Matthew 17:26
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 declared.

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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Shimeon said to him, “From strangers.” Then Yeshua said to him, “Then the children are free.”

Contemporary English Version
Peter answered, "From foreigners." Jesus replied, "Then their own people don't have to pay.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said: Of strangers. Jesus said to him: Then the children are free.

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.

Literal Standard Version
Peter says to Him, “From the strangers.” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free;

Majority Standard Bible
“From others,” Peter answered. “Then the sons are exempt,” Jesus declared.

New American Bible
When he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him, “Then the subjects are exempt.

NET Bible
After he said, "From foreigners," Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free.

New Revised Standard Version
When Peter said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the children 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.

Young's Literal Translation
Peter saith to him, 'From the strangers.' Jesus said to him, 'Then are the sons free;

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
Matthew 17:25
"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?"

Matthew 17:27
"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."


Treasury of Scripture

Peter said to him, Of strangers. Jesus said to him, Then are the children free.

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Matthew 17
1. The transfiguration of Jesus.
14. He heals the boy with a demon,
22. foretells his own passion,
24. and pays tribute.














(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
“From
Ἀπὸ (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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NT Gospels: Matthew 17:26 Peter said to him From strangers (Matt. Mat Mt)
Matthew 17:25
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