Matthew 22:15-22

Paying Taxes to Caesar

15 Then the Pharisees went out and conspired to trap Jesus in His words. ¹

16 They sent their disciples to Him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are honest and that You teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You seek favor from no one, because You pay no attention to external appearance.

17 So tell us what You think: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

18 But Jesus knew their evil intent and said, “You hypocrites, why are you testing Me?

19 Show Me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought Him a denarius. ^[a]

20 “Whose image is this,” He asked, “and whose inscription?”

21 “Caesar’s,” they answered. So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

22 And when they heard this, they were amazed. So they left Him and went away.

Cross References

• 1. (Mark 12:13–17; Luke 20:19–26)

Footnotes

• [a] A denarius was customarily a day’s wage for a laborer; see Matthew 20:2.