Paying the Temple Tax

²⁴ When they came to Capernaum, those who collected the temple tax approached Peter and said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” ^(A)

²⁵ “Yes,” he said.

When he went into the house, Jesus spoke to him first,^[a] “What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly kings collect tariffs or taxes? From their sons or from strangers?”^[b](B)

²⁶ “From strangers,” he said.^[c]

“Then the sons are free,” Jesus told him. ²⁷ “But, so we won’t offend them, go to the sea, cast in a fishhook, and take the first fish that you catch. When you open its mouth you’ll find a coin.^[d] Take it and give it to them for me and you.”^(C)

God and Caesar

¹⁵ Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to trap him by what he said.^{[a](A) 16} So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians.^(B) “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are truthful and teach truthfully the way of God. You don’t care what anyone thinks nor do you show partiality.^{[b](C) 17} Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar^(D) or not?”

¹⁸ Perceiving their malicious intent, Jesus said, “Why are you testing me, hypocrites? ¹⁹ Show me the coin used for the tax.” They brought him a denarius.^{[c] 20} “Whose image and inscription is this?” he asked them.

²¹ “Caesar’s,” they said to him.

Then he said to them, “Give, then, to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”^{(E) 22} When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.