New King James Version
Deuteronomy 19:15
15“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.
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 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
13Your eye shall not pity him, but you shall put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with you. 14“You shall not remove your neighbor’s landmark, which the men of old have set, in your inheritance which you will inherit in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess. “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. 16If a false witness rises against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing, 17then both men in the controversy shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who serve in those days.
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 17:6Whoever is deserving of death shall be put to death on the testimony of two or three witnesses; he shall not be put to death on the testimony of one witness.
- Numbers 35:30Whoever kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses; but one witness is not sufficient testimony against a person for the death penalty.
- 1 Kings 21:10and seat two men, scoundrels, before him to bear witness against him, saying, “You have blasphemed God and the king.” Then take him out, and stone him, that he may die.
- Matthew 18:16But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’
- Matthew 26:60but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward
- John 8:17It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true.
- 2 Corinthians 13:1This will be the third time I am coming to you. “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.”
- 1 Timothy 5:19Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses.
- Hebrews 10:28Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
- Revelation 11:3And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries