Mark 12:13-16

English Standard Version

Paying Taxes to Caesar

^13 (A)And they sent to him some of ^(B)the Pharisees and some of ^(C)the Herodians, to ^(D)trap him in his talk. ¹⁴ And they came and said to him, “Teacher, ^(E)we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For ^(F)you are not swayed by appearances,^[a] but truly teach ^(G)the way of God. Is it lawful to pay ^(H)taxes to ^(I)Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” ¹⁵ But, knowing ^(J)their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why ^(K)put me to the test? Bring me ^(L)a denarius^[b] and let me look at it.” ¹⁶ And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar's.”