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Taxes for Caesar

20 Watching for their opportunity, the leaders sent spies pretending to be honest men. They tried to get Jesus to say something that could be reported to the Roman governor so he would arrest Jesus. 21 “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you speak and teach what is right and are not influenced by what others think. You teach the way of God truthfully. 22 Now tell us—is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

23 He saw through their trickery and said, 24 “Show me a Roman coin.[a] Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

25 “Well then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”

26 So they failed to trap him by what he said in front of the people. Instead, they were amazed by his answer, and they became silent.

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Footnotes

  1. 20:24 Greek a denarius.

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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