Matthew 17:24-18:5

English Standard Version

The Temple Tax

^24 (A)When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of ^(B)the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” ²⁵ He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, ^(C)“What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or ^(D)tax? From their sons or from others?” ²⁶ And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. ²⁷ However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel.^[a] Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”

Who Is the Greatest?

18 ^(E)At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” ² And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them ³ and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you ^(F)turn and ^(G)become like children, you ^(H)will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ^4 (I)Whoever humbles himself like this child is the ^(J)greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

^5 (K)“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me,