The prohibition of murder is woven into the fabric of biblical revelation from the beginning. After Cain rose against Abel, the Lord declared, “Your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground” (Genesis 4:10). The Mosaic Law formalized the ban in the sixth commandment, “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13), underscoring the sanctity of life that bears the divine image (Genesis 9:6). Provision was made for unintentional manslaughter through the cities of refuge (Numbers 35), yet deliberate bloodshed remained a capital crime. Against this backdrop, the New Testament term φονεύς (Strong’s 5406) designates a willful shedder of innocent blood—one already condemned under God’s moral order.

Occurrences and Immediate Contexts in the New Testament

Matthew 22:7 portrays the king’s judgment on rebellious citizens: “He sent his troops to destroy those murderers and burn their city.” Here “murderers” personifies hardened rebellion against rightful authority, prefiguring Jerusalem’s fall in A.D. 70.

Acts 3:14 contrasts the crowd’s choice of Barabbas with the rejected Messiah: “You rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.” The word underlines the depth of human depravity—preferring a taker of life over the Giver of life.

Acts 7:52 levels Stephen’s prophetic indictment: Israel’s leaders are “betrayers and murderers” of the Righteous One, linking them with their fathers who killed the prophets. The charge exposes a generational pattern of violent opposition to God’s messengers.

Acts 28:4 records pagan interpretation of justice when a viper bites Paul: “Surely this man is a murderer.” Though mistaken about Paul, the islanders instinctively associate murder with inexorable divine retribution.

1 Peter 4:15 warns believers: “None of you should suffer as a murderer.” Peter distinguishes legitimate Christian suffering from penalties incurred by lawless behavior, reminding converts that saving faith never excuses homicide.

Revelation 21:8 and 22:15 place “murderers” outside the New Jerusalem and consign them to the lake of fire. The term thus bookends redemptive history: murder pollutes the primeval ground and is finally purged from the eternal state.

Theological Significance

1. Violation of the Imago Dei

Murder is uniquely heinous because it assails the divine image (Genesis 9:6). Every instance of φονεύς therefore signals hostility not merely toward a human victim but toward God Himself.

2. Alignment with the Kingdoms of Darkness

Jesus called Satan “a murderer from the beginning” (John 8:44). New Testament murderers manifest the devil’s character and stand in covenantal opposition to Christ, the Prince of life.

3. Eschatological Exclusion

Revelation’s solemn placement of murderers outside the city underscores the unchanging holiness of God’s kingdom. Persistent, unrepentant homicide proves an unregenerate heart and invites eternal judgment.

4. Need for Atonement

Even murderers may find cleansing in Christ’s blood. Paul the apostle (formerly complicit in Stephen’s death) testifies that “the grace of our Lord overflowed” (1 Timothy 1:14). The gospel therefore offers hope to the worst of offenders while upholding God’s justice.

Historical Insight

Early Christian apologists distinguished the church from violent revolutionaries, often facing slander that believers practiced child sacrifice. By adopting infants exposed to death and refusing bloodshed in the arena, Christians embodied the Creator’s regard for life. Augustine’s “City of God” later argued that earthly states, when they indulge unjust war or judicial murder, resemble “bands of robbers.” The Reformers continued to affirm civil authority’s right to bear the sword (Romans 13:4) while condemning private revenge.

Pastoral and Ministry Applications

• Proclamation of Life: Preaching against murder must include both external acts and internal hatred (Matthew 5:21-22), exposing the roots of violence in anger and envy.
• Prison Outreach: Ministries to inmates convicted of homicide should highlight Paul’s conversion and God’s willingness to forgive.
• Sanctity-of-Life Ethics: Advocacy for unborn children and opposition to unjust killing flow naturally from Scripture’s uniform witness.
• Church Discipline: Unrepentant killers are subject to exclusion (1 Corinthians 5) to maintain the church’s purity, echoing Revelation’s vision.
• Counseling for Trauma: Victims and families of murder require compassionate care anchored in God’s promise that He “will avenge the blood of His servants” (Deuteronomy 32:43).

Conclusion

Strong’s Greek 5406 consistently portrays deliberate takers of life as enemies of God’s righteous order. From the wrongful release of Barabbas to the final expulsion of murderers from the Holy City, Scripture maintains unwavering fidelity to the commandment “You shall not murder.” Yet the same canon holds forth grace to even the chief of sinners, revealing a Savior whose own blood answers the cry of the ground and secures eternal peace for all who repent and believe.