Item 6 in Ten Commandments

Do Not Murder

Do not deliberately and wrongfully kill another human being.

Position
6
Form
Prohibition
Obligation
Mandatory
Wording status
Editorial paraphrase
Intended audience
Originally Israel; subsequently interpreted within Jewish and Christian traditions
Last reviewed
28 June 2026

Names and terminology

Canonical name: Do Not Murder

Source wording

Editorial paraphrase: Do not deliberately and wrongfully kill another human being.

Editorial paraphrase

Literal meaning

Do not deliberately and wrongfully kill another human being.

Broader interpretation

Translations using murder distinguish the rule from every possible act of killing, but traditions disagree about war, execution and self-defence.

Ethical purpose

To shape conduct or character in a way consistent with the wider ethical framework.

Modern application

Modern application requires attention to consent, rights, evidence, foreseeable harm and changing social conditions.

Criticism and difficult cases

Application can become difficult when this principle conflicts with another duty, when harm is indirect, or when ancient social assumptions do not fit modern conditions.

Truth By Reason analysis

Truth By Reason assesses this principle according to evidence, rights, intentions, foreseeable consequences and consistency with the treatment of all affected beings.

Ethical themes

  • Nonviolence
  • Justice
  • Human dignity

Explanations, comparisons and discussions

Sources