Changes

"The earliest and most reliable manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not have John 7:53-8:11."

"The earliest and most reliable manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not have John 7:53-8:11."

Amid this scholarship, why is the emphasis on this passage increasing?  The answer lies in its liberal message:  do not criticize or punish immoral conduct unless you are perfect yourself.  But one need not be perfect before he can recognize wrongdoing in himself. The Mosaic laws clearly state death as a punishment for sin. So the argument that ''an individual'' must be perfect is not relevant. The God-ordained government has the responsibility for punishment. Civilized society may not depend on stoning to deter immoral crimes, but it does depend on retribution enforced by people who are themselves sinners.

Amid this scholarship, why is the emphasis on this passage increasing?  The answer lies in its liberal message:  do not criticize or punish immoral conduct unless you are perfect yourself. [[Liberals]] cite this passage to oppose the death penalty, a misuse that has been criticized.<ref>http://www.probe.org/site/c.fdKEIMNsEoG/b.4222897/k.64E4/John_8_is_a_Condemnation_of_Capital_Punishment.htm</ref> But one need not be perfect before he can recognize wrongdoing in himself. The Mosaic laws clearly state death as a punishment for sin. So the argument that ''an individual'' must be perfect is not relevant. The God-ordained government has the responsibility for punishment. Civilized society may not depend on stoning to deter immoral crimes, but it does depend on retribution enforced by people who are themselves sinners.

== Contributors to this Original Work ==

== Contributors to this Original Work ==