Mark 12:15

New Life Version

Should we pay or not pay?" Jesus knew how they pretended to be someone they were not. He said to them, "Why do you try to trap Me? Bring Me a small piece of money so I may look at it."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why are you testing

King James Version (1611)
Shall we giue, or shall we not giue? But he knowing their hypocrisie, said vnto them, Why tempt yee mee? Bring me a penny that I may see it.

King James Version
Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.

English Standard Version
But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it."

New American Standard Bible
"Are we to pay, or not pay?" But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to look at."

New Century Version
Should we pay them, or not?" But knowing what these men were really trying to do, Jesus said to them, "Why are you trying to trap me? Bring me a coin to look at."

Amplified Bible
"Should we pay [the tax] or should we not pay?" But knowing their hypocrisy, He asked them, "Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a coin (denarius) to look at."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Shall we pay or shall we not pay?" But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to look at."

Legacy Standard Bible
Shall we pay or shall we not pay?" But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to look at."

Berean Standard Bible
But Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, "Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to inspect."

Contemporary English Version
Jesus knew what they were up to, and he said, "Why are you trying to test me? Show me a coin!"

Complete Jewish Bible
But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why are you trying to trap me? Bring me a denarius so I can look at it."

Darby Translation
Should we give, or should we not give? But he knowing their hypocrisy said unto them, Why tempt ye me? Bring me a denarius that I may see [it].

Easy-to-Read Version
But Jesus knew that these men were really trying to trick him. He said, "Why are you trying to catch me saying something wrong? Bring me a silver coin. Let me see it."

Geneva Bible (1587)
Should we giue it, or should we not giue it? but he knew their hypocrisie, and said vnto them, Why tempt ye me? Bring me a peny, yt I may see it.

George Lamsa Translation
Shall we give or shall we not give? But he knew their scheme, and said to them, Why do you tempt me? Bring me a penny, that I may see it.

Good News Translation
But Jesus saw through their trick and answered, "Why are you trying to trap me? Bring a silver coin, and let me see it."

Lexham English Bible
But because he knew their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius so that I can look at it!"

Literal Translation
Should we give, or should we not give? But knowing their hypocrisy, He said to them, Why do you tempt Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see.

American Standard Version
Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why make ye trial of me? bring me a denarius, that I may see it.

Bible in Basic English
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.

Hebrew Names Version
Shall we give, or shall we not give?" But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test me? Bring me a denarius, that I may see it."

International Standard Version
But Jesushe">[fn] recognized their hypocrisy and said to them, "Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius and let me see it."

Etheridge Translation
shall we give, or shall we not give ? But he knew their deceit, and said to them, Why do you tempt me? bring me the dinara, (that) I may see it.

Murdock Translation
And he knew their wile, and said to them: Why tempt ye me? Bring me a denarius, that I may see it.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Ought we to geue, or ought we not to geue? But he seeyng their hypocrisie, sayde vnto them: Why tempt ye me? Bryng me a penie, that I may see it.

English Revised Version
Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.

World English Bible
Shall we give, or shall we not give?" But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test me? Bring me a denarius, that I may see it."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, Why tempt ye me? Bring me a penny, that I may see it.

Weymouth's New Testament
Shall we pay, or shall we refuse to pay?" But He, knowing their hypocrisy, replied, "Why try to ensnare me? Bring me a shilling for me to look at."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Which witynge her pryuei falsnesse, seide to hem, What tempten ye me? brynge ye to me a peny, that Y se.

Update Bible Version
But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, Why do you make trial of me? bring me a denarius, that I may see it.

Webster's Bible Translation
Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see [it].

New English Translation
But he saw through their hypocrisy and said to them, "Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it."

New King James Version
Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?" But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it."

New Living Translation
Should we pay them, or shouldn't we?" Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, "Why are you trying to trap me? Show me a Roman coin, and I'll tell you."

New Revised Standard
Should we pay them, or should we not?" But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why are you putting me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me see it."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them - Why are ye, tempting, me? Bring me a denary, that I may see it.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Who knowing their wiliness, saith to them: Why tempt you me? Bring me a penny that I may see it.

Revised Standard Version
Should we pay them, or should we not?" But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why put me to the test? Bring me a coin, and let me look at it."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Ought we to geve or ought we not to geve? He vnderstode their simulacion and sayde vnto them: Why tepte ye me? Brynge me a peny that I maye se yt.

Young's Literal Translation
And he, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, `Why me do ye tempt? bring me a denary, that I may see;'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Ought we to geue it, or ought we not to geue it? But he perceaued their ypocrisye, and sayde vnto them: Why tempte ye me? Brynge me a peny, that I maye se it.

Mace New Testament (1729)
but he, perceiving their hypocrisy, said to them, why do you lay snares for me?

THE MESSAGE
He knew it was a trick question, and said, "Why are you playing these games with me? Bring me a coin and let me look at it." They handed him one. "This engraving—who does it look like? And whose name is on it?" "Caesar," they said.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Should those of us who follow God really be paying taxes to Caesar?"But Jesus saw right through their underhanded scheme and said, "Do you think I'm going to fall for your silly games? Bring me one of these coins you use to pay your taxes and let me see it."

Contextual Overview

¹³ Some of the proud religious law-keepers and Herod's men were sent to trap Jesus in His talk. ¹⁴ They came to Him and said, "Teacher, we know You are true. We know You are not afraid of what men think or say about You. You teach the way of God in truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? ¹⁵ Should we pay or not pay?" Jesus knew how they pretended to be someone they were not. He said to them, "Why do you try to trap Me? Bring Me a small piece of money so I may look at it." ¹⁶ They brought Him one. He asked them, "Whose picture is this? Whose name is on it?" They answered, "Caesar's." ¹⁷ Then Jesus said to them, "Pay to Caesar the things that belong to Caesar. Pay to God the things that belong to God." They were surprised and wondered at Him.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

knowing: Matthew 22:18, Luke 20:23, John 2:24, John 2:25, John 21:17, Hebrews 4:13, Revelation 2:23

Why: Mark 10:2, Ezekiel 17:2, Acts 5:9, 1 Corinthians 10:9

a penny: "Valuing of our money, sevenpence halfpenny, as Matthew 18:28, marg.

Reciprocal: Matthew 9:4 - knowing Matthew 16:1 - tempting Matthew 19:3 - tempting Mark 8:11 - tempting Luke 20:20 - they watched 1 Peter 2:1 - hypocrisies

Cross-References

Genesis 12:2
And I will make you a great nation. I will bring good to you. I will make your name great, so you will be honored.

Genesis 12:4
So Abram left as the Lord told him to do, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.

Genesis 12:5
Abram took his wife Sarai, and his brother's son Lot, and all the things they had gathered, and the people who joined them in Haran. And they left to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan.

Genesis 12:16
And Pharaoh acted well toward Abram because of Sarai. He gave Abram sheep, cattle, male and female donkeys, and camels, and men and women servants.

Genesis 20:2
Abraham said about his wife Sarah, "She is my sister." So Abimelech king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her for his wife.

Genesis 40:2
Pharaoh was angry with these two important men, the head cup-carrier and the head bread-maker.

Genesis 41:1
After two years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream. He dreamed that he was standing by the Nile River.

Exodus 2:5
Then the daughter of Pharaoh came to wash herself in the Nile. Her young women walked beside the Nile. She saw the basket in the tall grass and sent the woman who served her to get it.

Exodus 2:15
When Pharaoh heard what had happened, he tried to kill Moses. But Moses ran away from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. He sat down there by a well.

1 Kings 3:1
Then Solomon made a marriage agreement with Pharaoh the king of Egypt. He took Pharaoh's daughter and brought her to the city of David. She stayed there until he had finished building his own house, and the house of the Lord, and the wall around Jerusalem.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Shall we give, or not give?.... They not only ask whether it was lawful, but whether also it was advisable to do it, that they might not only accuse him of his principles, but charge him with persuading, or dissuading in this case. These words are left out in the Vulgate Latin, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic versions:

but he knowing their hypocrisy; expressed in their flattering titles and characters of him, and which lay hid in their secret designs against him; which being thoroughly known to him,

said unto them, why tempt ye me: bring me a penny, that I may see it; what it is, that is required for tribute;

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Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the notes at Matthew 22:15-22.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Mark 12:15. Shall we give, or shall we not give? — This is wanting in the Codex Bezae, and in several versions.