Focused Passage

Luke 20:20-26

The Rejected Son, the Questioned Authority, and the Lord Who Silences His Opponents

Jesus answers the leaders’ challenge to his authority, exposes their rejection of God’s beloved Son through the tenant parable, silences attempts to trap him politically and theologically, reveals the Messiah as David’s Lord, and warns against religious teachers who use piety for status and exploitation.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

20 So they watched Him closely and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. They were hoping to catch Him in His words in order to hand Him over to the rule and authority of the governor.

21 “Teacher,” they inquired, “we know that You speak and teach correctly. You show no partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.

22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

23 But Jesus saw through their duplicity and said to them,

24 “Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” “Caesar’s,” they answered.

25 So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

26 And they were unable to trap Him in His words before the people. And amazed at His answer, they fell silent.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 20

Cross-references

Matthew 22:15 Classic cross-references Daniel 6:4 Classic cross-references Psalms 141:9 Classic cross-references Luke 11:54 Classic cross-references Mark 3:2 Classic cross-references

Original words

So Καὶ G2532 Conjunction they watched [Him] closely παρατηρήσαντες G3906 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural [and] sent ἀπέστειλαν G649 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural spies ἐνκαθέτους G1455 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural who pretended ὑποκρινομένους G5271 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Masculine Plural - ἑαυτοὺς G1438 Reflexive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural to be εἶναι G1510 Verb - Present Infinitive Active sincere δικαίους G1342 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural They were hoping ἵνα G2443 Conjunction to catch [Him] ἐπιλάβωνται G1949 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 3rd Person Plural in His αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular words λόγου G3056 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular in order ὥστε G5620 Conjunction to hand Him over παραδοῦναι G3860 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active . . . αὐτὸν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular to the τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular rule ἀρχῇ G746 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction - τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular authority ἐξουσίᾳ G1849 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular of the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular governor ἡγεμόνος G2232 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular

Verse 21

Cross-references

Acts 10:34 Classic cross-references Romans 2:11 Classic cross-references Romans 13:6 Classic cross-references 1 Thessalonians 2:4 Classic cross-references Malachi 2:6 Classic cross-references

Original words

Teacher Διδάσκαλε G1320 Noun - Vocative Masculine Singular - καὶ G2532 Conjunction they inquired ἐπηρώτησαν G1905 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural . . . αὐτὸν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular . . . λέγοντες G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural we know οἴδαμεν G1492 Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural that ὅτι G3754 Conjunction You speak λέγεις G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction teach διδάσκεις G1321 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular correctly ὀρθῶς G3723 Adverb - καὶ G2532 Conjunction You show no partiality οὐ G3756 Adverb . . . λαμβάνεις G2983 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular . . . πρόσωπον G4383 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular but ἀλλ’ G235 Conjunction teach διδάσκεις G1321 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular the τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular way ὁδὸν G3598 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular of God Θεοῦ G2316 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular in accordance with ἐπ’ G1909 Preposition the truth ἀληθείας G225 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular

Verse 22

Cross-references

Mark 12:14 Classic cross-references Nehemiah 9:37 Classic cross-references

Original words

Is it lawful ἔξεστιν G1832 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular for us ἡμᾶς G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Plural to pay δοῦναι G1325 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active taxes φόρον G5411 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular to Caesar Καίσαρι G2541 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular or ἢ G2228 Conjunction not οὔ G3756 Adverb

Verse 23

Cross-references

1 Corinthians 3:19 Classic cross-references Luke 5:22 Classic cross-references Mark 12:15 Classic cross-references Matthew 16:1 Classic cross-references Matthew 22:18 Classic cross-references

Original words

But δὲ G1161 Conjunction [Jesus] saw through Κατανοήσας G2657 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular their αὐτῶν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular duplicity πανουργίαν G3834 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular [and] said εἶπεν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to πρὸς G4314 Preposition them αὐτούς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural

Verse 24

Cross-references

Matthew 18:28 Classic cross-references

Original words

Show Δείξατέ G1166 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural Me μοι G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular a denarius δηνάριον G1220 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular Whose τίνος G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singular image εἰκόνα G1504 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction inscription ἐπιγραφήν G1923 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular are on it ἔχει G2192 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Caesar’s Καίσαρος G2541 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular - δὲ G1161 Conjunction - Οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural they answered εἶπαν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural

BSB notes

A denarius was customarily a day’s wage for a laborer; see Matthew 20:2.

Verse 25

Cross-references

1 Peter 2:13 Classic cross-references Romans 13:7 Classic cross-references Malachi 3:8 Classic cross-references Ecclesiastes 8:5 Classic cross-references Romans 13:6 Classic cross-references

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction - Ὁ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular So Τοίνυν G5106 Conjunction [Jesus] told εἶπεν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular . . . πρὸς G4314 Preposition them αὐτούς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural Give ἀπόδοτε G591 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural to Caesar Καίσαρι G2541 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular what [is] τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural Caesar’s Καίσαρος G2541 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction - τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular to God Θεῷ G2316 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular what [is] τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular God’s Θεοῦ G2316 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular

Verse 26

Cross-references

Luke 20:20 Classic cross-references

Original words

And Καὶ G2532 Conjunction vvv οὐκ G3756 Adverb they were unable ἴσχυσαν G2480 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural to trap Him in ἐπιλαβέσθαι G1949 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Middle His αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular words ῥήματος G4487 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular before ἐναντίον G1726 Preposition the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular people λαοῦ G2992 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular And καὶ G2532 Conjunction amazed θαυμάσαντες G2296 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural at ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition His αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular - τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular answer ἀποκρίσει G612 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular they fell silent ἐσίγησαν G4601 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural

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