If anyone kills a person, the murderer is to be put to death on the testimony of the witnesses. But no one is to be put to death based on the testimony of a lone witness.
Parallel translations
- WEB “‘Whoever kills any person, the murderer shall be slain at the mouth of witnesses; but one witness shall not testify against any person that he die.
- KJV Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.
- NKJV Whoever kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses; but one witness is not sufficient testimony against a person for the death penalty.
- NASB ‘If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses, but no person shall be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.
- NLT “All murderers must be put to death, but only if evidence is presented by more than one witness. No one may be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
A murderer may be executed only on the testimony of witnesses, never on a single witness. Justice requires reliable, corroborated evidence.
Overview
Capital sentences demand the testimony of more than one witness, guarding against false accusation and wrongful death. This safeguard reflects God's concern for truth and the protection of the innocent within His justice system. The same principle of multiple witnesses is later applied by Jesus and the apostles to church discipline and testimony to the truth (Matthew 18:16; 2 Corinthians 13:1).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Heb 10:28Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
- Deut 19:15A lone witness is not sufficient to establish any wrongdoing or sin against a man, regardless of what offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
- Matt 18:16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
- 2 Cor 13:1This is the third time I am coming to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
- John 8:17–18Even in your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid.
- 1 Tim 5:19Do not entertain an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
- John 7:51“Does our law convict a man without first hearing from him to determine what he has done?”
- Rev 11:3And I will empower my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
- Deut 17:6–7On the testimony of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but he shall not be executed on the testimony of a lone witness.
- Num 35:16If, however, anyone strikes a person with an iron object and kills him, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
In the wilderness Christ is the water from the rock, the bronze serpent lifted up that the dying might look and live (John 3:14), and the star and scepter that Balaam saw rising out of Jacob.
How Numbers 35:30 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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