Thematic Bible: The accused
Thematic Bible
Courts of justice » The accused » The evidence of two or more witnesses required in
This [is] the third [time] I am coming to you. {By the testimony} of two or three witnesses every word will be established.
{On the evidence of} two or three witnesses {the person shall be put to death}. The person shall not be put to death by the mouth of one witness.
{The testimony of a single witness may not be used to convict} [with respect to] any crime and for any wrongdoing in any offense that a person committed; on the {evidence} of two witnesses or on the {evidence} of three witnesses {a charge shall be sustained}.
And even in your law it is written that the testimony of two men is true.
Courts of justice » The accused » Permitted to plead their own cause
So Agrippa said to Paul, "It is permitted for you to speak for yourself." Then Paul extended [his] hand [and] began to defend himself:
Then the other woman said, "No, for my son [is] the living one, and your son [is] the dead one." The other kept on saying, "No, for your son [is] the dead one, and my son [is] the living one," and so they argued in front of the king.
And [when] the governor gestured for him to speak, Paul replied, "[Because I] know you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I defend myself cheerfully [with respect to] the things concerning myself.
Courts of justice » The accused » Sometimes treated with insult
Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists, and they slapped [him],
Now [when] he had said these [things], one of the officers who was standing by gave a slap in the face to Jesus, saying, "Do you reply to the high priest in this way?" Jesus replied to him, "If I have spoken wrongly, testify about what [is] wrong! But if [I have spoken] correctly, why do you strike me?"
Courts of justice » The accused » Stood before the judge
The cities will be to you a refuge from a redeemer, so that the killer will not die until he stands before the community for judgment.
So Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, saying, "Are you the king of the Jews?" And Jesus said, "You say [so]."
Courts of justice » The accused » Examined on oath
" 'When a person sins in that he hears [the] utterance of a curse and he [is] a witness or he sees or he knows, if he does not make [it] known, then he shall bear his guilt.
But Jesus was silent. And the high priest said to him, "I put you under oath by the living God, that you tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God!"
Courts of justice » The accused » Sometimes examined by torture
the military tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying he was to be examined with a lash so that he could find out for what reason they were crying out against him in this way.
Then immediately those who were about to examine him kept away from him, and the military tribune also was afraid [when he] realized that he was a Roman citizen and that {he had tied him up}.
Courts of justice » The accused » Witnesses sometimes laid their hands on the criminal's head before punishment
"Bring the curser {outside the camp}, and all the hearers shall place their hands on his head, and the whole community shall stone him.
Courts of justice » The accused » Might have advocates
Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all the {needy}. Open your mouth, judge righteousness, and defend [the] poor and needy.
Courts of justice » The accused » Exhorted to confess
And Joshua said to Achan, "My son, please, give glory to Yahweh the God of Israel, and give him a doxology in court. Tell me, please, what you have done; do not hide [it] from me."