Acts 23:3

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Then Paul said to him, 'God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit there judging me according to the law, yet in violation of the law you order me to be struck?'

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Τότε ὁ Παῦλος πρὸς αὐτὸν εἶπεν, Τύπτειν σε μέλλει ὁ Θεός, τοῖχε κεκονιαμένε: καὶ σὺ κάθῃ κρίνων με κατὰ τὸν νόμον, καὶ παρανομῶν κελεύεις με τύπτεσθαι;

Transliteration

Then the Paulos pros him eipen, Typtein you mellei the Theos, toiche kekoniamene: and you kathē krinōn me according-to the nomon, and paranomōn keleueis me typtesthai?

Grammar Details

• *Paulos*: nominative masculine singular - Paul
• *pros*: preposition + accusative - to/toward
• *eipen*: aorist active indicative, 3rd person singular - he said
• *Typtein*: present active infinitive - to strike
• *mellei*: present active indicative, 3rd person singular - is about to
• *Theos*: nominative masculine singular - God
• *toiche*: vocative masculine singular - wall
• *kekoniamene*: perfect passive participle, vocative masculine singular - having been whitewashed
• *kathē*: present middle indicative, 2nd person singular - you sit
• *krinōn*: present active participle, nominative masculine singular - judging
• *nomon*: accusative masculine singular - law
• *paranomōn*: present active participle, nominative masculine singular - acting contrary to law
• *keleueis*: present active indicative, 2nd person singular - you command
• *typtesthai*: present passive infinitive - to be struck

Word Meanings

• *mellei*: is about to/will/intends to
• *toiche kekoniamene*: whitewashed wall (metaphor for hypocrite)
• *kathē*: you sit/are seated (position of authority)
• *paranomōn*: breaking the law/acting illegally/violating law

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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?

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Then Paul said to him, God shall strike you, you whitewashed wall! For do you sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  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?

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Then{G5119} said{G2036} Paul{G3972} unto{G4314} him,{G846} God{G2316} shall{G3195} smite{G5180} thee,{G4571} thou whited{G2867} wall:{G5109} and{G2532} sittest{G2521} thou{G4771} to judge{G2919} me{G3165} according{G2596} to the law,{G3551} and{G2532} commandest{G2753} me{G3165} to be smitten{G5180} contrary to the law?{G3891}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Then{G5119} said{G2036}{(G5627)} Paul{G3972} unto{G4314} him{G846}, God{G2316} shall{G3195}{(G5719)} smite{G5180}{(G5721)} thee{G4571}, thou whited{G2867}{(G5772)} wall{G5109}: for{G2532} sittest{G2521}{(G5736)} thou{G4771} to judge{G2919}{(G5723)} me{G3165} after{G2596} the law{G3551}, and{G2532} commandest{G2753}{(G5719)} me{G3165} to be smitten{G5180}{(G5745)} contrary to the law{G3891}{(G5723)}?

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  Then sayde Paul to him: God smyte the thou payntyd wall. Sittest thou and iudgest me after the lawe: and commaundest me to be smytten contrary to the lawe?

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Then sayde Paul vnto him: God shal smyte the thou paynted wall. Syttest thou and iudgest me after the lawe, and commaundest me to be smytten cotrary to ye lawe?

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Then sayd Paul to him, God will smite thee, thou whited wall: for thou sittest to iudge me according to the Lawe, and transgressing the Lawe, commaundest thou me to be smitten?

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Then sayde Paul vnto him: God shall smite thee thou paynted wall: For, sittest thou & iudgest me after the lawe, & comaundest me to be smitten contrary to the lawe?

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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?

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  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?"

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  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!'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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?

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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?

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  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?

• World English Bible (2000)

  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?"

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Then Paul said to him,“God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit there judging me according to the law, and in violation of the law you order me to be struck?”

Referenced Verses

• John 7:51 : 51 'Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?'
• Deut 25:1-2 : 1 If there is a dispute between men, and they come to court for judgment, the judges shall justify the innocent and condemn the guilty. 2 If the guilty one deserves to be beaten, the judge will have him lie down and be struck before him, according to the severity of his crime, with a number of blows.
• Matt 23:27-28 : 27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside but inside are full of the bones of the dead and all impurity. 28 So too, on the outside you appear righteous to people, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
• Ps 58:1-2 : 1 For the director, 'Do Not Destroy,' a Miktam of David. 2 Do you rulers truly speak justice? Do you judge people with fairness?
• Ps 82:1-2 : 1 God stands in the divine assembly; He judges among the gods. 2 How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah.
• Ps 94:20 : 20 Can a corrupt throne be allied with you—one that brings about trouble under the guise of law?
• Eccl 3:16 : 16 And I saw under the sun, in the place of judgment, wickedness was there, and in the place of righteousness, wickedness was there as well.
• Amos 5:7 : 7 You who turn justice to bitterness and cast righteousness to the ground—
• Mic 3:8-9 : 8 But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin. 9 Hear this, leaders of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, you who despise justice and twist all that is right: 10 You build Zion with bloodshed and Jerusalem with iniquity. 11 Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for silver. Yet they lean on the LORD, saying, 'Is not the LORD among us? No disaster will come upon us.'
• John 18:24 : 24 Then Annas sent him, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest.
• Lev 19:15 : 15 Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.
• Lev 19:35 : 35 Do not use dishonest measures in judgment, whether in length, weight, or quantity.