John 18:31 Then said Pilate to them, Take you him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said to him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death: Torrey's Topical Textbook
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Of Civil Government. ... if we understand that the magistrate, in inflicting punishment, acts ... that the severity of punishments should be ... nature, directed against a capital offence, the ... /.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 20 of civil government.htm