Luke 20:20-26 Meaning: Jesus Outwits the Spies Who Tested Him on Taxes
20They watched him and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous, that they might trap him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor.
21They asked him, “Teacher, we know that you say and teach what is right, and aren’t partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God.
22Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”
23But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Why do you test me?
24Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” They answered, “Caesar’s.”
25He said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
26They weren’t able to trap him in his words before the people. They marveled at his answer and were silent.
20And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.
21And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly:
22Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Cesar, or no?
23But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me?
24Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Cesar’s.
25And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Cesar the things which be Cesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.
26And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.
20And they watched him, and sent forth spies, who feigned themselves to be righteous, that they might take hold of his speech, so as to deliver him up to the rule and to the authority of the governor.
21And they asked him, saying, Teacher, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, and acceptest not the person of any, but of a truth teachest the way of God:
22Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Cæsar, or not?
23But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them,
24Show me a denarius. Whose image and superscription hath it? And they said, Cæsar’s.
25And he said unto them, Then render unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s.
26And they were not able to take hold of the saying before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.
20And, having watched him , they sent forth liers in wait, feigning themselves to be righteous, that they might take hold of his word, to deliver him up to the rule and to the authority of the governor,
21and they questioned him, saying, `Teacher, we have known that thou dost say and teach rightly, and dost not accept a person, but in truth the way of God dost teach;
22Is it lawful to us to give tribute to Caesar or not?'
23And he, having perceived their craftiness, said unto them, `Why me do ye tempt?
24shew me a denary; of whom hath it an image and superscription?' and they answering said, `Of Caesar:'
25and he said to them, `Give back, therefore, the things of Caesar to Caesar, and the things of God to God;'
26and they were not able to take hold on his saying before the people, and having wondered at his answer, they were silent.
20And having watched [him], they sent out suborned persons, pretending to be just men, that they might take hold of him in [his] language, so that they might deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor.
21And they asked him saying, Teacher, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, and acceptest no [man's] person, but teachest with truth the way of God:
22Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?
23But perceiving their deceit he said to them, Why do ye tempt me?
24Shew me a denarius. Whose image and superscription has it? And answering they said, Caesar's.
25And he said to them, Pay therefore what is Caesar's to Caesar, and what is God's to God.
26And they were not able to take hold of him in [his] expressions before the people, and, wondering at his answer, they were silent.
Meaning in one sentence
Why did religious leaders send spies to trap Jesus about paying taxes? Jesus sees through their deceit and gives a wise answer that still challenges us today.
Context
Jesus has arrived in Jerusalem and is teaching in the temple. Just before this passage, he told the parable of the wicked tenants, a story that made the chief priests and scribes furious. They knew he was speaking against them, and they wanted to arrest him. But they feared how the crowds would react.
So they changed tactics. They sent spies who pretended to be honest seekers. These agents were a mix of Pharisees and supporters of Herod, groups that normally opposed each other, now united against Jesus. Their goal was to get him to say something that could be used against him before the Roman governor, Pilate. They came with flattery and a question designed to trap him: should Jews pay taxes to Caesar or not?
Jesus saw through the whole thing. He asked for a coin, pointed to Caesar's image on it, and gave an answer that left them stunned and silent.
Key Words
Three Greek words pull back the curtain on what was really happening.
The first is paratērēsantes (G3906), translated "they watched him." It means to stand beside and watch with a hostile purpose, like an enemy studying every move, waiting for a slip. This wasn't casual observing; it was a calculated surveillance.
The second is egkathetous (G1455), the word for "spies." It describes someone sent in secretly, like a soldier planted inside a city. One commentator says it refers to a person bribed for a specific mission. These were not curious questioners but paid agents, and the word hints at the danger of the moment.
The third is panourgia (G3834), translated "craftiness." It literally means "ready for every deed", unscrupulous cleverness that stops at nothing. Jesus saw right through it. That matters because his ability to perceive their hearts means he sees ours too. He is not fooled by flattery or false sincerity, and that is both sobering and freeing. We do not need to pretend with him.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have read this passage as a key text on how faith relates to government.
Catholic teaching, following early church thinkers like Augustine, emphasizes that civil authorities are ordained by God and that paying taxes is part of loving our neighbour through supporting the common good. Many Protestant Reformers agreed, seeing in Jesus' words a clear command to obey earthly rulers in their proper sphere.
Christian traditions that have experienced persecution, such as Anabaptists and some nonconformist groups, have stressed the second half of Jesus' command: everything ultimately belongs to God. They note that Caesar's image is on the coin, but God's image is on every human being. So while we render taxes to the state, we render our whole selves to God.
Most traditions converge on this: Jesus does not create a neat separation between two equal powers. The coin belongs to Caesar for now, but everything, including Caesar, belongs to God.
A common misunderstanding
Some read this verse as Jesus endorsing a clean separation of church and state, as if religion and politics are separate boxes that never touch. In fact, Jesus says nothing about separation. He points to the coin and says give Caesar what bears Caesar's image. Then he adds the crucial second part: give God what bears God's image. The implication is that everything, including our money, our loyalty, and our lives, bears God's image and belongs to him. This is not a division of territory; it is a call to recognise that all authority is under God.
Living This Out
You may not face spies with trick questions this week. But you might face a loaded question at work, someone trying to make you look foolish or disloyal. Or you might face a decision where loyalty to God seems to conflict with loyalty to a boss, a family member, or a system.
Jesus shows you a way forward. He does not panic or attack. He pauses, asks for a coin, and reframes the whole question. He does not deny that Caesar has a claim, but he insists that God's claim is more basic.
This week, consider one thing you have been holding back from God, maybe your time, your trust, your future, a relationship you have not surrendered. You bear God's image. You belong to him. That is the deeper truth behind the coin.
Main takeaway: Jesus' answer frees us to live faithfully under human governments while giving our whole selves to the God whose image we bear.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Some people tried to trick Jesus with a question about money. But Jesus knew what they were doing. He said, 'Give the money to the government, but give your whole heart to God.'
For ages 9, 12
The religious leaders sent spies who pretended to be good so they could trap Jesus. They asked if it was right to pay taxes to Caesar. If Jesus said yes, the people who hated Rome would be angry. If he said no, the Romans would arrest him. Jesus asked for a coin and pointed to Caesar's picture on it. 'Give Caesar what is his,' he said, 'and give God what is God's.' He meant that everything, including us, belongs to God, because we are made in his image. What could you give to God today?
Questions People Ask
Why did the spies pretend to be righteous?
They wanted to catch Jesus off guard. By flattering him and acting sincere, they hoped he would speak freely and say something they could use against him. If he said not to pay taxes, they could report him to the Roman governor for rebellion.
What is a denarius, and why did Jesus ask for one?
A denarius was a Roman silver coin worth about a day's wage. It had the emperor's image and an inscription declaring his authority. Jesus asked for it to make a point: the coin belongs to Caesar because it bears his image, so give it back to him. But people bear God's image, so give yourselves to God.
Did Jesus say we should always pay taxes to unjust governments?
Jesus did not directly address whether a government is just or unjust. He answered the trap by pointing to the coin and its image. Christians have understood this differently: some see it as a command to obey civil authorities in all lawful matters; others see the second half of Jesus' statement as the higher principle, when government demands what belongs to God, we must obey God instead.
What does 'give to God the things that are God's' mean practically?
It means recognising that everything belongs to God because he is the creator. Our lives, our time, our money, and our worship all come from him. In practice, it calls us to live with gratitude and generosity, to obey God's commands even when they conflict with human demands, and to trust him as the ultimate authority.
How did Jesus perceive their craftiness (panourgia)?
Jesus had divine insight into human hearts, but he also listened carefully. The flattery was overdone, the question was too convenient, and the spies were known associates of his enemies. The word panourgia means 'readiness for any deed', a kind of cunning that stops at nothing. Jesus saw that behind their words was a plan to destroy him.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study