What does the Bible say about capital punishment?
The Bible affirms human dignity (image of God) as the reason murder is the gravest sin, and the same principle as the basis for capital punishment in the OT. Christians today differ on whether civil capital punishment remains appropriate.
Genesis 9:6 grounds it: "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image." The image of God in the victim is why the punishment is so severe.
The OT specified capital punishment for various crimes; in the NT, Romans 13 affirms the state’s authority to bear the sword.
Christians today disagree, often along lines of judicial reliability and forgiveness. Most agree it should be extremely rare, never racially biased, and always grieved when imposed.
Original BibleDawn answer · reviewed 2026-06. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.