Bible Verses About Death Penalty
Ranked by the OpenBible.info topical community
These are the Bible verses most often cited for death penalty, ranked by the OpenBible.info topical community across 1,334 votes, led by Genesis 9:6. Each passage links to its verse page or the interactive map; scripture is the King James Version.
Top verses about Death Penalty
Genesis 9:6245 votes
Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
Exodus 21:12213 votes
He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
Romans 12:19122 votes
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Exodus 20:1399 votes
Thou shalt not kill.
Jude 1:770 votes
Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Matthew 5:43-4452 votes
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Matthew 5:38-3946 votes
Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
Exodus 21:1745 votes
And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
Matthew 5:741 votes
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Romans 6:2339 votes
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
2 Peter 3:939 votes
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Exodus 21:1631 votes
And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
Exodus 21:1527 votes
And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
Numbers 35:1627 votes
And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.
Leviticus 24:1723 votes
And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death.
John 8:723 votes
So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
Romans 13:1-522 votes
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Deuteronomy 17:617 votes
At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.
Psalms 79:1117 votes
Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;
Ezekiel 18:3217 votes
For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
Leviticus 20:2714 votes
A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.
Matthew 5:2214 votes
But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
1 Peter 2:1414 votes
Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
Ezekiel 18:24-2613 votes
But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
Acts 25:10-1112 votes
Then said Paul, I stand at Cesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.
What does the Bible say about death penalty?
Readers most often cite Genesis 9:6 on the subject of death penalty. Across 1,334 votes, 25 passages are commonly cited for this topic, including Exodus 21:12, Romans 12:19, Exodus 20:13. This page lists all 25 in ranked order, quoted in the King James Version, with each linked to its cross-references.