Matthew 17:24-27
World English Bible
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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- 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.
- 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.
Matthew 17:24-27
International Standard Version
Questions about the Temple Tax
24 When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax[a] came up to Peter and asked, “Your teacher pays the temple tax,[b] doesn’t he?”
25 He answered, “Yes.”
When Peter[c] went home,[d] Jesus spoke to him first and asked him, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings on the earth collect tolls or tributes? From their own subjects,[e] or from foreigners?”
26 “From foreigners,” he replied.
So Jesus told him, “In that case, the subjects[f] are exempt. 27 However, so that we don’t offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, open its mouth, and you will find a coin.[g] Take it and give it to them for me and you.”
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- Matthew 17:24 Lit. didrachma
- Matthew 17:24 Lit. didrachma
- Matthew 17:25 Lit. he
- Matthew 17:25 Or went into the house
- Matthew 17:25 Lit. sons
- Matthew 17:26 Lit. sons
- Matthew 17:27 Lit. stater, a coin worth two didrachmas
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