Caesar’s coin and cautious answers
On Caesar and God. Pharisees with Herodians test him about the census. Showing the coin he says: render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. When tested by those hunting occasions, we must neither go wholly silent nor speak rashly, but answer carefully so as to cut off every handle and secure what leads to salvation.
Greek
Περὶ Καίσαρος καὶ Θεοῦ. Οἱ Φαρισαῖοι μετὰ τῶν Ἡρῳδιανῶν πειράζουσιν περὶ τοῦ κήνσου. Ὁ δὲ δείξας τὸ νόμισμα φησίν· «Ἀπόδοτε τὰ Καίσαρος Καίσαρι καὶ τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῷ Θεῷ.» Ὅταν ὑπὸ τῶν ζητούντων ἀφορμὰς πειραζώμεθα, οὐ δεῖ παντελῶς σιγᾶν οὐδὲ εἰκῇ λαλεῖν, ἀλλὰ μετὰ εὐλαβείας ἀποκρίνεσθαι, ἵνα πᾶσαν ἀφορμὴν ἐκκόψωμεν καὶ τὰ πρὸς σωτηρίαν αὐτοῖς περιποιήσωμεν.
About this text
Origen’s Commentary on Matthew, Tomus XVII (Greek). Complete on this page: §§1–4.
English follows PG 13 (Migne) Greek. Heine was not used as wording. This page is Tomus XVII §§1–4 (closeout).
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG 13 (Migne) — Greek (Greek · Tomus XVII §§1–4)
English is newly prepared for study from the stated edition. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.