Amplified Bible
Deuteronomy 19:15
15“A single witness shall not appear in a trial against a man for any wrong or any sin which he has committed; [only] on the testimony or evidence of two or three witnesses shall a charge be confirmed.
Deuteronomy 19:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.
- New International Version (NIV)One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.
Context of Deuteronomy 19:15
13You shall not pity him [the guilty one], but you shall purge the blood of the innocent from Israel, so that it may go well with you. 14“You shall not move your neighbor’s boundary mark, which the forefathers [who first divided the territory] have set, in the land which you will inherit in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess. “A single witness shall not appear in a trial against a man for any wrong or any sin which he has committed; [only] on the testimony or evidence of two or three witnesses shall a charge be confirmed. 16If a malicious witness rises up against a man to [falsely] accuse him of wrongdoing, 17then both parties to the controversy shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who will be in office at that time.
Read all of Deuteronomy 19Deuteronomy 19:15 word by word
לֹֽא־יָקוּם֩ עֵ֨ד אֶחָ֜ד בְּאִ֗ישׁ לְכָל־עָוֹן֙ וּלְכָל־חַטָּ֔את בְּכָל־חֵ֖טְא אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֶֽחֱטָ֑א עַל־פִּ֣י׀ שְׁנֵ֣י עֵדִ֗ים א֛וֹ עַל־פִּ֥י שְׁלֹשָֽׁה־עֵדִ֖ים יָק֥וּם דָּבָֽר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- witnessעֵד‛êd · witnessH5707
- shall not rise upקוּםqûm · to arise: establishH6965
- against a manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- for any iniquityעָוֺן‛âvôn ‛âvôn · iniquity: crimeH5771
- or for any sinחַטָּאתchaţţâ'âh chaţţâ'th · sinH2403
- in any sinחֵטְאchêţ' · sinH2399
- that he sinnethחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
- at the mouthפֶּהpeh · lip: wordH6310
- of twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- of threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
- shall the matterדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 19:15
- Deuteronomy 17:6On the evidence of two or three witnesses, he who is to die shall be put to death; he shall not be put to death on the evidence of [only] one witness.
- Numbers 35:30‘If anyone kills a person [intentionally], the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of [two or more] witnesses; but no one shall be put to death on the testimony of [only] one witness.
- 1 Kings 21:10and seat two worthless and unprincipled men opposite him, and have them testify against him, saying, ‘You cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”
- Matthew 18:16But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two others, so that every word may be confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
- Matthew 26:60They found none, even though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward,
- John 8:17Even in your own law it is written that the testimony of two persons is true [valid and admissible].
- 2 Corinthians 13:1This is the third time that I am visiting you. Every fact shall be sustained and confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
- 1 Timothy 5:19Do not accept an accusation against an elder unless it is based on [the testimony of at least] two or three witnesses.
- Hebrews 10:28Anyone who has ignored and set aside the Law of Moses is put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
- Revelation 11:3And I will grant authority to My two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days (forty-two months; three and one-half years), dressed in sackcloth.”
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 19:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15One witness shall not rise up, etc. - See Numbers 35:30; (note).Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-21Verses 15-21 Sentence should never be passed upon the testimony of one witness alone. A false witness should suffer the same punishment which he sought to have inflicted upon the person he accused. Nor could any law be more just. Let all Christians not only be cautious in bearing witness in public, but be careful not to join in private slanders; and let all whose consciences accuse them of crime, without delay flee for refuge to the hope set before them…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15The testimony of one witness had no more authority than the word of the accused. But two or three witnesses could confirm or challenge each other's statements. For New Testament references to this law, see Matthew 18:15–20; John 8:17–18; 2 Corinthians 13:1–2 and study note.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity--The following rules to regulate the admission of testimony in public courts are founded on the principles of natural justice. A single witness shall not be admitted to the condemnation of an accused person.Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 19:15
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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