Luke 3:14

Authorized King James Version (1611)

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.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Ἐπηρώτων δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ στρατευόμενοι, λέγοντες, Καὶ ἡμεῖς τί ποιήσομεν; Καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς, Μηδένα διασείσητε, μηδὲ συκοφαντήσητε· καὶ ἀρκεῖσθε τοῖς ὀψωνίοις ὑμῶν.

Transliteration

Eperōtōn de him also strateuomenoi, legontes, And we what shall-we-poiesomen? And eipen pros them, No-one diaseisete, neither sykophantesete; and arkeisthe with-the opsōniois of-you.

Grammar Details

• *Eperōtōn*: imperfect, active, indicative, 3rd person, plural - were asking
• *de*: postpositive particle - and/but/now
• *strateuomenoi*: present middle/passive participle, nominative, masculine, plural - soldiers/those serving as soldiers
• *legontes*: present active participle, nominative, masculine, plural - saying
• *poiesomen*: future, active, indicative, 1st person, plural - we will do
• *eipen*: aorist, active, indicative, 3rd person, singular - said
• *pros*: preposition with accusative - to/toward
• *diaseisete*: aorist, active, subjunctive, 2nd person, plural - extort/shake violently
• *sykophantesete*: aorist, active, subjunctive, 2nd person, plural - falsely accuse/defraud
• *arkeisthe*: present, passive, imperative, 2nd person, plural - be content
• *opsōniois*: dative, neuter, plural - wages/pay

Word Meanings

• *Eperōtōn*: were asking/were questioning/were inquiring
• *strateuomenoi*: soldiers/those serving as soldiers/military men
• *legontes*: saying/speaking/declaring
• *poiesomen*: we will do/we shall do/we should do
• *eipen*: said/spoke/told
• *diaseisete*: extort/intimidate/shake down/harass
• *sykophantesete*: falsely accuse/blackmail/defraud
• *arkeisthe*: be content/be satisfied/be sufficient
• *opsōniois*: wages/pay/allowance

Referenced Verses

• Exod 23:1 : 1 ¶ Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
• Phil 4:11 : 11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, [therewith] to be content.
• 1 Tim 6:8-9 : 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and [into] many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
• Heb 13:5-6 : 5 [Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord [is] my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
• Lev 19:11 : 11 ¶ Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.
• Exod 20:16 : 16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
• Matt 8:5 : 5 ¶ And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,
• Luke 19:8 : 8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore [him] fourfold.
• Acts 10:7 : 7 And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually;
• Rom 13:9-9 : 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if [there be] any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love [is] the fulfilling of the law.
• Phil 2:15 : 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
• Rev 12:10 : 10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
• Titus 2:3 : 3 The aged women likewise, that [they be] in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;