Live by the sword, die by the sword
Encyclopedia
"Live by the sword, die by the sword" is a saying derived from a Biblical parable to the effect that if you use violence, or other harsh means, against other people, you can expect to have those same means used against you; "You can expect to become a victim of whatever means you use to get what you want."

The proverb comes from the Gospel of Matthew
Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. It tells of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...

, verse 26:52, which describes a disciple
Disciple (Christianity)
In Christianity, the disciples were the students of Jesus during his ministry. While Jesus attracted a large following, the term disciple is commonly used to refer specifically to "the Twelve", an inner circle of men whose number perhaps represented the twelve tribes of Israel...

 (identified in the Gospel of John
Gospel of John
The Gospel According to John , commonly referred to as the Gospel of John or simply John, and often referred to in New Testament scholarship as the Fourth Gospel, is an account of the public ministry of Jesus...

 as Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...

) drawing a sword to defend against the arrest of Jesus
Arrest of Jesus
The arrest of Jesus is a pivotal event recorded in the Canonical gospels. The event ultimately leads, in the Gospel accounts, to Jesus' crucifixion...

 in the Garden of Gethsemane, but is rebuked by Jesus, who tells him to sheath the weapon:
Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword (Matthew 26:52, King James Version)

Literal interpretations

The verse is sometimes taken as a proof verse for Christian pacifism
Christian pacifism
Christian pacifism is the theological and ethical position that any form of violence is incompatible with the Christian faith. Christian pacifists state that Jesus himself was a pacifist who taught and practiced pacifism, and that his followers must do likewise.There have been various notable...

.

Non-literal interpretations

Origen
Origen
Origen , or Origen Adamantius, 184/5–253/4, was an early Christian Alexandrian scholar and theologian, and one of the most distinguished writers of the early Church. As early as the fourth century, his orthodoxy was suspect, in part because he believed in the pre-existence of souls...

 suggested that "sword" in the Gospels be interpreted as a sapiential image. The sapiential interpretation is consistent with
"And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." (Ephesians 6:17 KJV)


and
"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12 KJV).


The phrase is also seen in the Book of Revelation
Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. The title came into usage from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: apokalupsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation"...

, chapter 13: verse 10:

"He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints."
Those that go to War or engage themselves in the War machine of any country, do well to consider this phrase as they live their lives by the sword. In so doing they should expect to be killed in their line of work. Their families should also come to grips with this.

Peter actually used his physical sword and smote the soldier's ear, defending the Christ:
"And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out [his] hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear." (Matthew 26:51 KJV)
Jesus then restored the man's ear, while bringing to light this profound wisdom to those still attempting to understand the parallels between physical and spiritual wisdom. Those who kill the flesh body shall find themselves removed of their spiritual body. One cannot uphold the two commandments of Christ while taking flesh in the name of The Lord. Ultimately, The TRUTH of the WORD is the two-edged sword that shall overcome the sword of the flesh. Love thy neighbor as thyself.
"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28 KJV)

Usage in English literature

While a common modern interpretation means “those who live by violence will die by violence”, suggesting nonviolence
Nonviolence
Nonviolence has two meanings. It can refer, first, to a general philosophy of abstention from violence because of moral or religious principle It can refer to the behaviour of people using nonviolent action Nonviolence has two (closely related) meanings. (1) It can refer, first, to a general...

 or pacifism
Pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...

 as an alternative, it is also used for a variety of situations which contain an element of poetic justice
Poetic justice
Poetic justice is a literary device in which virtue is ultimately rewarded or vice punished, often in modern literature by an ironic twist of fate intimately related to the character's own conduct.- Origin of the term :...

. A deeper meaning alludes to "those who judge will be judged" in reference to Matthew 7:2 and Luke 6:37 which can also be interpreted as poetic justice for those observed to be wrongfully condemning others. Other variants on this phrase are also commonly used.

See also

  • Karma
    Karma
    Karma in Indian religions is the concept of "action" or "deed", understood as that which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect originating in ancient India and treated in Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh philosophies....

  • Sell your cloak and buy a sword
    Sell your cloak and buy a sword
    Sell your cloak and buy a sword is an instruction by Jesus to his disciples which has been interpreted in several ways. At the Last Supper Jesus says:-Self-defence or righteous violence interpretation:Some, such as S. G. F...

  • But to bring a sword
    But to bring a sword
    "I come not to bring peace, but to bring a sword" , part of the Lesser Commission, is one of the controversial statements reported of Jesus in the Bible. The saying has been interpreted in several ways...

  • Silver Rule
    Silver rule
    The Silver Rule, "Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you", is a standard of behaviour found in the writings of amongst others Hillel the Elder. It is related to the ethical principle of the Golden Rule....

  • Turning the other cheek
  • Violence begets violence
    Violence begets violence
    The phrase "violence begets violence" refers to the concept that violent behavior promotes other violent behavior, in return. The phrase has been used for over 50 years, as in speeches by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr...

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