After writing yesterday’s post about Mark 12:13-17, I became curious whether all Bible translators choose to head this as a story about taxes or giving oneself to God. This is what I found:
| New International Version | Paying Taxes to Caesar |
| New American Standard Bible | Jesus Answers the Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes |
| The Message | Paying Taxes to Caesar |
| Amplified Bible | No heading |
| New Living Translation | Taxes for Caesar |
| King James Version | No heading |
| English Standard Version | Paying Taxes to Caesar |
| Contemporary English Version | Paying Taxes |
| New King James Version | The Pharisees: Is It Lawful to Pay Taxes to Caesar? |
| 21st Century King James Version | No heading |
| American Standard Version | No heading |
| Young’s Literal Translation | No heading |
| Darby Translation | No heading |
| New Life Version | They Try To Trap Jesus |
| Holman Christian Standard Bible | God and Caesar |
| New International Reader’s Version | Is It Right to Pay Taxes to Caesar? |
| Wycliffe New Testament | No heading |
| Worldwide English (New Testament) | No heading |
| New International Version – UK | Paying Taxes to Caesar |
Of the versions surveyed, only the Holman Christian Standard Bible mentioned both Caesar and God. Most of the headings mentions paying taxes; one mentions Jesus answering questions and another the attempt to trap Jesus.
Do the Bible translators miss the point of Jesus’ statement? I would hope not. Imagine trying to find this story by reading the headings if the heading said, “Give to God what is His.”
Also, people tend to remember the story, not the answer. That’s why Jesus told so many parables. We remember the stories. It may take some time for the meaning to sink in.