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(KJV)2 Corinthians 13:1

This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

Could Paul be citing from (Deuteronomy 19:15) or he is referring to his epistles which he had sent to them

collen ndhlovu
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    Is your question about the meaning of the phrase "two or three witnesses", as in the title, or is it about whether this line is a citation of Deut 19:15, as in the body of your post? The phrase is fairly clear, and I think it is widely accepted that this is an "unmarked" citation of Deut 19:15. So ... what is your question, and what research have you done? – Dɑvïd Dec 22 '16 at 21:38
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    Related: "Did Paul take the Old Testament out of Context?" – Dɑvïd Dec 22 '16 at 21:40
  • Not an "exact duplicate". The other question asks, "Did the apostle Paul take the Old Testament Scriptures out of context and if so, how could he do that legitimately?" This question asks whether the Epistle itself serves as a witness. I agree that there is great overlap in the two questions, but this question is not an "exact" duplicate of the other. –  Dec 30 '16 at 23:52

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He means that his letter will serve as the third witness. Paul is alluding to Deuteronomy 19:15, but he is not citing it in its original context. He uses a similar device in 1 Corinthians 6:16, re-applying Genesis 2:24 to a teaching on fornication:

What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.

John Chrysostom points this out in his 29th Homily on 2 Corinthians:

“This is the third time I am coming to you. At the mouth of two witnesses or three shall every word be established.” He joins the unwritten to the written, as he has done also in another place, saying, “He that is joined to an harlot is one body; for the twain,” saith He, “shall become one flesh.” (1 Cor. 6:16) Howbeit, this was spoken of lawful marriage; but he diverted its application unto this thing conveniently, so as to terrify them the more. And so he doth here also, setting his comings and his warnings in the place of witnesses.

Jerome will later use the same Scripture in the same manner in one of his Treatises (To Pammachius against John of Jerusalem):

“Not once, nor thrice, but again and again they swore that they knew the individual in question to be orthodox, and that they had never suspected him of heresy.” What undisguised and shameless lying! A witness borne by a man to himself! Such witness as is not believed even in the mouth of a Cato, for in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.