Luke 20:24

24 "Show me a denarius. Whose head and whose title does it bear?" They said, "The emperor's."

Luke 20:24 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 20:24

Show me a penny
A Roman denarius, value seven pence halfpenny of our money. The Persic version adds, "they showed it, he asked of them"; and the Ethiopic version, "and they brought it, and he said unto them", as follows;

whose image and superscription hath it?
for the penny had an head upon it, with something written, as the name of the emperor, whose image it was, his titles, the date of the coin, or some motto on it:

they answered and said, Caesar's;
very likely Tiberius Caesar's, who was at that time emperor of Rome; (See Gill on Matthew 22:20) and (See Gill on Matthew 22:21).

Luke 20:24 In-Context

22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?"
23 But he perceived their craftiness and said to them,
24 "Show me a denarius. Whose head and whose title does it bear?" They said, "The emperor's."
25 He said to them, "Then give to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's."
26 And they were not able in the presence of the people to trap him by what he said; and being amazed by his answer, they became silent.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.