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Please give me another phrase for "To give the devil his due."

This is for an article where I am talking about the aviation ministry laying embargoes but also taking xyz good steps.

I really don't want to be calling the ministry the devil, so another turn of phrase would help.

Thanks

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  • 5
    Give credit where credit is due.
    – Joe Dark
    Commented Sep 27, 2015 at 14:32
  • 1
    Notwithstanding their total bloody mindedness on all else, in fairness to the ministry they have done xyz.
    – WS2
    Commented Sep 27, 2015 at 14:32
  • These should be answers rather than comments.
    – neontapir
    Commented Sep 27, 2015 at 14:48
  • I can certainly see why you don’t want to call them “devils.” Here’s one way to avoid it: “Proving once and for all the “buffoon corollary” of/to the infinite monkey theorem, the ministry did finally get something right with xyz.”
    – Papa Poule
    Commented Sep 27, 2015 at 18:01
  • 1
    I agree with @WS2- "To be fair, the ministry has done xyz, but ..."
    – Jim
    Commented Sep 27, 2015 at 23:29

2 Answers 2

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Give Caesar what is Ceaser's is an alternative expression to the more common give credit where credit is due:

Give Caesar what is Caesar's is derived from the synoptic gospels:

  • "Render unto Caesar" is the beginning of a phrase attributed to Jesus in the synoptic gospels, which reads in full, "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's" (Ἀπόδοτε οὖν τὰ Καίσαρος Καίσαρι καὶ τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῷ Θεῷ).[Matthew 22:21]

  • This phrase has become a widely quoted summary of the relationship between Christianity and secular authority. The original message, coming in response to a question of whether it was lawful for Jews to pay taxes to Caesar, gives rise to multiple possible interpretations about the circumstances under which it is desirable for the Christian to submit to earthly authority.

(Wikipedia)

Give credit where credit is due:

  • meaning the acknowledgment should be to the person who deserves it. This expression was probably coined by Samuel Adams in a letter (October 29, 1777), which put it: “Give credit to whom credit due.” It is sometimes put give someone their due, as in We should really give Nancy her due for trying.

dictionary.reference.com

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Paying the Piper.

Or, be literal. "Paying the levies."

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