Matthew 17:27

KJV1611 – Modern English

Nevertheless, lest we should offend them, go to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the first fish that comes up; and when you have opened its mouth, you shall find a piece of money: take that, and give it to them for me and you.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Ἵνα δὲ, μὴ σκανδαλίσωμεν αὐτούς, πορευθεὶς εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν, βάλε ἄγκιστρον, καὶ τὸν ἀναβάντα πρῶτον ἰχθὺν ἆρον· καὶ ἀνοίξας τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ, εὑρήσεις στατῆρα: ἐκεῖνον λαβὼν δὸς αὐτοῖς, ἀντὶ ἐμοῦ καὶ σοῦ.

Transliteration

So that de, mē skandalisōmen them, poreutheis to the thalassan, bale agkistron, and the anabanta prōton ichthyn aron; and anoixas the stoma of it, heurēseis statēra: ekeinon labōn dos to them, anti me and you.

Grammar Details

• *de*: postpositive conjunction - but/and
• *mē*: negative particle - not
• *skandalisōmen*: aorist, active, subjunctive, 1st plural - we might offend
• *poreutheis*: aorist, passive, participle, nominative, masculine, singular - going
• *thalassan*: accusative, feminine, singular - sea
• *bale*: aorist, active, imperative, 2nd singular - cast/throw
• *agkistron*: accusative, neuter, singular - fishhook
• *anabanta*: aorist, active, participle, accusative, masculine, singular - coming up
• *prōton*: accusative, masculine, singular - first
• *ichthyn*: accusative, masculine, singular - fish
• *aron*: aorist, active, imperative, 2nd singular - take up
• *anoixas*: aorist, active, participle, nominative, masculine, singular - opening
• *stoma*: accusative, neuter, singular - mouth
• *heurēseis*: future, active, indicative, 2nd singular - you will find
• *statēra*: accusative, masculine, singular - stater (coin)
• *ekeinon*: demonstrative pronoun, accusative, masculine, singular - that
• *labōn*: aorist, active, participle, nominative, masculine, singular - taking
• *dos*: aorist, active, imperative, 2nd singular - give
• *anti*: preposition with genitive - instead of/for

Word Meanings

• *skandalisōmen*: we might offend/cause to stumble
• *poreutheis*: going/proceeding/departing
• *thalassan*: sea/lake (Sea of Galilee)
• *bale*: cast/throw/put
• *agkistron*: fishhook/hook
• *anabanta*: coming up/rising/ascending
• *ichthyn*: fish
• *aron*: take up/take/lift
• *anoixas*: opening/having opened
• *stoma*: mouth/opening
• *heurēseis*: you will find/discover
• *statēra*: stater (coin worth four drachmas, enough for two temple taxes)
• *labōn*: taking/having taken
• *dos*: give/grant/present
• *anti*: instead of/for/in place of

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  But so that we do not cause them to stumble, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take the first fish you catch. When you open its mouth, you will find a stater coin. Take it and give it to them for My tax and yours.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  But,{G1161} lest{G3361} we cause them{G846} to stumble,{G4624} go thou{G4198} to{G1519} the sea,{G2281} and cast{G906} a hook,{G44} and{G2532} take up{G142} the fish{G2486} that{G305} first{G4412} cometh up;{G305} and{G2532} when thou hast opened{G455} his{G846} mouth,{G4750} thou shalt find{G2147} a shekel:{G4715} that{G1565} take,{G2983} and give{G1325} unto them{G846} for{G473} me{G1700} and{G2532} thee.{G4675}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Notwithstanding{G1161}, lest{G3363} we should offend{G4624}{(G5661)} them{G846}, go thou{G4198}{(G5679)} to{G1519} the sea{G2281}, and cast{G906}{(G5628)} an hook{G44}, and{G2532} take up{G142}{(G5657)} the fish{G2486} that first{G4412} cometh up{G305}{(G5631)}; and{G2532} when thou hast opened{G455}{(G5660)} his{G846} mouth{G4750}, thou shalt find{G2147}{(G5692)} a piece of money{G4715}: that{G1565} take{G2983}{(G5631)}, and give{G1325}{(G5628)} unto them{G846} for{G473} me{G1700} and{G2532} thee{G4675}.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  Neverthelesse lest we shuld offende the: goo to ye see and cast in thyne angle and take the fysshe yt fyrst cometh vp: and when thou hast opened his mouthe thou shalt fynde a pece of twentie pence: yt take and paye for me and the.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Neuertheles lest we offende them, go thy waye to the see, and cast thine angle, and take the fysh that first cometh vp, and whan thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt fynde a pece of twenty pens, take that, and geue it them for me and the.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Neuerthelesse, lest we should offend them: goe to the sea, and cast in an angle, and take the first fish that commeth vp, and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt finde a piece of twentie pence: that take, and giue it vnto them for me and thee.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Notwithstandyng, lest we shoulde offende them, go thou to the sea, and cast an angle, and take the fisshe that first commeth vp: and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt fynde a peece of twenty pence: that take, and geue it vnto them for me, and thee.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  ‹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.›

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  But, lest we cause them to stumble, go to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the first fish that comes up. When you have opened its mouth, you will find a stater coin.{A stater is a silver coin equivalent to four Attic or two Alexandrian drachmas, or a Jewish shekel: just exactly enough to cover the half-shekel Temple Tax for two people.} Take that, and give it to them for me and you."

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  but, that we may not cause them to stumble, having gone to the sea, cast a hook, and the fish that hath come up first take thou up, and having opened its mouth, thou shalt find a stater, that having taken, give to them for me and thee.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  But, lest we cause them to stumble, go thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a shekel: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  But, lest we cause them to stumble, go thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a shekel: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  But, so that we may not be a cause of trouble to them, go to the sea, and let down a hook, and take the first fish which comes up; and in his mouth you will see a bit of money: take that, and give it to them for me and you.

• World English Bible (2000)

  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."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  But so that we don’t offend them, go to the lake and throw out a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth, you will find a four drachma coin. Take that and give it to them for me and you.”

Referenced Verses

• Gen 1:28 : 28 And God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.
• 1 Kgs 17:4 : 4 And it will be that you shall drink from the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.
• Ps 8:8 : 8 The birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatever passes through the paths of the seas.
• Jonah 1:17 : 17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
• Jonah 2:10 : 10 And the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto the dry land.
• Matt 15:12-14 : 12 Then his disciples came and said to him, Do you know that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? 13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father has not planted, shall be rooted up. 14 Let them alone: they are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
• John 6:61 : 61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said to them, Does this offend you?
• Rom 14:21 : 21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.
• Rom 15:1-3 : 1 We who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.
• 1 Cor 8:9 : 9 But take care lest this liberty of yours somehow becomes a stumbling block to those who are weak.
• 1 Cor 8:13 : 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will eat no meat as long as the world stands, lest I make my brother stumble.
• 1 Cor 9:19-22 : 19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more. 20 And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win the Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; 21 To those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law. 22 To the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some.
• 1 Cor 10:32-33 : 32 Give no offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: 33 Just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
• 2 Cor 6:3 : 3 Giving no offense in anything, that the ministry may not be blamed:
• 2 Cor 8:9 : 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that through his poverty you might become rich.
• 1 Thess 5:22 : 22 Abstain from every form of evil.
• Titus 2:7-8 : 7 In all things showing yourself a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, dignity, sincerity, 8 Sound speech that cannot be condemned; that he who is of the opposite side may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.
• Heb 2:7-8 : 7 You made him a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honor, and set him over the works of Your hands: 8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him.
• Jas 2:5 : 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?