Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, July 12th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

Luke 3:13

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

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Honesty;   Integrity;   Righteousness;   Tax;   Scofield Reference Index - Repentance;   Thompson Chain Reference - Awakenings and Religious Reforms;   Awakenings, Religious;   Business Life;   Extortion Condemned;   Vices;   The Topic Concordance - Deeds;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Publicans;   Tribute;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Genealogy;   Mary;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - John the baptist;   Justice;   Repentance;   Tax collector;   Work;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Baptize, Baptism;   John the Baptist;   Repentance;   Work;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Gospels;   Publican;   Holman Bible Dictionary - John;   Luke, Gospel of;   Ordinances;   Repentance;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - John the Baptist;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Asceticism (2);   Benedictus;   Business (2);   Common Life;   Confession (of Sin);   Eternal Punishment;   Publican ;   Redemption (2);   Tribute;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Herod, Family of;   Publicans;   Tribute;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Publican;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Exact;   John the Baptist;   Luke, the Gospel of;   Sign;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Christianity in Its Relation to Judaism;  

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.
Contemporary English Version
John told them, "Don't make people pay more than they owe."
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.
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 It was the 15th year of the rule of Tiberius Caesar. These men were under Caesar: Pontius Pilate, the governor of Judea; Herod, the ruler of Galilee; Philip, Herod's brother, the ruler of Iturea and Trachonitis; Lysanias, the ruler of Abilene. 2 Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests. During this time, John, the son of Zechariah, was living in the desert, and he received a message from God. 3 So he went through the whole area around the Jordan River and told the people God's message. He told them to be baptized to show that they wanted to change their lives, and then their sins would be forgiven. 4 This is like the words written in the book of Isaiah the prophet: "There is someone shouting in the desert: ‘Prepare the way for the Lord. Make the road straight for him. 5 Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be made flat. Crooked roads will be made straight, and rough roads will be made smooth. 6 Then everyone will see how God will save his people!'" 7 Crowds of people came to be baptized by John. But he said to them, "You are all snakes! Who warned you to run from God's judgment that is coming? 8 Change your hearts! And show by your lives that you have changed. I know what you are about to say—‘but Abraham is our father!' That means nothing. I tell you that God can make children for Abraham from these rocks! 9 The ax is now ready to cut down the trees. Every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." 10 The people 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
But the snake said to the woman, "You will not die.
Genesis 3:6
The woman could see that the tree was beautiful and the fruit looked so good to eat. She also liked the idea that it would make her wise. So she took some of the fruit from the tree and ate it. Her husband was there with her, so she gave him some of the fruit, and he ate it.
Genesis 3:9
The Lord God called to the man and said, "Where are you?"
Genesis 3:10
The man said, "I heard you walking in the garden, and I was afraid. I was naked, so I hid."
Genesis 3:12
The man said, "The woman you put here with me gave me fruit from that tree. So I ate it."
Genesis 44:15
Joseph said to them, "Why have you done this? Didn't you know that I have a special way of learning secrets? No one is better at this than I am!"
1 Samuel 13:11
Samuel asked, "What have you done?" Saul answered, "I saw the soldiers leaving me. You were not here on time, and the Philistines were gathering at Micmash.
2 Samuel 3:24
Joab came to the king and said, "What have you done? Abner came to you, but you sent him away without hurting him! Why?
John 18:35
Pilate said, "I'm not a Jew! It was your own people and their leading priests who brought you before me. What have you done wrong?"
1 Timothy 2:14
Also, Adam was not the one who was tricked. It was the woman who was tricked and became a sinner.

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.


 
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