Luke 20:24

An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

“Show me the coin [used for paying the taxes]. [Note: This coin was equivalent to one twelve-hour day of a farm laborer’s pay, or about $108 in 2005]. Whose image and inscription are on this coin?” And they answered Him, “Caesar’s.”

Cross References

Matthew 18:28

But that [same] servant went out and found one of his fellow-servants who owed him a small sum of money [Note: The amount was about 100 twelve hour days of a farm laborer’s pay or about $10,800 in 2005]. He grabbed him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay [me] what you owe.’

Matthew 20:2

When he had agreed with the workers [on wages] for the usual farm laborer’s pay for a day’s work, he [then] sent them to work in his vineyard. [Note: The coin mentioned here would amount to about $9.00, based on the average farm laborer’s hourly wage in 2005. [National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Feb. 2005]. This coin also forms the basis for calculating all other monetary references in the New Testament].

Matthew 22:20

He said to them, “Whose image and inscription are on this coin?”

Mark 12:16

So, they brought it to Him and He said to them, “Whose image and inscription [are on this coin]?” And they answered Him, “Caesar’s.”

Luke 2:1

Now it happened in those days that a decree was sent out from Caesar Augustus [the Emperor of the Roman Empire] requiring [people from] the whole empire to be registered [i.e., for taxation purposes].

Luke 20:22

Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

Luke 20:23

But Jesus perceived their trickery, and said to them,

Luke 20:25

He replied, “Then pay to Caesar the things that belong to Caesar and pay to God the things that belong to God.”

Luke 23:2

They began bringing accusations against Him, saying, “We discovered this man misleading the people of our nation and telling them not to pay taxes to Caesar, and claiming that he himself was the Messiah, a king!”

Luke 3:1

Now it was the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod was ruler of Galilee, his brother Philip was ruler of the regions of Ituraea and Trachonitus [Note: These two men were sons of Herod the Great (See Matt. 2:1) and ruled over provinces east of the Jordan River] and Lysanias was ruler of Abilene [Note: This was a province just north of the two previously mentioned ones].

Acts 11:28

One of them, a man named Agabus, stood up and indicated by [the direction of] the Holy Spirit that there was going to be a severe worldwide famine, which [actually] took place during the time that Claudius ruled.

Acts 26:32

Then Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed [his case] to Caesar.”

Philippians 4:22

All the saints [here with me] send you their greetings, especially those belonging to [Emperor] Caesar’s household.