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24 When they had come to Capernaum, those who collected the didrachma coins[a] came to Peter, and said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the didrachma?” 25 He said, “Yes.”

When he came into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth receive toll or tribute? From their children, or from strangers?”

26 Peter said to him, “From strangers.”

Jesus said to him, “Therefore the children are exempt. 27 But, lest we cause them to stumble, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take up the first fish that comes up. When you have opened its mouth, you will find a stater coin.[b] Take that, and give it to them for me and you.”

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Footnotes

  1. 17:24 A didrachma is a Greek silver coin worth 2 drachmas, about as much as 2 Roman denarii, or about 2 days’ wages. It was commonly used to pay the half-shekel temple tax, because 2 drachmas were worth one half shekel of silver. A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces.
  2. 17:27 A stater is a silver coin equivalent to four Attic or two Alexandrian drachmas, or a Jewish shekel: just exactly enough to cover the half-shekel temple tax for two people. A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces, usually in the form of a silver coin.

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