If a man or woman living among you in one of the towns the Lord gives you is found doing evil in the eyes of the Lord your God in violation of his covenant,(A) and contrary to my command(B) has worshiped other gods,(C) bowing down to them or to the sun(D) or the moon or the stars in the sky,(E) and this has been brought to your attention, then you must investigate it thoroughly. If it is true(F) and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done in Israel,(G) take the man or woman who has done this evil deed to your city gate and stone that person to death.(H) On the testimony of two or three witnesses a person is to be put to death, but no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.(I) The hands of the witnesses must be the first in putting that person to death,(J) and then the hands of all the people.(K) You must purge the evil(L) from among you.

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If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God, in transgressing his covenant,

And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded;

And it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and enquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel:

Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die.

At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.

The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away from among you.

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(A)“If there is found among you, within any of your [a]gates which the Lord your God gives you, a man or a woman who has been wicked in the sight of the Lord your God, (B)in transgressing His covenant, who has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, either (C)the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven, (D)which I have not commanded, (E)and it is told you, and you hear of it, then you shall inquire diligently. And if it is indeed true and certain that such an [b]abomination has been committed in Israel, then you shall bring out to your gates that man or woman who has committed that wicked thing, and (F)shall stone (G)to death that man or woman with stones. Whoever is deserving of death shall be put to death on the testimony of two or three (H)witnesses; he shall not be put to death on the testimony of one witness. The hands of the witnesses shall be the first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So you shall put away the evil from among (I)you.

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 17:2 towns
  2. Deuteronomy 17:4 detestable thing

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)

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15 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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The Law Concerning Witnesses

15 (A)“One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.

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