A Question about Taxes^(A)

¹³ The leaders sent some of the Pharisees and some of Herod’s followers to Jesus. They wanted to trap him into saying the wrong thing. ¹⁴ When they came to him, they said, “Teacher, we know that you tell the truth. You don’t favor individuals because of who they are. Rather, you teach the way of God truthfully. Is it right to pay taxes to the emperor or not? Should we pay taxes or not?”

¹⁵ Jesus recognized their hypocrisy, so he asked them, “Why do you test me? Bring me a coin so that I can look at it.”

¹⁶ They brought a coin. He said to them, “Whose face and name is this?”

They told him, “The emperor’s.”

¹⁷ Jesus said to them, “Give the emperor what belongs to the emperor, and give God what belongs to God.”

They were surprised at his reply.

A Question about Taxes^(A)

²⁰ So they watched for an opportunity to send out some spies. The spies were to act like sincere religious people. They wanted to catch him saying the wrong thing so that they could hand him over to the governor. ²¹ They asked him, “Teacher, we know that you’re right in what you say and teach. Besides, you don’t play favorites. Rather, you teach the way of God truthfully. ²² Is it right for us to pay taxes to the emperor or not?”

²³ He saw through their scheme, so he said to them, ²⁴ “Show me a coin. Whose face and name is this?”

They answered, “The emperor’s.”

²⁵ He said to them, “Well, then give the emperor what belongs to the emperor, and give God what belongs to God.”

²⁶ They couldn’t make him say anything wrong in front of the people. His answer surprised them, so they said no more.