A Question about Taxes^(A)

¹⁵ Then the Pharisees went away and planned to trap Jesus into saying the wrong thing. ¹⁶ They sent their disciples to him along with Herod’s followers. They said to him, “Teacher, we know that you tell the truth and that you teach the truth about the way of God. You don’t favor individuals because of who they are. ¹⁷ So tell us what you think. Is it right to pay taxes to the emperor or not?”

¹⁸ Jesus recognized their evil plan, so he asked, “Why do you test me, you hypocrites? ¹⁹ Show me a coin used to pay taxes.”

They brought him a coin. ²⁰ He said to them, “Whose face and name is this?”

²¹ They replied, “The emperor’s.”

Then he said to them, “Very well, give the emperor what belongs to the emperor, and give God what belongs to God.”

²² They were surprised to hear this. Then they left him alone and went away.

A Question about Taxes^(A)

²⁰ So they watched for an opportunity to send out some spies. The spies were to act like sincere religious people. They wanted to catch him saying the wrong thing so that they could hand him over to the governor. ²¹ They asked him, “Teacher, we know that you’re right in what you say and teach. Besides, you don’t play favorites. Rather, you teach the way of God truthfully. ²² Is it right for us to pay taxes to the emperor or not?”

²³ He saw through their scheme, so he said to them, ²⁴ “Show me a coin. Whose face and name is this?”

They answered, “The emperor’s.”

²⁵ He said to them, “Well, then give the emperor what belongs to the emperor, and give God what belongs to God.”

²⁶ They couldn’t make him say anything wrong in front of the people. His answer surprised them, so they said no more.