New International Version
Deuteronomy 19:15
15One 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“You must not convict anyone of a crime on the testimony of only one witness. The facts of the case must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
Context of Deuteronomy 19:15
13Show no pity. You must purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, so that it may go well with you. 14Do not move your neighbor’s boundary stone set up by your predecessors in the inheritance you receive in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess. 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. 16If a malicious witness takes the stand to accuse someone of a crime, 17the two people involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the Lord before the priests and the judges who are in office at the 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 testimony of two or three witnesses a person is to be put to death, but no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.
- Numbers 35:30“ ‘Anyone who kills a person is to be put to death as a murderer only on the testimony of witnesses. But no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.
- 1 Kings 21:10But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them bring charges that he has cursed both God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death.”
- Matthew 18:16But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
- Matthew 26:60But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward
- John 8:17In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.
- 2 Corinthians 13:1This will be my third visit to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
- 1 Timothy 5:19Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.
- Hebrews 10:28Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
- Revelation 11:3And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed 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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