Lukas 11:53-54

11:53 When he went out from there, the experts in the law ¹  and the Pharisees began to oppose him bitterly, ²  and to ask him hostile questions ³  about many things, 11:54 plotting against ⁴  him, to catch ⁵  him in something he might say.

Lukas 20:20-23

Paying Taxes to Caesar

20:20 Then ⁶  they watched him carefully and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. ⁷  They wanted to take advantage of what he might say ⁸  so that they could deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction ⁹  of the governor. 20:21 Thus ¹⁰  they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach correctly, ¹¹  and show no partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. ¹²  20:22 Is it right ¹³  for us to pay the tribute tax ¹⁴  to Caesar ¹⁵  or not?” 20:23 But Jesus ¹⁶  perceived their deceit ¹⁷  and said to them,

[11:53]  ¹ tn Or “the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.

[11:53]  ² tn Or “terribly.”

[11:53]  ³ tn For this term see L&N 33.183.

[11:54]  ⁴ tn Grk “lying in ambush against,” but this is a figurative extension of that meaning.

[11:54]  ⁵ tn This term was often used in a hunting context (BDAG 455 s.v. θηρεύω; L&N 27.30). Later examples of this appear in Luke 20.

[20:20]  ⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[20:20]  ⁷ tn Grk “righteous,” but in this context the point is their false sincerity.

[20:20]  ⁸ tn Grk “so that they might catch him in some word.”

[20:20]  ⁹ 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).

[20:21]  ¹⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “thus” to indicate the implied result of the plans by the spies.

[20:21]  ¹¹ tn Or “precisely”; Grk “rightly.” Jesus teaches exactly, the straight and narrow.

[20:21]  ¹² sn Teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Very few comments are as deceitful as this one; they did not really believe this at all. The question was specifically designed to trap Jesus.

[20:22]  ¹³ tn Or “lawful,” that is, in accordance with God’s divine law. On the syntax of ἔξεστιν (exestin) with an infinitive and accusative, see BDF §409.3.

[20:22]  ¹⁴ tn This was a “poll tax.” L&N 57.182 states this was “a payment made by the people of one nation to another, with the implication that this is a symbol of submission and dependence – ‘tribute tax.’”

[20:22]  ¹⁵ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[20:23]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:23]  ¹⁷ tn Or “craftiness.” The term always has negative connotations in the NT (1 Cor 3:19; 2 Cor 4:2; 11:3; Eph 4:14).