Matthew 22:15-21

Good News Translation

The Question about Paying Taxes^(A)

¹⁵ The Pharisees went off and made a plan to trap Jesus with questions. ¹⁶ Then they sent to him some of their disciples and some members of Herod's party. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you tell the truth. You teach the truth about God's will for people, without worrying about what others think, because you pay no attention to anyone's status. ¹⁷ Tell us, then, what do you think? Is it against our Law to pay taxes to the Roman Emperor, or not?”

¹⁸ Jesus, however, was aware of their evil plan, and so he said, “You hypocrites! Why are you trying to trap me? ¹⁹ Show me the coin for paying the tax!”

They brought him the coin, ²⁰ and he asked them, “Whose face and name are these?”

²¹ “The Emperor's,” they answered.

So Jesus said to them, “Well, then, pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and pay to God what belongs to God.”