So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
Parallel translations
- WEB He said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
- KJV And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.
- NKJV And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
- NASB And He said to them, “Then pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
- NLT “Well then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus says to give Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's. Believers owe proper duty to the state and supreme allegiance to God.
Overview
Jesus affirms a legitimate obligation to civil authority while reserving ultimate allegiance for God, who alone bears the right to our whole selves. Just as the coin bears Caesar's image, human beings bear the image of God and so belong wholly to him. The answer silences his opponents and lays down an enduring principle for the believer's life under earthly governments.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Rom 13:6–7This is also why you pay taxes. For the authorities are God’s servants, who devote themselves to their work.
- Matt 17:27“But so that we may not offend them, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take the first fish you catch. When you open its mouth, you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for My tax and yours.”
- Matt 22:21“Caesar’s,” they answered. So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
- Mark 12:17Then Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” And they marveled at Him.
- Prov 24:21My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious.
- 1 Pet 2:13–17Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to the king as the supreme authority,
- Acts 5:29But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.
- Acts 4:19–20But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than God.
- 1 Cor 10:31So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.
- 1 Pet 4:11If anyone speaks, he should speak as one conveying the words of God. If anyone serves, he should serve with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 20:25 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.