Paying Taxes to Caesar

The leaders send spies to trap Jesus with a question about taxes, but he asks for a denarius and answers by dividing Caesar’s claim from God’s claim. They cannot catch him, and they fall silent in amazement.

W¹⁹hen 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. ²⁰So 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. ²¹“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. ²²Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” ²³But Jesus saw through their duplicity and said to them, ²⁴“Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” ²⁵So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” ²⁶And they were unable to trap Him in His words before the people. And amazed at His answer, they fell silent.