Some efforts have been made to find Biblical support for the position that the Bible opposes capital punishment. One argument relies on Matthew 5:38-39:

> "Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also."

This is one of several passages cited of a type which encourage not resisting evil, not taking revenge, and so on. But they are all in the context of personal relationships and have nothing to do with the judicial functions of the state, which, in the traditional Christian understanding, bears the sword to restrain evil (Romans 13:4). Certainly, Christians should forgive others who commit criminal acts against them, but this does not oblige the state to "forgive" in a judicial sense. If it did, then the state could not even imprison a person or so much as exact a fine to maintain a just society.