“Collect no more than you are authorized,” he answered.
Parallel translations
- WEB He said to them, “Collect no more than that which is appointed to you.”
- KJV And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.
- NKJV And he said to them, “Collect no more than what is appointed for you.”
- NASB And he said to them, “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.”
- NLT He replied, “Collect no more taxes than the government requires.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
John tells tax collectors to collect no more than what is appointed—to stop overcharging. Repentance means abandoning the specific sins of one's calling.
Overview
Rather than telling tax collectors to abandon their occupation, John commands honesty: take only what is owed. True repentance does not require fleeing ordinary life but renouncing the sin within it. Justice and integrity in daily work are fruits worthy of repentance.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Luke 19:8But 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.”
- Eph 4:28He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need.
- Isa 1:16–17Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil!
- 1 Cor 6:10nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.
- Mic 6:8He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
- Matt 7:12In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.
- Titus 2:11–12For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to everyone.
- Prov 28:13He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.
- Isa 55:6–7Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.
- Ps 18:23And I have been blameless before Him and kept myself from iniquity.
- Heb 12:1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us.
- Ezek 18:21–22But if the wicked man turns from all the sins he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die.
- Ezek 18:27–28But if a wicked man turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 3:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.