Acts 22:30--23:5

Context

Paul Before the Sanhedrin

22:30 The next day, because the commanding officer¹ wanted to know the true reason² Paul³ was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole council⁴ to assemble. He then brought⁵ Paul down and had him stand before them.

23:1 Paul looked directly⁶ at the council⁷ and said, “Brothers, I have lived my life with a clear conscience⁸ before God to this day.” 23:2 At that⁹ the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near¹⁰ Paul¹¹ to strike¹² him on the mouth. 23:3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall!¹³ Do¹⁴ you sit there judging me according to the law,¹⁵ and in violation of the law¹⁶ you order me to be struck?” 23:4 Those standing near him¹⁷ said, “Do you dare insult¹⁸ God’s high priest?” 23:5 Paul replied,¹⁹ “I did not realize,²⁰ brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.’”²¹

[22:30] ¹tn Grk “he”; the referent (the commanding officer) has been supplied here in the translation for clarity.

[22:30] ²tn Grk “the certainty, why.” BDAG 147 s.v. ἀσφαλής 2 has “τὸ ἀ. the certainty = the truth (in ref. to ferreting out the facts…ἵνα τὸ ἀ. ἐπιγνῶ) γνῶναι 21:34; 22:30.”

[22:30] ³tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:30] ⁴tn Grk “the whole Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[22:30] ⁵tn Grk “and bringing.” The participle καταγαγών (katagagwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun in the translation, and καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to clarify the logical sequence.

[23:1] ⁶tn Grk “Paul, looking directly at the council, said.” The participle ἀτενίσας (atenisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:1] ⁷tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:1] ⁸tn BDAG 846 s.v. πολιτεύομαι 3 has “W. a double dat. συνειδήσει ἀγαθῇ πεπολίτευμαι τῷ θεῷ I have lived my life with a clear conscience before God Ac 23:1.”

[23:2] ¹¹tn Grk “and” (δέ, de); the phrase “at that” has been used in the translation to clarify the cause and effect relationship.

[23:2] ¹²tn BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 2.b.α has “οἱ παρεστῶτες αὐτῷ those standing near him Ac 23:2.”

[23:2] ¹³tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:2] ¹⁴tn Or “hit” (‘strike’ maintains the wordplay with the following verse). The action was probably designed to indicate a rejection of Paul’s claim to a clear conscience in the previous verse.

[23:3] ¹⁶sn You whitewashed wall. This was an idiom for hypocrisy – just as the wall was painted on the outside but something different on the inside, so this person was not what he appeared or pretended to be (L&N 88.234; see also BDAG 1010 s.v. τοῖχος). Paul was claiming that the man’s response was two-faced (Ezek 13:10-16; Matt 23:27-28). See also Deut 28:22.

[23:3] ¹⁷tn Grk “And do.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[23:3] ¹⁸tn The law refers to the law of Moses.

[23:3] ¹⁹tn BDAG 769 s.v. παρανομέω has “παρανομῶν κελεύεις in violation of the law you order Ac 23:3.”

[23:4] ²¹tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[23:4] ²²tn L&N 33.393 has for λοιδορέω (loidorew) “to speak in a highly insulting manner – ‘to slander, to insult strongly, slander, insult.’”

[23:5] ²⁶tn Grk “said.”

[23:5] ²⁷tn Or “know.”

[23:5] ²⁸sn A quotation from Exod 22:28. This text defines a form of blasphemy. Paul, aware of the fact that he came close to crossing the line, backed off out of respect for the law.