The Pharisees: Is It Lawful to Pay Taxes to Caesar?(A)

20 (B)So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor.

21 Then they asked Him, saying, (C)“Teacher, we know that You say and teach rightly, and You do not show personal favoritism, but teach the way of God in truth: 22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

23 But He perceived their craftiness, and said to them, [a]“Why do you test Me? 24 Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?”

They answered and said, “Caesar’s.”

25 And He said to them, (D)“Render[b] therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

26 But they could not catch Him in His words in the presence of the people. And they marveled at His answer and kept silent.

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 20:23 NU omits Why do you test Me?
  2. Luke 20:25 Pay

20 So kai they watched paratēreō him closely and sent apostellō spies who heautou pretended hypokrinomai to be eimi righteous dikaios so hina they could catch epilambanomai him in his autos word logos, and in this way hōste deliver paradidōmi him autos to the ho jurisdiction archē and kai · ho authority exousia of the ho governor hēgemōn. 21 · kai They questioned eperōtaō him autos, saying legō, “ Teacher didaskalos, we know oida that hoti you speak legō and kai teach didaskō truthfully orthōs and kai show lambanō no ou partiality prosōpon, but alla truly epi alētheia teach didaskō the ho way hodos of ho God theos. 22 Is it lawful for us hēmeis to give didōmi tribute phoros to Caesar Kaisar, or ē not ou?” 23 But de he realized katanoeō their autos · ho duplicity panourgia, and said legō to pros them autos, 24  Show deiknymi me egō a denarius dēnarion. Whose tis image eikōn and kai inscription epigraphē does it have echō?” They ho · de said legō, “Caesar’ s Kaisar.” 25 He ho · de said legō to pros them autos, “Then give apodidōmi to Caesar Kaisar the ho things that are Caesar’ s Kaisar, and kai to ho God theos the ho things that are · ho God’ s theos.” 26 And kai they were unable ou to trap epilambanomai him autos in what he said rhēma in the presence enantion of the ho people laos, but kai, marveling thaumazō at epi · ho his autos answer apokrisis, they were reduced sigaō to silence .

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