LUK 20:19-26

Paying Taxes to Caesar

19The scribes and chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, but they feared the people — for they understood that he had spoken this parable against them. [20:20] So they watched him closely and sent planted spies, who were feigning to be righteous, so that they might seize on something he said in order to hand him over to the rule and authority of the governor. [20:21] They questioned him, saying, "Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and you show no partiality, but teach the way of God in truth. [20:22] Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" [20:23] Perceiving their craftiness, he said to them, [20:24] "Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?" They said, "Caesar's." [20:25] He said to them, "Then give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God." [20:26] They were unable to seize on his words before the people, and marveling at his answer, they fell silent.

In the world it was spoken into

In 1st-century Judea, the question of paying taxes to Caesar was deeply contentious. Roman taxation was a symbol of subjugation, and the denarius bore Caesar’s image, which many Jews viewed as idolatrous. The spies sent by the chief priests and scribes were likely —agents planted to entrap Jesus. Their flattery, calling Him a teacher who speaks truth without partiality, was a deliberate , a theatrical performance to mask their malicious intent. Their question, “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?” was a trap: answering “yes” would alienate the Jewish populace resentful of Roman oppression; answering “no” could be construed as sedition against Rome. Jesus’ response, “Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s,” uses , a term implying moral obligation, to reframe the issue. By pointing to Caesar’s image on the coin, He acknowledges Roman authority without endorsing its legitimacy, while also affirming that ultimate allegiance belongs to God. This deftly avoids the trap while challenging both Roman and Jewish assumptions about power and loyalty.

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How other translations render this

LUK 20:19

KJV: And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.
BSB: When the scribes and chief priests realized that Jesus had spoken this parable against them, they sought to arrest Him that very hour. But they were afraid of the people.
Koinōnos: The scribes and chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, but they feared the people — for they understood that he had spoken this parable against them.

LUK 20:20

KJV: And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.
BSB: So they watched Him closely and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. They were hoping to catch Him in His words in order to hand Him over to the rule and authority of the governor.
Koinōnos: So they watched him closely and sent planted spies, who were feigning to be righteous, so that they might seize on something he said in order to hand him over to the rule and authority of the governor.

LUK 20:21

KJV: And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly:
BSB: “Teacher,” they inquired, “we know that You speak and teach correctly. You show no partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
Koinōnos: They questioned him, saying, "Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and you show no partiality, but teach the way of God in truth.

LUK 20:22

KJV: Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?
BSB: Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
Koinōnos: Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?

LUK 20:23

KJV: But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me?
BSB: But Jesus saw through their duplicity and said to them,
Koinōnos: Perceiving their craftiness, he said to them,

LUK 20:24

KJV: Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar’s.
BSB: “Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” “Caesarʼs,” they answered.
Koinōnos: Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?" They said, "Caesar's.

LUK 20:25

KJV: And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.
BSB: So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesarʼs, and to God what is Godʼs.”
Koinōnos: He said to them, "Then give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God.

LUK 20:26

KJV: And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.
BSB: And they were unable to trap Him in His words before the people. And amazed at His answer, they fell silent.
Koinōnos: They were unable to seize on his words before the people, and marveling at his answer, they fell silent.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

LUK 20:20

spies:The word translated 'spies' refers to those who are secretly suborned or planted to gather information, often with malicious intent. It implies a hidden agenda and a deceptive purpose.
feigning:The word translated 'feigning' carries the sense of acting a part on a stage, like an actor. It implies a deliberate performance designed to deceive or mislead.

LUK 20:23

craftiness:The word translated 'craftiness' often describes a cunning or unscrupulous cleverness, frequently used in a negative sense to denote trickery or villainy.

LUK 20:25

do give back:The phrase 'do give back' emphasizes the idea of rendering what is due or owed, implying a rightful obligation or a return of something that belongs to another.