¹¹ But if out of hate someone lies in wait, assaults and kills a neighbor,^(A) and then flees to one of these cities, ¹² the killer shall be sent for by the town elders, be brought back from the city, and be handed over to the avenger of blood to die. ¹³ Show no pity.^(B) You must purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood,^(C) so that it may go well with you.

¹⁴ Do not move your neighbor’s boundary stone set up by your predecessors in the inheritance you receive in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess.^(D)

Witnesses

¹⁵ 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.^(E)

¹⁶ If a malicious witness^(F) takes the stand to accuse someone of a crime, ¹⁷ the two people involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the Lord before the priests and the judges^(G) who are in office at the time. ¹⁸ The judges must make a thorough investigation,^(H) and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against a fellow Israelite, ¹⁹ then do to the false witness as that witness intended to do to the other party.^(I) You must purge the evil from among you. ²⁰ The rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid,^(J) and never again will such an evil thing be done among you. ²¹ Show no pity:^(K) life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.^(L)

Going to War

20 When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours,^(M) do not be afraid^(N) of them,^(O) because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with^(P) you. ² When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army. ³ He shall say: “Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted^(Q) or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them. ⁴ For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you^(R) to fight^(S) for you against your enemies to give you victory.^(T)”

⁵ The officers shall say to the army: “Has anyone built a new house and not yet begun to live in^(U) it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else may begin to live in it. ⁶ Has anyone planted^(V) a vineyard and not begun to enjoy it?^(W) Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else enjoy it. ⁷ Has anyone become pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else marry her.^(X)” ⁸ Then the officers shall add, “Is anyone afraid or fainthearted? Let him go home so that his fellow soldiers will not become disheartened too.”^{(Y) 9} When the officers have finished speaking to the army, they shall appoint commanders over it.

BOOK II

Psalms 42–72

Psalm 42^[a][b]

For the director of music. A maskil^[c] of the Sons of Korah.

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve^(A)(B)

9 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons^(C) and to cure diseases,^{(D) 2} and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God^(E) and to heal the sick. ³ He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.^{(F) 4} Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. ⁵ If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”^{(G) 6} So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.

⁷ Now Herod^(H) the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed because some were saying that John^(I) had been raised from the dead,^{(J) 8} others that Elijah had appeared,^(K) and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life.^{(L) 9} But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him.^(M)