Luke 3:14

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.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — John the Baptist addresses soldiers who ask him what to do, following his instruction to tax collectors in Luke 3:13 and preceding the crowd's expectation in Luke 3:15. He responds directly to their inquiry about their required conduct.

The words — στρατευόμενοι (strateuomenoi) means "those being soldiers," identifying the specific audience, while ἐπηρώτων (epērōtōn) denotes their ongoing inquiry.

The thread — The prohibition against false accusation echoes Exodus 20:16, while the command to be content with wages parallels 1 Timothy 6:8 and Hebrews 13:5.

Why it lands — The text commands soldiers to stop extorting money and making false accusations, and to accept their pay without complaint. It requires practical obedience to ethical boundaries within one's profession.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Hebrews 13:5 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.”
Exodus 20:16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
1 Timothy 6:8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.
Exodus 23:1 “You shall not spread a false report. Do not join the wicked by being a malicious witness.
Philippians 4:11 I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances.
Leviticus 19:11 You must not steal. You must not lie or deceive one another.
Romans 13:9 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.”
Luke 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.”
Philippians 2:15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world
Titus 2:3 Older women, likewise, are to be reverent in their behavior, not slanderers or addicted to much wine, but teachers of good.