For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.

Talks about bearing a sword for punishment. Sure sounds like it includes capital punishment

Came to fulfill, not rectify. But while you are in Romans, perhaps consider chapter 13. Especially verse 4.

It is well established that they are trying to make it more humane.

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/03/can-executions-be-more-humane/388249/

The whole point of using gas or chemicals for the death isnt to make the punishment humane - the death penalty is not humane in any way - its to make it easier on the people doing the killing. No mess, no fuss.

If you are purporting this to be fact, yes, it requires proof. Of this is just your opinion, fine, but your opinion of the motives of others doesn’t carry much weight.

That isn’t talking about a secular death penalty, which has prescribed under the pentateuch such as at Numbers 35:16-20. Also, Romans is traditionally believed to be written by Paul and is not a gospel account.

But what does it matter? Policy should not be based on the Bible.

It’s hardly an experiment if you know the results.

But by that definition, every method was “experimental” at some point. Lethal injection, firing squad, electric chair, gas chamber, hanging, the guillotine, the breaking wheel, being drawn and quartered, scaphism, whatever method had to be done for the first time once. And I would take nitrogen asphyxiation over any of those. Hell, when I start suffering, I sincerely hope that option is available to me so I can go out on my own terms.

Stating my own opinion is “pompous.” Whatever.

It is a punishment to fit the crime, as it should be.

When else does Jesus talk specifically about the death penalty? He was talking about getting hit with turn the other cheek. You can’t turn the other cheek when you are dead.

Citation needed

Nah, I’m fine with all the sealioning.

I didn’t say it was anything more.

No, you are saying, as I recall l, that if we kill killers, then we should kill the executioner because all killing is wrong.

I didn’t say you did.

Murder is. And executioners are not committing murder.

Dude, it’s like you don’t even read my posts.

No, as you said, one follows the legal system, the other does not.

See, you are assuming it’s about revenge. No, it is just acknowledging that what is done is so awful, you have to take the consequence to the next level.

And while I get wanting to call out evangelical hypocrisy, the Bible should have nothing to do with policy. Besides, the most famous supposedly anti-death penalty account was likely added years later: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_and_the_woman_taken_in_adultery

Oh, so it sounds like you do see the difference.

As I said elsewhere, because they are doing their duty. We empower people to do otherwise illegal things all the time. If some random guy demanded your tax records and wanted a percentage of your income, they would the charged with theft. When an IRS auditor does it, it isn’t illegal.

So you are ok sending the innocent to die, but refuse to condemn the guilty? I am sorry, I do not like the other choice. When someone kills someone else and we can prove it beyond any doubt, that murderer should not get to be housed, fed, and cared for for life. I get that it may even cost more, but that’s where I’d rather spend money.

Because they are carrying out a judgement. We don’t toss prison guards in jail for false imprisonment. We don’t send IRS agents to jail for theft.