Luke 20:22

22 Is it leaveful to us to give tribute to the emperor, or nay? [Is it leaveful to us for to give tribute to Caesar, or nay?]

Luke 20:22 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 20:22

Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?
] The Syriac and Persic versions here, as in the other evangelists, render it, "head money". The phrase, "for us", is here added, and on it lies the emphasis, and stress of the question; for the doubt pretended, was not whether it was lawful for the Romans to pay tribute to Caesar, but whether it was lawful for them who were Jews, were Abraham's seed, and, as they boasted, were never in bondage, but were the Lord's free people, to pay tribute to an Heathen emperor, or no.

Luke 20:22 In-Context

20 And they espied, and sent spies, that feigned them[selves] just [which feigned themselves just], that they should take him in word, and betake him to the power of the prince, and to the power of the justice.

21 And they asked him, and said, Master, we know, that rightly thou sayest and teachest [And they asked him, saying, Master, we know, that thou sayest and teachest rightly]; and thou takest not the person of man, but thou teachest in truth the way of God.

22 Is it leaveful to us to give tribute to the emperor, or nay? [Is it leaveful to us for to give tribute to Caesar, or nay?]

23 And he beheld the deceit of them, and said to them, What tempt ye me?

24 Show ye to me a penny; whose image and superscription hath it? They answered, and said to him, The emperor's [They answering said to him, Caesar's].