--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I contend that it's impossible to read…" description: "\"I contend that it's impossible to read the Sermon on the Mount and not come out against capital punishment.\" — Tony Campolo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/tony-campolo-2506_capital-punishment_i-contend-that-it-s-impossible-to-read-t_1775085.png" --- # I contend that it's impossible to read the Sermon on the… ![“I contend that it's impossible to read the Sermon on the Mount and not come out against capital punishment.” quote by Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/tony-campolo-2506_capital-punishment_i-contend-that-it-s-impossible-to-read-t_1775085.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/tony-campolo-2506_capital-punishment_i-contend-that-it-s-impossible-to-read-t_1775085.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/tony-campolo-2506_capital-punishment_i-contend-that-it-s-impossible-to-read-t_1775085.png) > “I contend that it's impossible to read the Sermon on the Mount and not come out against capital punishment.” [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reading the Sermon on the Mount leads to moral opposition to capital punishment. **In simple terms:** The sermon challenges death penalty support. Key Takeaway Consider humane justice. Themes morality justice capital punishment Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - legal reform - prison policy - personal belief formation - public advocacy Key Concepts ethics human rights religious teaching Questions to Reflect On - Do you think religious texts should guide law? - How does compassion influence justice? A Different Perspective Interpretations may vary; some see the text differently. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Capital punishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capital-punishment/) [Punishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punishment/) [Sermon on the mount](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sermon-on-the-mount/) ## Related quotes > [“The same Sermon on the Mount that influenced Tolstoy to write “The Kingdom of God is Within You”, inspired me to a great extent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/the-same-sermon-on-the-mount-that-influenced-tolstoy-to-write-the/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“I doubt if there is any problem in the world today - social, political or economic - that would not find a happy solution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman-2/i-doubt-if-there-is-any-problem-in-the-world-today-social-political/) [Harry S Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman-2/) > [The basis for the ethics of the Sermon on the Mount is not what works, but rather who God is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-hauerwas/the-basis-for-the-ethics-of-the-sermon-on-the-mount-is-not-what-works/) [Stanley Hauerwas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-hauerwas/) > [“It is this fulfillment motif that is so critical to interpreting not only the Sermon on the Mount but the larger role of Jesus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rubel-shelly/it-is-this-fulfillment-motif-that-is-so-critical-to-interpreting-not/) [Rubel Shelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rubel-shelly/) > [“When God wants to sort out the world, as the Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount make clear, he doesn't send in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/when-god-wants-to-sort-out-the-world-as-the-beatitudes-in-the-sermon/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [“These sermons of Jesus Christ are meant for your will and your conscience, not for your head. If you dispute these verses from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/these-sermons-of-jesus-christ-are-meant-for-your-will-and-your/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [... some people cannot bear the truth, no matter how tactfully it is told. No doubt the haughty, the tyrannical, the unmerciful, the impure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-church-terrell/some-people-cannot-bear-the-truth-no-matter-how-tactfully-it-is-told/) [Mary Church Terrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-church-terrell/) > [Never look for right in the other man, but never cease to be right yourself. We are always looking for justice; the teaching of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/never-look-for-right-in-the-other-man-but-never-cease-to-be-right/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“the Sermon on the Mount is God’s formula for revival. The Beatitudes are His recipe for His kingdom to come and His will to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-baker/the-sermon-on-the-mount-is-god-s-formula-for-revival-the-beatitudes/) [Heidi Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-baker/) > [“We heard the Sermon on the Mount and I knew it was too complex, It didn't amount to anything more than what the broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/we-heard-the-sermon-on-the-mount-and-i-knew-it-was-too-complex-it/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Modern poverty is not the poverty that was blest in the Sermon on the Mount.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/modern-poverty-is-not-the-poverty-that-was-blest-in-the-sermon-on-the/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Powers Hapgood had just come from court because there was some kind of dust-up on a picket line. The judge was so curious about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/powers-hapgood-had-just-come-from-court-because-there-was-some-kind/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [If God is not with us, we do not want to continue. If the Sermon on the Mount is simply impractical, our mission work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-baker/if-god-is-not-with-us-we-do-not-want-to-continue-if-the-sermon-on-the/) [Heidi Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-baker/) > [“The Sermon on the Mount is law, not grace, for it demands as the condition of blessingMt 5:3-9 that perfect character which grace, through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-sermon-on-the-mount-is-law-not-grace-for-it-demands-as-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Sermon on the Mount...went straight to my heart. I compared it with the Gita. My young mind tried to unify the teaching of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-sermon-on-the-mount-went-straight-to-my-heart-i-compared-it-with/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) ## More by Tony Campolo > [To prevent discussion of any other explanations of human origins is hardly what I would expect from open-minded educators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/to-prevent-discussion-of-any-other-explanations-of-human-origins-is/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [Christianity isn't the only group that has fundamentalists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/christianity-isn-t-the-only-group-that-has-fundamentalists/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [In our post-Freudian world, it is no longer a goal to become people of character who live out a God-ordained ideal of selfhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/in-our-post-freudian-world-it-is-no-longer-a-goal-to-become-people-of/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [If a guy is intimidated by a woman in leadership, he has real problems with his own concepts of masculinity. That's a harsh statement,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/if-a-guy-is-intimidated-by-a-woman-in-leadership-he-has-real-problems/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [But I think it's up to a local congregation to determine whether or not a marriage should be blessed of God. And it shouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/but-i-think-it-s-up-to-a-local-congregation-to-determine-whether-or/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [Certain things happened in the early church. Women who had never had any freedom suddenly have the ability to stand up and speak and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/certain-things-happened-in-the-early-church-women-who-had-never-had/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [A strong case can be made for religious leaders to speak out on political issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/a-strong-case-can-be-made-for-religious-leaders-to-speak-out-on/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [It has taken countless hours of prayer, study, conversation and emotional turmoil to bring me to the place where I am finally ready to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/it-has-taken-countless-hours-of-prayer-study-conversation-and/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [Grandchildren are God's reward for not killing your kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/grandchildren-are-god-s-reward-for-not-killing-your-kids/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [One of the most startling discoveries of my life was the realization that the Jesus that I love, the Jesus who died for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/one-of-the-most-startling-discoveries-of-my-life-was-the-realization/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [Young Evangelicals, especially, are breaking ranks with older Evangelicals (over 40) and are more and more leaning towards voting Democratic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/young-evangelicals-especially-are-breaking-ranks-with-older/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [“I have three things I'd like to say today. First, while you were sleeping last night, 30,000 kids died of starvation or diseases related…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/i-have-three-things-i-d-like-to-say-today-first-while-you-were/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [While I can see how the government has, at times, wasted taxpayers' money, and I can admit that too often its programs are ineffective,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/while-i-can-see-how-the-government-has-at-times-wasted-taxpayers/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [We ought to get out of the judging business. We should leave it up to God to determine who belongs in one arena or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/we-ought-to-get-out-of-the-judging-business-we-should-leave-it-up-to/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [I contend that Bush would be a lot more moderate if there weren't some fundamentalists breathing down his neck every time he wants to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/i-contend-that-bush-would-be-a-lot-more-moderate-if-there-weren-t/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) [Explore all 163 Tony Campolo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) ## More Capital punishment quotes > [“The next time believers tell you that 'separation of church and state' does not appear in our founding document, tell them to stop using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barker/the-next-time-believers-tell-you-that-separation-of-church-and-state/) [Dan Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barker/) > [“The very mention of crucifixion was taboo in polite Roman circles, since it was the lowest form of capital punishment, reserved for slaves and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/the-very-mention-of-crucifixion-was-taboo-in-polite-roman-circles/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [It is better and more satisfactory to acquit a thousand guilty persons than to put a single innocent one to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maimonides/it-is-better-and-more-satisfactory-to-acquit-a-thousand-guilty/) [Maimonides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maimonides/) > [Let us leave the EEC, abolish human rights laws, take TV sets, pool tables and phones out of prisons, bring back corporal and capital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-bates/let-us-leave-the-eec-abolish-human-rights-laws-take-tv-sets-pool/) [Ken Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-bates/) > [ The law which attempts a man's life \[capital punishment\] is impractical, unjust, inadmissible. It has never repressed crime--for a second crime is every day… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marquis-de-sade/the-law-which-attempts-a-man-s-life-capital-punishment-is-impractical/) [Marquis de Sade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marquis-de-sade/) > [Capital punishment kills immediately, whereas lifetime imprisonment does so slowly. Which executioner is more humane? The one who kills you in a few minutes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/capital-punishment-kills-immediately-whereas-lifetime-imprisonment/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [To take a life when a life has been lost is revenge, not justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/to-take-a-life-when-a-life-has-been-lost-is-revenge-not-justice/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Capital punishment...treats members of the human race...as objects to be toyed with and discarded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/capital-punishment-treats-members-of-the-human-race-as-objects-to-be/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [But now inquiry is being made concerning these issues. First, can any believer enlist in the military? Second, can any soldier, even those of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tertullian/but-now-inquiry-is-being-made-concerning-these-issues-first-can-any/) [Tertullian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tertullian/) > [Capital punishment would be more effective as a preventive measure if it were administered prior to the crime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/capital-punishment-would-be-more-effective-as-a-preventive-measure-if/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [ “\[T\]here are some human rights that are so deep that we can't negotiate them away. I mean people do heinous, terrible things. But there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sister-helen-prejean/t-here-are-some-human-rights-that-are-so-deep-that-we-can-t-negotiate/) Sister Helen Prejean > [I favor capital punishment. It saves lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/i-favor-capital-punishment-it-saves-lives/) [Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/) > [It is significant that, as innocent babies are killed, and capital punishment is withheld from their murderers, the same men who plead for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-rushdoony/it-is-significant-that-as-innocent-babies-are-killed-and-capital/) [R.J. Rushdoony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-rushdoony/) > [I don't know if the question is whether you believe in capital punishment anymore. I think the greater question is its effectiveness and given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tani-cantil-sakauye/i-don-t-know-if-the-question-is-whether-you-believe-in-capital/) Tani Cantil-Sakauye > [“Zwingli's introduction of capital punishment for those who differed from him on points of doctrine..." p179”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-h-broadbent-the-pilgrim-church/zwingli-s-introduction-of-capital-punishment-for-those-who-differed/) [E.H. Broadbent- The Pilgrim Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-h-broadbent-the-pilgrim-church/) [Browse all 209 Capital punishment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capital-punishment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I contend that it's impossible to read the Sermon on the Mount and not come out against capital punishment.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tony Campolo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/i-contend-that-it-s-impossible-to-read-the-sermon-on-the-mount-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Capital punishment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/i-contend-that-it-s-impossible-to-read-the-sermon-on-the-mount-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/tony-campolo-2506_capital-punishment_i-contend-that-it-s-impossible-to-read-t_1775085.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/tony-campolo-2506_capital-punishment_i-contend-that-it-s-impossible-to-read-t_1775085.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c30/tony-campolo-2506_capital-punishment_i-contend-that-it-s-impossible-to-read-t_1775085.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I contend that it's impossible to read the Sermon on the Mount and not come out against capital punishment.” — Tony Campolo", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tony Campolo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I contend that it's impossible to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/i-contend-that-it-s-impossible-to-read-the-sermon-on-the-mount-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/i-contend-that-it-s-impossible-to-read-the-sermon-on-the-mount-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```