In Acts 23:3, Paul uses this term in his sharp rebuke to the high priest Ananias, calling him a 'whitewashed wall'—a vivid metaphor for hypocrisy, something that appears clean and proper on the outside but conceals corruption within. The word typically refers to the wall of a house, temple, or courtyard, a solid structure meant to protect or enclose. Paul's choice of imagery draws on the prophetic tradition of denouncing false appearances.