Deuteronomy 19 · Verse 15

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: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.
Deuteronomy 19:15, King James Version

Deuteronomy 19:15 in other translations

BSBA 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.
WEBOne 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.
ASVOne 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.
YLT‘One witness doth not rise against a man for any iniquity, and for any sin, in any sin which he sinneth; by the mouth of two witnesses, or by the mouth of three witnesses, is a thing established.
DARBYOne 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.
BBEOne witness may not make a statement against a man in relation to any sin or wrongdoing which he has done: on the word of two or three witnesses a question is to be judged.
WebsterOne 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.

What does Deuteronomy 19:15 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

De 19:15. Two Witnesses Required.

15. 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.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 15 One witness shall not rise up, etc. - See Num 35:30 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Deuteronomy 19:15-21
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 in Jesus Christ.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Deuteronomy 19:15 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

לֹֽא\־lo'-notH3808
יָקוּם֩ya.Kumhe will standH6965
עֵ֨ד'eda witnessH5707
אֶחָ֜ד'e.ChadoneH259
בְּאִ֗ישׁbe.'Ishin anyoneH376
לְכָל\־le.kholto anyH3605
עָוֹן֙'a.VoniniquityH5771
וּלְכָל\־u.le.khol-and to anyH3605
חַטָּ֔אתcha.TatsinH2403
בְּכָל\־be.kholin anyH3605
חֵ֖טְאchet'sinH2399
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherwhichH834
יֶֽחֱטָ֑אye.che.Ta'he will sinH2398
עַל\־'al-onH5921
פִּ֣י\׀pi[the] mouth ofH6310
שְׁנֵ֣יshe.NeitwoH8147
עֵדִ֗ים'e.DimwitnessesH5707
א֛וֹ'oorH176
עַל\־'al-onH5921
פִּ֥יpi[the] mouth ofH6310
שְׁלֹשָֽׁה\־she.lo.shah-threeH7969
עֵדִ֖ים'e.DimwitnessesH5707
יָק֥וּםya.Kumit will standH6965
דָּבָֽר\׃da.Vara matterH1697

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Deuteronomy 19:15

  • Numbers 35:30

    Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.

  • 2 Corinthians 13:1

    This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

  • Deuteronomy 17:6

    At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.

  • Matthew 18:16

    But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

  • Hebrews 10:28

    He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

  • John 8:17

    It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.

  • 1 Timothy 5:19

    Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.

  • Revelation 11:3-7

    And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. …

  • Matthew 26:60-61

    But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

  • 1 Kings 21:10

    And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.

  • 1 Kings 21:13

    And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
at the mouth.
17:6; Nu 35:30; 1Ki 21:10,13; Mt 18:16; 26:60,61; Joh 8:17
2Co 13:1; 1Ti 5:19; Heb 10:28; Re 11:3-7

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Deuteronomy 19:14

    Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour’s landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it.

  • 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: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.

  • Deuteronomy 19:16

    If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong;

Read all of Deuteronomy 19

Deuteronomy 19:15 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		No valdrá un testigo contra ninguno en cualquier delito, ó en cualquier pecado, en cualquier pecado que se cometiere. En el dicho de dos testigos, ó en el dicho de tres testigos consistirá el negocio.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Un seul témoin ne se lèvera pas contre un homme, pour une iniquité ou un péché quelconque, quelque péché qu’il ait commis: sur la déposition de deux témoins ou sur la déposition de trois témoins, la chose sera établie.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ein einzelner Zeuge soll nicht wider jemand auftreten wegen irgend einer Ungerechtigkeit und wegen irgend einer Sünde, bei irgend einer Sünde, die er begeht; auf zweier Zeugen Aussage oder auf dreier Zeugen Aussage soll eine Sache bestätigt werden. -
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Non stabit testis unus contra aliquem, quidquid illud peccati, et facinoris fuerit: sed in ore duorum aut trium testium stabit omne verbum.