Matthew 22:17 (YLT)

Passage

tell us, therefore, what dost thou think? is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not?'

Nearby Context

Matthew 22:15 Then the Pharisees having gone, took counsel how they might ensnare him in words,

Matthew 22:16 and they send to him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, `Teacher, we have known that thou art true, and the way of God in truth thou dost teach, and thou art not caring for any one, for thou dost not look to the face of men;

Matthew 22:17 tell us, therefore, what dost thou think? is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not?'

Matthew 22:18 And Jesus having known their wickedness, said, `Why me do ye tempt, hypocrites?

Matthew 22:19 show me the tribute-coin?' and they brought to him a denary;

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "tell", "therefore", "dost", "thou", "think", "lawful", "give", and "tribute". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "tell" and "therefore", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 16's "and they send to him their disciples..." into verse 18's "And Jesus having known their wickedness said...", so "tell" and "therefore" belong inside that flow. In Matthew context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "tell" and "therefore" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.