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.”
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.
- BSB “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.”
- 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 give no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our service may not be blamed,
- 1 Cor 9:19–22For though I was free from all, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.
- 1 Cor 8:9But be careful that by no means does this liberty of yours 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, that you through his poverty might become rich.
- 1 Cor 8:13Therefore if food causes my brother to stumble, I will eat no meat forever more, that I don’t cause my brother to stumble.
- Rom 15:1–3Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
- Matt 15:12–14Then the disciples came, and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended, when they heard this saying?”
- Jonah 1:17Yahweh prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
- Rom 14:21It is good to not eat meat, drink wine, nor do anything by which your brother stumbles, is offended, or is made weak.
- 1 Kgs 17:4You shall drink from the brook. I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”
- Ps 8:8The birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, and whatever passes through the paths of the seas.
- Jas 2:5Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn’t God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him?
- Heb 2:7–8You made him a little lower than the angels. You crowned him with glory and honor.
- Jonah 2:10Yahweh spoke to the fish, and it vomited out Jonah on the dry land.
- Gen 1:28God blessed them. God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
- 1 Cor 10:32–33Give no occasion for stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the assembly of God;
- Titus 2:7–8in all things showing yourself an example of good works; in your teaching showing integrity, seriousness, incorruptibility,
- John 6:61But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble?
- 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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