Mark 12:15

Mark 12:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.
• New International Version (NIV)Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?” But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it.”

Context of Mark 12:15

13Then the leaders sent some Pharisees to Jesus. They also sent some men who were friends of King Herod. They tried to use Jesus' words to cause trouble for him. 14These men came to Jesus and they said, ‘Teacher, we know that you only say true things. It does not matter to you what other people think. If someone is important, you do not change your answers to make them happy. You really do teach us what God wants us to do. Tell us, should we pay our taxes to the Roman ruler, Caesar? Is it right to give that money to him, or not?’ Jesus knew that those men were not honest. So he said, ‘You just ask that question to cause trouble for me. Now, bring me a coin. I want to see it.’ 16So they brought a coin to him. Jesus asked them, ‘Whose picture is on this coin? Whose name is on it?’ They replied, ‘It is Caesar's picture and Caesar's name.’ 17Jesus then said to them, ‘So you should give to Caesar the things that belong to him. And give to God the things that belong to God.’ They were very surprised at his answer.

Mark 12:15 word by word

δῶμεν ἢ μὴ δῶμεν;¶ Ὁ δὲ εἰδὼς αὐτῶν τὴν ὑπόκρισιν εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· τί με πειράζετε; φέρετέ μοι δηνάριον ἵνα ἴδω.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Shall we giveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• orἤē · orG2228
• notμήmē · notG3361
• Butδέde · thenG1161
• heὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• knowingεἴδωeidō · to perceive: seeG1492
• theirαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• hypocrisyὑπόκρισιςhupokrisis · hypocrisyG5272
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Whyτίςtis · which?G5101
• tempt yeπειράζωpeirazō · to test/tempt: testG3985
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• bringφέρωpherō̄ · to bear/leadG5342
• a pennyδηνάριονdēnarion · denariusG1220
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• I may seeὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708

Cross-references for Mark 12:15

• Matthew 22:18Jesus knew that these men wanted to do bad things to him. So he said to them, ‘You are asking that question to cause trouble for me. You are not being honest!
• Luke 20:23Jesus knew that those men were not really honest. They wanted to make him say the wrong thing.
• John 2:24But Jesus himself did not trust the people. He knew what all people are really like.
• John 21:17Jesus asked him a third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was sad because Jesus asked him a third time, ‘Do you love me?’ So he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, you know everything. You know that I really love you!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Take care of my sheep.
• Hebrews 4:13There is nothing in the whole world that can hide from God. He sees everything clearly and he knows everything. We will have to explain to him everything that we have done during our lives.
• Revelation 2:23I will send a terrible illness to kill those who obey her. Then all the people in the churches will know that I look deep inside them. I know what you really want. I know what you really think. I will give each of you what is right for you, as a result of what you have done.
• Mark 10:2Some Pharisees came to Jesus. They wanted to find out how he would answer their question. They asked him, ‘Can a man send his wife away, so that she is no longer his wife? Is it right for him to do that?’
• Ezekiel 17:2‘Son of man, I want you to tell a story to Israel's people. It tells about them.
• Acts 5:9Peter said to her, ‘It was wrong for you and your husband to do this bad thing. You agreed together to tell a lie to the Holy Spirit of the Lord God. Listen! The men who have just buried your husband are at the door again now. They will carry your body out too.’
• 1 Corinthians 10:9Nor must we do bad things to see whether the Lord will punish us. Some of our ancestors did that, and God sent snakes to destroy them.

Commentaries on Mark 12:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Shall we give, or shall we not give? - This is wanting in the Codex Bezae, and in several versions.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13-17Verses 13-17 See the notes at Matthew 22:15-22.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-17Verses 13-17 The enemies of Christ would be thought desirous to know their duty, when really they hoped that which soever side he took of the question, they might find occasion to accuse him. Nothing is more likely to insnare the followers of Christ, than bringing them to meddle with disputes about worldly politics. Jesus avoided the snare, by referring to the submission they had already made as a nation; and all that heard him, marvelled at the great…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15Jesus gave a surprising response that showed his wisdom. a denarius: The tax likely had to be paid using Roman coins.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy--"their wickedness" (Mt 22:18); "their craftiness" (Lu 20:23). The malignity of their hearts took the form of craft, pretending what they did not feel--an anxious desire to be guided aright in a matter which to a scrupulous few might seem a question of some difficulty. Seeing perfectly through this, He said unto them, Why tempt ye me?--"hypocrites!" bring me a penny that I may see…Read the comment

Topics related to Mark 12:15

• Citizens
• Jesus, the Christ
• Satire

In the dictionaries

• Catch
• Custom
• Empty
• Gladly
• Penny
• Salutation
• Whence
• Denarius
• Hypocrisy; Hyprocrite
• Jesus Christ

Commentaries on Mark 12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings