Luke 3:12

Contemporary English Version

When tax collectors came to be baptized, they asked John, "Teacher, what should we do?"

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?”

King James Version (1611)
Then came also Publicanes to be baptized, and said vnto him, Master, what shall we doe?

King James Version
Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?

English Standard Version
Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?"

New American Standard Bible
Now even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher, what are we to do?"

New Century Version
Even tax collectors came to John to be baptized. They said to him, "Teacher, what should we do?"

Amplified Bible
Even some tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked, "Teacher, what are we to do?"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And some tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?"

Legacy Standard Bible
And tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher, what should we do?"

Berean Standard Bible
Even tax collectors came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?"

Complete Jewish Bible
Tax-collectors also came to be immersed; and they asked him, "Rabbi, what should we do?"

Darby Translation
And tax-gatherers came also to be baptised, and they said to him, Teacher, what should we do?

Easy-to-Read Version
Even the tax collectors came to John. They wanted to be baptized. They said to him, "Teacher, what should we do?"

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then came there Publicanes also to bee baptized, and saide vnto him, Master, what shall we doe?

George Lamsa Translation
And there came also publicans to be baptized, and they said to him, Teacher, what shall we do?

Good News Translation
Some tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what are we to do?"

Lexham English Bible
And tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher, what should we do?"

Literal Translation
And tax collectors also came to be baptized. And they said to him, Teacher, what shall we do?

American Standard Version
And there came also publicans to be baptized, and they said unto him, Teacher, what must we do?

Bible in Basic English
Then tax-farmers came to him for baptism and said to him, Master, what have we to do?

Hebrew Names Version
Tax collectors also came to be immersed, and they said to him, "Teacher, what must we do?"

International Standard Version
Even some tax collectors came to be baptized. They asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?"Matthew 21:32; Luke 7:29;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
The publicans [fn] also came to be baptized, and they said to him, Malphona, what shall we do?

Murdock Translation
And publicans also came to be baptized. And they said to him: Teacher, what shall we do?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then came publicanes also to be baptized, and saide vnto him: Maister, what shall we do?

English Revised Version
And there came also publicans to be baptized, and they said unto him, Master, what must we do?

World English Bible
Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher, what must we do?"

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And publicans also came to be baptized, and said to him, Master, what shall we do?

Weymouth's New Testament
There came also a party of tax-gatherers to be baptized, and they asked him, "Rabbi, what are we to do?"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And pupplicans camen to be baptisid; and thei seiden to hym, Maister, what schulen we do?

Update Bible Version
And there came also publicans to be baptized, and they said to him, Teacher, what must we do?

Webster's Bible Translation
Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said to him, Master, what shall we do?

New English Translation
Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher, what should we do?"

New King James Version
Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?"

New Living Translation
Even corrupt tax collectors came to be baptized and asked, "Teacher, what should we do?"

New Life Bible
Tax-gatherers came to be baptized also. They asked him, "Teacher, what are we to do?"

New Revised Standard
Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And there came, even tax-collectors, to be immersed; and they said unto him - Teacher! what, shall we, do?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the publicans also came to be baptized and said to him: Master, what shall we do?

Revised Standard Version
Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?"

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Then came ther Publicans to be baptised and sayde vnto him: Master what shall we do?

Young's Literal Translation
And there came also tax-gatherers to be baptised, and they said unto him, `Teacher, what shall we do?'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The publicans came also, to be baptysed and sayde vnto him: Master, what shal we do?

Mace New Testament (1729)
the Publicans likewise came to be baptized, and said to him, master, how are we to act?

THE MESSAGE
Tax men also came to be baptized and said, "Teacher, what should we do?"

Simplified Cowboy Version
Even those sorry, double-crossing tax collectors came to be dunked by John. They had their tails between their legs and would ask him, "Boss, what are we supposed to do?"

Contextual Overview

¹ For fifteen years Emperor Tiberius had ruled that part of the world. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was the ruler of Galilee. Herod's brother, Philip, was the ruler in the countries of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was the ruler of Abilene. Annas and Caiaphas were the Jewish high priests. At that time God spoke to Zechariah's son John, who was living in the desert. So John went along the Jordan Valley, telling the people, "Turn back to God and be baptized! Then your sins will be forgiven." Isaiah the prophet wrote about John when he said, "In the desert someone is shouting, ‘Get the road ready for the Lord! Make a straight path for him. Fill up every valley and level every mountain and hill. Straighten the crooked paths and smooth out the rough roads. Then everyone will see the saving power of God.'" Crowds of people came out to be baptized, but John said to them, "You bunch of snakes! Who warned you to run from the coming judgment? Do something to show that you really have given up your sins. Don't start saying that you belong to Abraham's family. God can turn these stones into children for Abraham. An ax is ready to cut the trees down at their roots. Any tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire." The crowds asked John, "What should we do?" John told them, "If you have two coats, give one to someone who doesn't have any. If you have food, share it with someone else." When tax collectors came to be baptized, they asked John, "Teacher, what should we do?" John told them, "Don't make people pay more than they owe." Some soldiers asked him, "And what about us? What do we have to do?" John told them, "Don't force people to pay money to make you leave them alone. Be satisfied with your pay." Everyone became excited and wondered, "Could John be the Messiah?" John said, "I am just baptizing with water. But someone more powerful is going to come, and I am not good enough even to untie his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His threshing fork is in his hand, and he is ready to separate the wheat from the husks. He will store the wheat in his barn and burn the husks with a fire that never goes out." In many different ways John preached the good news to the people. But to Herod the ruler, he said, "It was wrong for you to take Herodias, your brother's wife." John also said that Herod had done many other bad things. Finally, Herod put John in jail, and this was the worst thing he had done. While everyone else was being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. Then as he prayed, the sky opened up, and the Holy Spirit came down upon him in the form of a dove. A voice from heaven said, "You are my own dear Son, and I am pleased with you." When Jesus began to preach, he was about thirty years old. Everyone thought he was the son of Joseph. But his family went back through Heli, Matthat, Levi, Melchi, Jannai, Joseph, Mattathias, Amos, Nahum, Esli, Naggai, Maath, Mattathias, Semein, Josech, Joda; Joanan, Rhesa, Zerubbabel, Shealtiel, Neri, Melchi, Addi, Cosam, Elmadam, Er, Joshua, Eliezer, Jorim, Matthat, Levi; Simeon, Judah, Joseph, Jonam, Eliakim, Melea, Menna, Mattatha, Nathan, David, Jesse, Obed, Boaz, Salmon, Nahshon; Amminadab, Admin, Arni, Hezron, Perez, Judah, Jacob, Isaac, Abraham, Terah, Nahor, Serug, Reu, Peleg, Eber, Shelah; Cainan, Arphaxad, Shem, Noah, Lamech, Methuselah, Enoch, Jared, Mahalaleel, Kenan, Enosh, and Seth. The family of Jesus went all the way back to Adam and then to God. ²The Preaching of John the Baptist For fifteen years Emperor Tiberius had ruled that part of the world. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was the ruler of Galilee. Herod's brother, Philip, was the ruler in the countries of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was the ruler of Abilene. Annas and Caiaphas were the Jewish high priests. At that time God spoke to Zechariah's son John, who was living in the desert. ³ So John went along the Jordan Valley, telling the people, "Turn back to God and be baptized! Then your sins will be forgiven." ⁴ Isaiah the prophet wrote about John when he said, "In the desert someone is shouting, ‘Get the road ready for the Lord! Make a straight path for him. ⁵ Fill up every valley and level every mountain and hill. Straighten the crooked paths and smooth out the rough roads. ⁶ Then everyone will see the saving power of God.'" ⁷ Crowds of people came out to be baptized, but John said to them, "You bunch of snakes! Who warned you to run from the coming judgment? ⁸ Do something to show that you really have given up your sins. Don't start saying that you belong to Abraham's family. God can turn these stones into children for Abraham. ⁹ An ax is ready to cut the trees down at their roots. Any tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire." ¹⁰ The crowds asked John, "What should we do?"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Luke 7:29, Luke 15:1, Luke 15:2, Luke 18:13, Matthew 21:31, Matthew 21:32

Reciprocal: Isaiah 33:15 - despiseth

Cross-References

Genesis 2:18
The Lord God said, "It isn't good for the man to live alone. I need to make a suitable partner for him."

Genesis 2:22
the Lord made a woman out of the rib. The Lord God brought her to the man,

Genesis 3:13
The Lord God then asked the woman, "What have you done?" "The snake tricked me," she answered. "And I ate some of that fruit."

Genesis 3:15
You and this woman will hate each other; your descendants and hers will always be enemies. One of hers will strike you on the head, and you will strike him on the heel."

Genesis 3:20
The man Adam named his wife Eve because she would become the mother of all who live.

Genesis 3:21
Then the Lord God made clothes out of animal skins for the man and his wife.

Genesis 3:24
Then God put winged creatures at the entrance to the garden and a flaming, flashing sword to guard the way to the life-giving tree.

Job 31:33
Many have attempted to hide their sins from others— but I refused.

Proverbs 19:3
We are ruined by our own stupidity, though we blame the Lord .

Proverbs 28:13
If you don't confess your sins, you will be a failure. But God will be merciful if you confess your sins and give them up.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then came also publicans to be baptized,.... Being convinced under John's ministry of the evils of their past life, and desirous of being admitted to baptism, to which they understood repentance, and fruits meet for the same, were pre-requisite: these came nearer to John,

and said unto him, master, what shall we do? we have been very wicked persons, what shall we do to escape divine vengeance? or what are the particular duties we are to perform? or the fruits meet for repentance, we are to bring forth; that so we may be admitted to the ordinance of baptism, which requires, as previous to it, a true and hearty repentance? of these men,

:- :- :- :-

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The publicans - See the notes at Matthew 5:47. There is reason to think that the “publicans” or “tax-gatherers” were especially oppressive and hard in their dealings with the people; and that, as they had every opportunity of exacting more than they ought, so they often did it, and thus enriched themselves. The evidence of repentance in them would be to break off their sins in this respect, and to deal justly.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 3:12. Then came also publicans — He next instructs the tax-gatherers in the proper discharge of their duty: though it was an office detested by the Jews at large, yet the Baptist does not condemn it. It is only the abuse of it that he speaks against. If taxes be necessary for the support of a state, there must be collectors of them; and the collector, if he properly discharge his duty, is not only a useful, but also a respectable officer. But it seems the Jewish tax-gatherers exacted much more from the people than government authorized them to do, Luke 3:13, and the surplus they pocketed. See the conduct of many of our surveyors and assessors. They are oppressors of the people, and enrich themselves by unjust surcharges. This, I am inclined to think, is too common an evil; and the executive government is often the people's scape-goat, to bear the crimes of its officers, crimes in which it has no concern. For an account of the publicans, Matthew 5:46; Matthew 5:46.