Luke 20:23

Luke 20:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me?
• New International Version (NIV)He saw through their duplicity and said to them,
• English Standard Version (ESV)But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them,
• New King James Version (NKJV)But He perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Why do you test Me?

Context of Luke 20:23

21So these people went to Jesus. They said, ‘Teacher, everything that you say and everything that you teach is right. We know that. You teach everyone the same true message about what God wants us to do. You do not say something different to an important person to make him happy. 22So tell us your answer to this question: Should we pay our taxes to the Roman ruler, Caesar? Is it right to give that money to him, or not?’ Jesus knew that those men were not really honest. They wanted to make him say the wrong thing. 24So he said to them, ‘Show me a coin. Tell me, whose picture is on this coin? Whose name is on it?’ 25The men replied, ‘It is Caesar's picture and Caesar's name.’ Jesus then said to them, ‘So you should give to Caesar the things that belong to him. And give to God the things that belong to God.’

Luke 20:23 word by word

κατανοήσας δὲ αὐτῶν τὴν πανουργίαν εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούςRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• he perceivedκατανοέωkatanoeō · to observeG2657
• theirαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• craftinessὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• craftinessπανουργίαpanourgia · craftinessG3834
• and saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• Whyτίςtis · which?G5101
• tempt yeπειράζωpeirazō · to test/tempt: temptG3985
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473

Cross-references for Luke 20:23

• Luke 5:22Jesus knew what these men were thinking. He told them, ‘You should not be thinking these things.
• Luke 6:8But Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he said to the man, ‘Get up and stand in front of everyone.’ The man got up and he stood there.
• Luke 11:17But Jesus knew what those people were thinking. He said to them, ‘If armies in a country start to fight each other, they will destroy their own country. If people in one family fight against each other, they will destroy their own family.
• John 2:24But Jesus himself did not trust the people. He knew what all people are really like.
• 1 Corinthians 3:19People in this world think that some people are wise. But God thinks that those wise people are fools. It says in the Bible: ‘God causes the clever thoughts of wise people to confuse them.’
• Hebrews 4:13There is nothing in the whole world that can hide from God. He sees everything clearly and he knows everything. We will have to explain to him everything that we have done during our lives.
• Luke 20:20So this is what they did to catch Jesus. They sent people to ask him difficult questions. These people pretended to be honest, but they wanted to deceive Jesus. They wanted to make him say something wrong. Then they would take him to the ruler of the city to punish him.
• Luke 11:16Some other people wanted to test Jesus to see what he would do. So they asked him, ‘Do something powerful for us to see. Then we will know that God has really sent you.’
• Psalms 95:9Your ancestors tested me there, to see if I would punish them. But they had already seen the great things that I had done for them!
• Matthew 16:1Some Pharisees and Sadducees went to see Jesus. They wanted to test him to see what he would do. They asked him, ‘Do something powerful for us to see. Then we will believe that God has sent you.’
• Matthew 22:18Jesus knew that these men wanted to do bad things to him. So he said to them, ‘You are asking that question to cause trouble for me. You are not being honest!
• 1 Corinthians 10:9Nor must we do bad things to see whether the Lord will punish us. Some of our ancestors did that, and God sent snakes to destroy them.

Commentaries on Luke 20:23

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20-38Verses 20-38 See this explained in the Mark 12:13-27 notes.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-26Verses 20-26 Those who are most crafty in their designs against Christ and his gospel, cannot hide them. He did not give a direct answer, but reproved them for offering to impose upon him; and they could not fasten upon any thing wherewith to stir up either the governor or the people against him. The wisdom which is from above, will direct all who teach the way of God truly, to avoid the snares laid for them by wicked men; and will teach our duty to God…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-26The religious leaders asked this question to trap Jesus, but he answered in a way that avoided their trap.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-4020-26. sent forth--after consulting (Mt 22:15) on the best plan. spies--"of the Pharisees and Herodians" (Mr 12:13). See Mr 3:6.Read the comment

Topics related to Luke 20:23

• Citizens
• Craftiness
• Jesus, the Christ
• Law

In the dictionaries

• Craft; Craftiness; Crafty
• Jesus Christ
• Luke, the Gospel of
• Money
• Caesar

Commentaries on Luke 20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings