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)

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Footnotes

  1. 17:25 Lit Jesus anticipated him by saying
  2. 17:25 Or foreigners
  3. 17:26 Other mss read Peter said to him
  4. 17:27 Gk stater, worth 2 double-drachmas

The Temple Tax

24 Now when they came to Capernaum, those who collected (A)the [a]two-drachma tax came to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay (B)the [b]two-drachma tax?” 25 He *said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect (C)customs or [c](D)poll-tax, from their sons or from strangers?” 26 When Peter said, “From strangers,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are [d]exempt. 27 However, so that we do not (E)offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a [e]stater. Take that and give it to them for you and Me.”

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 17:24 Equivalent to about two denarii or two days’ wages for a laborer, paid as a temple tax
  2. Matthew 17:24 Equivalent to about two denarii or two days’ wages for a laborer, paid as a temple tax
  3. Matthew 17:25 I.e., a tax on each person in the census
  4. Matthew 17:26 Lit free
  5. Matthew 17:27 A silver four-drachma Greek coin