Luke 20:21-22

20:21 Thus ¹  they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach correctly, ²  and show no partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. ³  20:22 Is it right ⁴  for us to pay the tribute tax ⁵  to Caesar ⁶  or not?”

[20:21]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “thus” to indicate the implied result of the plans by the spies.

[20:21]  ² tn Or “precisely”; Grk “rightly.” Jesus teaches exactly, the straight and narrow.

[20:21]  ³ 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]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).