Bible Verses About Taxes – Christianity FAQ

Luke 3:13

ESV	And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.”
KJV	And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.
NASB	And he said to them, “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.”
NIV	“Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.
NLT	He replied, “Collect no more taxes than the government requires.”

Romans 13:2

ESV	Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
KJV	Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
NASB	Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.
NIV	Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
NLT	So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished.

Ezra 7:24

ESV	We also notify you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll on anyone of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.
KJV	Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.
NASB	“We also inform you that it is not allowed to impose tax, tribute or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, Nethinim or servants of this house of God.
NIV	You are also to know that you have no authority to impose taxes, tribute or duty on any of the priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers, temple servants or other workers at this house of God.
NLT	I also decree that no priest, Levite, singer, gatekeeper, Temple servant, or other worker in this Temple of God will be required to pay tribute, customs, or tolls of any kind.’

“By God’s own sovereign decree, presidents, kings, prime ministers, governors, mayors, police, and all other governmental authorities stand in His place for the preservation of society. To resist government is therefore to resist God. To refuse to pay taxes is to disobey God’s command. By God’s own declaration, to pay taxes to Caesar honors God [Rom. 13:15; 1 Ti. 2:1-3; 1 Pet. 2:13-15].” ~ John MacArthur

Romans 13:7

ESV	Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
KJV	Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
NASB	Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.
NIV	Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
NLT	Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.

“No man should think he is giving less service to the one God when he obeys human laws, pays tax, or bows his head to accept any other burden.” ~ John Calvin

Amos 5:11

ESV	Therefore because you trample on the poor and you exact taxes of grain from him, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine.
KJV	Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them.
NASB	Therefore because you impose heavy rent on the poor And exact a tribute of grain from them, Though you have built houses of well-hewn stone, Yet you will not live in them; You have planted pleasant vineyards, yet you will not drink their wine.
NIV	You levy a straw tax on the poor and impose a tax on their grain. Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them; though you have planted lush vineyards, you will not drink their wine.
NLT	You trample the poor, stealing their grain through taxes and unfair rent. Therefore, though you build beautiful stone houses, you will never live in them. Though you plant lush vineyards, you will never drink wine from them.

Exodus 20:15

ESV	“You shall not steal.
KJV	Thou shalt not steal.
NASB	“You shall not steal.
NIV	“You shall not steal.
NLT	“You must not steal.

Romans 13:1

ESV	Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
KJV	Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
NASB	Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.
NIV	Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
NLT	Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.

Nehemiah 10:32

ESV	“We also take on ourselves the obligation to give yearly a third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God:
KJV	Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God;
NASB	We also placed ourselves under obligation to contribute yearly one third of a shekel for the service of the house of our God:
NIV	“We assume the responsibility for carrying out the commands to give a third of a shekel each year for the service of the house of our God:
NLT	“In addition, we promise to obey the command to pay the annual Temple tax of one-eighth of an ounce of silver for the care of the Temple of our God.

Luke 18:11

ESV	The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
KJV	The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
NASB	“The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
NIV	The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.
NLT	The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector!

Matthew 17:24

ESV	When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?”
KJV	And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?
NASB	When they came to Capernaum, those who collected the two-drachma tax came to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the two-drachma tax?”
NIV	After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”
NLT	On their arrival in Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax came to Peter and asked him, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the Temple tax?”

Matthew 11:19

ESV	The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”
KJV	The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
NASB	“The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”
NIV	The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”
NLT	The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by its results.”