Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.” New Living Translation However, we don’t want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.” English Standard Version However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.” Berean Standard Bible “But so that we may not offend them, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take the first fish you catch. When you open its mouth, you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for My tax and yours.” Berean Literal Bible But that we might not offend them, having gone to the sea, cast a hook and take the first fish having come up, and having opened its mouth, you will find a stater. Having taken that, give it to them for Me and yourself." King James Bible 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. New King James Version Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.” New American Standard Bible However, so that we do not offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a stater. Take that and give it to them for you and Me.” NASB 1995 “However, so that we do not offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for you and Me.” NASB 1977 “But, lest we give them offense, go to the sea, and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a stater. Take that and give it to them for you and Me.” Legacy Standard Bible However, so that we do not offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a stater. Take that and give it to them for Me and you.” Amplified Bible However, so that we do not offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a shekel. Take it and give it to them [to pay the temple tax] for you and Me.” Christian Standard Bible “But, so we won’t offend them, go to the sea, cast in a fishhook, and take the first fish that you catch. When you open its mouth you’ll find a coin. Take it and give it to them for me and you.” Holman Christian Standard Bible “But, so we won’t offend them, go to the sea, cast in a fishhook, and take the first fish that you catch. When you open its mouth you’ll find a coin. Take it and give it to them for Me and you.” American Standard Version 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. Contemporary English Version But we don't want to cause trouble. So go cast a line into the lake and pull out the first fish you hook. Open its mouth, and you will find a coin. Use it to pay your taxes and mine." English Revised Version 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. GOD'S WORD® Translation However, so that we don't create a scandal, go to the sea and throw in a hook. Take the first fish that you catch. Open its mouth, and you will find a coin. Give that coin to them for you and me." Good News Translation But we don't want to offend these people. So go to the lake and drop in a line. Pull up the first fish you hook, and in its mouth you will find a coin worth enough for my Temple tax and yours. Take it and pay them our taxes." International Standard Version However, so that we don't offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, open its mouth, and you will find a coin. Take it and give it to them for me and you." Majority Standard Bible “But so that we may not offend them, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take the first fish you catch. When you open its mouth, you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for My tax and yours.” NET Bible 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." New Heart English Bible 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." Webster's Bible Translation Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and take the fish that first cometh up: and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: take that, and give to them for me and thee. Weymouth New Testament "However, lest we cause them to sin, go and throw a hook into the Lake, and take the first fish that comes up. When you open its mouth, you will find a shekel in it: bring that coin and give it to them for yourself and me." World English Bible 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.” Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionbut that we may not cause them to stumble, having gone to the sea, cast a hook, and the fish that has come up first take up, and having opened its mouth, you will find a stater, that having taken, give to them for Me and you.” Berean Literal Bible But that we might not offend them, having gone to the sea, cast a hook and take the first fish having come up, and having opened its mouth, you will find a stater. Having taken that, give it to them for Me and yourself." Young's Literal Translation 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.' Smith's Literal Translation But that we should not scandalize them, having gone to the sea, cast a fish hook, and lift up the fish coming up first, and having opened its mouth, thou shalt find a gold coin: having taken that, give to them for me and thee. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleBut that we may not scandalize them, go to the sea, and cast in a hook: and that fish which shall first come up, take: and when thou hast opened its mouth, thou shalt find a stater: take that, and give it to them for me and thee. Catholic Public Domain Version New American Bible But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax. Give that to them for me and for you.” New Revised Standard Version However, so that we do not give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook; take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a coin; take that and give it to them for you and me.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleBut so as not to offend them, go to the sea, and throw out a hook, and the first fish which comes up, open its mouth and you will find a coin; take it and give it for me and for you. Aramaic Bible in Plain English “But lest we give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a fish hook, and the first fish that comes up, open its mouth and you will find a shekel. Take that and give for me and for you.” NT Translations Anderson New TestamentBut that we may give them no offense, go to the sea, and throw in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first; and when you have opened his mouth, you will find a stater; take that, and give to them for me and you. Godbey New Testament Haweis New Testament But that we give them no offence, go unto the sea, and cast in a hook, and take the first fish which cometh up; and on opening his mouth, thou wilt find a stater, that take and give them for me and thee. Mace New Testament however, lest we should give offence, go you to the sea, throw in a book, and take the first fish that strikes: then open its jaws, and you will find a piece of money: that take, and give it to them for me and thee. Weymouth New Testament "However, lest we cause them to sin, go and throw a hook into the Lake, and take the first fish that comes up. When you open its mouth, you will find a shekel in it: bring that coin and give it to them for yourself and me." Worrell New Testament Worsley New Testament Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Temple Tax…26“From others,” Peter answered. “Then the sons are exempt,” Jesus declared. 27“But so that we may not offend them, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take the first fish you catch. When you open its mouth, you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for My tax and yours.” Cross References Luke 5:4-7 When Jesus had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” / “Master,” Simon replied, “we have worked hard all night without catching anything. But because You say so, I will let down the nets.” / When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to tear. ... John 21:6-11 He told them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it there, and they were unable to haul it in because of the great number of fish. / Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it) and jumped into the sea. / The other disciples came ashore in the boat. They dragged in the net full of fish, for they were not far from land, only about a hundred yards. ... 2 Kings 4:1-7 Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And now his creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves!” / “How can I help you?” asked Elisha. “Tell me, what do you have in the house?” She answered, “Your servant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.” / “Go,” said Elisha, “borrow empty jars from all your neighbors. Do not gather just a few. ... Exodus 30:13-16 Everyone who crosses over to those counted must pay a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the LORD. / Everyone twenty years of age or older who crosses over must give this offering to the LORD. / In making the offering to the LORD to atone for your lives, the rich shall not give more than a half shekel, nor shall the poor give less. ... Nehemiah 10:32-33 We also place ourselves under the obligation to contribute a third of a shekel yearly for the service of the house of our God: / for the showbread, for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings, for the Sabbath offerings, for the New Moons and appointed feasts, for the holy offerings, for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the duties of the house of our God. Romans 13:6-7 This is also why you pay taxes. For the authorities are God’s servants, who devote themselves to their work. / Pay everyone what you owe him: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due. 1 Peter 2:13-17 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to the king as the supreme authority, / or to governors as those sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. / For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorance of foolish men. ... Matthew 22:19-21 Show Me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought Him a denarius. / “Whose image is this,” He asked, “and whose inscription?” / “Caesar’s,” they answered. So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” Mark 12:15-17 But Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to inspect.” / So they brought it, and He asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they answered. / Then Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” And they marveled at Him. Luke 20:24-25 “Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” “Caesar’s,” they answered. / So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” 1 Kings 17:8-16 Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah: / “Get up and go to Zarephath of Sidon, and stay there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” / So Elijah got up and went to Zarephath. When he arrived at the city gate, there was a widow gathering sticks. Elijah called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, so that I may drink.” ... 2 Kings 6:1-7 Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Please take note that the place where we meet with you is too small for us. / Please let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a log so we can build ourselves a place to live there.” “Go,” said Elisha. / Then one of them said, “Please come with your servants.” “I will come,” he replied. ... Jonah 1:17 Now the LORD had appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of the fish. Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Genesis 22:13-14 Then Abraham looked up and saw behind him a ram in a thicket, caught by its horns. So he went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. / And Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. So to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.” Treasury of Scripture Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go you to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first comes up; and when you have opened his mouth, you shall find a piece of money: that take, and give to them for me and you. lest. Matthew 15:12-14 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? … Romans 14:21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Romans 15:1-3 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves… and take. Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 1 Kings 17:4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. Psalm 8:8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. a piece of money. that take. 2 Corinthians 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. James 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? Jump to Previous Cast Cause Coin Find First Fish Hook Money Mouth Notwithstanding Offend Open Opened Piece Sea Shekel Sin Stumble ThrowJump to Next Cast Cause Coin Find First Fish Hook Money Mouth Notwithstanding Offend Open Opened Piece Sea Shekel Sin Stumble ThrowMatthew 17 1. The transfiguration of Jesus.14. He heals the boy with a demon, 22. foretells his own passion, 24. and pays tribute. But so that we may not offend them This phrase highlights Jesus' sensitivity to the cultural and religious norms of His time. The Greek word for "offend" is "σκανδαλίσωμεν" (skandalizōmen), which means to cause someone to stumble or sin. Jesus, though not obligated to pay the temple tax as the Son of God, chooses to avoid unnecessary conflict. This reflects His teaching in Matthew 5:9, "Blessed are the peacemakers," emphasizing the importance of living at peace with others and not causing unnecessary offense. go to the sea cast a hook and take the first fish you catch When you open its mouth, you will find a four-drachma coin Take it and give it to them for My tax and yours A piece of money.--The Greek gives the name of the coin, the stater. It was reckoned as equal to four drachmae, and would therefore pay the didrachma both for Peter and his Master. Incidentally, we may note the light which this throws on the poverty of our Lord and His disciples. They had returned from their wanderings in the north of Palestine, occupying some three or four weeks, and they were now absolutely penniless, not so much as a stater between them. The money was to be given for both, and so far, as has been said, our Lord includes Peter in the list of those who, as "children of the kingdom," might have claimed exemption. No payment is made for the other disciples: most probably they had homes of their own, where the didrachma would be applied for, and were not living with Peter. We cannot ignore the many points of contrast which difference this narrative from that of our Lord's miracles in general. (1.) There is no actual record that a miracle was wrought at all. We expect the narrative to end with the words, "and he went and found as it had been said unto him," but we do not find them. The story is told for the sake of the teaching, not of the wonder. Men have inferred that a miracle must have been wrought from a literal interpretation of the promise. (2.) On this assumption the wonder stands alone by itself in its nature and surroundings. It does not originate in our Lord's compassion, nor depend upon faith in the receiver, as in the miracles of healing, nor set forth a spiritual truth, like that of the withered fig-tree. It is so far distinct and peculiar. This would not in itself, perhaps, be of much, if any, weight against a direct statement of a fact, but it may be allowed to be of some significance in the exceptional and therefore conspicuous absence of such a statement. On these grounds some have been led to explain our Lord's words as meaning, in figurative language which the disciple would understand, that Peter was to catch the fish, and sell it for a stater. Most interpreters, however, have been content to take our Lord's words in their literal sense, and to believe that they were literally fulfilled. If we accept this view the narrative has its parallel in the well-known story of the ring of Polycrates, the tyrant of Samos (Herod. iii. 39-41). . . . Verse 27. - Lest we should offend them; cause them to stumble. In his large charity he would not take the advantage of his position to avoid the tax. Though above the Law, he would place himself under the Law. Offence would be given by the nonpayment. His motive would be unknown and misunderstood (see on ver. 24). The people would attribute it to caprice, sectarianism, contempt of religion; they would see in it dishonour to the temple. Suspicion and animosity would be aroused; ill feeling, injurious both to themselves who encouraged it and to the cause of Christ, would weaken the effects of his acts and doctrine. Further offence would supervene if he did not confirm Peter's engagement and execute the promise which the foremost disciple had virtually made in his name; since it might thus appear that he and his followers were not of one mind in this important matter. For such considerations he was content to waive his prerogative, and to provide for the payment by a miracle, which should at once vindicate his royal character and demonstrate that, while he was obedient to the Law, he was superior to it, was the Lord of heaven and earth and sea. Go thou to the sea. The Sea of Galilee, on whose shore Capernaum stood, and with which Peter had been all his life familiar. Cast an hook. The fisherman was to ply his trade, yet not to use his customary net; he was to fish with line and hook, that the miracle might be more striking. Take up the fish that first cometh up. From the deep waters to the bait. Thou shalt find a piece of money; a stater. This Greek coin, circulating throughout the East, was about equal in value to the shekel, or two didrachms, and therefore sufficient to pay the half shekel for two persons. That fish should seize a bright object which might drop into the sea is nothing uncommon. A cod has been found with a watch in its stomach, still going. The miracle is shown in the omniscience which knew what the fish carried in its maw, and in the omnipotence which drew it to the hook. As far as we know, and regarding the present age as the sabbath of creation (see John 5:17), Christ in his miracles created nothing absolutely, always using a natural and existing basis as the support of the wonder. So here he does not create the fish or the skater, but by marvellous coincidences makes them subserve his purpose. Tradition has stereotyped the miracle by assigning to a certain tribe of fish a permanent mark of the occurrence. The johndory. whose name is corrupted either from jaune dore, "gold colour," or adore, "worshipped," is called in some countries Peter's fish, and is supposed to retain the impression of the apostle's fingers on its sides. Others assert that it is the haddock which presents this memorial of the miracle. But neither of these fish is found in the Lake of Gennesareth. Give... for me and thee (a)nti\ e)mou = kai\ sou = ). The form of expression recalls the original design of the institution, as a ransom of souls (comp. Matthew 20:28 in the Greek). He does not say, "for us;" for, though he submitted to the tax, it was not on the same ground as his servant. He himself paid, though exempt; Peter paid because he was liable. In the one ease it was from humility, in the other from legal obligation. The account ends somewhat abruptly, nothing being said of the result of the Lord's command, what action Peter took, and what ensued thereon. But we need no assurance that all came to pass as Christ directed. The very silence is significant; it is the sublimest language. Neologian criticism has endeavoured to explain away or to throw discredit on the miraculous nature of this "transaction." We are asked to believe that Christ by his command meant only that Peter was to go and catch a fish and sell it for a skater. If this was the case, why did not the evangelist say so? Why did he introduce a story which he must have known to be untrue? Is there any ground for supposing that St. Matthew was a writer of myths and legends, or one who intentionally falsified the records on which he framed his history? Surely no unprejudiced person could judge thus of the writer of the First Gospel; to those who believe in inspiration the notion is sacrilegious. The incident is no embellishment of a natural fact, no mere sailor's anecdote, but the true account of a real occurrence, which the narrator credited and probably witnessed. Another allegation equally unfounded is that Christ was rebuking Peter for precipitancy in promising payment when they had no funds in their possession, as though Jesus was saying ironically, "You had better go and catch a fish, and look for the money in its mouth!" Such attempted evasions of the miraculous are puerile and saddening. And if it be objected, as indeed it is, that the miracle was unnecessary and unworthy of Jesus, who never exerted his supernatural power for his own benefit, it is easy to show that the wonder was required in order to give and enforce a lesson to Peter and his companions. In what better way could Jesus have conveyed to them the truth that, although for the nonce he consented to the Law, he was superior to it and exempt from the obligation, and that if he paid the tax he did so by an exercise of power which proved him to be the Son of God? |