This is a subject I've found to be one that gets contested a lot. When it comes to self defense or defending one's family and you might be in a situation where you kill the attacker under the law if its clear cut self defense you are innocent but one of the ten commandments is thou shalt not kill..

If it came down to it and I had to make that decision to protect my loved ones I would do it and and then pray about it and ask for forgiveness for taking a life even in defense of my family.

But I'm curious where this subject comes to with others.  Please chime in.

Consider these two translations

If you are KJV then you can do no violence to any man.

KJV
And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.

NKJV
Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, "And what shall we do?" So he said to them, "Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages."

Meanwhile virtually all other translations besides KJV indicate the soldiers were shaking down(the Greek word KJV translated into violence) the population by extortion because they were discontent with their pay. So Jesus was telling them to do their job honestly and with contentment. No deep moral lesson about warfare, murder, killing etc was given to these trained killers when they inquired.

How you think about this depends on whether you are Jewish or Christian. Which are you?

A more accurate translation is not to commit murder, which is different than simply killing.  

Another one is actually about kidnapping women but I don't remember the details now.

With differences in cultures, mores, languages and time, things can get very misconstrued.

There is a huge difference between premeditated murder VS self defense - defending the innocent or defending your country in war.

Cane killed Able -  premeditated murder. (Bad) Genesis 4:8
David killed Goliath in war - (Hero.) 1Samuel 17:49

The difference is the intent of the heart. Self Defense killing has no criminal intent,  it is a response to criminal violence the intent is protecting your life or the life of an innocent third person.

1 Timothy 5:8 - Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Read it in context. This applies. As the man of the house you are to provide for your own, in every way / shape / form / fashion. Why would God require you to stand by and watch an evil person kill your family? He wouldn't, but some people won't because of cowardice.

What do your friends think of military service, where if you are in combat arms, you could very well need to kill someone? Are your friends pacifists?

Defend away with a clear conscience before God.

This is always the interpretation I've used.

Yes, the commandment originally said murder, not kill.

Nehemiah 4:18.

What do you think their swords were for?

Very good points all around  

Well I'd be considered Christian.

When you read, "Thou shalt not kill" or "Thou shalt not murder" don't think only in terms of the earthly life.  This does not condemn self defense or defense of ones family or even country.  "Kill" is a very heavy word in this context.  

I've had to confess the killing of my mother in my mind (not in the sense of physically murdering her), I kill her spiritually out of resentment and anger, my stubbornness to forgive.  I cause her great harm out of this which causes myself and Christ harm.

A good example is the death penalty.  The death penalty is right and just in the eyes of God, if done justly and in His name.  A Godless country has no right to wield the sword against a man.  In the case of a Godly society and Godly court, the death penalty while meant to end the earthly life of a man and do justice for society, is intended to save the soul of the man.  A man is given a definite end, a tangible end of life, for the purpose of leading him to repentance and forgiveness, in an attempt to save his heavenly life.  

There are endless biblical examples of righteous killing, the killing of Gods enemies.

Then there is the ultimate proof, God has ended the earthly life of men, women, and children.  The flood, the plague, enemies of Israel, Sodom and Gomorrah, etc.  God can not contradict Good or Truth because He IS Good and Truth, He can not break His own commandments.

Killing in the True name of God, is not only permitted, but righteous.

Now on the flip side, if for example I killed a man in self defense while I was committing a sin that led to his attack of me, let's say burglarizing his home, I would not be justified.

If I were a Judge and sentenced a man to death for failing to uphold the gospel of the skittles mafia, that penalty of death would not be just.  Not only would I be in violation of the commandment, but so would the executioner and anyone else complicit in the societal culture that killed that man for blaspheming their religion of wokeness.

/thread.