Deuteronomy 19

1 After the Lord your God has destroyed the nations whose land he's giving you, and after you have driven them out and settled in their cities and houses,

When the LORD your God has cut off the nations whose land He is giving you, and when you have driven them out and settled in their cities and houses,

2 then you are to choose three sanctuary towns in the country that the Lord your God is giving you to own.

then you are to set apart for yourselves three cities within the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.

3 You are build roads to these towns. Divide the country the Lord is giving you into three sections. This way anyone who kills someone else can easily run to these towns for protection.

You are to build roads for yourselves and divide into three regions the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that any manslayer can flee to these cities.

4 This is what is to happen when a person accidentally kills someone else without meaning to, and runs to one of these sanctuary towns to save their life.

Now this is the situation regarding the manslayer who flees to one of these cities to save his life, having killed his neighbor accidentally, without intending to harm him:

5 For example, if a man goes to cut wood in the forest with his friend and swings his axe to chop down a tree, but the head flies off the handle and hits and kills his friend, he may run to one of these towns to save his life.

If he goes into the forest with his neighbor to cut timber and swings his axe to chop down a tree, but the blade flies off the handle and strikes and kills his neighbor, he may flee to one of these cities to save his life.

6 Otherwise the avenger in his anger might chase after the man and catch up with him and kill him, if it's a long distance. The man would be killed even though he didn't deserve to die, because he hadn't meant to cause any harm.

Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue the manslayer in a rage, overtake him if the distance is great, and strike him dead though he did not deserve to die, since he did not intend any harm.

7 This is the reason why I'm giving this order to choose three sanctuary towns.

This is why I am commanding you to set apart for yourselves three cities.

8 Should the Lord your God expand your territory, as he promised your forefathers, and give you all the land he said he would,

And if the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as He swore to your fathers, and gives you all the land He promised them,

9 and if you are careful to keep all these commandments I'm giving you today, loving the Lord your God and always following his ways, then you are to choose three additional three sanctuary towns.

and if you carefully keep all these commandments I am giving you today, loving the LORD your God and walking in His ways at all times, then you are to add three more cities to these three.

10 In this way the blood of innocent people won't not be shed in the country the Lord your God is giving you to own and you won't be responsible for the death of innocent people who aren't guilty of losing their lives.

Thus innocent blood will not be shed in the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that you will not be guilty of bloodshed.

11 On the other hand, if a man hates someone, hides in wait, and attacks and kills them, and then the killer runs to one of the sanctuary towns,

If, however, a man hates his neighbor and lies in wait, attacks him and kills him, and then flees to one of these cities,

12 the elders of his home town must send for him, bring him back, and hand him over to the avenger to be killed.

the elders of his city must send for him, bring him back, and hand him over to the avenger of blood to die.

13 Show him no mercy. You are to eliminate from Israel the guilt of shedding the blood of the innocent, and then all will be well.

You must show him no pity. You are to purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, that it may go well with you.

14 Don't move your neighbor's boundary marker. It was placed there by your ancestors to mark the land allotment you will receive in the country that the Lord your God is giving you to own.

You must not move your neighbor’s boundary marker, which was set up by your ancestors to mark the inheritance you shall receive in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.

15 The evidence given by a single witness is not enough to prove a sin or a crime against someone, never mind what offense they are alleged to have committed. The facts must be confirmed by the evidence given by two or three witnesses.

A 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.

16 If someone falsely accuses another person of a crime,

If a false witness testifies against someone, accusing him of a crime,

17 both those involved must come to be judged in the presence of the Lord by the priests and judges who are then in office.

both parties to the dispute must stand in the presence of the LORD, before the priests and judges who are in office at that time.

18 The judges shall conduct a full investigation, and if the accuser proves to be a liar who has made false accusations

The judges shall investigate thoroughly, and if the witness is proven to be a liar who has falsely accused his brother,

19 then you must punish the accuser in the same way they wanted to punish their victim. You must eliminate this evil from among you.

you must do to him as he intended to do to his brother. So you must purge the evil from among you.

20 Then the rest of the people will hear and be afraid, and they will never again do anything so evil among you. Then everyone else will hear about it and be afraid, and won't ever do anything so evil.

Then the rest of the people will hear and be afraid, and they will never again do anything so evil among you.

21 Don't show any mercy. The rule is life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot.

You must show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot.