Latin quote · Peace

Omnes enim qui acceperint gladium, gladio peribunt

“For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.”

Vulgate, Matthew 26:52

Translation

What does “Omnes enim qui acceperint gladium, gladio peribunt” mean?

Omnes enim qui acceperint gladium, gladio peribunt translates as “For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.”

Violence breeds violence and usually turns back on those who choose it. It is a timeless warning against living by force.

Word by word

“Omnes enim qui acceperint gladium, gladio peribunt” word by word

Latin	English	Grammar
Omnes	all	nominative plural masculine of omnis, “all, every”; the subject of the sentence
enim	for	a connecting word meaning “for” or “indeed”; it never stands first in its clause, which is why it comes second here
qui	who	nominative plural masculine relative pronoun, “those who”, introducing the clause that describes omnes
acceperint	will have taken	third person plural future perfect active indicative of accipio, “I take, receive”; a completed action before the main verb
gladium	the sword	accusative singular of gladius, “sword”; the direct object of acceperint
gladio	by the sword	ablative singular of gladius, “sword”; the ablative of means, “by means of the sword”
peribunt	will perish	third person plural future active indicative of pereo, “I perish, die”; the main verb

Pronunciation

How to pronounce “Omnes enim qui acceperint gladium, gladio peribunt”

Classical LatinOM-nays EN-eem kwee ak-keh-PEH-rint GLAH-dee-oom GLAH-dee-oh peh-REE-boont

Church LatinOM-nes EN-eem kwee ak-cheh-PEH-rint GLAH-dee-oom GLAH-dee-oh peh-REE-boont

The difference is in omnes (OM-nays or OM-nes, ae is not involved but the final e shifts slightly) and in acceperint, where the c before e is hard (k) in Classical and soft (ch) in Church Latin.

Origin & context

The story behind it

Word for word the line says “For all who will have taken the sword will perish by the sword”. The Latin uses a future perfect for the taking and a future for the perishing, a precise sequence that English flattens into “take” and “perish”.

It comes from the Vulgate, Jerome’s Latin Bible translation, at Matthew 26:52. Jesus speaks it in Gethsemane to the disciple who drew his sword and struck at the arresting party, telling him to put the weapon back in its place.

Since then it has served as a standard saying against violence. It is quoted in debates on war, capital punishment and self-defence, and in English it is often shortened to “live by the sword, die by the sword”, a looser paraphrase that is not the biblical wording.

When to use it

How to use “Omnes enim qui acceperint gladium, gladio peribunt”

A solemn choice for a peace memorial, a pacifist essay or a speech about the cost of violence. It is less suited to a light caption, since it is a warning rather than an encouragement.

Latin: Omnes enim qui acceperint gladium, gladio peribunt
English: For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.
Source: Vulgate, Matthew 26:52
Era: Church Latin
Theme: Peace

Good to know

Common mistakes

The popular English “live by the sword, die by the sword” is a paraphrase. The Latin says “take the sword” and “perish by the sword”, with no verb for “live”.
Gladio is ablative, “by the sword”. Writing gladium twice, or gladius, breaks the grammar.
The enim is easy to drop, but it means “for” and ties the line to the previous sentence. Without it the quote reads as a stand-alone statement, which changes its tone slightly.
It is not a prediction that every violent person dies violently. It is a general warning about consequences.

FAQ

Questions about “Omnes enim qui acceperint gladium, gladio peribunt”

What does “Omnes enim qui acceperint gladium, gladio peribunt” mean literally?

“For all who will have taken the sword will perish by the sword.” The first verb is future perfect, describing a taking that is completed before the perishing.

Where is “gladio peribunt” from?

It is from the Vulgate, the Latin Bible of Jerome, at Matthew 26:52, spoken by Jesus at his arrest in Gethsemane.

How do you pronounce “Omnes enim qui acceperint gladium, gladio peribunt”?

In Classical Latin: OM-nays EN-eem kwee ak-keh-PEH-rint GLAH-dee-oom GLAH-dee-oh peh-REE-boont. In Church Latin the c in acceperint becomes ch.

Is this Latin good for a tattoo?

Yes, the Latin is correct and is the standard Vulgate wording. Keep the full sentence or the shorter “gladio peribunt”, and remember that the shorter form drops the first half of the saying.

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