Mark 12:14

12:14 When they came they said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and do not court anyone’s favor, because you show no partiality ¹  but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. ²  Is it right ³  to pay taxes ⁴  to Caesar ⁵  or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”

Mark 12:16-17

12:16 So ⁶  they brought one, and he said to them, “Whose image ⁷  is this, and whose inscription?” They replied, ⁸  “Caesar’s.” 12:17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” ⁹  And they were utterly amazed at him.

¹ tn Grk “and it is not a concern to you about anyone because you do not see the face of men.”

² sn Teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Very few comments are as deceitful as this one; they did not really believe this at all. The question of the Pharisees and Herodians was specifically designed to trap Jesus.

³ tn Or “lawful,” that is, in accordance with God’s divine law. On the syntax of ἔξεστιν (exestin) with an infinitive and accusative, see BDF §409.3.

⁴ tn According to L&N 57.180 the term κῆνσος (khnso") was borrowed from Latin and referred to a poll tax, a tax paid by each adult male to the Roman government.

⁵ tn Or “the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

⁶ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate their response to Jesus’ request for a coin.

⁷ tn Or “whose likeness.”

⁸ tn Grk “they said to him.”

¹¹ sn Jesus’ answer to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s was a both/and, not the questioners’ either/or. So he slipped out of their trap.