Acts 23:2-5
2 And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. 3 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?” 4 And those who stood by said, “Do you revile God's high priest?” 5 Then Paul said, “I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’ ”
When Paul was slapped by order of the high priest, he pronounced God's judgment on him for breaking their own law. Yet, when Paul found out he was the high priest, he quoted the law concerning not speaking evil of a ruler as he said not knowing who he was. The position Paul did not want to speak evil of, but the reason and God's judgment were not retracted it seems. We need to know who we speak to for respect and honor, but truth spoken in love cannot be restrained either.
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