en_tn/luk/20/21.md

953 B

but you teach the truth about the way of God

This is part of what the spy was saying that they knew about Jesus.

are not influenced by anyone

Possible meanings are 1) "you tell the truth even if important people do not like it" (UDB) or 2) "you do not favor one person over another."

Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar

They hoped that Jesus would say either "yes" or "no." If he said "yes," then the Jewish people would be angry with him for telling them to pay taxes to a foreign government. If he said "no," then the religious leaders could tell the Romans that Jesus was teaching the people to break the Roman laws.

Is it lawful

They were asking about God's law, not about Caesar's law. This can also be translated "Does our law permit us."

Caesar

Because Caesar was the ruler of the Roman government, they could refer to the Roman government by Caesar's name. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy)