Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version “From others,” Peter answered. “Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. New Living Translation “They tax the people they have conquered,” Peter replied. “Well, then,” Jesus said, “the citizens are free! English Standard Version And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. Berean Standard Bible “From others,” Peter answered. “Then the sons are exempt,” Jesus said to him. Berean Literal Bible And he having said, "From the strangers," Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free. King James Bible Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free. New King James Version Peter said to Him, “From strangers.” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. New American Standard Bible When Peter said, “From strangers,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are exempt. NASB 1995 When Peter said, “From strangers,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are exempt. NASB 1977 And upon his saying, “From strangers,” Jesus said to him, “Consequently the sons are exempt. Legacy Standard Bible And when Peter said, “From strangers,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are exempt. Amplified Bible When Peter said, “From strangers,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are exempt [from taxation]. Christian Standard Bible “From strangers,” he said. “Then the sons are free,” Jesus told him. Holman Christian Standard Bible From strangers,” he said. “Then the sons are free,” Jesus told him. American Standard Version And when he said, From strangers, Jesus said unto him, Therefore the sons are free. Contemporary English Version Peter answered, "From foreigners." Jesus replied, "Then their own people don't have to pay. English Revised Version And when he said, From strangers, Jesus said unto him, Therefore the sons are free. GOD'S WORD® Translation "From other people," Peter answered. Jesus said to him, "Then the family members are exempt. Good News Translation "The foreigners," answered Peter. "Well, then," replied Jesus, "that means that the citizens don't have to pay. International Standard Version "From foreigners," he replied. So Jesus told him, "In that case, the subjects are exempt. Majority Standard Bible ?From others,? Peter answered. ?Then the sons are exempt,? Jesus said to him. NET Bible After he said, "From foreigners," Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free. New Heart English Bible And when he said, "From strangers." Jesus said to him, "Therefore the children are exempt. Webster's Bible Translation Peter saith to him, From strangers. Jesus saith to him, Then are the children free. Weymouth New Testament "From others," he replied. "Then the children go free," said Jesus. World English Bible Peter said to him, “From strangers.” Jesus said to him, “Therefore the children are exempt. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionPeter says to Him, “From the strangers.” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free; Berean Literal Bible And he having said, "From the strangers," Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free. Young's Literal Translation Peter saith to him, 'From the strangers.' Jesus said to him, 'Then are the sons free; Smith's Literal Translation Peter says to him, From strangers. Jesus said to him, Then are the children free. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd he said: Of strangers. Jesus said to him: Then the children are free. Catholic Public Domain Version New American Bible When he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him, “Then the subjects are exempt. New Revised Standard Version When Peter said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the children are free. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleSimon said to him, From strangers. Jesus said to him, Then the sons are free. Aramaic Bible in Plain English And Shimeon said to him, “From strangers.” Then Yeshua said to him, “Then the children are free.” NT Translations Anderson New TestamentPeter said to him: From the sons of others. Jesus said to him: Then are their own sons free. Godbey New Testament And he saying from aliens, Jesus said to him, Haweis New Testament Peter saith to him, From aliens. Jesus saith unto him, In that case then the children are free. Mace New Testament Peter said, of others. Jesus answered, then are the children free. Weymouth New Testament "From others," he replied. "Then the children go free," said Jesus. Worrell New Testament And, when he said, "From the aliens," Jesus said to him, Worsley New Testament Peter saith unto Him, Of others. Jesus answered him, Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Temple Tax…25“Yes,” he answered. When Peter entered the house, Jesus preempted him. “What do you think, Simon?” He asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect customs and taxes: from their own sons, or from others?” 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 Romans 13:7 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 22:21 “Caesar’s,” they answered. So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” Mark 12:17 Then Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” And they marveled at Him. Luke 20:25 So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” Romans 13:1-6 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God. / Consequently, whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. / For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Then do what is right, and you will have his approval. ... 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. / To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), to win those under the law. / To those without the law I became like one without the law (though I am not outside the law of God but am under the law of Christ), to win those without the law. ... Galatians 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery. John 8:36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. Acts 5:29 But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men. 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. 2 Kings 12:4-16 Then Joash said to the priests, “Collect all the money brought as sacred gifts into the house of the LORD—the census money, the money from vows, and the money brought voluntarily into the house of the LORD. / Let every priest receive it from his constituency, and let it be used to repair any damage found in the temple.” / By the twenty-third year of the reign of Joash, however, the priests had not yet repaired the damage to the temple. ... 2 Chronicles 24:6-10 So the king called Jehoiada the high priest and said, “Why have you not required the Levites to bring from Judah and Jerusalem the tax imposed by Moses the servant of the LORD and by the assembly of Israel for the Tent of the Testimony?” / For the sons of that wicked woman Athaliah had broken into the house of God and had even used the sacred objects of the house of the LORD for the Baals. / At the king’s command a chest was made and placed outside, at the gate of the house of the LORD. ... Ezra 6:8-10 I hereby decree what you must do for these elders of the Jews who are rebuilding this house of God: The cost is to be paid in full to these men from the royal treasury out of the taxes of the provinces west of the Euphrates, so that the work will not be hindered. / Whatever is needed—young bulls, rams, and lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, as well as wheat, salt, wine, and oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem—must be given to them daily without fail. / Then they will be able to offer sacrifices of a sweet aroma to the God of heaven and to pray for the lives of the king and his sons. Treasury of Scripture Peter said to him, Of strangers. Jesus said to him, Then are the children free. Jump to Previous Children Exempt Free Jesus Others Peter StrangersJump to Next Children Exempt Free Jesus Others Peter StrangersMatthew 17 1. The transfiguration of Jesus.14. He heals the boy with a demon, 22. foretells his own passion, 24. and pays tribute. From others, This phrase refers to the practice of collecting taxes from those who are not part of the ruling family or the citizens of a kingdom. In the context of Matthew 17, Jesus is discussing the temple tax, which was a religious levy imposed on Jewish males for the maintenance of the temple. The tax was traditionally collected from those outside the immediate family of the king, highlighting a distinction between insiders and outsiders. This reflects the broader biblical theme of separation between God's people and the world, as seen in passages like Exodus 19:5-6, where Israel is called a "kingdom of priests and a holy nation." Peter answered. Then the sons are exempt, Jesus said to him. Persons / Places / Events 1. JesusThe central figure in this passage, Jesus is teaching Peter about the nature of His kingdom and the freedom of the children of God. 2. Peter One of Jesus' closest disciples, Peter is engaged in a conversation with Jesus about the temple tax, which leads to a deeper teaching moment. 3. Temple Tax Collectors These individuals approached Peter to inquire whether Jesus pays the temple tax, setting the stage for the teaching moment. 4. Capernaum The location where this event takes place, a town where Jesus performed many miracles and teachings. 5. The Temple While not directly mentioned in this verse, the temple is the context for the tax being discussed, representing the religious obligations of the Jewish people. Teaching Points Understanding SonshipJesus uses the analogy of sons being exempt to illustrate the believer's position in God's family. As children of God, we are not bound by the same obligations as those outside the family. Freedom in Christ This passage highlights the freedom believers have in Christ. While we respect earthly authorities, our ultimate allegiance is to God's kingdom. Responsibility and Witness Jesus instructs Peter to pay the tax to avoid causing offense, teaching us the importance of being responsible and maintaining a good witness in society. Divine Provision The subsequent miracle of the coin in the fish's mouth (Matthew 17:27) reminds us of God's provision and care for our needs, even in mundane matters.(26) Of strangers.--The answer must be looked at from the Eastern rather than the European theory of taxation. To the Jews, as to other Eastern nations, direct taxation was hateful as a sign of subjugation. It had roused them to revolt under Rehoboam (1Kings 12:4), and they had stoned the officer who was over the tribute. They had groaned under it when imposed by the Syrian kings (1 Maccabees 10:29-30; 1 Maccabees 11:35). It was one of their grievances under Herod and his sons (Jos. Ant. xvii. 8, ? 4). Judas of Galilee and his followers had headed an insurrection against it as imposed by the Romans (Acts 5:37). It was still (as we see in Matthew 22:17) a moot point between the Pharisees and Herodians whether any Jew might lawfully pay it. Peter naturally answered our Lord's question at once from the popular Galilean view. Then are the children free.--The words are commonly interpreted as simply reminding Peter of his confession, and pressing home its logical consequence that He, the Christ, as the Son of God. was not liable to the "tribute" which was the acknowledgment of His Father's sovereignty. This was doubtless prominent in the answer, but its range is, it is believed, wider. (1.) If this is the only meaning, then the Israelites who paid the rate are spoken of as "aliens," or "foreigners," in direct opposition to the uniform language of Scripture as to their filial relation to Jehovah. (2.) The plural used not only in this verse but in that which follows, the "lest we should offend them," the payment for Peter as well as for Himself, all indicate that we are dealing with a general truth of wide application. Some light is thrown upon the matter by a fact of contemporary history. The very point which our Lord decides had been debated between the Pharisees and Sadducees. The Temple-rate question was to them what the Church-rate question has been in modern politics. After a struggle of seven days in the Sanhedrin, the Pharisees carried their point, made it (what it had not been before) a compulsory payment, and kept an annual festival in commemoration of their victory. Our Lord, placing the question on its true ground, pronounces judgment against the Pharisees on this as on other points. They were placing the Israelite on the level of a "stranger," not of a "son." The true law for "the children of the kingdom" was that which St. Paul afterwards proclaimed: "not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver" (2Corinthians 9:7). . . . Verse 26. - Of strangers. Peter is brought to the desired point. He answers, as any one would, that in earthly kingdoms the children of the ruling monarch are exempt from taxes, which are exacted from all other subjects. Then are the children free. The comparison required the use of the plural, though the reference is properly confined to himself. The deduction leads naturally to the lesson of Christ's immunity, he virtually implies (though the inference is not developed in words), "I am the Son of God, as you, Peter, have acknowledged; this tax is levied for the house and service of God, whose Son I am; therefore I am free from the obligation of paying it; it cannot be required that I should pay tribute to my Father." Looked at in its original nature, the impost could not with propriety be demanded from him. It was an offering of atonement, a ransom of souls. How could he give money in expiation of himself - he who had come to give his life a ransom for others? Why should he ransom himself from sin and death, who had come to take away sin and destroy death and open everlasting life to all men? There was need to make the point clear now that Christ had openly asserted his Messiahship and his Divine nature. To pay the demamt without explanation, after the statement of his Divinity, might occasion serious misapprehension in the minds of his followers. So he gently but convincingly shows that his claim of Sonship exempted him from all liability of the impost.Parallel Commentaries ... Greek “FromἈπὸ (Apo) Preposition Strong's 575: From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses. others,” ἀλλοτρίων (allotriōn) Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural Strong's 245: From allos; another's, i.e. Not one's own; by extension foreign, not akin, hostile. [Peter] answered. Εἰπόντος (Eipontos) Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say. “Then Ἄρα¦Γε (Ara¦Ge) Particle Strong's 686: Then, therefore, since. Probably from airo; a particle denoting an inference more or less decisive. the οἱ (hoi) Article - Nominative Masculine Plural Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. sons υἱοί (huioi) Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural Strong's 5207: A son, descendent. Apparently a primary word; a 'son', used very widely of immediate, remote or figuratively, kinship. are εἰσιν (eisin) Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist. exempt,” ἐλεύθεροί (eleutheroi) Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural Strong's 1658: Free, delivered from obligation. Probably from the alternate of erchomai; unrestrained, i.e. not a slave, or exempt. Jesus Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous) Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular Strong's 2424: Of Hebrew origin; Jesus, the name of our Lord and two other Israelites. declared. ἔφη (ephē) Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Strong's 5346: To say, declare. Properly, the same as the base of phos and phaino; to show or make known one's thoughts, i.e. Speak or say. 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