Q. 20. What is meant by the sixth commandment, “You shall not murder”?

We should treasure and preserve God’s gift of life, pursuing peace with all people. God forbids whatever brings unjust harm to our neighbor’s life or tends toward it, such as anger, hatred, hostility, malice, revenge, murder, and abortion.

Genesis 9:6; Exodus 21:22–23; Leviticus 19:17–18; 1 Kings 18:4; Psalm 139:13–16; Proverbs 24:11–12; 25:21–22; Ecclesiastes 11:15; Matthew 5:9; Matthew 5:21–24, 43–38; 26:52; Acts 16:28; Romans 12:18–19; Ephesians 4:26, 31–32; Colossians 3:8; Hebrews 12:14; 1 John 2:9–11; 3:15.

  • WSC 67–69
  • Heidelberg Catechism 105–107
  • Luther’s Small Catechism

Gift of life. Every human being is of immeasurable worth because they are made in God’s image (Q. 8) and redeemed by Christ at the cost of his precious blood (Q. 31).

Unjust harm. The sixth commandment does not forbid participation in just wars, the necessary defense of ourselves and others, or the right of governing authorities to “bear the sword” (Romans 13:4) against evildoers.

Anger. Scripture forbids us from harboring or nursing anger towards others, or from losing our temper in angry outbursts. Sinful anger is commonly distinguished from the kind of righteous anger which Jesus had towards hardhearted sinners (Mark 3:5).

Hatred. “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer” (1 John 3:15).

Revenge. When we take vengeance on others or seek to “get even,” we put ourselves in the place of God, who is the just judge of all: “never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’” (Romans 12:19).

Abortion. The Church has always recognized abortion as a violation of the sixth commandment, since it ends the life of an innocent child who is made in God’s image and created for a purpose (Jeremiah 1:4–5; Isaiah 49:1; Psalm 139:13–16; Ecclesiastes 11:5; Exodus 21:22–25). The Didache (c. 100 AD), one of the earliest summaries of the apostles’ teaching, forbids the “gross sin” of abortion: “you shall not murder a child by abortion” (2).

  1. Abortion and Abortive Birth Control (Abortifacients)
  2. More resources coming soon