The Question about Paying Taxes^(A)

¹³ Some Pharisees and some members of Herod's party were sent to Jesus to trap him with questions. ¹⁴ They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you tell the truth, without worrying about what people think. You pay no attention to anyone's status, but teach the truth about God's will for people. Tell us, is it against our Law to pay taxes to the Roman Emperor? Should we pay them or not?”

¹⁵ But Jesus saw through their trick and answered, “Why are you trying to trap me? Bring a silver coin, and let me see it.”

¹⁶ They brought him one, and he asked, “Whose face and name are these?”

“The Emperor's,” they answered.

¹⁷ So Jesus said, “Well, then, pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and pay to God what belongs to God.”

And they were amazed at Jesus.

²⁰ So they looked for an opportunity. They bribed some men to pretend they were sincere, and they sent them to trap Jesus with questions, so that they could hand him over to the authority and power of the Roman Governor. ²¹ These spies said to Jesus, “Teacher, we know that what you say and teach is right. We know that you pay no attention to anyone's status, but teach the truth about God's will for people. ²² Tell us, is it against our Law for us to pay taxes to the Roman Emperor, or not?”

²³ But Jesus saw through their trick and said to them, ²⁴ “Show me a silver coin. Whose face and name are these on it?”

“The Emperor's,” they answered.

²⁵ So Jesus said, “Well, then, pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and pay to God what belongs to God.”

²⁶ There before the people they could not catch him in a thing, so they kept quiet, amazed at his answer.