Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's

Cultural  

1. The response of Jesus when his enemies tried to trap him by asking whether it was right for the Jews (see also Jews), whose nation had been taken over by the Roman Empire, to pay tribute to the Roman emperor. He took a Roman coin that would be used to pay the tribute and asked whose picture was on it; his questioners answered, “Caesar's.” The reply of Jesus implied that in using Roman coins, the Jews accepted the rule of the Romans, and so the Roman government had the right to tax them, as long as the Jews were not compromising their religious duties. Jesus' more general point was, “Give to worldly authorities the things that belong to them, and to God what belongs to God.”

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Example Sentences

Then, of a sudden, there was a light in the world, and a man from Galilee saying, Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s.

From The Wall Street Journal

After all, the scriptures enjoin Christians to render “unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.”

From New York Times

Nearly 400 readers wrote, and some quoted the Bible to the bishops: "Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's."

From Time Magazine Archive

The Bible says, 'Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's.'

From Time Magazine Archive

He said, `Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's.'

From Project Gutenberg