Luke 20:20-25

Paying Taxes to Caesar

20:20 Then ¹  they watched him carefully and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. ²  They wanted to take advantage of what he might say ³  so that they could deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction ⁴  of the governor. 20:21 Thus ⁵  they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach correctly, ⁶  and show no partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. ⁷  20:22 Is it right ⁸  for us to pay the tribute tax ⁹  to Caesar ¹⁰  or not?” 20:23 But Jesus ¹¹  perceived their deceit ¹²  and said to them, 20:24 “Show me a denarius. ¹³  Whose image ¹⁴  and inscription are on it?” ¹⁵  They said, “Caesar’s.” 20:25 So ¹⁶  he said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” ¹⁷ 

Luke 20:1

The Authority of Jesus

20:1 Now one ¹⁸  day, as Jesus ¹⁹  was teaching the people in the temple courts ²⁰  and proclaiming ²¹  the gospel, the chief priests and the experts in the law ²²  with the elders came up ²³ 

Luke 21:10-13

Persecution of Disciples

21:10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise up in arms ²⁴  against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 21:11 There will be great earthquakes, and famines ²⁵  and plagues in various places, and there will be terrifying sights ²⁶  and great signs ²⁷  from heaven. 21:12 But before all this, ²⁸  they will seize ²⁹  you and persecute you, handing you over to the synagogues ³⁰  and prisons. You ³¹  will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. 21:13 This will be a time for you to serve as witnesses. ³² 

Psalms 35:11

35:11 Violent men perjure themselves, ³³ 

and falsely accuse me. ³⁴ 

Psalms 62:4

62:4 They ³⁵  spend all their time planning how to bring him ³⁶  down. ³⁷ 

They love to use deceit; ³⁸ 

they pronounce blessings with their mouths,

but inwardly they utter curses. ³⁹  (Selah)

Psalms 64:3-6

64:3 They ⁴⁰  sharpen their tongues like a sword;

they aim their arrow, a slanderous charge, ⁴¹ 

64:4 in order to shoot down the innocent ⁴²  in secluded places.

They shoot at him suddenly and are unafraid of retaliation. ⁴³ 

64:5 They encourage one another to carry out their evil deed. ⁴⁴ 

They plan how to hide ⁴⁵  snares,

and boast, ⁴⁶  “Who will see them?” ⁴⁷ 

64:6 They devise ⁴⁸  unjust schemes;

they disguise ⁴⁹  a well-conceived plot. ⁵⁰ 

Man’s inner thoughts cannot be discovered. ⁵¹ 

Jeremiah 20:10

20:10 I ⁵²  hear many whispering words of intrigue against me.

Those who would cause me terror are everywhere! ⁵³ 

They are saying, “Come on, let’s publicly denounce him!” ⁵⁴ 

All my so-called friends ⁵⁵  are just watching for

something that would lead to my downfall. ⁵⁶ 

They say, “Perhaps he can be enticed into slipping up,

so we can prevail over ⁵⁷  him and get our revenge on him.

Jeremiah 37:13-15

37:13 But he only got as far as the Benjamin Gate. ⁵⁸  There an officer in charge of the guards named Irijah, ⁵⁹  who was the son of Shelemiah and the grandson of Hananiah, stopped him. He seized Jeremiah and said, ⁶⁰  “You are deserting to the Babylonians!” ⁶¹  37:14 Jeremiah answered, “That’s a lie! I am not deserting to the Babylonians.” ⁶²  But Irijah would not listen to him. Irijah put Jeremiah under arrest and took him to the officials. 37:15 The officials were very angry ⁶³  at Jeremiah. They had him flogged and put in prison in the house of Jonathan, the royal secretary, which they had converted into a place for confining prisoners. ⁶⁴ 

Matthew 17:27

17:27 But so that we don’t offend them, go to the lake and throw out a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth, you will find a four drachma coin. ⁶⁵  Take that and give it to them for me and you.”

Matthew 22:21

22:21 They replied, ⁶⁶  “Caesar’s.” He said to them, ⁶⁷  “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” ⁶⁸ 

Matthew 26:59-60

26:59 The ⁶⁹  chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were trying to find false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 26:60 But they did not find anything, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally ⁷⁰  two came forward

Mark 12:17

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.” ⁷¹  And they were utterly amazed at him.

Mark 14:55-56

14:55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find anything. 14:56 Many gave false testimony against him, but their testimony did not agree.

Acts 24:13

24:13 nor can they prove ⁷²  to you the things ⁷³  they are accusing me of doing. ⁷⁴ 

Acts 24:1

The Accusations Against Paul

24:1 After five days the high priest Ananias ⁷⁵  came down with some elders and an attorney ⁷⁶  named ⁷⁷  Tertullus, and they ⁷⁸  brought formal charges ⁷⁹  against Paul to the governor.

Acts 3:16-18

3:16 And on the basis of faith in Jesus’ ⁸⁰  name, ⁸¹  his very name has made this man – whom you see and know – strong. The ⁸²  faith that is through Jesus ⁸³  has given him this complete health in the presence ⁸⁴  of you all. 3:17 And now, brothers, I know you acted in ignorance, ⁸⁵  as your rulers did too. 3:18 But the things God foretold ⁸⁶  long ago through ⁸⁷  all the prophets – that his Christ ⁸⁸  would suffer – he has fulfilled in this way.

[20:20]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[20:20]  ² tn Grk “righteous,” but in this context the point is their false sincerity.

[20:20]  ³ tn Grk “so that they might catch him in some word.”

[20:20]  ⁴ tn This word is often translated “authority” in other contexts, but here, in combination with ἀρχή (arch), it refers to the domain or sphere of the governor’s rule (L&N 37.36).

[20:21]  ⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “thus” to indicate the implied result of the plans by the spies.

[20:21]  ⁶ tn Or “precisely”; Grk “rightly.” Jesus teaches exactly, the straight and narrow.

[20:21]  ⁷ 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 was specifically designed to trap Jesus.

[20:22]  ⁸ 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.

[20:22]  ⁹ tn This was a “poll tax.” L&N 57.182 states this was “a payment made by the people of one nation to another, with the implication that this is a symbol of submission and dependence – ‘tribute tax.’”

[20:22]  ¹⁰ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[20:23]  ¹¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:23]  ¹² tn Or “craftiness.” The term always has negative connotations in the NT (1 Cor 3:19; 2 Cor 4:2; 11:3; Eph 4:14).

[20:24]  ¹³ tn Here the specific name of the coin was retained in the translation, because not all coins in circulation in Palestine at the time carried the image of Caesar. In other places δηνάριον (dhnarion) has been translated simply as “silver coin” with an explanatory note.

[20:24]  ¹⁴ tn Or “whose likeness.”

[20:24]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “whose likeness and inscription does it have?”

[20:25]  ¹⁶ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate that Jesus’ pronouncement results from the opponents’ answer to his question.

[20:25]  ¹⁷ 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.

[20:1]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “Now it happened that one.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

[20:1]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:1]  ²⁰ tn Grk “the temple.”

[20:1]  ²¹ tn Or “preaching.”

[20:1]  ²² tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.

[20:1]  ²³ sn The chief priests and the experts in the law with the elders came up. The description is similar to Luke 19:47. The leaders are really watching Jesus at this point.

[21:10]  ²⁴ tn For the translation “rise up in arms” see L&N 55.2.

[21:11]  ²⁵ sn See Isa 5:13-14; 13:6-16; Hag 2:6-7; Zech 14:4.

[21:11]  ²⁶ tn This term, φόβητρον (fobhtron), occurs only here in the NT. It could refer to an object, event, or condition that causes fear, but in the context it is linked with great signs from heaven, so the translation “sights” was preferred.

[21:11]  ²⁷ sn See Jer 4:13-22; 14:12; 21:6-7.

[21:12]  ²⁸ sn But before all this. Another note of timing is present, this one especially important in understanding the sequence in the discourse. Before the things noted in vv. 8-11 are the events of vv. 12-19.

[21:12]  ²⁹ tn Grk “will lay their hands on you.”

[21:12]  ³⁰ sn Some of the persecution is of Jewish origin (the synagogues). Some fulfillment of this can be seen in Acts. See the note on synagogues in 4:15.

[21:12]  ³¹ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[21:13]  ³² tn Grk “This will turn out to you for [a] testimony.”

[35:11]  ³³ tn Heb “witnesses of violence rise up.”

[35:11]  ³⁴ tn Heb “[that] which I do not know they ask me.”

[62:4]  ³⁵ tn That is, the psalmist’s enemies addressed in the previous verse.

[62:4]  ³⁶ tn That is, the generic “man” referred to in the previous verse.

[62:4]  ³⁷ tn Heb “only from his lofty place [or perhaps, “dignity”] they plan to drive [him] away.”

[62:4]  ³⁸ tn Heb “they delight [in] a lie.”

[62:4]  ³⁹ sn The enemies use deceit to bring down their victim. They make him think they are his friends by pronouncing blessings upon him, but inwardly they desire his demise.

[64:3]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “who.” A new sentence was started here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[64:3]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “a bitter word.”

[64:4]  ⁴² tn The psalmist uses the singular because he is referring to himself here as representative of a larger group.

[64:4]  ⁴³ tn Heb “and are unafraid.” The words “of retaliation” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[64:5]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “they give strength to themselves, an evil matter [or “word”].”

[64:5]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “they report about hiding.”

[64:5]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “they say.”

[64:5]  ⁴⁷ tn If this is a direct quotation (cf. NASB, NIV), the pronoun “them” refers to the snares mentioned in the previous line. If it is an indirect quotation, then the pronoun may refer to the enemies themselves (cf. NEB, which is ambiguous). Some translations retain the direct quotation but alter the pronoun to “us,” referring clearly to the enemies (cf. NRSV).

[64:6]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “search out, examine,” which here means (by metonymy) “devise.”

[64:6]  ⁴⁹ tc The MT has תַּמְנוּ (tamnu, “we are finished”), a Qal perfect first common plural form from the verbal root תָּמַם (tamam). Some understand this as the beginning of a quotation of the enemies’ words and translate, “we have completed,” but the Hiphil would seem to be required in this case. The present translation follows many medieval Hebrew mss in reading טָמְנוּ (tomnu, “they hide”), a Qal perfect third common plural form from the verbal root טָמַן (taman).

[64:6]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “a searched-out search,” which is understood as referring here to a thoroughly planned plot to destroy the psalmist.

[64:6]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “and the inner part of man, and a heart [is] deep.” The point seems to be that a man’s inner thoughts are incapable of being discovered. No one is a mind reader! Consequently the psalmist is vulnerable to his enemies’ well-disguised plots.

[20:10]  ⁵² tn It would be difficult to render accurately the Hebrew particle כִּי (ki) that introduces this verse without lengthening the English line unduly. It probably means something like “This is true even though I…,” i.e., the particle is concessive (cf. BDB s.v. כִּי 2.c). No other nuance seems appropriate. The particle is left out of the translation, but its presence is acknowledged here.

[20:10]  ⁵³ tn The phrase translated “Those who would cause me terror are everywhere” has already occurred in 6:25 in the context of the terror caused by the enemy from the north and in 20:3 in reference to the curse pronounced on Pashhur who would experience it first hand. Some have seen the phrase here not as Jeremiah’s ejaculation of terror but of his assailant’s taunts of his message or even their taunting nickname for him. But comparison of this passage with the first two lines of Ps 31:13 (31:14 HT) which are word for word the same as these two will show that it refers to the terror inspired by the plots of his enemies to do away with him. It is also clear from the context of that passage and the following context here that the “whispering of many” (the literal translation of “many whispering words of intrigue against me) refers to intrigues to take vengeance on him and do away with him.

[20:10]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “Denounce and let us denounce him.” The verb which is translated “denounce” (נָגַד, nagad) does not take an accusative object of person as it does here very often. When it does it usually means to inform someone. The only relevant passage appears to be Job 17:5 where it means something like “denounce.” What is probably involved here are the attempts to portray Jeremiah as a traitor (Jer 26:10) and a false prophet (see his conflict with Hananiah in Jer 28).

[20:10]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “the men of my peace [who are concerned about my welfare].” For this phrase compare Ps 41:9 (41:10 HT); Jer 38:22. It is generally agreed that irony is being invoked here, hence “so-called” is supplied in the translation to bring out the irony.

[20:10]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “watching my stumbling [for me to stumble].” Metaphorically they were watching for some slip-up that would lead to his downfall. Compare the use in Pss 35:15 and 38:17 (38:18 HT).

[20:10]  ⁵⁷ tn All the text says literally is “Perhaps he can be enticed so that we can prevail over him.” However the word “enticed” needs some qualification. As W. McKane (Jeremiah [ICC], 1:479) notes it should probably be read in the context of the “stumbling” (= “something that would lead to my downfall”). Hence “slipping up” has been supplied as an object. It is vague enough to avoid specifics as the original text does but suggests some reference to “something that would lead to my downfall.”

[37:13]  ⁵⁸ sn The Benjamin Gate would have been a gate in the northern wall leading out toward the territory of Benjamin. It is mentioned only here and in Jer 38:7 and Zech 14:10.

[37:13]  ⁵⁹ sn Nothing further is known about Irijah. It is generally agreed that the Hananiah mentioned here is not the same as the false prophet of the same name whom Jeremiah confronted approximately six years earlier (28:1, 5, 10, 15).

[37:13]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “And he was in the gate of Benjamin and there was an officer of the guard whose name [more literally, and his name] was Irijah…and he seized the prophet Jeremiah, saying.” The sentence has been broken down and simplified to better conform with contemporary English style.

[37:13]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “the Chaldeans.” See the study note on 21:4 for explanation.

[37:14]  ⁶² tn Heb “the Chaldeans.” See the study note on 21:4 for explanation.

[37:15]  ⁶³ sn The officials mentioned here are not the same as those mentioned in Jer 36:12, most of whom were favorably disposed toward Jeremiah, or at least regarded what he said with enough trepidation to try to protect Jeremiah and preserve the scroll containing his messages (36:16, 19, 24). All those officials had been taken into exile with Jeconiah in 597 b.c. (2 Kgs 24:14).

[37:15]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “for they had made it into the house of confinement.” The causal particle does not fit the English sentence very well and “house of confinement” needs some explanation. Some translate this word “prison” but that creates redundancy with the earlier word translated “prison” (בֵּית הָאֵסוּר, bet ha’esur, “house of the band/binding”] which is more closely related to the concept of prison [cf. אָסִיר, ’asir, “prisoner”]). It is clear from the next verse that Jeremiah was confined in a cell in the dungeon of this place.

[17:27]  ⁶⁵ sn The four drachma coin was a stater (στατήρ, stathr), a silver coin worth four drachmas. One drachma was equivalent to one denarius, the standard pay for a day’s labor (L&N 6.80).

[22:21]  ⁶⁶ tn Grk “they said to him.”

[22:21]  ⁶⁷ tn Grk “then he said to them.” τότε (tote) has not been translated to avoid redundancy.

[22:21]  ⁶⁸ 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.

[26:59]  ⁶⁹ tn Grk “Now the.” Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[26:60]  ⁷⁰ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[12:17]  ⁷¹ 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.

[24:13]  ⁷² tn BDAG 778 s.v. παρίστημι/παριστάνω 1.f has “οὐδὲ παραστῆσαι δύνανταί σοι περὶ ὧν νυνὶ κατηγοροῦσίν μου nor can they prove to you the accusations they are now making against me Ac 24:13.”

[24:13]  ⁷³ tn The words “the things” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[24:13]  ⁷⁴ tn Grk “nor can they prove to you [the things] about which they are now accusing me.” This has been simplified to eliminate the relative pronoun (“which”) in the translation.

[24:1]  ⁷⁵ sn Ananias was in office from a.d. 47-59.

[24:1]  ⁷⁶ tn The term refers to a professional advocate (BDAG 905 s.v. ῥήτωρ).

[24:1]  ⁷⁷ tn Grk “an attorney, a certain Tertullus.”

[24:1]  ⁷⁸ tn Grk “who” (plural). Because in English the relative pronoun “who” could be understood to refer only to the attorney Tertullus and not to the entire group, it has been replaced with the third person plural pronoun “they.” “And” has been supplied to provide the connection to the preceding clause.

[24:1]  ⁷⁹ tn BDAG 326 s.v. ἐμφανίζω 3 has “ἐ. τινὶ κατά τινος bring formal charges against someone…Ac 24:1; 25:2.”

[3:16]  ⁸⁰ tn Grk “in his name”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[3:16]  ⁸¹ sn Here is another example of appeal to the person by mentioning the name. See the note on the word name in 3:6.

[3:16]  ⁸² tn Grk “see and know, and the faith.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation and καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated.

[3:16]  ⁸³ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[3:16]  ⁸⁴ tn Or “in full view.”

[3:17]  ⁸⁵ sn The ignorance Peter mentions here does not excuse them from culpability. It was simply a way to say “you did not realize the great mistake you made.”

[3:18]  ⁸⁶ sn God foretold. Peter’s topic is the working out of God’s plan and promise through events the scriptures also note.

[3:18]  ⁸⁷ tn Grk “by the mouth of” (an idiom).

[3:18]  ⁸⁸ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”