skin and flesh and knit him together with bones and sinews, then granted him life and loving kindness and preserved his spirit by his care. This verse helps you see pregnancy as the painstaking work of God, which you do not carry alone. Read all of Job 10.
3. Jeremiah 1:5
"Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I sanctified you. I have appointed you a prophet to the nations."
God tells Jeremiah that he knew him before he formed him in the womb. This verse is addressed to a prophet, but it illustrates a broader truth: God's attention comes before our birth. Your baby is no accident to him. Read all of Jeremiah 1.
4. Isaiah 44:2
"This is what Yahweh who made you, and formed you from the womb, who will help you says: “Don’t be afraid, Jacob my servant; and you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen."
Through Isaiah, God presents himself as the one who made his people and formed them from the womb, and he tells them not to be afraid. The sentence is written for Israel, but it reaches every anxious mother: the Creator is also her help. Read all of Isaiah 44.
A Gift Received with Joy
5. Luke 1:14
"You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth."
The angel announces to Zacharias that Elizabeth's child will bring him joy and gladness, and that many will rejoice at his birth. An upcoming birth often brings joy to everyone around. Let this joy show itself, even in the middle of the tiredness and the questions. Read all of Luke 1.
6. Luke 1:25
"Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach among men."
Elizabeth, pregnant after a long wait, recognizes the favor the Lord has shown her. These words suit a mother who has waited a long time or prayed to become a mother: you can put your own gratitude into them, thinking also of those who are still waiting. Read all of Luke 1.
7. Psalm 126:3
"Yahweh has done great things for us, and we are glad."
The people express their joy as they see that the Lord has done great things for them. The verse is short and warm, perfect for a card or a birth announcement. It invites you to name the grace received: for many, a pregnancy is a reason for praise. Read all of Psalm 126.
8. Luke 1:42
"She called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!"
Elizabeth, pregnant herself, welcomes Mary with these words: you are blessed among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Many take them up to congratulate a mother-to-be. They can be slipped into a message, a reminder that this joy is shared. Read all of Luke 1.
Peace for the Mother
9. Isaiah 40:11
"He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom. He will gently lead those who have their young."
Isaiah describes God as a shepherd who gathers the lambs in his arm and gently leads those who have their young. A pregnant woman, or a new mother, can find tenderness here. God knows your tiredness and he leads you gently. Read all of Isaiah 40.
10. Isaiah 41:13
"For I, Yahweh your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I will help you."
God holds the right hand of his people and tells them not to fear, because he is the one who helps them. When medical checkups, waiting or fears about the delivery arrive, picture that outstretched hand and tell him what is on your mind. Read all of Isaiah 41.
11. Philippians 4:6-7
"In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus."
Paul invites us to be anxious for nothing, to present our needs to God with thanksgiving, and the peace of God guards the heart and the thoughts. This verse is useful for nights of worry during pregnancy. You can pray in a whisper, with no formula. Read all of Philippians 4.
12. Psalm 4:8
"In peace I will both lay myself down and sleep, for you, Yahweh alone, make me live in safety."
David says that he lies down and sleeps in peace, for the Lord alone makes him live in safety. For a pregnant woman who sleeps badly, this verse can serve as an evening prayer. It does not remove the sleeplessness but surrounds it with trust. Read all of Psalm 4.
The Courage of Mary
13. Luke 1:30-31
"The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and shall name him ‘Jesus."
The angel reassures Mary, who has found favor with God, then announces that she will bear a son. The first word is not to be afraid. Every mother-to-be knows this feeling: a joyful and slightly frightening upheaval, but one that is accompanied. Read all of Luke 1.
14. Luke 1:37
"For nothing spoken by God is impossible."
Faced with Mary's astonishment, the angel declares that nothing will be impossible with God. The sentence is famous. It can accompany an unexpected pregnancy, a long-awaited pregnancy or a delicate medical situation, as a reminder that God remains present. Read all of Luke 1.
15. Luke 1:45
"Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!"
Elizabeth proclaims blessed the one who believed, because what the Lord has said to her will be fulfilled. Mary did not understand everything, but she trusted. This simple trust in a word from God is within reach of every mother too. Read all of Luke 1.
16. Psalm 71:6
"I have relied on you from the womb. You are he who took me out of my mother’s womb. I will always praise you."
The psalmist says he has relied on God from the womb, and he sings his praises. This verse evokes a baby already upheld by God before birth. You can read it thinking of the child you are carrying and entrusting him or her to the Creator. Read all of Psalm 71.
Entrusting the Birth and the Child to God
17. Numbers 6:24-26
"Yahweh bless you, and keep you. Yahweh make his face to shine on you, and be gracious to you. Yahweh lift up his face toward you, and give you peace."
God gives Moses this blessing for his people: may the Lord bless you and keep you, may he make his face shine on you, may he give you peace. It is often spoken over babies and families. You can say it aloud over your belly. Read all of Numbers 6.
18. Isaiah 66:9
"Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to be delivered?” says Yahweh. “Shall I who cause to give birth shut the womb?” says your God."
God declares that he does not leave a birth unfinished: he who causes birth also allows the delivery. This verse invites mothers-to-be to believe that God goes with them to the end, from pregnancy to delivery. You can read it again before a medical appointment or the birth. Read all of Isaiah 66.
19. Luke 2:40
"The child was growing, and was becoming strong in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him."
Luke sums up the childhood of Jesus: the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him. It is a beautiful wish for your baby: may he or she grow in strength and wisdom. You can pray this for him or her every day, starting now. Read all of Luke 2.
20. Psalm 119:73
"Your hands have made me and formed me. Give me understanding, that I may learn your commandments."
The psalmist acknowledges that God's hands made him and formed him, and he asks for understanding. This verse can become your prayer for your child: may the one God is forming in you grow with understanding, in the service of a God who wanted him or her. Read all of Psalm 119.
Further reading
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Bible verse is good for a pregnant woman?
Psalm 139:13-14 is the most quoted: God knit the child together in his mother's womb. Numbers 6:24-26 offers a beautiful blessing to speak, and Philippians 4:6-7 helps you keep your peace when worry returns.
How can I pray during pregnancy?
Thank God for the life that is growing, entrust your fears and your medical checkups to him, and ask for his protection for you and the baby. You can pray aloud, rest your hand on your belly and read one verse a day.
Which verse can I give to a mother-to-be?
Luke 1:42, Psalm 126:3 or Luke 1:14 work very well on a card. Choose a short, warm verse, add a personal sentence and assure her of your prayers. Avoid words that could put pressure on the mother.