“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.”
Parallel translations
- WEB But, lest we cause them to stumble, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take up the first fish that comes up. When you have opened its mouth, you will find a stater coin. Take that, and give it to them for me and you.”
- KJV Notwithstanding, 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.
- NKJV Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.”
- NASB However, so that we do not offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a stater. Take that and give it to them for you and Me.”
- NLT However, we don’t want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.”
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
To avoid causing offense, Jesus tells Peter to find the tax money in a fish's mouth and pay for them both. He voluntarily submits, modeling that Christian liberty yields for the sake of others.
Overview
Though exempt as God's Son, Jesus pays the tax to avoid needless scandal, foreshadowing the principle of surrendering rights for love (1 Corinthians 9:19; Romans 14). The miraculous provision in the fish also displays his lordship over creation. The phrase 'for me and you' gently honors Peter while teaching gracious self-limitation.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- 2 Cor 6:3We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no one can discredit our ministry.
- 1 Cor 9:19–22Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.
- 1 Cor 8:9Be careful, however, that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.
- 2 Cor 8:9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.
- 1 Cor 8:13Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to stumble.
- Rom 15:1–3We who are strong ought to bear with the shortcomings of the weak and not to please ourselves.
- Matt 15:12–14Then the disciples came to Him and said, “Are You aware that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”
- Jonah 1:17Now the LORD had appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of the fish.
- Rom 14:21It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything to cause your brother to stumble.
- 1 Kgs 17:4And you are to drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”
- Ps 8:8the birds of the air and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.
- Jas 2:5Listen, my beloved brothers: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?
- Heb 2:7–8You made him a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honor
- Jonah 2:10And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
- Gen 1:28God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.”
- 1 Cor 10:32–33Do not become a stumbling block, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God—
- Titus 2:7–8In everything, show yourself to be an example by doing good works. In your teaching show integrity, dignity,
- John 6:61Aware that His disciples were grumbling about this teaching, Jesus asked them, “Does this offend you?
- 1 Th 5:22Abstain from every form of evil.
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 17:27 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
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