Matthew 22:15-22 - Paying Taxes To Caesar

¹⁵ Then the Pharisees went away and conferred together as to how they might lay a snare for Jesus in the course of conversation. ¹⁶ They sent their disciples, with the Herodians, to say to him: "Teacher, we know that you are an honest man, and that you teach the way of God honestly, and are not afraid of any one; for you pay no regard to a man's position. ¹⁷ Tell us, then, what you think. Are we right in paying taxes to the Emperor, or not?"

¹⁸ Perceiving their malice, Jesus answered: "Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? ¹⁹ Show me the coin with which the tax is paid." And, when they had brought him a florin, ²⁰ He asked: "Whose head and title are these?"

²¹ "The Emperor's," they answered: on which he said to them: "Then pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and to God what belongs to God." ²² They wondered at his answer, and left him alone and went away.

¹³ Afterwards they sent to Jesus some of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to set a trap for him in the course of conversation. ¹⁴ These men came to him and said: "Teacher, we know that you are an honest man, and are not afraid of any one, for you pay no regard to a man's position, but teach the Way of God honestly; are we right in paying taxes to the Emperor, or not? ¹⁵ Should we pay, or should we not pay?" Knowing their hypocrisy, Jesus said to them: "Why are you testing me? Bring me a florin to look at." ¹⁶ And, when they had brought it, he asked: "Whose head and title are these?" "The Emperor's," they said;

¹⁷ And Jesus replied: "Pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and to God what belongs to God." And they wondered at him.

²⁰ Having watched their opportunity, they afterwards sent some spies, who pretended to be good men, to catch Jesus in the course of conversation, and so enable them to give him up to the Governor's jurisdiction and authority. ²¹ These men asked Jesus a question. They said: "Teacher, we know that you are right in what you say and teach, and that you do not take any account of a man's position, but teach the Way of God honestly; ²² Are we right in paying tribute to the Emperor or not?"

²³ Seeing through their deceitfulness, Jesus said to them: ²⁴ "Show me a florin. Whose head and title are on it?"

²⁵ "The Emperor's," they said; and Jesus replied: "Well then, pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and to God what belongs to God."

²⁶ They could not lay hold of this answer before the people; and, in their wonder at his reply, they held their tongues.