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Wednesday, September 10th, 2025
the Week of Proper 18 / Ordinary 23
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Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

Luke 3:13

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

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

Contextual Overview

1In the fifteenth year of the rule of Caesar Tiberius—it was while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea; Herod, ruler of Galilee; his brother Philip, ruler of Iturea and Trachonitis; Lysanias, ruler of Abilene; during the Chief-Priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas—John, Zachariah's son, out in the desert at the time, received a message from God. He went all through the country around the Jordan River preaching a baptism of life-change leading to forgiveness of sins, as described in the words of Isaiah the prophet: Thunder in the desert! "Prepare God's arrival! Make the road smooth and straight! Every ditch will be filled in, Every bump smoothed out, The detours straightened out, All the ruts paved over. Everyone will be there to see The parade of God's salvation." 7When crowds of people came out for baptism because it was the popular thing to do, John exploded: "Brood of snakes! What do you think you're doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to deflect God's judgment? It's your life that must change, not your skin. And don't think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as ‘father.' Being a child of Abraham is neither here nor there—children of Abraham are a dime a dozen. God can make children from stones if he wants. What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it's deadwood, it goes on the fire." 10 The crowd asked him, "Then what are we supposed to do?" 11 "If you have two coats, give one away," he said. "Do the same with your food." 12 Tax men also came to be baptized and said, "Teacher, what should we do?" 13 He told them, "No more extortion—collect only what is required by law." 14 Soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" He told them, "No shakedowns, no blackmail—and be content with your rations."

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
The serpent told the Woman, "You won't die. God knows that the moment you eat from that tree, you'll see what's really going on. You'll be just like God, knowing everything, ranging all the way from good to evil."
Genesis 3:6
When the Woman saw that the tree looked like good eating and realized what she would get out of it—she'd know everything!—she took and ate the fruit and then gave some to her husband, and he ate.
Genesis 3:9
God called to the Man: "Where are you?"
Genesis 3:10
He said, "I heard you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked. And I hid."
Genesis 3:12
The Man said, "The Woman you gave me as a companion, she gave me fruit from the tree, and, yes, I ate it." God said to the Woman, "What is this that you've done?"
Genesis 44:15
Joseph accused them: "How can you have done this? You have to know that a man in my position would have discovered this."
1 Samuel 13:11
Samuel said, "What on earth are you doing?" Saul answered, "When I saw I was losing my army from under me, and that you hadn't come when you said you would, and that the Philistines were poised at Micmash, I said, ‘The Philistines are about to come down on me in Gilgal, and I haven't yet come before God asking for his help.' So I took things into my own hands, and sacrificed the burnt offering."
2 Samuel 3:24
Joab went straight to the king: "What's this you've done? Abner shows up, and you let him walk away scot-free? You know Abner son of Ner better than that. This was no friendly visit. He was here to spy on you, figure out your comings and goings, find out what you're up to."
John 18:35
Pilate said, "Do I look like a Jew? Your people and your high priests turned you over to me. What did you do?"

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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