And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be 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.”
- BSB So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is 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 13:6–7For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
- Matt 17:27Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.
- Matt 22:21They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.
- Mark 12:17And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him.
- Prov 24:21My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:
- 1 Pet 2:13–17Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
- Acts 5:29Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
- Acts 4:19–20But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
- 1 Cor 10:31Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
- 1 Pet 4:11If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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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.