We have an instance of this Tampering with Gods Law, and one which concerns us closely, with regard to this very Commandment (Sixth) —“THOU SHALT NOT KILL.” In Matthew Chapter 19, Verse 18, it is rendered, “THOU SHALT DO NO MURDER.” Only a few chapters previously, Matthew 5:21, Christ, in His Sermon on the Mount, quotes this command as “THOU SHALT NOT KILL,” and the whole tenor of His sermon was intended to emphasize and strengthen the Law. How is it then, that this vital Alteration has crept into our Bibles? In the Greek, Latin. French, German, Italian, Spanish and Welsh translations of the Scriptures the wording of this verse, Matthew Chapter 19, Verse 18, is the same as in Exodus 20, “THOU SHALT NOT KILL.” Why then has this been changed in our English version to “THOU SHALT DO NO MURDER,” which has such a different meaning? And what is still more important for us to know, is why this changing of Gods Law which occurs only once in Matthew Chapter 19, Verse 18, is printed not only in our Prayer Books, both in the Catechism and in the Communion Service, but is often engraved on the Altars of our Churches instead of :— “THOU SHALT NOT KILL” — Exodus Chapter 20, Verse 13.
    “Thou shalt not kill” — Deut. 5:17.
    “Thou shalt not kill” — Matthew 5:21.
    “Do not kill” — Mark 10:19.
    “Do not kill” — Luke 18:20.
    “Thou shalt not kill” — Romans 8:9.
    “Do not kill” — James 2:11.
    The command in the Hebrew Talmud is distinctly “THOU SHALT NOT KILL.” The Greek word “Mephoneuseis,” as well as the Latin “non occides,” remain the same in all the eight instances. Luther's Bible, which is quoted by many critics as the purest interpretation of the Bible, and which shows deep insight and knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures, retains the original wording, “THOU SHALT NOT KILL” in all places, nor is there any Alteration in any of the other languages mentioned. This most serious Alteration of God’s Command, is a terrible travesty of the Truth, and leads people who would not on any account willfully break Gods Commands, to think they may KILL and eat the poor Animals with Impunity — for they have apparently only been commanded not to KILL one another. Moreover, this change in the Sixth Commandment to “Thou shalt do no Murder,” has taken such a mighty hold on people, that it is the experience of every Vegetarian that the invariable answer to their pleading for a return to a simple Natural Diet, is that the command does not concern the Animal world at all, but only means they are commanded not to take Human Life.
    Poor mutilated Commandment! After having gone through various editions by Tyndale and Coverdale, from 1537 to 1539, as “Thou shalt not Kill,” “Thou shalt not kill,” etc.; in 1540 in the KJV Authorized Edition, dedicated to Henry VIII, with a Prologue by the Archbishop of Canterbury, it was transformed into “Thou shalt not commit Manslaughter.” Then in Edward the VI's reign it again reverted to “Thou shalt not Kill,” only to be changed again in 1552 to “Thou shalt do no Murder,” and in this same year it was inserted in this form in our Prayer Books, and has remained ever since as “Thou shalt do no Murder,” despite the change in the Revised Version of 1881 to “Thou shalt not Kill.”

    Webster Dictionary Definition of MURDER:
1 : the crime of unlawfully Killing a Person especially with malice aforethought.

    Webster Dictionary Definition of KILL:
1 : to deprive one of Life.

    Though this reverting in 1881 to the original form of the Commandment is an acknowledgment undoubtedly on the part of the Ecclesiastical authorities that they recognize this is the true rendering of the Commandment, yet the gravity of the question remains as great as ever, for in the latest revision of the entire Bible, completed as lately as 1885, the original Command, “Thou shalt not Kill,” delivered by God on Sinai and recorded in the 20th Exodus which has remained unaltered for 3,400 years has, in this latest version, been changed to “Thou shalt do no Murder.” Surely these changes require some investigation..
    Among many other arguments that people advance to defend their custom of eating Meat, is that Christ partook of fish himself; but in the first place we know that Christ was surrounded by enemies who were always on the alert to construe wrongly every action of His, as well as every word He uttered. Secondly, Christ was a Nazarite, Essene, and belonged to a Sect which abstained most strictly from Flesh of all kinds, and all who have visited the East know how sacredly all Decrees of the Sect are held. With regard to the miracle of the loaves and fishes, a very probable explanation is this: Little rolls are made even at the present time in the East from the Fish Plant. The Babylonians made it their chief food, and the natives of Japan, who abstain from Meat, consider these Soft Submarine plants a great dainty. They are dived for by the fishermen’s wives, and they are sold as an article of everyday Diet in the markets. They are dried in the sun, beaten in a mortar and baked into bread. The Mohammedans order this Fish Plant to be eaten by the Faithful. Is it not much more natural that in a basket containing bread, there should be found some of these little rolls made from the Fish Plant, than ordinary Fish which would have Contaminated the Bread by their presence there?
    Christ often tells us also of Gods love for Animals: “Are not two Sparrows sold for a farthing, and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father knowing.” Speaking of the Lost Sheep, Christ says: “it is not the will of your Father that one of these little ones should perish,” and again, “Consider the ravens, they neither sow nor reap, but God feedeth them.”
    Christ refers Lovingly to the mute creation when foretelling the destruction of Jerusalem. “How often would I have gathered thy children together as a hen doth gather her chicks, and ye would not?” Job speaks of every Living thing having Souls — Job 12:10, and the correct Hebrew translation of the 30th verse of the first Chapter of Genesis, is that food is appointed also for every Beast of the earth, every Fowl of the air, and everything that creepeth on the earth wherein there is a Living Soul.
     The Sixth Commandment Commands especially Christians: THOU SHALT NOT KILL or DO NOT DEPRIVE ANY CREATURE OF ITS LIFE, ANIMAL or HUMAN. If you think that Animals are excluded from this Commandment, you may not Murder, but deep down you are Murderous. You may not Murder anybody, but one thing is certain, you will Murder your own Qualities of Love and Compassion and Brotherhood.