Bible Dictionaries
Flogging

Holman Bible Dictionary

Punishment by repeated lashes or blows of a whip or rod(s). The Old Testament recognized flogging as a form of punishment (Deuteronomy 25:1-3 ) though limiting it to 40 blows so that the neighbor who was punished would not be degraded. Children were disciplined with rods (Proverbs 23:13-14 ). Floggings were sometimes inflicted unjustly (Proverbs 17:26; Isaiah 53:5 ).

Jesus warned His disciples that they would face flogging (Matthew 10:17; beatings, Mark 13:9 ) in the synagogue. Paul had believers flogged in his days as a persecutor of the church (Acts 22:19-20 ). The apostles were flogged by order of the Sanhedrin (Acts 5:40 ). Paul received the “forty

lashes less one” at the hands of the synagogue five times (2 Corinthians 11:24 ). Paul was also beaten with rods three times (2 Corinthians 11:25 ), perhaps at the hands of Gentile officials as at Philippi (Acts 16:22-23 ).