Pope Francis was bad, there’s no debate about that.
But Pope Leo seems hell-bent (word chosen intentionally) on outdoing him.
The latest?
Pope Leo has now weighed in to announce the Death Penalty is “inadmissible” because it is an attack on the “dignity” of the person.
See it right here:
The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person. The common good can be safeguarded and the requirements of justice can be met without recourse to capital punishment: effective systems of detention have been developed that…
— Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) October 10, 2026
FULL TEXT:
The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person. The common good can be safeguarded and the requirements of justice can be met without recourse to capital punishment: effective systems of detention have been developed that protect citizens while at the same time do not completely deprive those who are guilty of the possibility of redemption. #NoDeathPenalty
With all due respect Pontiff, there’s just one problem with that.
God seems to disagree with you.
In fact, the Old Testament contains more than 30 distinct offenses and circumstances for which God prescribes death, particularly in the Law of Moses (Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy).
Some carried a mandatory death sentence, others depended on specific circumstances, and a few involve direct divine judgment rather than execution by Israel’s courts.
Here is a summary that perhaps someone should send to this Dope of a Pope so he can read them:
1. Murder and crimes against human life
| Offense | Scripture |
|---|---|
| 1. Premeditated murder | Exodus 21:12–14; Leviticus 24:17; Numbers 35:16–21 |
| 2. Intentional murder, even when the killer seeks sanctuary | Exodus 21:14; 1 Kings 2:28–34 |
| 3. Causing a pregnant woman’s death during a violent altercation | Exodus 21:22–23 |
| 4. Kidnapping and selling a person into slavery | Exodus 21:16; Deuteronomy 24:7 |
| 5. Criminal negligence involving an ox known to be dangerous, resulting in death | Exodus 21:28–32 |
Important distinction: Numbers 35:9–34 distinguishes intentional murder from accidental killing. Accidental manslaughter did not ordinarily carry the death penalty.
Also, Exodus 21:30 permits a ransom in the dangerous-ox case, so death was not necessarily mandatory.
2. Sexual sins and offenses
| Offense | Scripture |
|---|---|
| 6. Adultery with another man’s wife | Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22 |
| 7. Sexual intercourse with one’s father’s wife | Leviticus 20:11 |
| 8. Sexual intercourse with one’s daughter-in-law | Leviticus 20:12 |
| 9. Male homosexual intercourse | Leviticus 20:13 |
| 10. A man marrying both a woman and her mother | Leviticus 20:14 |
| 11. Bestiality committed by a man | Exodus 22:19; Leviticus 20:15 |
| 12. Bestiality committed by a woman | Leviticus 20:16 |
| 13. A priest’s daughter engaging in prostitution | Leviticus 21:9 |
| 14. A betrothed woman and a man committing consensual intercourse in a city | Deuteronomy 22:23–24 |
| 15. A man raping a betrothed woman | Deuteronomy 22:25–27 |
| 16. A newly married woman found guilty under the law concerning alleged premarital sexual misconduct | Deuteronomy 22:13–21 |
There are significant distinctions here.
In Deuteronomy 22:25–27, only the rapist is executed. The woman is explicitly declared innocent of a capital offense.
In Deuteronomy 22:28–29, intercourse with an unbetrothed virgin is treated differently and does not prescribe execution.
3. Idolatry and worshiping other gods
| Offense | Scripture |
|---|---|
| 17. Sacrificing to another god | Exodus 22:20 |
| 18. Worshiping the sun, moon, or heavenly bodies | Deuteronomy 17:2–7 |
| 19. Enticing another person to worship other gods | Deuteronomy 13:6–11 |
| 20. A prophet encouraging worship of other gods, even while performing signs | Deuteronomy 13:1–5 |
| 21. A city collectively turning to other gods | Deuteronomy 13:12–18 |
| 22. Sacrificing one’s children to Molech | Leviticus 20:2–5 |
| 23. Participating in the idolatry of Baal of Peor | Numbers 25:1–5 |
Deuteronomy 13 is especially striking. Even if someone performs a miraculous sign that comes true, encouraging Israel to follow other gods is still a capital offense.
In the case of an apostate city, the prescribed judgment extends beyond the individual instigators.
4. Blasphemy and offenses against God’s holiness
| Offense | Scripture |
|---|---|
| 24. Blaspheming the name of the LORD | Leviticus 24:10–16 |
| 25. Deliberately violating the Sabbath | Exodus 31:14–15; 35:2 |
| 26. Practicing sorcery or witchcraft | Exodus 22:18 |
| 27. Practicing as a medium or spiritist | Leviticus 20:27 |
| 28. A false prophet speaking presumptuously in God’s name | Deuteronomy 18:20 |
| 29. A false prophet speaking in the name of other gods | Deuteronomy 18:20 |
| 30. An unauthorized person approaching the tabernacle’s sacred duties or sanctuary | Numbers 1:51; 3:10, 38; 18:7 |
| 31. Entering the forbidden boundary around Mount Sinai during God’s manifestation | Exodus 19:12–13 |
A notable example: Numbers 15:32–36 records a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath. God explicitly commands that the man be stoned.
5. Crimes against parents and family authority
| Offense | Scripture |
|---|---|
| 32. Striking one’s father or mother | Exodus 21:15 |
| 33. Cursing one’s father or mother | Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9 |
| 34. Persistent, rebellious, drunken, and gluttonous conduct by a son who refuses parental correction | Deuteronomy 21:18–21 |
The rebellious-son law requires both parents to bring the accusation before the elders. It is not simply a command to execute a child for ordinary disobedience.
6. Defiance of God’s judicial and religious authority
| Offense | Scripture |
|---|---|
| 35. Defiantly refusing to obey the authorized priest or judge in a difficult legal case | Deuteronomy 17:8–13 |
| 36. Intentionally giving false testimony in a capital case | Deuteronomy 19:16–21 |
| 37. Acting in high-handed rebellion against God’s commands | Numbers 15:30–31 |
The false-witness law uses reciprocal punishment: the malicious witness receives the penalty intended for the accused. Thus, execution applies when the fabricated accusation would have carried death.
Numbers 15:30–31 says the defiant offender must be cut off from the people. Whether every instance of this expression requires judicial execution is debated.
7. Additional death-related commands and judgments
These are important passages, but they should not be confused with ordinary criminal statutes.
| Circumstance | Scripture |
|---|---|
| A priest improperly approaching the sanctuary or performing forbidden sacred acts | Leviticus 16:2; Numbers 18:3 |
| Aaron’s sons offering unauthorized fire, resulting in divine execution | Leviticus 10:1–2 |
| A person remaining ceremonially unclean and contaminating the tabernacle | Numbers 19:13, 20 |
| Eating sacrificial meat while unclean | Leviticus 7:20–21 |
| Eating blood | Leviticus 17:10, 14 |
| Certain forbidden sexual relationships resulting in being cut off | Leviticus 18:29 |
| Failure to observe the Day of Atonement | Leviticus 23:29–30 |
| Breaking the covenant through certain serious offenses | Genesis 17:14; Exodus 12:15, 19 |
The distinction matters: being cut off (karet) can be interpreted as exclusion from the covenant community, divine punishment, premature death, or some combination. It should not automatically be counted as an explicit command for human execution.
How were these death sentences carried out?
The Old Testament specifies several methods:
-
Stoning: Blasphemy, idolatry, Sabbath violation, and certain sexual offenses (Leviticus 24:14; Deuteronomy 17:5).
-
Burning: Certain especially serious sexual offenses (Leviticus 20:14; 21:9). Whether burning always meant execution by fire rather than burning the body afterward is debated.
