Luke 3:13

Contemporary English Version

John told them, "Don't make people pay more than they owe."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He told them, “Don’t collect any more than what you have been authorized.”

King James Version (1611)
And he said vnto them, Exact no more then that which is appointed you.

King James Version
And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.

English Standard Version
And he said to them, "Collect no more than you are authorized to do."

New American Standard Bible
And he said to them, "Collect no more than what you have been ordered to."

New Century Version
John said to them, "Don't take more taxes from people than you have been ordered to take."

Amplified Bible
And he told them, "Collect no more than the fixed amount you have been ordered to [collect]."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And he said to them, "Collect no more than what you have been ordered to."

Legacy Standard Bible
And he said to them, "Collect no more than what you have been ordered to."

Berean Standard Bible
"Collect no more than you are authorized," he answered.

Complete Jewish Bible
"Collect no more than the government assesses," he told them.

Darby Translation
And he said to them, Take no more [money] than what is appointed to you.

Easy-to-Read Version
He told them, "Don't take more taxes from people than you have been ordered to collect."

Geneva Bible (1587)
And hee saide vnto them, Require no more then that which is appointed vnto you.

George Lamsa Translation
He said to them, Do not exact anything more over what is commanded you to exact.

Good News Translation
"Don't collect more than is legal," he told them.

Lexham English Bible
And he said to them, "Collect no more than what you are ordered to."

Literal Translation
And he said to them, Continue to do no more than that commanded to you.

American Standard Version
And he said unto them, Extort no more than that which is appointed you.

Bible in Basic English
And he said to them, Do not make an attempt to get more money than the right amount.

Hebrew Names Version
He said to them, "Collect no more than that which is appointed to you."

International Standard Version
He told them, "Stop collecting more money than the amount you are told to collect."Luke 19:8;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
But he said to them, Demand not any thing more upon what is prescribed to you to require.

Murdock Translation
And he said to them: Exact no more than ye are required to exact.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he sayde vnto them: Require no more then that which is appoynted vnto you.

English Revised Version
And he said unto them, Extort no more than that which is appointed you.

World English Bible
He said to them, "Collect no more than that which is appointed you."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And he said to them, Exact no more than what is appointed you.

Weymouth's New Testament
"Do not exact more than the legal amount," he replied.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he seide to hem, Do ye no thing more, than that that is ordeyned to you.

Update Bible Version
And he said to them, Extort no more than that which is appointed you.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he said to them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.

New English Translation
He told them, "Collect no more than you are required to."

New King James Version
And he said to them, "Collect no more than what is appointed for you."

New Living Translation
He replied, "Collect no more taxes than the government requires."

New Life Bible
He said to them, "Do not take more money from people than you should."

New Revised Standard
He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, he, said unto them, Nothing more than what is appointed you, exact ye.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But he said to them: Do nothing more than that which is appointed you.

Revised Standard Version
And he said to them, "Collect no more than is appointed you."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And he sayde vnto the: requyre no more then that which ys appoynted vnto you.

Young's Literal Translation
and he said unto them, `Exact no more than that directed you.'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He sayde vnto them: Requyre nomore, then is appoynted you.

Mace New Testament (1729)
exact, said he, no more than what the law requires.

THE MESSAGE
He told them, "No more extortion—collect only what is required by law."

Simplified Cowboy Version
John said, "Quit greasin' your pockets with other people's money."

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

Exact: Luke 19:8, Psalms 18:23, Proverbs 28:13, Isaiah 1:16, Isaiah 1:17, Isaiah 55:6, Isaiah 55:7, Ezekiel 18:21, Ezekiel 18:22, Ezekiel 18:27, Ezekiel 18:28, Micah 6:8, Matthew 7:12, 1 Corinthians 6:10, Ephesians 4:28, Titus 2:11, Titus 2:12, Hebrews 12:1

Reciprocal: Exodus 20:15 - General Leviticus 19:13 - shalt not Nehemiah 5:10 - I likewise Ezekiel 22:12 - greedily

Cross-References

Genesis 3:4
"No, you won't!" the snake replied.

Genesis 3:6
The woman stared at the fruit. It looked beautiful and tasty. She wanted the wisdom that it would give her, and she ate some of the fruit. Her husband was there with her, so she gave some to him, and he ate it too.

Genesis 3:9
The Lord called out to the man and asked, "Where are you?"

Genesis 3:10
The man answered, "I was naked, and when I heard you walking through the garden, I was frightened and hid!"

Genesis 3:12
"It was the woman you put here with me," the man said. "She gave me some of the fruit, and I ate it."

Genesis 44:15
who asked them, "What have you done? Didn't you know I could find out?"

1 Samuel 13:11
"What have you done?" Samuel asked. Saul answered, "My soldiers were leaving in all directions, and you didn't come when you were supposed to. The Philistines were gathering at Michmash,

2 Samuel 3:24
Joab went to David and said, "What have you done? Abner came to you, and you let him go. Now he's long gone!

John 18:35
"You know I'm not a Jew!" Pilate said. "Your own people and the chief priests brought you to me. What have you done?"

1 Timothy 2:14
and the man Adam wasn't the one who was fooled. It was the woman Eve who was completely fooled and sinned.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said unto them,.... Not by advising them to quit their employments, as if it was a thing unlawful to impose pay, and collect taxes, but by directing them to perform their office aright:

exact no more than that which is appointed you; by the government: there were two sorts of publicans; there were some that exacted more than what they were ordered, and settled the tax at their own pleasure, and collected what they would themselves; and these were very odious to the people, and were reckoned with the worst of sinners, as thieves and robbers; but there were others, who behaved according to the orders of the government, and these were submitted to, as appears from the Jewish canons:

"says s Samuel, the judgment a kingdom, is judgment (i.e. the orders of a government ought to be regarded); R. Chanina bar Cahana says, that Samuel says it of a publican, שאין לו קיצבה "who has nothing appointed for him": the house of R. Jannai say, of a publican that stands of himself.''

The gloss is,

""the judgment of a kingdom is judgment"; this is he that receives from a king, a tax (to gather) in a thing, קצוב, "that is fixed", so and so for the year, and he is no robber: "who has nothing appointed for him", but takes according to his whole will and pleasure.''

Maimonides expresses this in plainer language t

"in what things is it said that a publican is as thieves? when a Gentile publican, or a Gentile that stands of himself, or a publican that stands for the king, and hath nothing fixed for him, but he takes what he pleases, and leaves what he pleases: but a publican with whom the king agrees, and orders that he should take a third or a fourth, or, דבר קצוב "any thing that is appointed"; and he constitutes an Israelitish publican to collect that part for the king, and it is known that the man is faithful, and does not add any thing to what the king has decreed; he is not in the class of robbers, for the judgment of a king is judgment.--And so a king that lays a tax upon citizens, or upon every man and man, "a thing fixed"; or decrees, that whoever transgresses this thing, they shall take all his goods into the king's house; or that whatever shall be found in the field in the time of the barn (i.e. when it should be there) should pay tribute for it, whether he is the owner of the field or not: and so with respect to any thing else of this kind, it is not a robbery; and an Israelite that collects them for the king, is not in the number of robbers; for lo! he is right, and he does not add nor alter, nor take any thing to himself.''

Now such publicans as these, were received and submitted to, but others were rejected; so Moses Kotsensis says u, that

"publicans that take, יותר מדבר הקצוב להן "more than what is appointed for them", are rejected.''

From all which we may learn what publicans these were that came to John's baptism, and put the above question to him; that they were Jewish publicans, and not Gentiles; and therefore John says nothing to them, but what concerned their employment, which he doubtless would have done, if they had been ignorant Gentiles: and also we see the reason of his expressing himself in this manner, since publicans were very apt to go beyond their orders, and require more than was fixed for them to collect; and likewise that John, in this advice, spoke the sense of the Jews themselves; who did not refuse to pay tribute, excepting some few, provided no more was exacted, than the government appointed; and as temptations to such evils were very great, and it lay in the power of these men to impose on the people, and extort from them, to abstain from such practices was an argument of the fear of God, of the truth of grace, and of the sincerity of repentance.

s T. Bab. Bava Kama, fol. 113. 1. t Hilch. Gezala, c. 5. sect. 11, 12. u Mitzvot Tora, pr. neg. 214. Vid. T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 25. 2. Gloss in ib.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Exact - Demand, or take, no more.

Than that which is appointed - That is, by the government. John does not condemn the office, or say that the employment should be forsaken. Though it was hated by the people - though often abused and therefore unpopular - yet “the office itself” was not dishonorable. If there is a government, it must be supported; and of course there must be people whose duty it is to collect taxes, as the means of the proper support of the government; and as such a support of the government is necessary, so the people should pay cheerfully the just apportionment of their rulers, and regard favorably those who are authorized to collect it. See Romans 13:1-6.