Deuteronomy 19:15

The Testimony of Two or Three Witnesses

15 A lone witness is not sufficient to establish any wrongdoing or sin against a man, regardless of what offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. ^{[a] 1}

Deuteronomy 19:15 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 19:15

One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity,
or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth
Whether capital sins, or pecuniary debts; or whatsoever sins a man may be guilty of whether sins against the first or second table of the law, whether greater or lesser sins, whether in moral or civil things; the Jews except only in the case of a woman suspected of adultery and of beheading the heifer:

at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses,
shall the matter be established;
either for acquittance or condemnation; and the witnesses may not, as Jarchi says, write their testimony in a letter, and send it to the sanhedrim, nor may an interpreter stand between the witnesses and the judges; (See Gill on Deuteronomy 17:6).

Deuteronomy 19:15 In-Context

13 You must show him no pity. You are to purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, that it may go well with you.

14 You must not move your neighbor’s boundary marker, which was set up by your ancestors to mark the inheritance you shall receive in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.

15 A lone witness is not sufficient to establish any wrongdoing or sin against a man, regardless of what offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

16 If a false witness testifies against someone, accusing him of a crime,

17 both parties to the dispute must stand in the presence of the LORD, before the priests and judges who are in office at that time.

Cross References

• 1. (Matthew 18:15–20)

Footnotes

• [a]. Cited in Matthew 18:16 and 2 Corinthians 13:1