Luke 20:20

Luke 20:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.
• New International Version (NIV)Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said, so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So they watched him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor.

Context of Luke 20:20

18Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will crush him.” 19The scribes and the chief priests tried to lay hands on Him that very hour, and yet they feared the people; for they were aware that He had spoken this parable against them. And so they watched Him closely, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, in order that they might catch Him in some statement, so that they could hand Him over to the jurisdiction and authority of the governor. 21And the spies questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You speak and teach correctly, and You are not partial to anyone, but You teach the way of God on the basis of truth. 22Is it permissible for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

Luke 20:20 word by word

Καὶ παρατηρήσαντες ἀπέστειλαν ἐγκαθέτους ὑποκρινομένους ἑαυτοὺς δικαίους εἶναι, ἵνα ἐπιλάβωνται αὐτοῦ λόγου, ὥστε παραδοῦναι αὐτὸν τῇ ἀρχῇ καὶ τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ τοῦ ἡγεμόνος.Read the interlinear

• they watchedπαρατηρέωparatēreō · to observeG3906
• and sentἀποστέλλωapostellō · to sendG649
• spiesἐγκάθετοςegkathetos · a spyG1455
• who pretendedὑποκρίνωhupokrinomai · to pretendG5271
• to be righteousδίκαιοςdikaios · justG1342
• inἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• that they might catchἐπιλαμβάνωepilambanomai · to catchG1949
• statementλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• soὥστεhōste · soG5620
• handπαραδίδωμιparadidōmi · to deliverG3860
• to the jurisdictionἀρχήarchē · beginningG746
• and authorityἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
• the governorἡγεμώνhēgemōn · rulerG2232

Cross-references for Luke 20:20

• Psalms 37:32The wicked spies upon the righteous And seeks to kill him.
• Psalms 38:12Those who seek my life lay snares for me; And those who seek to injure me have threatened destruction, And they plot deception all day long.
• Isaiah 29:20For the ruthless will come to an end and the scorner will be finished, Indeed all who are intent on doing evil will be eliminated,
• Jeremiah 11:19But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter; And I did not know that they had devised plots against me, saying, “Let’s destroy the tree with its fruit, And let’s cut him off from the land of the living, So that his name will no longer be remembered.”
• Jeremiah 18:18Then they said, “Come and let’s devise plans against Jeremiah. Certainly the Law is not going to be lost by the priest, nor advice by the wise, nor the divine word by the prophet! Come, and let’s strike at him with our tongue, and let’s pay no attention to any of his words.”
• Jeremiah 20:10For I have heard the whispering of many, “Terror on every side! Denounce him; let’s denounce him!” All my trusted friends, Watching for my fall, say: “Perhaps he will be persuaded, so that we may prevail against him And take our revenge on him.”
• Matthew 22:15Then the Pharisees went and plotted together how they might trap Him in what He said.
• Mark 12:13Then they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Him in order to trap Him in a statement.
• 2 Samuel 14:2So Joab sent a messenger to Tekoa and brought a wise woman from there, and said to her, “Please follow mourning rites, and put on mourning garments now, and do not anoint yourself with oil but be like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for many days.
• 1 Kings 14:2And Jeroboam said to his wife, “Now arise and disguise yourself so that they will not know that you are the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh. Behold, Ahijah the prophet is there, who said regarding me that I would be king over this people.
• Psalms 66:3Say to God, “How awesome are Your works! Because of the greatness of Your power Your enemies will pretend to obey You.
• Psalms 81:15Those who hate the Lord would pretend to obey Him, And their time of punishment would be forever.
• 2 Peter 2:3and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
• Matthew 27:2and they bound Him and led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate the governor.
• John 18:28Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter the Praetorium, so that they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.

Commentaries on Luke 20:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20They watched him - , Insidiously watching. See on Luke 14:1; (note). Spies - , from , in, and , I let down, to set in ambush. One who crouches in some secret place to spy, listen, catch, or hurt. Hesychius explains the word by , those who lie in wait, or in ambush, to surprise and slay. Josephus uses the word to signify a person bribed for a particular purpose. See War, b. ii. c. ii. s. 5, and b. vi. c. v. s. 2. No doubt the persons mentioned in the text…Read the comment
• 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 20:20

• Craftiness
• Detectives
• Jesus, the Christ
• Persecution
• Reproof
• Spies

In the dictionaries

• Herodians
• Authority in Religion
• Feign
• Jesus Christ
• Luke, the Gospel of
• Procurator
• Speech
• Tax; Taxing
• Money

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