Top 7 Bible Verses About Taxes

“Nothing is certain but death and taxes” is a well-known saying often attributed to Benjamin Franklin as a statement on the inevitability of both. Taxes have been a part of history since the beginning of time, and they are also mentioned in the Bible quite a few times. Since God’s word has quite a lot to say about them, here are my top 7 Bible verses about taxes.

Amos 5:11 “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.” 

God does not approve of those who tax unfairly, as he is a just and righteous God. So in this passage written by the prophet Amos, he is reminding all of those who mistreat the poor or exact taxes unjustly, that they will be punished. They will think that they are making gains and getting rich off of others, but God’s justice will prevail. They will not reap anything good from what they have sown.

Matthew 9:9 “As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.” 

Jesus has a special place in heart for tax collectors, as he was even called a “friend of tax collectors and sinners” (Matthew 11:9). Matthew is only one of several tax collectors that ended up following Jesus. Zacchaeus was another famous Biblical character who was touched by his contact with our Lord and Savior, and he ended up turning his life completely around as well. All Matthew, Zacchaeus and other tax collectors did was “see” Jesus, hear his call, and then obey it. Likewise, we should do the same even today—no matter where we are in life.

Matthew 17:24 “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?” 

This is another important verse about taxes, because it was a direct attack on Jesus’ character. The tax collectors in the city of Capernaum were used to getting paid the required taxes, and so they challenged Jesus about this as well. I like this story a lot because in response to this question, Jesus told his disciple, Simon Peter, to go fishing and to take the first fish that came up, open its mouth, and take out the shekel he would find there. He was to give that coin to the tax collectors to pay the tax for himself and for Jesus. We serve a supernatural God, and if he can produce a coin from a fish’s mouth, how much more can he provide for our needs even today?

Mark 12:14 “And they came and said to him, ‘Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?’” 

Not only were the tax collectors interested in Jesus’ opinion about taxes, but likewise the Jewish Pharisees tried to trick him on this issue as well. Here in this passage, they begin by flattering him and then they asked him outright if it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, the Roman leader, or not. It was obviously an attempt to trap Jesus, as the Jews hated their Roman invaders. Nonetheless, Jesus, anointed by the Holy Spirit, responds appropriately by saying “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Mark 12:17). God’s sense of righteousness and justice come through here once again, and even the Pharisees marveled at Jesus’ wise response.

Luke 18:13 “But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’” 

Another one of my top verses about taxes is this one, as it refers to the man who came humbly to God seeking forgiveness and mercy. Apparently, he had come to salvation, and he was repentant for all of his sins as a tax collector. His humility was in sharp contrast to that of the Pharisee who had also come into the temple feeling assured and over-confident of his relationship with the Lord. In spite of the fact that the one man was collector of taxes, he had turned his life around.

Romans 13:6 “For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.” 

No one likes to pay taxes, but God’s word is clear about this issue. We need to pay taxes and obey the laws of the land. God has put those in authority over us as our leaders, and even when we disagree with their politics we must continue to pay our taxes. He even goes so far as to call these leaders his “ministers.”

Romans 13:7 “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.” 

My final top verse about taxes is also one of the most powerful, as it touches on the very heart of the matter. The Lord reminds us that we must give others what is due them—whether it be honor, respect, revenue, or taxes. We cannot withhold these things, but rather we must pay forward what we owe. God is all about righteousness, justice, and honor, and he expects us to live above reproach in every area of our lives.

CONCLUSION 

In conclusion, even though taxes and death are inevitable, we should focus more on the fact that we are doing the right thing. That doesn’t mean that we should approve of unjust taxes or corruption at all. But when we obey the laws of the land, when we respect our leaders, and when we pay our taxes, we are following the example that Jesus himself gave us while he walked on the earth. Therefore, paying taxes is not only a requirement but a privilege we have as Christians if we are to be obedient to God. When we follow his leading, the Lord will provide for us each and every time.

Written by Karla Hawkins

I am very grateful to be the pastor’s wife of a thriving church in northern Michigan and the mother of four amazing grown children. I also enjoy being a Christian author, editor and translator for the Kingdom of God. Some of my favorite pastimes include supporting my children’s contemporary Christian band ONLY9AM, singing on the worship team at church, traveling, and connecting with family and friends via social media. When I am not working, I love spending time with my family and especially with my precious three-year-old grandson.