by In the Bible, the act of shedding innocent blood is strongly condemned, revealing God’s heart for justice and righteousness. Throughout Scripture, God calls His people to protect the weak, stand against injustice, and honor the sanctity of life. Murdering the innocent is an act of profound rebellion against God’s divine order. This collection of Bible verses will illuminate God’s perspective on this grave sin, urging believers to uphold the values of justice, mercy, and love.
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Bible Verses About Murdering The Innocent
Proverbs 6:16-17
“These six things the Lord hates; indeed, seven are repulsive to Him: A proud look [the attitude that makes one overestimate oneself and discount others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood.”
Commentary: God despises arrogance, deception, and violence, especially when it involves the innocent. This verse highlights the sacredness of life and the need to protect those who are vulnerable. When individuals take the life of the innocent, they not only destroy life but rebel against God’s law of love and justice.
Exodus 20:13
“You shall not commit murder [unjustified, deliberate homicide].”
Commentary: This commandment is clear and absolute. Life is a gift from God, and no one has the right to take it unjustly. Murdering the innocent violates the very foundation of God’s law, which upholds life, dignity, and respect for His creation.
Deuteronomy 27:25
“Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to strike down an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.”
Commentary: God’s Word shows that those who participate in corrupt practices, leading to the death of an innocent person, will be cursed. This verse stresses God’s demand for justice and His condemnation of those who profit from the suffering of the innocent.
Psalm 106:38
“And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; and the land was polluted with their blood.”
Commentary: The Psalmist reflects on the grievous sins of Israel, including the sacrifice of children. The shedding of innocent blood defiles the land and society, bringing God’s judgment. This verse is a reminder that God will not overlook the death of the innocent, especially when committed for idolatry or selfish gain.
Jeremiah 22:3
“Thus says the Lord: ‘Do justice and righteousness, and rescue the one who has been robbed from the hand of his oppressor. And do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the orphan, or the widow; and do not shed innocent blood in this place.'”
Commentary: God’s command to do justice includes protecting the most vulnerable in society—the orphan, widow, and foreigner. This verse underlines the importance of not only abstaining from violence but actively seeking justice for the oppressed.
Proverbs 24:11-12
“Rescue those who are being taken away to death, and those who stagger to the slaughter, Oh hold them back [from their doom]! If you [claim ignorance and] say, ‘See, we did not know this,’ Does He not consider it who weighs and examines the hearts [and their motives]? And does He not know it who guards your life? And will He not repay [you and] every man according to his works?”
Commentary: This passage is a call to action. It is not enough to avoid violence; believers are commanded to intervene when they see injustice. God sees our hearts and will judge our inaction as well as our actions when it comes to protecting the innocent.
Isaiah 59:7
“Their feet run to evil, and they rush to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are thoughts of wickedness [of sin, of injustice, of wrongdoing]; devastation and destruction are in their highways.”
Commentary: This verse portrays the wicked as those who are eager to commit evil, particularly violence against the innocent. Their hearts are consumed with thoughts of destruction, and they leave a trail of devastation wherever they go. Such behavior is detestable to God.
Genesis 9:6
“Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man [judicial government] shall his blood be shed, for in the image of God He made man.”
Commentary: This verse establishes the seriousness of murder. Taking a life is an assault on the image of God, which every human being bears. God ordains that justice be done when innocent blood is shed, emphasizing the sacredness of life.
Matthew 5:21-22
“You have heard that it was said to the men of old, ‘You shall not murder,’ and ‘Whoever murders shall be guilty before the court.’ But I say to you that everyone who continues to be angry with his brother or harbors malice against him shall be guilty before the court.”
Commentary: Jesus deepens the commandment against murder by addressing the heart. Anger and malice are the seeds of murder, and God calls His people to uproot such attitudes before they can grow into violence.
Isaiah 1:15
“So when you spread out your hands [in prayer, pleading for My help], I will hide My eyes from you; yes, even though you offer many prayers, I will not be listening. Your hands are full of blood!”
Commentary: God refuses to hear the prayers of those who are guilty of shedding innocent blood. True worship and prayer are meaningless if a person’s hands are stained with violence. Repentance and justice must accompany worship.
Matthew 27:4
“I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they replied, “What is that to us? See to that yourself!”
Commentary: Judas, after betraying Jesus, recognizes his guilt in shedding innocent blood. His confession, though too late, shows the weight of responsibility for causing the death of an innocent person, especially one as righteous as Christ.
Proverbs 17:15
“He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the righteous, both of them alike are repulsive to the Lord.”
Commentary: God detests injustice, particularly when the wicked are justified and the innocent condemned. This verse speaks to the importance of upholding truth and righteousness, especially in matters of life and death.
Isaiah 59:3
“For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with wickedness [with sin, with injustice, with wrongdoing]; Your lips have spoken lies, your tongue mutters wickedness.”
Commentary: The prophet Isaiah laments the moral decay of the people, whose hands are stained with the blood of the innocent. Their words and actions are filled with wickedness, and this separates them from God.
Proverbs 28:17
“A man who is burdened with the guilt of human blood (murder) will be a fugitive until death; let no one support him or give him refuge.”
Commentary: This verse describes the heavy burden of guilt that murder brings. The one who sheds innocent blood will be tormented by it and is not to be supported or protected. Justice must be served.
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Deuteronomy 19:10
“So that innocent blood will not be shed [by wrong judgment], and bloodguilt will not be on you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.”
Commentary: God warns His people to ensure that justice is done in their land, so innocent blood is not shed. The responsibility for justice is collective, and failing to uphold it brings guilt upon the entire community.
Jeremiah 7:6
“If you do not oppress the transient (the foreigner, the resident alien), the orphan, or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood [by oppression and by judicial murders] in this place, nor follow after other gods to your own ruin.”
Commentary: God’s people are called to refrain from both idolatry and violence, especially against the vulnerable. The shedding of innocent blood through oppression or injustice leads to national ruin and personal destruction.
2 Kings 21:16
“Moreover, Manasseh shed very much innocent blood until he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another, besides his sin in making Judah sin by doing evil in the sight of the Lord.”
Commentary: King Manasseh’s reign was marked by extreme violence, including the shedding of innocent blood. His actions are condemned not only for the bloodshed but also for leading the entire nation into sin. His reign demonstrates the devastating effects of a leader’s wickedness on a society.
Psalm 94:21
“They band themselves together against the life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death.”
Commentary: This Psalm condemns those who conspire against the righteous, targeting the innocent with violence and death. God’s justice will not overlook such actions, and those who do this will face His wrath.
Matthew 23:35
“So that on you will come the guilt of all the blood of the righteous shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.”
Commentary: Jesus condemns the religious leaders for their complicity in the shedding of righteous blood throughout history. From the murder of Abel to Zechariah, they have perpetuated the violence and injustice that God detests.
Hosea 4:2
“There is [false] swearing of oaths, deception (broken faith, murder), stealing, and committing adultery; they employ violence, so that one [act of] bloodshed follows closely on another.”
Commentary: The prophet Hosea paints a bleak picture of a society immersed in violence and sin. The continuous shedding of innocent blood creates a cycle of destruction, leading to the moral and spiritual collapse of the nation.
Matthew 26:52
“Then Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword back in its place; for all those who habitually draw the sword will die by the sword.'”
Commentary: Jesus teaches the principle that those who live by violence will ultimately face the consequences of their actions. The shedding of innocent blood invites divine justice, and violence begets violence.
Isaiah 33:15
“He who walks righteously and speaks with integrity, who rejects gain from fraud and from oppression, who shakes his hand free from the taking of bribes, who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed and shuts his eyes to avoid looking upon evil.”
Commentary: True righteousness involves not only refraining from participating in violence but also turning away from evil in all its forms. God honors those who reject bloodshed and choose to live with integrity.
Ezekiel 9:9
“Then He said to me, ‘The wickedness and guilt of the house of Israel and Judah are exceedingly great; the land is full of blood, and the city is full of perversion and injustice, for they say, ‘The Lord has abandoned the land; the Lord does not see [what we are doing].'”
Commentary: Ezekiel’s vision reveals the deep corruption of Israel, where the shedding of blood and perversion of justice reign unchecked. Their false belief that God does not see their wickedness only adds to their guilt.
Deuteronomy 21:9
“So you shall remove the guilt of innocent blood from your midst when you do what is right in the sight of the Lord.”
Commentary: God commands His people to take responsibility for the innocent bloodshed in their land. Justice and righteousness must prevail to cleanse the nation of the guilt that comes from the unjust taking of life.
Revelation 18:24
“And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all those who have been slain on the earth [as sacrifices to idols].”
Commentary: The book of Revelation condemns Babylon, a symbol of the world’s corrupt systems, for shedding the blood of the righteous. This verse serves as a warning of the judgment that will fall on those who murder the innocent, especially the saints of God.
Mark 14:24
“And He said to them, ‘This is My blood of the [new] covenant, which is being poured out for many [for the forgiveness of sins].'”
Commentary: Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross contrasts the shedding of innocent blood in human violence. While humanity has shed innocent blood in sin, Jesus offers His innocent blood for the salvation of all, showing God’s love and mercy.
Acts 3:15
“But you killed the Prince (Author, Originator) of life, whom God raised [bodily] from the dead. To this [fact] we are witnesses.”
Commentary: The early apostles testify that the innocent blood of Jesus was shed by sinful humanity. However, God’s justice prevailed through the resurrection, defeating death and offering life to all who believe.
Romans 3:15-18
“Their feet are swift to shed blood, destruction and misery are in their paths, and they have not known the path of peace. There is no fear of God [and His awesome power] before their eyes.”
Commentary: Paul, quoting from the Old Testament, describes the condition of humanity without God. The swift shedding of blood and absence of peace demonstrate a life that is disconnected from God’s will and devoid of the fear of the Lord.
Psalm 139:19
“O that You would kill the wicked, O God; Go away from me, therefore, men of bloodshed.”
Commentary: The Psalmist prays for separation from those who commit violence. Their wickedness and bloodshed are an affront to God, and the righteous desire to be far from such people. This verse reflects the longing for justice and the end of violence.
Revelation 6:10
“They cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘O Lord, holy and true, how long [now] before You will sit in judgment and avenge our blood on those [unregenerate ones] who dwell on the earth?'”
Commentary: The martyrs in Revelation call for justice, longing for God to avenge the shedding of their innocent blood. This cry for justice echoes throughout history and reminds believers that God will one day bring justice for every act of innocent bloodshed.
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What Does the Bible Say About Murdering The Innocent
Murdering the innocent is something that goes completely against what the Bible teaches about how we should treat others. It speaks strongly against taking the life of another person, especially when that person has done nothing wrong. When someone is innocent, they are not guilty of any crime or wrongdoing, and to harm them is an act of great injustice.
God created all human beings with value and purpose, and to take an innocent life is to reject that gift and purpose. It is a violation of the love and respect that God expects us to have for one another. Taking a life in cold blood, especially when that person is defenseless and has done no harm, is not only a crime against them but also a crime against God’s creation.
The Bible teaches us to care for and protect the weak, the vulnerable, and those who cannot defend themselves. Murdering the innocent is a direct rejection of that call. When we choose to harm instead of protect, we bring pain and suffering not only to the victim but also to their families, communities, and ourselves. There is no good that comes from shedding innocent blood.
God desires that we live in peace and harmony with one another, and that we uphold justice and righteousness in all that we do.