Luke 23 · Verse 2

Luke 23:2

And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.
Luke 23:2, King James Version

Luke 23:2 in other translations

BSBAnd they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding payment of taxes to Caesar, and proclaiming Himself to be Christ, a King.”
WEBThey began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man perverting the nation, forbidding paying taxes to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.”
ASVAnd they began to accuse him, saying, We found this man perverting our nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, and saying that he himself is Christ a king.
YLTand began to accuse him, saying, ‘This one we found perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying himself to be Christ a king.'
DARBYAnd they began to accuse him, saying, We have found this man perverting our nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ, a king.
BBEAnd they made statements against him, saying, This man has to our knowledge been teaching our nation to do wrong, and not to make payment of taxes to Caesar, even saying that he himself is Christ, a king.
WebsterAnd they began to accuse him, saying, We found this man perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cesar, saying, that he himself is Christ a king.

What does Luke 23:2 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 2. This fellow. The word fellow is not in the original. It conveys a notion of contempt, which no doubt they felt, but which is not expressed in the Greek, and which it is not proper should be expressed in the translation. It might be translated, "We found this man."

Perverting the nation. That is, exciting them to sedition and tumults. This was a mere wanton accusation, but it was plausible before a Roman magistrate; for,

1st. The Galileans, as Josephus testifies, were prone to seditions and tumults.

2nd. Jesus drew multitudes after him, and they thought it was easy to show that this was itself promoting tumults and seditions.

Forbidding, &c. About their charges they were very cautious and cunning. They did not say that he taught that men should not give tribute--that would have been too gross a charge, and would have been easily refuted; but it was an inference which they drew. They said it followed from his doctrine. He professed to be a king. They inferred, therefore, if he was a king, that he must hold that it was not right to acknowledge allegiance to any foreign prince; and if they could make this out, they supposed that Pilate must condemn him of course.

Tribute. Taxes.

Caesar. The Roman emperor, called also Tiberius. The name Caesar was common to the Roman emperors, as Pharaoh was to the Egyptian kings. All the kings of Egypt were called Pharaoh, or the Pharaoh; so all the Roman emperors were called Caesar.

(b) "accuse him" Zech 11:8 (c) "We found this fellow" Lk 23:5, Acts 16:20,21, 17:6,7 (d) "forbidding to give tribute" Mt 17:27, 22:21, Mar 12:17 (e) "he himself is Christ a king" Jn 18:36, 19:12

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 Perverting the nation - The Greek word διαστρεφοντα, signifies stirring up to disaffection and rebellion. Many MSS. and versions add ἡμων, Our nation. They intimated that he not only preached corrupt doctrine, but that he endeavored to make them disaffected towards the Roman government, for which they now pretended to feel a strong affection! Several copies of the Itala add, Destroying our law and prophets. Et solventem legem nostram et prophetas. Forbidding to give tribute to Caesar - These were the falsest slanders that could be invented. The whole of our Lord's conduct disproved them. And his decision in the case of the question about the lawfulness of paying tribute to Caesar, Mat 22:21, was so fully known that we find Pilate paid not the least attention to such evidently malicious and unfounded accusations. Neither Christ nor any of his followers, from that day until now, ever forbade the paying tribute to Caesar; that is, constitutional taxes to a lawful prince.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 23:1-5

Pilate well understood the difference between armed forces and our Lord's followers. But instead of being softened by Pilate's declaration of his innocence, and considering whether they were not bringing the guilt of innocent blood upon themselves, the Jews were the more angry. The Lord brings his designs to a glorious end, even by means of those who follow the devices of their own hearts. Thus all parties joined…

Read the full comment on Luke 23:1-5 →

Luke 23:2 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἬρξαντοĒrxantoThey beganG757
δὲdethenG1161
κατηγορεῖνkatēgoreinto accuseG2723
αὐτοῦautouHimG846
λέγοντες·legontessaying;G3004
τοῦτονtoutonThis [man]G3778
εὕραμενheuramenwe foundG2147
διαστρέφονταdiastrephontamisleadingG1294
τὸtotheG3588
ἔθνοςethnosnationG1484
ἡμῶνhēmōnof usG3165
καὶkaiandG2532
κωλύονταkōluontaforbiddingG2967
φόρουςphoroustributeG5411
ΚαίσαριKaisarito CaesarG2541
διδόναιdidonaito be givenG1325
λέγονταlegontadeclaringG3004
ἑαυτὸνhe'autonHimselfG1438
χριστὸνchristonChristG5547
βασιλέαbasileaa kingG935
εἶναι.¶einaito be.G1511

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 23:2

  • Acts 17:6-7

    And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Cesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.

  • Luke 23:14

    Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:

  • John 19:12

    And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Cesar’s friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Cesar.

  • Mark 14:61-62

    But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

  • Luke 22:69-70

    Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God. Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am.

  • Mark 12:17

    And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Cesar the things that are Cesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him.

  • Matthew 22:21

    They say unto him, Cesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Cesar the things which are Cesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.

  • Acts 16:20-21

    And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.

  • 1 Kings 21:10-13

    And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die. And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them. They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.

  • Psalms 62:4

    They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.

  • Jeremiah 20:10

    For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.

  • 1 Peter 3:16-18

    Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
they.
Zec 11:8; Mr 15:3-5; Joh 18:30
perverting.
5; 1Ki 18:17; Jer 38:4; Am 7:10; Ac 16:20,21; 17:6,7; 24:5
forbidding.
20:20-25; 1Ki 21:10-13; Ps 35:11; 62:4; 64:3-6; Jer 20:10; 37:13-15
Mt 17:27; 22:21; 26:59,60; Mr 12:17; 14:55,56; Ac 24:13; 1Pe 3:16-18
that.
22:69,70; Mr 14:61,62; Joh 18:36; 19:12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Luke 23:1

    And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate.

  • Luke 23:2

    And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.

  • Luke 23:3

    And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it.

Read all of Luke 23

Luke 23:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y comenzaron á acusarle, diciendo: A éste hemos hallado que pervierte la nación, y que veda dar tributo á César, diciendo que él es el Cristo, el rey.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et ils se mirent à l’accuser, disant: Nous avons trouvé cet homme pervertissant notre nation et défendant de donner le tribut à César, se disant lui-même être le Christ, un roi.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Sie fingen aber an, ihn zu verklagen, indem sie sagten: Diesen haben wir befunden als einen, der unsere Nation verführt und wehrt, dem Kaiser Steuer zu geben, indem er sagt, daß er selbst Christus, ein König, sei.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Cœperunt autem illum accusare, dicentes: Hunc invenimus subvertentem gentem nostram, et prohibentem tributa dare Cæsari, et dicentem se Christum regem esse.