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