Luke 20:20-26

New Century Version

Is It Right to Pay Taxes or Not?

²⁰ So they watched Jesus and sent some spies who acted as if they were sincere. They wanted to trap Jesus in saying something wrong so they could hand him over to the authority and power of the governor. ²¹ So the spies asked Jesus, “Teacher, we know that what you say and teach is true. You pay no attention to who people are, and you always teach the truth about God’s way. ²² Tell us, is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

²³ But Jesus, knowing they were trying to trick him, said, ²⁴ “Show me a coin. Whose image and name are on it?”

They said, “Caesar’s.”

²⁵ Jesus said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and give to God the things that are God’s.”

²⁶ So they were not able to trap Jesus in anything he said in the presence of the people. And being amazed at his answer, they became silent.