Deuteronomy 19:15-21

Common English Bible

Rules for testimony

¹⁵ A solitary witness against someone in any crime, wrongdoing, or in any sort of misdeed that might be done is not sufficient. The decision must stand by two or three witnesses. ¹⁶ Now if a spiteful witness comes forward against someone, so as to testify against them falsely, ¹⁷ the two persons who have a legal suit must stand before the Lord, before the priests, and before the judges that are in office at that time. ¹⁸ The judges will look into the situation very carefully. If it turns out that the witness is a liar—that the witness has given false testimony against his fellow Israelite— ¹⁹ then you must do to him what he had planned to do to his fellow Israelite. Remove^[a] such evil from your community! ²⁰ The rest of the people will hear about this and be afraid. They won’t do that sort of evil thing among you again. ²¹ Show no mercy on this point: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.