Luke 3:12

New Living Translation

Even corrupt tax collectors came to be baptized and asked, "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?"

Contemporary English Version
When tax collectors came to be baptized, they asked John, "Teacher, 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 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 It was now the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius, the Roman emperor. Pontius Pilate was governor over Judea; Herod Antipas was ruler over Galilee; his brother Philip was ruler over Iturea and Traconitis; Lysanias was ruler over Abilene. ² Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests. At this time a message from God came to John son of Zechariah, who was living in the wilderness. ³ Then John went from place to place on both sides of the Jordan River, preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. ⁴ Isaiah had spoken of John when he said, "He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord 's coming! Clear the road for him! ⁵ The valleys will be filled, and the mountains and hills made level. The curves will be straightened, and the rough places made smooth. ⁶ And then all people will see the salvation sent from God.'" ⁷ When the crowds came to John for baptism, he said, "You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? ⁸ Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don't just say to each other, ‘We're safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.' That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. ⁹ Even now the ax of God's judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire." ¹⁰ The crowds asked, "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
Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him."

Genesis 2:20
He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him.

Genesis 2:22
Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man.

Genesis 3:13
Then the Lord God asked the woman, "What have you done?" "The serpent deceived me," she replied. "That's why I ate it."

Genesis 3:15
And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel."

Genesis 3:20
Then the man—Adam—named his wife Eve, because she would be the mother of all who live.

Genesis 3:21
And the Lord God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife.

Genesis 3:24
After sending them out, the Lord God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden. And he placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.

Job 31:33
"Have I tried to hide my sins like other people do, concealing my guilt in my heart?

Proverbs 19:3
People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord .

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.