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Then said Paul 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?"

Verse Takeaways

1

A Prophetic Rebuke

Multiple commentators note that Paul's sharp declaration, "God shall smite thee," was not merely an angry outburst but a prophecy. They point to historical records from the historian Josephus, which describe the high priest Ananias being hunted down and killed years later, thus fulfilling Paul's words.

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Book Overview

Acts

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Commentaries

7

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes

On Acts 23:3

18th Century

Theologian

God shall smite you. God will punish you. God is just, and He will not allow such an obvious violation of all the laws of a fair trial to …

AT Robertson

AT Robertson

On Acts 23:3

Thou whited wall (τοιχε κεκονιαμενε). Perfect passive participle of κονιαω (from κονια, dust or lime). The same word used in Mt 23…

Charles Ellicott

Charles Ellicott

On Acts 23:3

19th Century

Bishop

God shall smite thee, thou whited wall.—The phrase is interesting as showing either that our Lord, in likening the Pharis…

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Expositor's Bible Commentary

Expositor's Bible Commentary

On Acts 23:3

Indignant at the affront, Paul lashed out at Ananias and accused him of breaking the Jewish law, which safeguarded the rights of defendants and pre…

John Calvin

John Calvin

On Acts 23:3

16th Century

Theologian

God shall smite thee. Paul cannot endure that injury, but he must, at least, with sharp words rebuke the high priest and denounce God’s ve…

John Gill

John Gill

On Acts 23:3

17th Century

Pastor

Then said Paul to him, God shall smite thee
Which may be considered either as a prophecy of what would be, that God …

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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry

On Acts 23:1–5

17th Century

Minister

Here you see the character of an honest man. He sets God before him and lives as if in His sight. He is conscientious about what he says and does, …