^3:10So³⁰ the crowds were asking³¹ him, “What then should we do?” ^3:11John³² answered them,³³ “The person who has two tunics³⁴ must share with the person who has none, and the person who has food must do likewise.” ^3:12Tax collectors³⁵ also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” ^3:13He told them, “Collect no more³⁶ than you are required to.”³⁷^3:14Then some soldiers³⁸ also asked him, “And as for us—what should we do?”³⁹ He told them, “Take money from no one by violence⁴⁰ or by false accusation,⁴¹ and be content with your pay.”

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Footnotes

30 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the consequential nature of the people’s response.
31 Though this verb is imperfect, in this context it does not mean repeated, ongoing questions, but simply a presentation in vivid style as the following verbs in the other examples are aorist.
32 Grk “he”; the referent (John) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
33 Grk “Answering, he said to them.” This construction with passive participle and finite verb is pleonastic (redundant) and has been simplified in the translation to “answered them.”
34 Or “shirt” (a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin). The name for this garment (χιτών, chitōn) presents some difficulty in translation. Most modern readers would not understand what a ‘tunic’ was any more than they would be familiar with a ‘chiton.’ On the other hand, attempts to find a modern equivalent are also a problem: “Shirt” conveys the idea of a much shorter garment that covers only the upper body, and “undergarment” (given the styles of modern underwear) is more misleading still. “Tunic” was therefore employed, but with a note to explain its nature.
35 The tax collectors would bid to collect taxes for the Roman government and then add a surcharge, which they kept. Since tax collectors worked for Rome, they were viewed as traitors to their own people and were not well liked. Yet even they were moved by John’s call.
36 In the Greek text μηδὲν πλέον (mēden pleon, “no more”) is in an emphatic position. By telling the tax collectors to collect no more than … required John was calling for honesty and integrity in a business that was known for greed and dishonesty.
37 Or “than you are ordered to.”
38 Grk “And soldiers.”
39 Grk “And what should we ourselves do?”
40 Or “Rob no one.” The term διασείσητε (diaseisēte) here refers to “shaking someone.” In this context it refers to taking financial advantage of someone through violence, so it refers essentially to robbery. Soldiers are to perform their tasks faithfully. A changed person is to carry out his tasks in life faithfully and without grumbling.
41 The term translated “accusation” (συκοφαντήσητε, sukophantēsēte) refers to a procedure by which someone could bring charges against an individual and be paid a part of the fine imposed by the court. Soldiers could do this to supplement their pay, and would thus be tempted to make false accusations.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“What should we do then?” the crowd asked.

John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”

Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”

“Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.

Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”

He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

“What then should we do?” the crowds were asking him.

He replied to them, “The one who has two shirts must share with someone who has none, and the one who has food must do the same.”

Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?”

He told them, “Don’t collect any more than what you have been authorized.”

Some soldiers also questioned him, “What should we do?”

He said to them, “Don’t take money from anyone by force or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”

NLTNew Living Translation

The crowds asked, “What should we do?”

John replied, “If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.”

Even corrupt tax collectors came to be baptized and asked, “Teacher, what should we do?”

He replied, “Collect no more taxes than the government requires.”

“What should we do?” asked some soldiers.

John replied, “Don’t extort money or make false accusations. And be content with your pay.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And the crowds were asking him, saying, “What then should we do?” And he answered and said to them, “The one who has two tunics must share with the one who does not have one, and the one who has food must do likewise.” And tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than what you are ordered to.” And those who served in the army were also asking him, saying, “What should we also do?” And he said to them, “Extort from no one, and do not blackmail anyone, and be content with your pay.”

KJV 1900King James Version

And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. 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.

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