The Bible speaks of the importance of punishment, but God’s justice is mainly restorative: he searches to heal and repair. That is why Jesus took the punishment for our sins on our behalf, once and for all (1 Jn 2:1-2). On the contrary, our judicial systems usually seek punitive justice. Prisons are important to help keep society safe, but should also help criminals change their ways.
Some saints had an inner freedom and affection for Jesus which no one could take from them, not even by extreme force. This gave them the strength to remain spiritually strong, even when suffering terribly. Their torturers could harm and even kill their bodies, but not their souls. Scripture condemns people who enslave others (1 Tim 1:8-10), for God intended us to be free (Lk 4:18). We need to do what we can to fight modern slavery and human trafficking.
