Luke 20:22

Bible in Basic English (1941)

Is it right for us to make payment of taxes to Caesar or not?

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Ἔξεστιν ἡμῖν Καίσαρι φόρον δοῦναι, ἢ οὔ;

Transliteration

Is it exestin for us to Kaisari phoron dounai, or not?

Grammar Details

• *exestin*: present active, 3rd singular - it is lawful/permitted
• *Kaisari*: dative, masculine, singular - to Caesar
• *phoron*: accusative, masculine, singular - tax/tribute
• *dounai*: aorist active infinitive - to give

Word Meanings

• *exestin*: it is lawful/it is permitted/it is right
• *Kaisari*: to Caesar/for Caesar
• *phoron*: tax/tribute/poll tax
• *dounai*: to give/to pay/to render

Referenced Verses

• Deut 17:15 : 15 Then see that you take as your king the man named by the Lord your God: let your king be one of your countrymen, not a man of another nation who is not one of yourselves.
• Ezra 4:13 : 13 The king may be certain that when the building of this town and its walls is complete, they will give no tax or payment in goods or forced payments, and in the end it will be a cause of loss to the kings.
• Ezra 4:19-22 : 19 And I gave orders for a search to be made, and it is certain that in the past this town has made trouble for kings, and that outbursts against authority have taken place there. 20 Further, there have been great kings in Jerusalem, ruling over all the country across the river, to whom they gave taxes and payments in goods and forced payments. 21 Give an order now, that these men are to do nothing more, and that the building of the town is to be stopped, till I give an order. 22 Be certain to do this with all care: do not let trouble be increased to the king's damage.
• Ezra 9:7 : 7 From the days of our fathers till this day we have been great sinners; and for our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been given up into the hands of the kings of the lands, to the sword and to prison and to loss of goods and to shame of face, as it is this day.
• Neh 5:4 : 4 And there were others who said, We have given up our fields and our vine-gardens to get money for the king's taxes.
• Neh 9:37 : 37 And it gives much increase to the kings whom you have put over us because of our sins: and they have power over our bodies and over our cattle at their pleasure, and we are in great trouble.
• Matt 17:25 : 25 He says, Yes. And when he came into the house, Jesus said to him, What is your opinion, Simon? from whom do the kings of the earth get payment or tax? from their sons or from other people?
• Matt 22:17-21 : 17 Give us, then, your opinion of this: Is it right to give tax to Caesar, or not? 18 But Jesus saw their trick and said, Oh false ones, why are you attempting to put me in the wrong? 19 Let me see the tax money. And they gave him a penny. 20 And he said to them, Whose is this image and name on it? 21 They say to him, Caesar's. Then he said to them, Give to Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and to God the things which are God's.
• Mark 12:14-17 : 14 And when they had come, they said to him, Master, we are certain that you are true, and have no fear of anyone: you have no respect for a man's position, but you are teaching the true way of God: Is it right to give taxes to Caesar or not? 15 Are we to give or not to give? But he, conscious of their false hearts, said to them, Why do you put me to the test? give me a penny, so that I may see it. 16 And they gave him one. And he said to them, Whose is this image and name on it? And they said to him, Caesar's. 17 And Jesus said to them, Give to Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and to God the things which are God's. And they were full of wonder at him.
• Acts 5:37 : 37 After this man, there was Judas of Galilee, at the time of the numbering, and some of the people went after him: he was put to death, and all his supporters were put to flight.