Deuteronomy 25:3 — Compare Translations

27 translations compared side by side

English (YLT) 1898 Young's Literal Translation by Robert Young

forty [times] he doth smite him -- he is not adding, lest, he is adding to smite him above these -- many stripes, and thy brother is lightly esteemed in thine eyes.

English ASV

Forty stripes he may give him, he shall not exceed; lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.

English Amplified

Forty stripes may be given him but not more, lest, if he should be beaten with many stripes, your brother should [be treated like a beast and] seem low and worthless to you.

English Amplified Classic Bible 1987

Forty stripes may be given him but not more, lest, if he should be beaten with many stripes, your brother should [be treated like a beast and] seem low and worthless to you.

English Berean Standard Bible (BSB) 2025

He may receive no more than forty lashes, lest your brother be beaten any more than that and be degraded in your sight.

English CSB 2017 - Christian Standard Bible

He may be flogged with forty lashes, but no more. Otherwise, if he is flogged with more lashes than these, your brother will be degraded in your sight.

English Darby 1890 : Public Domain

With forty [stripes] shall they beat him; they shall not exceed, lest, if they continue to beat him with many stripes above these, thy brother become despicable in thine eyes.

English EASY 2024

But they must not hit him more than 40 times as his punishment. If it is more than that, nobody would respect him any more.

English ERV 2006 - Only For Website

Don't hit anyone more than 40 times during punishment, because more than that means that their life is not important to you.

Forty stripes may be given him, but not more, lest, if one should go on to beat him with more stripes than these, your brother be degraded in your sight.

English GNT (Good News Translation)

He may be given as many as forty lashes, but no more; more than that would humiliate him publicly.

English God's Word - GW 1995

Forty lashes may be given, but no more. If an Israelite were given more than that, he would be publicly humiliated.

English HCSB 2004 - Copyrighted Only For Website

He may be flogged with 40 lashes, but no more. Otherwise, if he is flogged with more lashes than these, your brother will be degraded in your sight.

English KJV 1611

Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.

English LSB

He may strike him forty times but no more, lest he strike him with many more stripes than these and your brother be dishonored in your eyes.

English MEV 2014 (Modern English Version)

He may give him forty stripes, but no more, lest, if he should exceed and beat him more with numerous stripes, then your brother may appear contemptible to you.

English NASB (New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995)

"He may beat him forty times but no more, so that he does not beat him with many more stripes than these and your brother is not degraded in your eyes.

English NASU 1989 - New American Standard Update - Only for Website

Forty stripes may be given him, but no more; lest, if he were beaten with more stripes than these, your kinsman should be looked upon as disgraced because of the severity of the beating.

English NET Bible - 2005 (New English Translation)

The judge may sentence him to forty blows, but no more. If he is struck with more than these, you might view your fellow Israelite with contempt.

English NIRV 1996 - Copyrighted only for Website

But the judge must not give the guilty man more than 40 strokes. If more than that are used, you will look down on your Israelite neighbor.

English NIV

but he must not give him more than forty lashes. If he is flogged more than that, your brother will be degraded in your eyes.

English NKJ 1982

Forty blows he may give him and no more, lest he should exceed this and beat him with many blows above these, and your brother be humiliated in your sight.

English NLT

No more than forty lashes may ever be given; more than forty lashes would publicly humiliate your neighbor.

English NRSV 1989 - Only for website

Forty lashes may be given but not more; if more lashes than these are given, your neighbor will be degraded in your sight.

English RSV (Revised Standard Version)

Forty stripes may be given him, but not more; lest, if one should go on to beat him with more stripes than these, your brother be degraded in your sight.

English TL (The Living Bible) (1971)

but no more than forty stripes may be given lest the punishment seem too severe, and your brother be degraded in your eyes.

English Tyndale 1537

Forty stripes he shall give him and not pass: lest if he should exceed and beat him above that with many stripes, thy brother should appear ungodly before thine eyes.