Acts 23:3

1 And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

2 And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.

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?

4 And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God’s high priest?

5 Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

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.”
KJV
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?
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?
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?
BLB
Then Paul said to him, “God is about to strike you, whitewashed wall! And you, do you sit judging me according to the law, and violating the law, command me to be struck?”
ÅB
Da sa Paulus til ham: Gud skal slå deg, du kalkede vegg! Og du sitter her for å dømme meg etter loven, og du bryter loven ved å befale at de skal slå meg?
OTB
Paulus svarte: «Gud skal slå deg, du kalkede vegg! Du sitter der for å dømme meg etter loven, men i strid med loven befaler du at jeg skal bli slått!»
B1930
Da sa Paulus til ham: Gud skal slå dig, du kalkede vegg! Og du sitter her for å dømme mig efter loven, og du bryter loven ved å byde at de skal slå mig?

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • 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.

    Read in context
  • John 7:51

    Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?

    Read in context
  • 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.

    Read in context
  • 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.

    Read in context
  • Amos 5:7

    Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth,

    Read in context
  • 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.

    Read in context
  • 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.

    Read in context
  • Leviticus 19:35

    Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure.

    Read in context