Luke 3:14
12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”
13 “Collect no more than you are authorized,” he answered.
Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” “Do not take money by force or false accusation,” he said. “Be content with your wages.”
15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John could be the Christ.
16 John answered all of them: “I baptize you with water, but One more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” “Do not take money by force or false accusation,” he said. “Be content with your wages.”
- KJV
- And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.
- WEB
- Soldiers also asked him, saying, “What about us? What must we do?” He said to them, “Extort from no one by violence, neither accuse anyone wrongfully. Be content with your wages.”
- ASV
- And soldiers also asked him, saying, And we, what must we do? And he said unto them, Extort from no man by violence, neither accuse [any one] wrongfully; and be content with your wages.
- DARBY
- And persons engaged in military service also asked him saying, And we, what should we do? And he said to them, Oppress no one, nor accuse falsely, and be satisfied with your pay.
- BLB
- And those being soldiers were also questioning him, saying, “And what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Extort no one, nor accuse falsely, and be content with your⁺ wages.”
- ÅB
- Men også krigsfolk spurte ham og sa: Og vi, hva skal vi gjøre? Og han sa til dem: Press ikke penger ut av noen ved vold eller ved svik, og la dere nøye med deres lønn!
- OTB
- Da spurte noen soldater ham: “Og hva skal vi gjøre?” Han svarte: “Press ikke penger av noen, og anklag ingen falskt—vær fornøyd med lønnen deres.”
- B1930
- Men også krigsfolk spurte ham og sa: Og vi, hvad skal vi gjøre? Og han sa til dem: Press ikke penger ut av nogen ved vold eller ved svik, og la eder nøie med eders lønn!
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Hebrews 13:5–6
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”
Read in contextExodus 20:16
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Read in context1 Timothy 6:8–10
But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.
Read in contextPhilippians 4:11
I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances.
Read in contextExodus 23:1
“You shall not spread a false report. Do not join the wicked by being a malicious witness.
Read in contextLeviticus 19:11
You must not steal. You must not lie or deceive one another.
Read in contextRomans 13:9–10
The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Read in contextLuke 19:8
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will repay it fourfold.”
Read in context