Paul did not question the right of Rome to put criminals to death. Nor did he suggest that the possible execution of an innocent man like himself was reason for all executions to be stopped. It is an act carried out by civil government, not by private citizens. It is motivated not by malice or hatred, but by justice.
Capital punishment is a controversial topic that is frequently in the news.
We need to understand the death penalty from a biblical perspective. From the start, the Bible grants validity to the idea of punishment for lawbreaking. The murder of Abel cried out for restitution. The Bible assumes that criminal acts deserve to be punished. When justice has been violated, the principal is that what has been lost by the victim should be reinstated or compensated for.