The Temple Tax

24 When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the ^wtwo-drachma ^xtax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” 25 He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” 26 And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27 However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel.¹ Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”

Paying Taxes to Caesar

19 ^vThe scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people. 20 So they ^wwatched him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor. 21 So they asked him, “Teacher, ^xwe know that you speak and teach rightly, and ^yshow no partiality,¹ but truly teach the way of God. 22 Is it lawful for us to give ^ztribute to Caesar, or not?” 23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, 24 “Show me a denarius.² Whose likeness and inscription does it have?” They said, “Caesar’s.” 25 He said to them, “Then ^arender to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 26 And they were not able in the presence of the people to ^bcatch him in what he said, but marveling at his answer they became silent.

6 For because of this you also ^ypay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, ^zhonor to whom honor is owed.