Deuteronomy 19:15
in Deuteronomy 19A 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
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.
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.
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This verse in Deuteronomy 19
Commentary
12 notes on this verse[Christ] did then truly rise, and after he had risen, he was seen again by his disciples. And the twelve disciples were witnesses of his resurrection, testifying not with words meant to please but contending for the truth of the resurrection even unto torture and death. Further, "on the word of two or three witnesses every word may be confirmed," according to Scripture. There are twelve witnesses to the resurrection of Christ, and do you still disbelieve in the resurrection?
This site's exposition
A lone witness is not sufficient to establish any wrongdoing
Deuteronomy 17:6 required two or three witnesses before an execution, and this verse extends the bar to “any wrongdoing or sin”. Matthew 18:16 builds church discipline on it, and Jesus uses it of his own witness at John 8:17.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
A commentator
Augustine of Hippo354–430
AGAINST FAUSTUS, A MANICHAEAN 16.13 · Written before 430.
proposed
As a matter of fact, a single witness generally speaks the truth, while a mob may tell lies. And the world, in its conversion to Christianity, believed one apostle preaching the gospel rather than the mistaken multitude who persecuted him.
Therefore if a people composed of a great multitude was found a false witness, how must it be understood, "In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall stand," except that in this way. The Trinity, in which is unending stability of truth, was revealed through a mystery. Do you want to have a good case? Have two or three witnesses, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
At the birth of the Savior, then, there was fulfilled that divine sentence which says, "Every word shall stand with two or three witnesses." For see, the Word of God is born with the Trinity as witness. For indeed, in the womb of holy Mary—when …
As a matter of fact, a single witness generally speaks the truth, while a mob may tell lies. And the world, in its conversion to Christianity, believed one apostle preaching the gospel rather than the mistaken multitude who persecuted him.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
13 Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee. It was one of the precepts given to the sons of Noah that whoso sheddeth man's blood by man shall his blood be shed, that is, by the avenger of blood, Gen. ix.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:25w-of-59
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Yet the holy, blessed God, say they, did not command it in vain, for in the day's of Messiah the Prince, they shall be added. They expect it in the letter: but we know, it has in Christ its spiritual accomplishment. For the borders of the Gospel- Israel are inlarged according to the promise: and in the Lord our righteousness, refuge is provided for all that by faith fly to him.
One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth,....
It is a just shame which this law puts upon mankind as false and not to be trusted; every man is by it suspected: and it is the honour of God's grace that the record he has given concerning his Son is confirmed both in heaven and in earth by three witnesses, 1 John
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
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.
One witness shall not rise up, etc. - See Num 35:30 (note).
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
This is a warning against changing the boundaries of the division by which the princes apportioned the Land to the tribes. Numbers:16-29. or to any individual among them. Therefore he stated, which they of old time have set, 276 In Verse 14 before us.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
24 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יָקוּם֩ | yakum | he will stand | H6965 → | 628 times |
| עֵ֨ד | ʾed | a witness | H5707 → | 70 times |
| אֶחָ֜ד | ʾechad | one | H259 → | 971 times |
| בְּאִ֗ישׁ | beish | in anyone | H376 → | 1663 times |
| לְכָל־ | lekhol | to any | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| עָוֹן֙ | ʾavon | iniquity | H5771 → | |
| וּלְכָל־ | ulekhol- | and to any | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| חַטָּ֔את | chatat | sin | H2403 → | 295 times |
| בְּכָל־ | bekhol | in any | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| חֵ֖טְא | chet' | sin | H2399 → | 33 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יֶֽחֱטָ֑א | yecheta' | he will sin | H2398 → | 238 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| פִּ֣י׀ | pi | [the] mouth of | H6310 → | 498 times |
| שְׁנֵ֣י | shenei | two | H8147 → | 768 times |
| עֵדִ֗ים | ʾedim | witnesses | H5707 → | 70 times |
| א֛וֹ | ʾo | or | H176 → | 321 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| פִּ֥י | pi | [the] mouth of | H6310 → | 498 times |
| שְׁלֹשָֽׁה־ | sheloshah- | three | H7969 → | 432 times |
| עֵדִ֖ים | ʾedim | witnesses | H5707 → | 70 times |
| יָק֥וּם | yakum | it will stand | H6965 → | 628 times |
| דָּבָֽר׃ | davar | a matter | H1697 → | 1440 times |
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
יָקוּם֩he will stand
yakumH6965 →628 times
עֵ֨דa witness
ʾedH5707 →70 times
אֶחָ֜דone
ʾechadH259 →971 times
בְּאִ֗ישׁin anyone
beishH376 →1663 times
לְכָל־to any
lekholH3605 →5413 times
עָוֹן֙iniquity
ʾavonH5771 →
וּלְכָל־and to any
ulekhol-H3605 →5413 times
חַטָּ֔אתsin
chatatH2403 →295 times
בְּכָל־in any
bekholH3605 →5413 times
חֵ֖טְאsin
chet'H2399 →33 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
יֶֽחֱטָ֑אhe will sin
yecheta'H2398 →238 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
פִּ֣י׀[the] mouth of
piH6310 →498 times
שְׁנֵ֣יtwo
sheneiH8147 →768 times
עֵדִ֗יםwitnesses
ʾedimH5707 →70 times
א֛וֹor
ʾoH176 →321 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
פִּ֥י[the] mouth of
piH6310 →498 times
שְׁלֹשָֽׁה־three
sheloshah-H7969 →432 times
עֵדִ֖יםwitnesses
ʾedimH5707 →70 times
יָק֥וּםit will stand
yakumH6965 →628 times
דָּבָֽר׃a matter
davarH1697 →1440 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Corinthians 13:1This is the third time I am coming to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
it leads to
- 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.’
Reached by 4 separate paths from here.
- John 8:17–18
Even in your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- 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.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 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…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 18:16
Through
Matthew 18:16But 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.’
it leads to
- 1 Timothy 5:19
Do not entertain an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- 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.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Hebrews 10:28
Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- John 8:17
Even in your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid.
- 1 Timothy 5:19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
On this verse
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Augustine of Hippo, AGAINST FAUSTUS, A MANICHAEAN 16.13; Augustine of Hippo, TRACTATE ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 36.10.1; Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 4.12; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Maximus of Turin, SERMON 61B.3.