Early Christian Views on Self-Defense
Early Christian writings lean strongly toward non-retaliation: believers are told not to answer violence with violence. Writers like Polycarp, Athenagoras, Tertullian, Origen, Cyprian, and Lactantius stress endurance, peace, and leaving revenge to God. A few texts speak more directly about resisting force or defending others, so the picture is mixed on self-defense in the narrow sense.
124 early-church witnesses · 239 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about self-defense?
Early Christian writers often taught non-retaliation and praised endurance under attack, so the main thread is that believers should not answer injury with injury. Polycarp, Athenagoras, Tertullian, Origen, Cyprian, and Lactantius all repeat that Christians should not repay evil with evil and should avoid revenge, and some texts go as far as saying it is better to suffer wrong than to inflict it.
The evidence is thinner on self-defense in the narrow sense, because only a few passages speak directly about resisting force, such as Tertullian's line about "repelling force with force" and Lactantius's comment that dying rather than hurting another is just but foolish. Bible passages like Matthew 5:39, Romans 12:19-21, 1 Peter 2:23, and Luke 22:36 create a mixed picture: the dominant rule is non-retaliation, but some texts can be read as allowing armed protection in special cases.
Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Most early Christian writers taught Christians not to repay violence with violence.
- Several writers said it is better to suffer wrong than to inflict it.
- A few passages leave room for debate about defense, but they are fewer than the anti-retaliation texts.
Questions Answered by the Sources
Did early Christians teach non-retaliation?
Yes. Early Christian writers repeatedly taught believers not to repay evil with evil, not to avenge themselves, and to answer harm with patience. Polycarp, Athenagoras, Clement, Origen, Cyprian, and Lactantius all fit this pattern, and the Bible passages used most often are Matthew 5:39, Romans 12:19-21, and 1 Peter 2:23.
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Polycarp, Epistle to the Philippians Direct teaching
“not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing,” or blow for blow, or cursing for cursing, but being mindful of what the Lord said in His teaching: “Judge not, that ye be not judged;
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Athenagoras, A Plea for the Christians Direct teaching
for we have learned, not only not to return blow for blow, nor to go to law with those who plunder and rob us, but to those who smite us on one side of the face to offer the other side also, and to those who take away our coat to give likewise our cloak.
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Tertullian, Apology Direct teaching
...an obstinate refusal to offer sacrifices, he found in their religious services nothing but meetings early in the morning for singing hymns to Christ and God, and sealing their way of life by a united pledge to remain faithful to their religion, forbidding murder, adultery, dishonesty, and other crimes. In reply, Trajan wrote back that Christians were by no means to be sought out. But if they were brought before him, they should be punished. O miserable deliverance. Under the necessities of the case, it is a self-contradiction. It forbids them to be sought out, as innocent, and it commands them to be punished, as guilty. It is at once merciful and cruel. It passes by, and it punishes. Why do you play this game of evasion with yourself, O Judgment? If you condemn, why do you not also inquire? If you do not inquire, why do you not also absolve? Military stations are set throughout all the provinces for tracking robbers. Against traitors and public enemies every man is a soldier. Search is made even for their confederates and accessories. The Christian alone must not be sought, though he may be brought and accused before the judge, as if a search had any other end than that! And so
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Cyprian, Treatises Direct teaching
17. For this reason it is that none of us, when he is apprehended, makes resistance, nor avenges himself against your unrighteous violence, although our people are numerous and plentiful.
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Origen, Against Celsus Direct teaching
Celsus then extracts from the Gospel the precept, To him who strikes you once, you shall offer yourself to be struck again, although without giving any passage from the Old Testament which he considers opposed to it.
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Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness
This is virtue; this is true constancy — to be maintained and preserved in this one thing alone, that no terror and no violence may be able to turn us away from God.
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Matthew 5:39 Background
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
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Romans 12:19 Background
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
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1 Peter 2:23 Background
When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.
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1 Thessalonians 5:15 Background
See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
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1 Peter 3:9 Background
Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
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Romans 12:17 Background
Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.
More related quotations from this section 4 shown
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Romans 12:21 Background
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
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James 5:6 Background
Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.
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Jeremiah 33:14 Background
Keep thy tongue from evil, And thy lips from speaking guile.
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Background
...the Romans, “For there is no power but from God; the powers that exist are ordained by God. Whoever resists the power resists God’s ordinance, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. Rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Will you not be afraid of the power? Do good, and you will receive praise, for he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain: he is God's minister, the avenger for wrath upon the one who does evil. Therefore, you must be subject, not only for wrath but for conscience's sake. For this reason, you also pay taxes; for they are God’s ministers, attending continually to this very task.” Thus, both the Lord and the apostles proclaim God the Father as the one who gave the law, sent the prophets, and made all things; hence He says, “He sent His armies,” for every person, as a person, is His creation, even if they do not know their God. He gives existence to all; He “makes His sun rise upon the evil and the good and sends rain upon the just and unjust.”
Did any early Christian writers allow self-defense?
A few early texts can be read as allowing defense or resistance in some form, but they are much less common than the anti-retaliation passages. Tertullian uses the phrase "repelling force with force," and Lactantius says a person who dies rather than inflict violence is "just, but foolish," which shows that the topic was not handled with one simple rule.
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Tertullian, Against Marcion Direct teaching
No one gives the name of sheep to those who fall in battle with arms in hand, and while repelling force with force, but only to those who are slain, yielding themselves up in their own place of duty and with patience, rather than fighting in self-defense.
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Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness
But if he choose rather to die than to inflict violence upon another, in this case he is just, but foolish, in not sparing his own life while he spares the life of another.
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Luke 22:36 Background
Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.
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Acts 7:24 Background
And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended and avenged him who was oppressed, and struck down the Egyptian.
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Exodus 21:18 Background
And if men strive together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed:
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Exodus 22:2 Background
If the thief is found breaking in, and he is struck so that he dies, there shall be no guilt for his bloodshed.
More related quotations from this section 2 shown
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Origen, Against Celsus Direct teaching
And yet, if a revolt had led to the formation of the Christian commonwealth, so that it derived its existence in this way from that of the Jews, who were permitted to take up arms in defense of the members of their families, and to slay their enemies, the Christian Lawgiver would not have altogether forbidden the putting of men to death;
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Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness
...to make a right use of wealth, and what benefit should be sought from riches, I will explain more clearly when I begin to speak about the duty of piety. Now the other things that follow are by no means true. For declaring hostility against the wicked, or taking up the defense of the good, may be something it shares with the evil. For some people, by a pretense of goodness, prepare the way for themselves to gain power. They do many things that good people are accustomed to do, and they do them all the more readily because they do them for the sake of deceiving. And I wish it were as easy to carry out goodness in action as it is to pretend to it. But when they have begun to reach their goal and desire by attaining the highest step of power, then, truly laying aside all pretense, these men reveal their character. They seize everything, use violence, and lay waste. They even crush the good themselves, whose cause they had taken up. And they cut away the steps by which they climbed, so that no one may be able to imitate against them what they did themselves. But still, let us suppose that this duty of defending the good belongs only to the good man. Even then, taking it up is easy, b
Common Questions
Did early Christians believe in self-defense?
Most early Christian writings lean against personal violence and revenge. A few texts can be read as allowing defense in limited cases, but that is not the dominant tone.
Did early Christians teach turning the other cheek?
Yes. Writers like Polycarp, Athenagoras, and Tertullian repeat the teaching of Matthew 5:39 and similar commands to not return harm for harm.
Did any early Christian writer support resisting force?
Tertullian has a line about "repelling force with force," but even there the wider context still favors patience over revenge.
Source Index for Self-defense
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 160 ranked source links from 239 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 160 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 124
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
Bible Passages 80 shown of 115
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.