The message given to our ancestors by the angels was shown to be true, and those who did not follow it or obey it received the punishment they deserved.

But any who sin deliberately, whether they are natives or foreigners, are guilty of treating the LORD with contempt, and they shall be put to death,

because they have rejected what the LORD said and have deliberately broken one of his commands. They are responsible for their own death.

So the whole community took him outside the camp and stoned him to death, as the LORD had commanded.

"Even your brother or your son or your daughter or the wife you love or your closest friend may secretly encourage you to worship other gods, gods that you and your ancestors have never worshiped.

But do not let any of them persuade you; do not even listen to them. Show them no mercy or pity, and do not protect them.

Stone them to death! They tried to lead you away from the LORD your God, who rescued you from Egypt, where you were slaves.

"Suppose you hear that in one of your towns some men or women have sinned against the LORD and broken his covenant

If you hear such a report, then investigate it thoroughly. If it is true that this evil thing has happened in Israel,

However, they may be put to death only if two or more witnesses testify against them; they are not to be put to death if there is only one witness.

"It may be that some cases will be too difficult for the local judges to decide, such as certain cases of property rights or of bodily injury or those cases that involve a distinction between murder and manslaughter. When this happens, go to the one place of worship chosen by the LORD your God,

They will give their decision, and you are to do exactly as they tell you.

Anyone who dares to disobey either the judge or the priest on duty is to be put to death; in this way you will remove this evil from Israel.

Why, then, have you disobeyed my commands? Why did you do this evil thing? You had Uriah killed in battle; you let the Ammonites kill him, and then you took his wife!

"I have sinned against the LORD," David said. Nathan replied, "The LORD forgives you; you will not die.

No mercy will be shown to you. Israel must rid itself of murderers, so that all will go well.

The branches of the trees are withered and broken, and women gather them for firewood. Because the people have understood nothing, God their Creator will not pity them or show them any mercy.

Then I will smash them like jars against one another, old and young alike. No pity, compassion, or mercy will stop me from killing them."

For he said to Moses, "I will have mercy on anyone I wish; I will take pity on anyone I wish."

For God will not show mercy when he judges the person who has not been merciful; but mercy triumphs over judgment.

"Suppose you hear that in one of your towns some men or women have sinned against the LORD and broken his covenant

However, they may be put to death only if two or more witnesses testify against them; they are not to be put to death if there is only one witness.

The witnesses are to throw the first stones, and then the rest of the people are to stone them; in this way you will get rid of this evil.

"One witness is not enough to convict someone of a crime; at least two witnesses are necessary to prove that someone is guilty.

But if he will not listen to you, take one or two other persons with you, so that 'every accusation may be upheld by the testimony of two or more witnesses,' as the scripture says.

It is written in your Law that when two witnesses agree, what they say is true.

This is now the third time that I am coming to visit you. "Any accusation must be upheld by the evidence of two or more witnesses"---as the scripture says.