God and Caesar

¹⁵ Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to trap him by what he said.^{[a](A) 16} So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians.^(B) “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are truthful and teach truthfully the way of God. You don’t care what anyone thinks nor do you show partiality.^{[b](C) 17} Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar^(D) or not?”

¹⁸ Perceiving their malicious intent, Jesus said, “Why are you testing me, hypocrites? ¹⁹ Show me the coin used for the tax.” They brought him a denarius.^{[c] 20} “Whose image and inscription is this?” he asked them.

²¹ “Caesar’s,” they said to him.

Then he said to them, “Give, then, to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”^{(E) 22} When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.

The Sadducees and the Resurrection

²³ That same day some Sadducees,^(F) who say there is no resurrection, came up to him and questioned him:^{(G) 24} “Teacher, Moses said, if a man dies, having no children, his brother is to marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.^{[d](H) 25} Now there were seven brothers among us. The first got married and died. Having no offspring, he left his wife to his brother. ²⁶ The same thing happened to the second also, and the third, and so on to all seven. ²⁷ Last of all, the woman died. ²⁸ In the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be of the seven? For they all had married her.”^[e]

²⁹ Jesus answered them, “You are mistaken, because you don’t know the Scriptures or the power of God. ³⁰ For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like^[f] angels in heaven.^{(I) 31} Now concerning the resurrection of the dead, haven’t you read what was spoken to you by God: ³² I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob?^[g](J) He^[h] is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”

³³ And when the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.

The Primary Commands

³⁴ When^(K) the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they came together. ³⁵ And one of them, an expert in the law, asked a question to test him:^{(L) 36} “Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?”

³⁷ He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.^{[i](M) 38} This is the greatest and most important^[j] command. ³⁹ The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.^{[k](N) 40} All the Law and the Prophets depend^[l] on these two commands.”^(O)

The Question about the Messiah

⁴¹ While the Pharisees were together, Jesus questioned them,^{(P) 42} “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”

They replied, “David’s.”

⁴³ He asked them, “How is it then that David, inspired by the Spirit,^[m] calls him ‘Lord’:^(Q)

⁴⁵ “If David calls him ‘Lord,’ how, then, can he be his son?” ⁴⁶ No one was able to answer him at all,^[p] and from that day no one dared to question him anymore.^(S)

God and Caesar

¹³ Then^(A) they sent some of the Pharisees^(B) and the Herodians^(C) to Jesus to trap him in his words.^{(D) 14} When they came, they said to him, “Teacher, we know you are truthful and don’t care what anyone thinks, nor do you show partiality^(E) but teach the way of God truthfully. Is it lawful to pay taxes^(F) to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”

¹⁵ But knowing their hypocrisy,^(G) he said to them, “Why are you testing^(H) me? Bring me a denarius^[a](I) to look at.” ¹⁶ They brought a coin. “Whose image^(J) and inscription^(K) is this?” he asked them.

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

¹⁷ Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”^(L) And they were utterly amazed^(M) at him.

The Sadducees and the Resurrection

¹⁸ Sadducees,^(N) who say there is no resurrection,^(O) came to him and questioned him: ¹⁹ “Teacher,^(P) Moses^(Q) wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife behind but no child,^(R) that man should take the wife^(S) and raise up offspring for his brother.^{[b](T) 20} There were seven brothers. The first married a woman, and dying, left no offspring. ²¹ The second also took her, and he died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. ²² None of the seven^[c] left offspring. Last of all, the woman died too. ²³ In the resurrection, when they rise,^[d] whose wife will she be, since the seven had married her?”

²⁴ Jesus spoke to them, “Isn’t this the reason why you’re mistaken: you don’t know the Scriptures^(U) or the power^(V) of God?^{(W) 25} For when they rise^(X) from the dead,^(Y) they neither marry nor are given in marriage^(Z) but are like angels^(AA) in heaven. ²⁶ And as for the dead being raised—haven’t you read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God said to him: I^(AB) am the God of Abraham^(AC) and the God of Isaac^(AD) and the God of Jacob?^{[e](AE) 27} He is not the God of the dead but of the living. You are badly mistaken.”

The Primary Commands

²⁸ One^(AF) of the scribes^(AG) approached. When he heard them debating and saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which command is the most important of all?”

²⁹ Jesus answered, “The most important^[f] is Listen, Israel! The Lord^(AH) our God, the Lord^(AI) is one.^{[g] 30} Love^(AJ) the Lord your God^(AK) with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind,^(AL) and with all your strength.^{[h][i](AM) 31} The second is, Love your neighbor^(AN) as yourself.^[j](AO) There is no other command^(AP) greater than these.”

³² Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, teacher. You have correctly said that he is one, and there is no one^(AQ) else except him.^{(AR) 33} And to love^(AS) him with all your heart, with all your understanding,^[k] and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is far more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.”^(AT)

³⁴ When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”^(AU) And no one dared^(AV) to question him any longer.

The Question about the Messiah

³⁵ While^(AW) Jesus was teaching in the temple, he asked,^(AX) “How can the scribes^(AY) say that the Messiah^(AZ) is the son of David?^{(BA) 36} David^(BB) himself says by the Holy Spirit: ^(BC)

³⁷ David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How, then, can he be his son?” And the large crowd was listening to him with delight.

¹⁹ Then the scribes and the chief priests^(A) looked for a way to get their hands on him^(B) that very hour, because they knew he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people.^(C)

God and Caesar

²⁰ They^(D) watched closely^(E) and sent spies^(F) who pretended to be righteous,^[a] so that they could catch him in what he said,^(G) to hand him^(H) over to the governor’s^(I) rule and authority. ²¹ They questioned him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach correctly,^(J) and you don’t show partiality^[b](K) but teach truthfully the way of God.^{(L) 22} Is it lawful^(M) for us to pay taxes^(N) to Caesar^(O) or not?”

²³ But detecting their craftiness, he said to them,^{[c] 24} “Show me a denarius.^[d] Whose image and inscription does it have?”

“Caesar’s,” they said.

²⁵ “Well then,” he told them, “give to Caesar^(P) the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

²⁶ They were not able to catch him in what he said in public, and being amazed at his answer, they became silent.^(Q)

The Sadducees and the Resurrection

²⁷ Some^(R) of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection,^(S) came up and questioned him: ²⁸ “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother has a wife, and dies childless, his brother should take the wife and produce offspring for his brother.^{[e](T) 29} Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife and died without children. ³⁰ Also the second^{[f] 31} and the third took her. In the same way, all seven died and left no children. ³² Finally, the woman died too. ³³ In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For all seven had married her.”

³⁴ Jesus told them, “The children of this age^(U) marry and are given in marriage.^{(V) 35} But those who are counted worthy^(W) to take part in that age^(X) and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. ³⁶ For they can no longer die,^(Y) because they are like angels and are children of God,^(Z) since they are children of the resurrection. ³⁷ Moses even indicated in the passage about the burning bush that the dead are raised, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.^{[g](AA) 38} He is not the God of the dead but of the living, because all are living to^[h] him.”^(AB)

³⁹ Some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, you have spoken well.” ⁴⁰ And they no longer dared to ask him anything.

The Question about the Messiah

⁴¹ Then^(AC) he said to them, “How can they say that the Messiah is the son of David?^{(AD) 42} For David himself says in the Book of Psalms:^(AE)

⁴⁴ David calls him ‘Lord.’ How, then, can he be his son?”^(AG)