Luke 20:20

Paying Taxes to Caesar

20:20 Then ¹  they watched him carefully and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. ²  They wanted to take advantage of what he might say ³  so that they could deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction ⁴  of the governor.

Luke 20:39-40

20:39 Then ⁵  some of the experts in the law ⁶  answered, “Teacher, you have spoken well!” ⁷  20:40 For they did not dare any longer to ask ⁸  him anything.

[20:20]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[20:20]  ² tn Grk “righteous,” but in this context the point is their false sincerity.

[20:20]  ³ tn Grk “so that they might catch him in some word.”

[20:20]  ⁴ tn This word is often translated “authority” in other contexts, but here, in combination with ἀρχή (arch), it refers to the domain or sphere of the governor’s rule (L&N 37.36).

[20:39]  ⁵ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[20:39]  ⁶ tn Or “some of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.

[20:39]  ⁷ sn Teacher, you have spoken well! The scribes, being Pharisees, were happy for the defense of resurrection and angels, which they (unlike the Sadducees) believed in.

[20:40]  ⁸ sn The attempt to show Jesus as ignorant had left the experts silenced. At this point they did not dare any longer to ask him anything.