Acts 23:3
Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?
Acts 23:3 in other translations
| BSB | Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit here to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck.” |
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| WEB | Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?” |
| ASV | Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: and sittest thou to judge me according to the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law? |
| YLT | then Paul said unto him, ‘God is about to smite thee, thou whitewashed wall, and thou--thou dost sit judging me according to the law, and, violating law, dost order me to be smitten!' |
| DARBY | Then Paul said to him,God will smite thee, whited wall. And thou, dost thou sit judging me according to the law, and breaking the law commandest me to be smitten? |
| BBE | Then Paul said to him, God will give blows to you, you whitewashed wall: are you here to be my judge by law, and by your orders am I given blows against the law? |
| Webster | Then said Paul to him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me according to the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law? |
What does Acts 23:3 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 23:3-4
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Barnes' Notes
Thou whited wall. This is evidently a proverbial expression, meaning thou hypocrite. His hypocrisy consisted in his pretending to sit there to do justice; and yet, in commanding the accused to be smitten in direct violation of the law, he thus showed that his character was not what, by his sitting there, he professed it to be, but that of one determined to carry the purposes of his party, and of his own feelings. Our Saviour used a similar expression, to describe the hypocritical character of the Pharisees, Mt 23:27, when he compares them to whited sepulchres. A whited wall is a wall or enclosure that is covered with lime or gypsum, and that thus appears to be different from what it is, and thus aptly describes the hypocrite. Seneca (de Providentia, chap. 6) uses a similar figure to describe hypocrites: "They are sordid, base, and like their walls adorned only externally." See also Seneca, Epis. 115.
For sittest thou, etc. The law required that justice should be done; and in order to that, it gave every man an opportunity of defending himself. Jn 7:51; Prov 18:13; Lev 19:15, Ex 23:1, De 19:15, De 19:18.
To judge me after the law. As a judge, to hear and decide the case according to the rules of the law of Moses.
Contrary to the law. In violation of the law of Moses, Lev 19:35, "Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment."
(*) "shall smite" "will" (b) "contrary" Lev 19:35, De 25:1,2, Jn 7:51
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 23:1-5
See here the character of an honest man. He sets God before him, and lives as in his sight. He makes conscience of what he says and does, and, according to the best of his knowledge, he keeps from whatever is evil, and cleaves to what is good. He is conscientious in all his words and conduct. Those who thus live before God, may, like Paul, have confidence both toward God and man. Though the answer of Paul contained…
Acts 23:3 in the original Greek
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Cross references for Acts 23:3
- Deuteronomy 25:1-2
If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked. And it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a certain number.
- John 7:51
Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?
- Matthew 23:27-28
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
- Micah 3:8-11
But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin. Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity. They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity. The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us.
- Amos 5:7
Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth,
- Ecclesiastes 3:16
And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
- Leviticus 19:15
Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.
- Leviticus 19:35
Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure.
- Psalms 94:20
Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?
- Psalms 58:1-2
To the chief Musician, Al–taschith, Michtam of David. Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men? Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.
- Psalms 82:1-2
A Psalm of Asaph. God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods. How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.
- John 18:24
Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
thou whited.
Mt 23:27,28
for.
Le 19:35; Ps 58:1,2; 82:1,2; 94:20; Ec 3:16; Am 5:7; Mic 3:8-11
smitten.
De 25:1,2; Joh 7:51; 18:24
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Acts 23:2
And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.
- Acts 23:3
Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?
- Acts 23:4
And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God’s high priest?
Acts 23:3 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Entonces Pablo le dijo: Herirte ha Dios, pared blanqueada: ¿y estás tú sentado para juzgarme conforme á la ley, y contra la ley me mandas herir? |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Alors Paul lui dit: Dieu te frappera, paroi blanchie! Es-tu assis là pour me juger selon la loi; et, contrairement à la loi, tu ordonnes que je sois frappé? |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Da sprach Paulus zu ihm: Gott wird dich schlagen, du getünchte Wand! Und du, sitzest du da, mich nach dem Gesetz zu richten, und, wider das Gesetz handelnd, befiehlst du mich zu schlagen? |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Tunc Paulus dixit ad eum: Percutiet te Deus, paries dealbate. Et tu sedens judicas me secundum legem, et contra legem jubes me percuti? |