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15 (A)A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin [a]which he has committed; at the mouth of two or three witnesses a matter shall be established. 16 (B)If a malicious witness rises up against a man to [b]accuse him of [c]wrongdoing, 17 then both the men who have the dispute shall stand (C)before Yahweh, before the priests and the judges who will be in office in those days. 18 And the judges (D)shall inquire thoroughly, and behold, if the witness is a false witness and he has [d]accused his brother falsely, 19 then (E)you shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his brother. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you. 20 (F)And the rest will hear and be afraid and will never again do such an evil thing among you. 21 Thus (G)your eye shall not show pity: (H)life for life, (I)eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 19:15 Lit in any sin, which he sins
  2. Deuteronomy 19:16 Lit testify against
  3. Deuteronomy 19:16 Lit turning aside
  4. Deuteronomy 19:18 Lit testified against

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.(A)

16 If a malicious witness(B) 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(C) who are in office at the time. 18 The judges must make a thorough investigation,(D) 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.(E) You must purge the evil from among you. 20 The rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid,(F) and never again will such an evil thing be done among you. 21 Show no pity:(G) life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.(H)

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