^12:57“And¹⁴¹ why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? ^12:58As you are going with your accuser before the magistrate,¹⁴² make an effort to settle with him on the way, so that he will not drag you before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer,¹⁴³ and the officer throw you into prison. ^12:59I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the very last cent!”¹⁴⁴

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Footnotes

141 Jesus calls for some personal reflection. However, this unit probably does connect to the previous one—thus the translation of δέ (de) here as “And”—to make a good spiritual assessment, thus calling for application to the spiritual, rather than personal, realm.
142 The term magistrate (ἄρχων, archōn) refers to an official who, under the authority of the government, serves as judge in legal cases (see L&N 56.29).
143 The officer (πράκτωρ, praktōr) was a civil official who functioned like a bailiff and was in charge of debtor’s prison. The use of the term, however, does not automatically demand a Hellenistic setting ( ; K. H. Rengstorf, 8:539; C. Maurer, 6:642).
144 Here the English word “cent” is used as opposed to the parallel in Matt 5:26 where “penny” appears, since the Greek word there is different and refers to a different but similar coin. This cent was a lepton, the smallest coin available. It was copper or bronze, worth one-half of a quadrans or 1/128 of a denarius. The parallel in Matt 5:26 mentions the quadrans instead of the lepton. The illustration refers to the debt one owes God and being sure to settle with him in the right time, before it is too late. Some interpreters, however, consider it to be like Matt 5:26, which has similar imagery but a completely different context.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison. I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

“Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? As you are going with your adversary to the ruler, make an effort to settle with him on the way. Then he won’t drag you before the judge, the judge hand you over to the bailiff, and the bailiff throw you into prison. I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny.”

NLTNew Living Translation

“Why can’t you decide for yourselves what is right? When you are on the way to court with your accuser, try to settle the matter before you get there. Otherwise, your accuser may drag you before the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, who will throw you into prison. And if that happens, you won’t be free again until you have paid the very last penny.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And why do you not also judge for yourselves what is right? For as you are going with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to come to a settlement with him on the way, so that he will not drag you to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the bailiff, and the bailiff will throw you into prison. I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid back even the last cent!”

KJV 1900King James Version

Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison. I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.

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