Luke 20:20
New International Version
Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said, so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor.

New Living Translation
Watching for their opportunity, the leaders sent spies pretending to be honest men. They tried to get Jesus to say something that could be reported to the Roman governor so he would arrest Jesus.

English Standard Version
So they watched him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor.

Berean Standard Bible
So they watched Him closely and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. They were hoping to catch Him in His words in order to hand Him over to the rule and authority of the governor.

Berean Literal Bible
And having watched Him, they sent spies, feigning themselves to be righteous, that they might catch Him in His word, in order to deliver Him to the rule and to the authority of the governor.

King James Bible
And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.

New King James Version
So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor.

New American Standard Bible
And so they watched Him closely, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, in order that they might catch Him in some statement, so that they could hand Him over to the jurisdiction and authority of the governor.

NASB 1995
So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, in order that they might catch Him in some statement, so that they could deliver Him to the rule and the authority of the governor.

NASB 1977
And they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, in order that they might catch Him in some statement, so as to deliver Him up to the rule and the authority of the governor.

Legacy Standard Bible
So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, so that they might catch Him in some statement, in order to deliver Him to the rule and the authority of the governor.

Amplified Bible
So they watched [for a chance to trap] Him. They sent spies who pretended to be upright and sincere, in order that they might catch Him in some statement [that they could distort and use against Him], so that they could turn Him over to the control and authority of [Pilate] the governor.

Christian Standard Bible
They watched closely and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, so that they could catch him in what he said, to hand him over to the governor’s rule and authority.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They watched closely and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, so they could catch Him in what He said, to hand Him over to the governor’s rule and authority.

American Standard Version
And they watched him, and sent forth spies, who feigned themselves to be righteous, that they might take hold of his speech, so as to deliver him up to the rule and to the authority of the governor.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And they sent spies who imitated righteous men to catch him in discourse and to deliver him to the Judge and to the authority of the Governor.

Contemporary English Version
Jesus' enemies kept watching him closely, because they wanted to hand him over to the Roman governor. So they sent some men who pretended to be good. But they were really spies trying to catch Jesus saying something wrong.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And being upon the watch, they sent spies, who should feign themselves just, that they might take hold of him in his words, that they might deliver him up to the authority and power of the governor.

English Revised Version
And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which feigned themselves to be righteous, that they might take hold of his speech, so as to deliver him up to the rule and to the authority of the governor.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So they watched for an opportunity to send out some spies. The spies were to act like sincere religious people. They wanted to catch him saying the wrong thing so that they could hand him over to the governor.

Good News Translation
So they looked for an opportunity. They bribed some men to pretend they were sincere, and they sent them to trap Jesus with questions, so that they could hand him over to the authority and power of the Roman Governor.

International Standard Version
So they watched him closely and sent spies who pretended to be honest men in order to trap him in what he would say. They wanted to hand him over to the jurisdiction of the governor,

Literal Standard Version
And having watched [Him], they sent forth ones lying in wait, feigning themselves to be righteous, that they might take hold of His word, to deliver Him up to the rule and to the authority of the governor,

Majority Standard Bible
So they watched Him closely and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. They were hoping to catch Him in His words in order to hand Him over to the rule and authority of the governor.

New American Bible
They watched him closely and sent agents pretending to be righteous who were to trap him in speech, in order to hand him over to the authority and power of the governor.

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

New Revised Standard Version
So they watched him and sent spies who pretended to be honest, in order to trap him by what he said, so as to hand him over to the jurisdiction and authority of the governor.

New Heart English Bible
They watched him, and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous, that they might trap him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor.

Webster's Bible Translation
And they watched him, and sent forth spies, who should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him to the power and authority of the governor.

Weymouth New Testament
So, after impatiently watching their opportunity, they sent spies who were to act the part of good and honest men, that they might fasten on some expression of His, so as to hand Him over to the ruling power and the Governor's authority.

World English Bible
They watched him and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous, that they might trap him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor.

Young's Literal Translation
And, having watched him, they sent forth liers in wait, feigning themselves to be righteous, that they might take hold of his word, to deliver him up to the rule and to the authority of the governor,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paying Taxes to Caesar
19When the scribes and chief priests realized that Jesus had spoken this parable against them, they sought to arrest Him that very hour. But they were afraid of the people. 20So they watched Him closely and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. They were hoping to catch Him in His words in order to hand Him over to the rule and authority of the governor. 21“Teacher,” they inquired, “we know that You speak and teach correctly. You show no partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.…

Cross References
Daniel 6:4
Thus the administrators and satraps sought a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no charge or corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him.

Matthew 22:15
Then the Pharisees went out and conspired to trap Jesus in His words.

Matthew 27:2
They bound Him, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate the governor.

Mark 3:2
In order to accuse Jesus, they were watching to see if He would heal on the Sabbath.

Mark 12:13
Later, they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to catch Jesus in His words.

Luke 11:54
waiting to catch Him in something He might say.

Luke 20:21
"Teacher," they inquired, "we know that You speak and teach correctly. You show no partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.


Treasury of Scripture

And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him to the power and authority of the governor.

they watched.

Psalm 37:32,33
The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him…

Psalm 38:12
They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.

Isaiah 29:20,21
For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off: …

feign.

2 Samuel 14:2
And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead:

1 Kings 14:2-6
And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, I pray thee, and disguise thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get thee to Shiloh: behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, which told me that I should be king over this people…

Psalm 66:3
Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.

they might deliver.

Matthew 27:2
And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

John 18:28-32
Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover…

Jump to Previous
Act Acting Authority Catch Close Deliver Expression Fasten Feign Feigned Forth Good Governor Hand Hold Honest Hoped Jesus Jurisdiction Keeping Kept Opportunity Order Part Power Pretended Representatives Righteous Rule Secret Something Speech Spies Statement Themselves Trap Watched Watching Words
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Act Acting Authority Catch Close Deliver Expression Fasten Feign Feigned Forth Good Governor Hand Hold Honest Hoped Jesus Jurisdiction Keeping Kept Opportunity Order Part Power Pretended Representatives Righteous Rule Secret Something Speech Spies Statement Themselves Trap Watched Watching Words
Luke 20
1. Jesus confirms his authority by a question of John's baptism.
9. The parable of the vineyard.
19. Of giving tribute to Caesar.
27. He instructs the Sadducees, who denied the resurrection.
41. How Jesus is the Son of David.
45. He warns his disciples to beware of the scribes.














(20-26) And they watched him.--See Notes on Matthew 22:15-22 and Mark 12:13-17.

And sent forth spies.--The noun is, again, one of St. Luke's characteristic words not used by any other New Testament writer. It expresses rather the act of those who lie in ambush, than that of "spies" in the strict sense of the words. St. Luke is, on the one hand, less definite as to the parties to the conspiracy than the other Gospels, and on the other hand more explicit as to its aim. They wanted materials for an accusation before Pilate, as well as for one before the Sanhedrin. On the omission of the name of the Herodians, see Note on Luke 6:11.

Power and authority.--We have again the characteristic combination of the two substantives. (See Note on Luke 12:11.)

Verses 20-26 - The question of the tribute money. Verse 20. - And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take held of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor. In their intense hatred, conscious that the populace were on the whole in sympathy with Jesus, the Sanhedrim, to carry out their design on his life, determined to avail themselves of the hated Roman military police. Their hope henceforward is to substantiate a charge of treason against him. This was, in those troublous times, when insurrection against the detested Gentile rule was ever being plotted, a comparatively easy matter. The incident of the tribute money, which immediately follows, was part of this new departure in the Sanhedrin policy respecting the murder they so longed to see carried out.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
So
Καὶ (Kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

they watched [Him] closely
παρατηρήσαντες (paratērēsantes)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3906: To watch, observe scrupulously. From para and tereo; to inspect alongside, i.e. Note insidiously or scrupulously.

[and] sent
ἀπέστειλαν (apesteilan)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 649: From apo and stello; set apart, i.e. to send out literally or figuratively.

spies
ἐνκαθέτους (enkathetous)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1455: A spy. From en and a derivative of kathiemi; subinduced, i.e. Surreptitiously suborned as a lier-in-wait.

who pretended
ὑποκρινομένους (hypokrinomenous)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 5271: To act the part, pretend; I answer, respond. Middle voice from hupo and krino; to decide under a false part, i.e. dissemble.

to be
εἶναι (einai)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

sincere.
δικαίους (dikaious)
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1342: From dike; equitable; by implication, innocent, holy.

They were hoping
ἵνα (hina)
Conjunction
Strong's 2443: In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that.

to catch [Him]
ἐπιλάβωνται (epilabōntai)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1949: To lay hold of, take hold of, seize (sometimes with beneficent, sometimes with hostile, intent).

in His
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

words
λόγου (logou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3056: From lego; something said; by implication, a topic, also reasoning or motive; by extension, a computation; specially, the Divine Expression.

in order
ὥστε (hōste)
Conjunction
Strong's 5620: So that, therefore, so then, so as to. From hos and te; so too, i.e. Thus therefore.

to hand Him over
παραδοῦναι (paradounai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 3860: From para and didomi; to surrender, i.e yield up, intrust, transmit.

to the
τῇ (tē)
Article - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

rule
ἀρχῇ (archē)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 746: From archomai; a commencement, or chief.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

authority
ἐξουσίᾳ (exousia)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1849: From exesti; privilege, i.e. force, capacity, competency, freedom, or mastery, delegated influence.

of the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

governor.
ἡγεμόνος (hēgemonos)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2232: From hegeomai; a leader, i.e. Chief person of a province.


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NT Gospels: Luke 20:20 They watched him and sent out spies (Luke Lu Lk)
Luke 20:19
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