Skip to content

The law of God is not to return evil for evil; indeed, if…

“The law of God is not to return evil for evil; indeed, if you try in this way to stamp out wickedness it will come upon you all the stronger. It is not difficult for you to kill the man, but his blood will surely stain your own soul. You may think you have killed a bad man--that you have gotten…” quote by Leo Tolstoy
Download Open image
““The law of God is not to return evil for evil; indeed, if you try in this way to stamp out wickedness it will come upon you all the stronger. It is not difficult for you to kill the man, but his blood will surely stain your own soul. You may think you have killed a bad man--that you have gotten rid of evil--but you will soon find out that the seeds of still greater wickedness have been planted within you.””

Leo Tolstoy

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Violence begets more violence; killing evil can corrupt the soul and spawn greater wickedness.

In simple terms: Violence breeds more evil.

Key Takeaway

Seek non‑violent solutions.

Themes

ethics violence consequences

Mood

somber thoughtful

Type

philosophical advice

When to use this quote

  • justice reform
  • conflict mediation
  • personal revenge
  • social activism

Key Concepts

morality spirituality

Questions to Reflect On

  • Can justice be served without bloodshed?
  • What are the costs of revenge?
A Different Perspective

Non‑violent paths may be slower and harder.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Leo Tolstoy

Explore all 1,754 Leo Tolstoy quotes

More Bad man quotes

Browse all 410 Bad man quotes