Event 7 – A Question about Paying Taxes to Caesar

Matthew 22:15-22; Mark 12:13-17; Luke 20:20-26

• Tuesday, April 4

^M Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. ^L Keeping a close watch on him, ^K later they sent ^M their disciples to him ^K some of the Pharisees and Herodians, ^L who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they hand him over to the power and authority of the governor.

So the spies ^K came to him and said, “Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but ^L you speak and teach what is right, and ^K you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. ^M Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar ^K or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”

^M But Jesus knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then he said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”

When they heard this they were amazed. ^L They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer they became silent.