Καῖσαρ G2541
Caesar, the title for the reigning Roman emperor, used in taxation and judicial contexts
Καῖσαρ (Kaisar) is the Greek transliteration of the Latin 'Caesar,' functioning in the NT both as a proper name and as a royal title for the reigning emperor. It appears most memorably in the 'render unto Caesar' pericope (Matt 22:17-21, Mark 12:14-17, Luke 20:22-25), where Jesus' answer deftly navigates the political trap. In Acts, Kaisar denotes the emperor before whom Paul appeals his case (Acts 25:8-12, 26:32). Spanish 'Káisar,' French 'César,' and German 'Kaiser' (which later became a common noun meaning 'emperor') all witness to the term's layered political weight.
Senses
1. Caesar (Roman emperor) — The title and proper name Kaisar (Caesar) for the Roman emperor, carrying both political authority and theological tension in the NT. The Synoptic taxation controversy (Matt 22:17-21) poses the question of dual allegiance to God and empire. In Acts, Paul's appeal to Caesar (Acts 25:11) invokes the legal right of Roman citizenship, shifting the narrative to Rome itself. 29×
AR["أَمَامَ-قَيْصَرَ", "قَيصَرَ", "قَيْصَرَ", "لِقَيصَرَ", "لِقَيْصَرَ"]·ben["আর", "কৈসর।", "কৈসরকে", "কৈসরের", "কৈসরের-নিকটে", "কৈসরের-সামনে", "কৈসরের।"]·DE["Cäsar", "Kaiser"]·EN["Caesar", "Kaisar", "before-Caesar", "to-Caesar", "to-Kaisar"]·FR["César", "Césarée"]·heb["לְ-קֵיסָר", "לְ-קֵסַר", "לִפְנֵי-קֵיסָר", "קֵיסַר", "קֵיסָר", "קֵסַר", "שֶׁל-קֵיסָר"]·HI["कैसर", "कैसर-को", "कैसरकी", "कैसरकी।", "कैसरके", "कैसरकेसामने", "कैसरके।", "कैसरको,"]·ID["Kaisar", "Kaisar,", "Kaisar.", "kepada-Kaisar"]·IT["Cesare", "kaisara", "kaisari", "kaisaros"]·jav["Kaisar", "Kaisar,", "Kaisar.", "dhateng-Kaisar", "dhateng-Kaisar,"]·KO["가이사", "가이사-에게", "가이사-의", "가이사르", "가이사르-의", "가이사르에게", "가이사를", "가이사에게"]·PT["A-César", "César", "César,", "César.", "Perante-César", "a-César", "a-César,", "a-César."]·RU["Кесарю", "Кесарю,", "Кесарю.", "Кесаря", "Кесаря.", "к-Кесарю,", "кесарю"]·ES["A-Káisar", "Kaîsar", "Kaîsara", "Kaîsari", "Kaîsaros", "Káisar", "a-Kaisar", "a-Kaîsar", "a-Káisar", "ante-Káisar"]·SW["Kaisar", "Kaisari", "au", "kwa-Kaisari", "na"]·TR["Sezar", "Sezar'a", "Sezar'ın", "Sezar'ın-önüne", "Sezara", "değil"]·urd["قیصر", "قیصر-سے", "قیصر-کو", "قیصر-کے"]
Matt 22:17, Matt 22:21, Matt 22:21, Matt 22:21, Mark 12:14, Mark 12:16, Mark 12:17, Mark 12:17, Luke 2:1, Luke 3:1, Luke 20:22, Luke 20:24 (+17 more)
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
Καῖσαρ, -αρος, ὁ Cæsar: Mat.22:17, Luk.2:1, Jhn.19:12, Act.25:8 ff., al (From Abbott-Smith. LSJ has no entry)