Final answer:
In historical contexts, religious authorities or the state were responsible for carrying out the punishment of guilty heretics.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of historical religious persecution, once a verdict was passed on a guilty heretic, the punishment was often carried out by religious authorities or the state. For example, during the Inquisition in Western Christendom, inquisitors were responsible for administering punishment to heretics, which could include torture and execution. Similarly, during the Roman Empire, Christians who refused to sacrifice to the emperor were persecuted and could face torture and death as punishments. These examples demonstrate how authorities in power were responsible for carrying out punishments on guilty heretics.