Deuteronomy 19:15

Truth and honesty Justice Words and speech

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.

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.

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: 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.
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.
WEB: One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin that he sins. At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established.
ASV: 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 a matter be established.
DARBY: One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, and for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established.
BLB: One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity, or any sin, in any sin that he commits. Upon the mouth of two witnesses or upon the mouth of three witnesses, a matter shall be established.

ÅB: Det skal ikke stå bare ett vitne fram mot en mann, når det gjelder noen misgjerning eller noen synd, hva synd det så er han har gjort; etter to vitners utsagn eller etter tre vitners utsagn skal en sak stå fast.
OTB: Et enkelt vitne er ikke tilstrekkelig til å dømme noen anklaget for en forbrytelse eller overtredelse de kan ha begått; en sak må bekreftes av vitnesbyrd fra to eller tre vitner.
B1930: Det skal ikke stå bare ett vidne frem mot en mann, når det gjelder nogen misgjerning eller nogen synd, hvad synd det så er han har gjort; efter to vidners utsagn eller efter tre vidners utsagn skal en sak stå fast.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Numbers 35:30
If anyone kills a person, the murderer is to be put to death on the testimony of the witnesses. But no one is to be put to death based on the testimony of a lone witness.
Read in context
2 Corinthians 13:1
This is the third time I am coming to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
Read in context
Deuteronomy 17:6
On the testimony of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but he shall not be executed on the testimony of a lone witness.
Read in context
Matthew 18:16
But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
Read in context
Hebrews 10:28
Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
Read in context
John 8:17
Even in your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid.
Read in context
1 Timothy 5:19
Do not entertain an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
Read in context
Revelation 11:3–7
And I will empower my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
Read in context