Luke 3:14

Ἐπηρώτων δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ στρατευόμενοι, λέγοντες, Καὶ ἡμεῖς τί ποιήσομεν; Καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτούς, Μηδένα διασείσητε, μηδὲ συκοφαντήσητε· καὶ ἀρκεῖσθε τοῖς ὀψωνίοις ὑμῶν.

RBT Greek Interlinear:

Strongs 1905; Epērōtōn; Ἐπηρώτων; Were asking; V-IIA-3P

Strongs 1161; de; δὲ; and; Conj

Strongs 846; auton; αὐτὸν; himself; PPro-AM3S

Strongs 2532; kai; καὶ; and; Conj

Strongs 4754; strateuomenoi; στρατευόμενοι; those who are soldiering; V-PPM-NMP

Strongs 3004; legontes; λέγοντες; those who say; V-PPA-NMP

Strongs 5101; Ti; Τί; who; IPro-ANS

Strongs 4160; poiēsōmen; ποιήσωμεν; shall we make; V-ASA-1P

Strongs 2532; kai; καὶ; and; Conj

Strongs 1473; hēmeis; ἡμεῖς; we; PPro-N1P

Strongs 2532; Kai; Καὶ; And; Conj

Strongs 2036; eipen; εἶπεν; said; V-AIA-3S

Strongs 846; autois; αὐτοῖς; to themselves; PPro-DM3P

Strongs 3367; Mēdena; Μηδένα; No one; Adj-AMS

Strongs 1286; diaseisēte; διασείσητε; extort; V-ASA-2P

Strongs 3366; mēde; μηδὲ; nor; Conj

Strongs 4811; sykophantēsēte; συκοφαντήσητε; accuse falsely; V-ASA-2P

Strongs 2532; kai; καὶ; and; Conj

Strongs 714; arkeisthe; ἀρκεῖσθε; be content with; V-PMM/P-2P

Strongs 3588; tois; τοῖς; the; Art-DNP

Strongs 3800; opsōniois; ὀψωνίοις; expense; N-DNP

Strongs 4771; hymōn; ὑμῶν; of yourselves; PPro-G2P

RBT Hebrew Literal:

συκοφαντέω - a sycophant, bootlicker

And those who are soldiering/waging war were also questioning himself, those who are saying, "Who shall we make?" And he said to themselves, "Shake no one violently, neither slander for gain,¹² and be sufficed with the Provisions of yourselves."

Julia Smith Literal 1876 Translation:
And they making war asked him, saying, And what shall do? And he said to them, Shake none violently, neither make slanderous accusation; and be content with your pay.

LITV Translation:
And also ones serving as soldiers asked him, saying, And we, what shall we do? And he said to them, Do not shake violently anyone nor accuse falsely, and be satisfied with your pay.

ESV Translation:
Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”

Footnotes

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The term sycophant comes from Ancient Greek συκοφάντης (sykophántēs), meaning 'fig revealer' (σῦκον 'fig' + φαίνω 'to reveal'). In Classical Athens, it originally referred to informers—basically the ancient equivalent of that one coworker who tattles to the boss for brownie points. The Brown Noser, the Boot Licker, the Yes-Man.

Over time, the word evolved to mean a shameless flatterer, the kind of person who would tell a king his terrible haircut looks ‘divinely inspired’ or insist that their boss's dullest ideas are ‘absolute genius.’ In short, sycophants have been annoying humanity for over two millennia.

A "fig revealer" (συκοφάντης in Ancient Greek) was originally an informer or accuser, particularly someone who reported illegal fig smuggling or violations of laws related to the sacred fig trees in Athens.

The exact origin is debated, but here are the main theories:

1. Fig Smuggling Theory – Some scholars believe it referred to people who reported those illicitly exporting figs from Athens, where they were a valued resource. Basically, ancient customs officers but way more insufferable.

2. Sacred Fig Trees Theory – Another idea is that it referred to informers who snitched on people for illegally harvesting figs from sacred groves dedicated to the gods.

3. Obscene Gesture Theory – A more colorful theory suggests it relates to the Greek gesture of sticking the thumb between two fingers (symbolizing a fig), which was considered vulgar. So, a sykophantēs might have been someone who "revealed figs" in a metaphorical sense—accusing others while being an annoying busybody.

Over time, the term lost its fig-related meaning and came to describe shameless flatterers and bootlickers—those people who go around "revealing" things no one asked for, all in the hopes of winning favor with the powerful.