1012. The literal meaning of the words: "whoso sheddeth man's blood in man, his blood shall be shed" is one who sheds another's blood; but in the internal sense it is not another's blood, but charity in oneself. For this reason it is said "man's blood in man." Sometimes when two are spoken of in the literal sense, only one is meant in the internal sense. The internal man is man in man. Whoso therefore extinguishes charity, which is of the internal man, or is the internal man himself, his blood shall be shed, that is, he condemns himself.
