We have investigated the claim that the phrase ‘Even the best of the Gentiles should be killed’ appears in the Avodah Zarah section of the Talmud, and here are our findings:
1. Does it appear in Avodah Zarah 26b?
No. If you open Tractate Avodah Zarah 26b, you will not find this sentence. That specific page discusses the laws of returning lost items and the legal status of “informers” or “apostates” (Jews who abandoned their faith to harm the community). It does not contain a command to kill “the best of the Gentiles.”
2. Where does the quote actually come from?
The phrase “Even the best of the Gentiles should be killed” (Tob shebe-goyim harog) is found in a different text called the Mekhilta de-Rabbi Ishmael (specifically in the section Beshallach, 2). It is also referenced in the Minor Tractate Soferim (15:10).
