Malachi 3:8-9

3:8 Can a person rob ¹  God? You indeed are robbing me, but you say, ‘How are we robbing you?’ In tithes and contributions! ²  3:9 You are bound for judgment ³  because you are robbing me – this whole nation is guilty. ⁴ 

Matthew 22:21

22:21 They replied, ⁵  “Caesar’s.” He said to them, ⁶  “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” ⁷ 

[3:8]  ¹ tc The LXX presupposes an underlying Hebrew text of עָקַב (’aqav, “deceive”), a metathesis of קָבַע (qava’, “rob”), in all four uses of the verb here (vv. 8-9). The intent probably is to soften the impact of “robbing” God, but the language of the passage is intentionally bold and there is no reason to go against the reading of the MT (which is followed here by most English versions).

[3:8]  ² sn The tithes and contributions mentioned here are probably those used to sustain the Levites (see Num 18:8, 11, 19, 21-24).

[3:9]  ³ tn Heb “cursed with a curse” that is, “under a curse” (so NIV, NLT, CEV).

[3:9]  ⁴ tn The phrase “is guilty” is not present in the Hebrew text but is implied, and has been supplied in the translation for clarification and stylistic reasons.

[22:21]  ⁵ tn Grk “they said to him.”

[22:21]  ⁶ tn Grk “then he said to them.” τότε (tote) has not been translated to avoid redundancy.

[22:21]  ⁷ 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.