Matthew 22:17

Matthew 22:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cesar, or not?
• New International Version (NIV)Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

Context of Matthew 22:17

15After the Pharisees heard this, they thought about what they could do. They wanted to ask Jesus difficult questions. They wanted to make him say something wrong about the Roman ruler. 16So the Pharisees sent their own disciples to Jesus. They also sent people who were friends of King Herod. They said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, we know that you only say true things. You teach us what God wants us to do. It does not matter to you what other people think. If someone is important, you do not change your answers to make them happy. So tell us your answer to this question: Should we pay our taxes to the Roman ruler, Caesar? Is it right to give that money to him, or not?’ 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! 19Now, show me the coin that you use for the tax.’ So they brought a coin to him.

Matthew 22:17 word by word

εἰπὲ οὖν ἡμῖν, τί σοι δοκεῖ; ἔξεστιν δοῦναι κῆνσον Καίσαρι ἢ οὔ;¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Tellλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• Whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• thinkestδοκέωdokeō · to thinkG1380
• thouσύsu · youG4771
• Is it lawfulἔξεστι, ἐξόνexesti · be permittedG1832
• to giveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• tributeκῆνσοςkēnsos · taxG2778
• unto CesarΚαῖσαρKaisar · CaesarG2541
• orἤē · orG2228
• notοὐou · noG3756

Cross-references for Matthew 22:17

• Jeremiah 42:2They said to Jeremiah, ‘Please listen to us. Pray to the Lord your God for those of us who remain alive. You can see that only a few of us remain from the many people that we were before.
• Acts 28:22But we know that people everywhere are saying bad things about your new group. So we would like you to tell us your ideas.’
• Deuteronomy 17:14You are going into the land that the Lord your God is giving to you. You will take it for yourselves to be your home. Then you may say, ‘The other nations around us have kings. We must also have a king to rule us.’
• Ezra 4:13So you should know that there will be trouble. If they build this city again, with its walls, they will not pay any more taxes to you. You will not receive any more money from them as their king.
• Ezra 7:24You must not take any kinds of taxes from the men who serve this God in his house. You have no authority to do this. Take no taxes from the priests, the Levites, or the singers, guards, and servants who work in the temple.
• Nehemiah 5:4Other people said, ‘We have to pay taxes to the king for our fields and our vineyards. People had to lend us money to pay the taxes.
• Nehemiah 9:37But because of our sins you have caused foreign kings to rule over us. They take the food that grows in our fields. They use us and our animals in any way that they like. So we are very upset!’
• Acts 5:37Later, Judas from Galilee appeared at the time when the Romans were making a list of everyone's names. Many people also came to help him fight against the Romans. But somebody killed him. His men also ran away and nothing more happened.
• Romans 13:6This is also the reason why you pay taxes to the government. You should pay them, because the officers are God's servants. They are doing the work that God has given to them.
• Luke 2:1At that time, Caesar Augustus made a law. He told his men to count everyone who lived in the countries that he ruled.
• John 19:12From that moment, Pilate tried to let Jesus go free. But the Jewish leaders shouted back, ‘If you let him go, you are not Caesar's friend. Nobody should say that he himself is a king. That shows that he is against Caesar!’
• Acts 17:7Jason has let them stay in his house. They speak against the laws that Caesar has given to us. They say that there is another king. This other king is called Jesus.’
• Acts 25:8Then Paul spoke to show what was true. He said, ‘I have not done anything wrong against our Jewish laws or against the temple in Jerusalem. Also, I have not done anything wrong against your Roman ruler, Caesar.’

Commentaries on Matthew 22:17

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15-22Verses 15-22 The Pharisees and Herodians endeavor to entangle Jesus - This narrative is also found in Mark 12:12-17; Luke 20:20-26. Matthew 22:15 Then went the Pharisees - See the notes at Matthew 3:7. How they might entangle him - To entangle means to “ensnare,” as birds are taken by a net. This is done secretly, by leading them within the compass of the net and then suddenly springing it over them. So to entangle is artfully to lay a plan for enticing…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-22Verses 15-22 The Pharisees sent their disciples with the Herodians, a party among the Jews, who were for full subjection to the Roman emperor. Though opposed to each other, they joined against Christ. What they said of Christ was right; whether they knew it or not, blessed be God we know it. Jesus Christ was a faithful Teacher, and a bold reprover. Christ saw their wickedness. Whatever mask the hypocrite puts on, our Lord Jesus sees through it. Christ did…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17Is it lawful … or not?: They asked the question to try and trap Jesus. If he said no, they could arrest him for rebelling against Rome. If he said yes, they could accuse him of supporting Roman oppression.Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 22:17

• Citizens
• Craftiness
• Government
• Jesus, the Christ
• Pharisees
• Tribute (Taxes)

In the dictionaries

• Abundance
• Caesar
• Commandment
• Custom
• Darkness
• Dinner
• Entangle
• Friend
• Guest
• Image

Commentaries on Matthew 22

• 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