I hope you will never be asked to lay down your lives for your principles.
Etymology: based on the literal meaning of give your life(= to die saving someone else or in a war)
lay down (one's) life
To sacrifice one's life (for someone or something); to die (for a purpose). Our soldiers are out there laying down their lives for our freedom, and we should show our support.To lay down one's life to save a stranger is the ultimate sacrifice.
lay down your ˈlife (for somebody/something)
(literary) die for your country, a cause etc: Thousands of young men laid down their lives in the war so that we could live in freedom.