Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law, order me to be struck?”
Parallel translations
- 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?”
- 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?
- 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.”
- NKJV Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?”
- NLT But Paul said to him, “God will slap you, you corrupt hypocrite! What kind of judge are you to break the law yourself by ordering me struck like that?”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul rebukes Ananias as a 'whitewashed wall' for judging him while breaking the law himself. He exposes the hypocrisy of the high priest's unjust command.
Overview
'Whitewashed wall' pictures a structure made to look sound but inwardly corrupt (compare Matthew 23:27). Paul's warning that God will strike him proved prophetic, as Ananias was later killed by assassins. The verse shows righteous indignation against hypocrisy, yet Paul's next words also reveal his readiness to submit to lawful authority.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Deut 25:1–2If there is a controversy between men, and they come to judgment, and the judges judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.
- John 7:51“Does our law judge a man, unless it first hears from him personally and knows what he does?”
- Matt 23:27–28“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
- Lev 19:15“‘You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor show favoritism to the great; but you shall judge your neighbor in righteousness.
- Ps 82:1–2A Psalm by Asaph. God presides in the great assembly. He judges among the gods.
- Amos 5:7You who turn justice to wormwood, and cast down righteousness to the earth:
- Mic 3:8–11But as for me, I am full of power by Yahweh’s Spirit, and of judgment, and of might, to declare to Jacob his disobedience, and to Israel his sin.
- Ps 58:1–2For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David. Do you indeed speak righteousness, silent ones? Do you judge blamelessly, you sons of men?
- Ps 94:20Shall the throne of wickedness have fellowship with you, which brings about mischief by statute?
- Eccl 3:16Moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.
- Lev 19:35“‘You shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in measures of length, of weight, or of quantity.
- John 18:24Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas, the high priest.
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Original language
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