Exodus 20:13
“You shall not murder.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Exodus 20:13
“You shall not murder.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This commandment, at first glance, seems straightforward, but it forbids more than just premeditated killing. The original Hebrew word, often translated "kill," specifically refers to unlawful or violent killing, setting a high bar for the sanctity of human life. This means even unrighteous anger or wishing harm upon another can be seen as a violation of the spirit of this prohibition.
This command, the sixth of the Ten Commandments, comes immediately after the instruction concerning honoring parents and before the prohibition of adultery, framing the protection of life as a fundamental aspect of how we're to treat others. It’s issued to the entire Israelite nation gathered at Mount Sinai, following their liberation from slavery and God’s covenant with them. The context underscores that human life is sacred, a principle established by God from creation and reinforced after the flood, serving as a foundational law for their new life as a people set apart.
This commandment seems so simple, doesn't it? Just 'You shall not murder.' But digging into its roots reveals so much more about how God values human life.
The core of this commandment is the absolute sanctity of human life. God declares that life itself is precious, created in His image.
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It's easy to think this commandment only applies if you've literally taken someone's life. But Jesus and the apostles pushed the boundary much further.
While the outward act of murder is forbidden, the spirit of the commandment reaches into our inner thoughts and attitudes.
Understand the original words
ratsach · Hebrew Verb
The unlawful, intentional taking of human life. Since humanity is created in the image of God, this act is a violation of the sanctity of life.
This passage directly echoes the value of human life established in the Sixth Commandment, stating that whoever sheds the blood of man will have their own blood shed, for humans are made in the image of God. It grounds the prohibition against murder in God's own image.
Matthew 5:21-22Jesus expands on this commandment, showing that it's not just about the physical act of murder, but also the anger and hatred in the heart that lead to it. This helps us understand the deeper, internal dimension of the prohibition.
1 John 3:15This verse directly links hatred for a brother to being a murderer, aligning with Jesus' teaching and the broader principle that the heart's disposition is crucial. It underscores that the commandment guards against the root causes of violence.
Romans 13:9Paul summarizes several commandments, including this one, showing that loving your neighbor inherently fulfills these laws. It highlights that respecting life is a fundamental expression of love for others.
calvinExodus 20:13: "Thou shalt not kill."
- Non occides. THE REPETITION OF THE SAME COMMANDMENT. Deuteronomy 5
Deuteronomy 5:17
Thou shalt not kill.
Non occides.
The sum of this Commandment is, that we should not unjustly do violence to any one. In order, however, that God may the better restrain us from all injury of others, He propounds one particular form of it, from which men's natural sense is abhorrent; for we all detest murder, so as to recoil from those whose hands are polluted…
clarkeExodus 20:13: "Thou shalt not kill."
Thou shalt not kill - This commandment, which is general, prohibits murder of every kind. 1. All actions by which the lives of our fellow creatures may be abridged. 2. All wars for extending empire, commerce, etc. 3. All sanguinary laws, by the operation of which the lives of men may be taken away for offenses of comparatively trifling demerit. 4. All bad dispositions which lead men to wish evil to, or meditate mischief against, one another; for, says the Sc…
This commandment, at first glance, seems straightforward, but it forbids more than just premeditated killing. The original Hebrew word, often translated "kill," specifically refers to unlawful or violent killing, setting a high bar for the sanctity of human life. This means even unrighteous anger or wishing harm upon another can be seen as a violation of the spirit of this prohibition.
This command, the sixth of the Ten Commandments, comes immediately after the instruction concerning honoring parents and before the prohibition of adultery, framing the protection of life as a fundamental aspect of how we're to treat others. It’s issued to the entire Israelite nation gathered at Mount Sinai, following their liberation from slavery and God’s covenant with them. The context underscores that human life is sacred, a principle established by God from creation and reinforced after the flood, serving as a foundational law for their new life as a people set apart.
This command, the sixth of the Ten Commandments, comes immediately after the instruction concerning honoring parents and before the prohibition of adultery, framing the protection of life as a fundamental aspect of how we're to treat others. It’s issued to the entire Israelite nation gathered at Mount Sinai, following their liberation from slavery and God’s covenant with them. The context underscores that human life is sacred, a principle established by God from creation and reinforced after the flood, serving as a foundational law for their new life as a people set apart.
"“You shall not murder." — This commandment, at first glance, seems straightforward, but it forbids more than just premeditated killing. The original Hebrew word, often translated "kill," specifically refers to unlawful or vio…
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