⁶ then his master must take him before the judges.^[a](A) He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce^(B) his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.^(C)

⁸ But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges,^(A) and they must^[a] determine whether the owner of the house has laid hands on the other person’s property. ⁹ In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any other lost property about which somebody says, ‘This is mine,’ both parties are to bring their cases before the judges.^[b](B) The one whom the judges declare^[c] guilty must pay back double to the other.

⁵ So Moses said to Israel’s judges, “Each of you must put to death^(A) those of your people who have yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor.”^(B)

¹⁶ And I charged your judges at that time, “Hear the disputes between your people and judge^(A) fairly,^(B) whether the case is between two Israelites or between an Israelite and a foreigner residing among you.^(C)

Judges

¹⁸ Appoint judges^(A) and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly.^(B)

¹⁷ the two people involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the Lord before the priests and the judges^(A) who are in office at the time. ¹⁸ The judges must make a thorough investigation,^(B) and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against a fellow Israelite,

² your elders and judges shall go out and measure the distance from the body to the neighboring towns.

25 When people have a dispute, they are to take it to court and the judges^(A) will decide the case,^(B) acquitting^(C) the innocent and condemning the guilty.^(D)