Luke Chapter 3, Verse 13
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13: ο δε ειπεν προς αυτους μηδεν πλεον παρα το διατεταγμενον υμιν πρασσετε
13: And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is
appointed you.
13: But he said to them: Do nothing more than that which is appointed
you.
Exact {k}. Demand, or take, no more.
Than that which is appointed. That is, by the government. John does not condemn the office, or say that the employment should be forsaken. Though it was hated by the people -- though often abused and therefore unpopular -- yet the office itself was not dishonourable. If there is a government, it must be supported; and of course there must be men whose duty it is to collect taxes, as the means of the proper support of the government; and as such a support of the government is necessary, so the people should pay cheerfully the just apportionment of their rulers, and regard favourably those who are authorized to collect it. See Rom 13:1ff.
