![]() 21).Ĭhrist's death on the cross ended the requirement for blood recompense and blood sacrifice. If the murderer could not be found, an animal was to be sacrificed to God to purge the community of guilt (Deut. Numbers 35:33 says that the blood of a murder victim "pollutes the land," a pollution that must be cleansed by the death of the murderer. When Israel ceased to exist as a nation, its Law was nullified.Even the execution of murderers stemmed, in part, from God's special relationship to Israel. Executing false teachers and those who sacrificed to false gods are examples of provisions that sprang from Israel's unique position as a nation of God called to be holy. Israel was a theocracy, a nation ruled directly by God. So those who believe Scripture prohibits capital punishment argue that the developments of the New Testament era supersede the Old Testament Law. Old Testament Law clearly calls for capital punishment. ![]() For example, in Romans 13:1-7 Paul calls his readers to submit to the authority of civil government, reminding them that "if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing." In its ultimate use, the word sword implies execution. While no New Testament passage expressly mandates capital punishment, several imply its appropriateness. Sinai, ordained execution for several offenses: murder (but not accidental killings), striking or cursing a parent, kidnapping, adultery, incest, bestiality, sodomy, rape of a betrothed virgin, witchcraft, incorrigible delinquency, breaking the Sabbath, blasphemy, sacrificing to false gods, oppressing the weak, and other transgressions. And since this mandate was given long before the Mosaic Law to all who survived the flood, it apparently has universal application. It not only reflects the great value of human life, but also gives the reason for that value: Man is made in God's image.The absolute language of Genesis 9:6 suggests that all those who kill another human being must be killed. Genesis 9:6 says, "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed for in the image of God has God made man." This is part of the larger covenant that God made with Noah after the flood. Proponents of this position cite three scriptural arguments: This is a form of restitution a matter of justice- the state purging itself of those who shed innocent blood. The principal argument is that because life is sacred, those who wrongfully take another human life must lose their own lives. Resources for Friends and Family of Prisoners.Support for Friends and Family of Prisoners.Register your church or group for Angel Tree.Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc. A lexicon: Abridged from Liddell and Scott’s Greek-English lexicon. Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) (electronic ed.) (DBLG 5839). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon, (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.) 1995. 6:23), so when God executes someone it is not murder, it is killing because it is a lawful taking of life. 3:23) all people are under the judgment of God. One final comment: since all people have sinned against God (Rom. 10:28, “kill” is ἀποκτίννυμι (apoktinumi), to kill, slay 3Īs you can see, different words are used for “murder” and “kill.” The Greek is more specific, and since the Greek New Testament quotes the Hebrew Old Testament, we can see that Exodus 20:13 is best translated as “You shall not murder.” 10:28 says, “And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” The word kill here is apoktinumi. 13:9 as “You shall not murder.” The word in Greek for murder here is φονεύω, (phoneuo). This is another reason that modern translations say, “You shall not murder.”Īlso, consider that the New Testament quotes Exodus 20:13 in Rom. ![]() Exodus 22:2, “If the thief is caught while breaking in, and is struck so that he dies, there will be no bloodguiltiness on his account.” If the mere killing of any kind was the issue, then why would God say killing in self-defense is permissible? He wouldn’t. ![]() God has said, “You shall not murder,” not “You shall not kill.” After all, God says killing in self-defense is justifiable. It is translated into the English many different ways, depending on the context: “slayer 16, murderer 14, kill 5, murder 3, slain 3, manslayer 2, killing 1, slayer + 310 1, slayeth 1, death 1.” 1 Modern translations (ESV, NASB, NCV, NIV, NKJV, NLT, NRSV) have it as “You shall not murder.” The word in Hebrew for “kill” here in Exodus 20:13 is תִּרְצָח (ratsach). “Thou shalt not kill” is from the old King James Bible. Why the contradiction?įirst of all, there is no contradiction. In Exodus 20:13 it says, “Thou shalt not kill,” yet God kills people in floods, famines, and has Israel go and kill entire people groups.
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