Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar^(A)

¹⁵ Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. ¹⁶ They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians.^(B) “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. ¹⁷ Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax^[a](C) to Caesar or not?”

¹⁸ But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? ¹⁹ Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, ²⁰ and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

²¹ “Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s,^(D) and to God what is God’s.”

²² When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.^(E)

Marriage at the Resurrection^(F)

²³ That same day the Sadducees,^(G) who say there is no resurrection,^(H) came to him with a question. ²⁴ “Teacher,” they said, “Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him.^{(I) 25} Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. ²⁶ The same thing happened to the second and third brother, right on down to the seventh. ²⁷ Finally, the woman died. ²⁸ Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?”

²⁹ Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures^(J) or the power of God. ³⁰ At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage;^(K) they will be like the angels in heaven. ³¹ But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, ³² ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’^[b]?^(L) He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”

³³ When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.^(M)

God’s Faithfulness

3 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? ² Much in every way!^(A) First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.^(B)

³ What if some were unfaithful?^(C) Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness?^{(D) 4} Not at all! Let God be true,^(E) and every human being a liar.^(F) As it is written:

⁵ But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly,^(H) what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.)^{(I) 6} Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world?^{(J) 7} Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory,^(K) why am I still condemned as a sinner?”^{(L) 8} Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”?^(M) Their condemnation is just!

No One Is Righteous

⁹ What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage?^(N) Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.^{(O) 10} As it is written:

¹⁹ Now we know that whatever the law says,^(V) it says to those who are under the law,^(W) so that every mouth may be silenced^(X) and the whole world held accountable to God.^{(Y) 20} Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law;^(Z) rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.^(AA)

Righteousness Through Faith

²¹ But now apart from the law the righteousness of God^(AB) has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.^{(AC) 22} This righteousness^(AD) is given through faith^(AE) in^[h] Jesus Christ^(AF) to all who believe.^(AG) There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,^{(AH) 23} for all have sinned^(AI) and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and all are justified^(AJ) freely by his grace^(AK) through the redemption^(AL) that came by Christ Jesus. ²⁵ God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,^[i](AM) through the shedding of his blood^(AN)—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished^(AO)— ²⁶ he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

²⁷ Where, then, is boasting?^(AP) It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. ²⁸ For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.^{(AQ) 29} Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,^{(AR) 30} since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.^{(AS) 31} Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

Psalm 51^[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.^(A)

Offerings at the Dedication of the Tabernacle

7 When Moses finished setting up the tabernacle,^(A) he anointed^(B) and consecrated it and all its furnishings.^(C) He also anointed and consecrated the altar and all its utensils.^{(D) 2} Then the leaders of Israel,^(E) the heads of families who were the tribal leaders in charge of those who were counted,^(F) made offerings. ³ They brought as their gifts before the Lord six covered carts^(G) and twelve oxen—an ox from each leader and a cart from every two. These they presented before the tabernacle.

⁴ The Lord said to Moses, ⁵ “Accept these from them, that they may be used in the work at the tent of meeting. Give them to the Levites as each man’s work requires.”

⁶ So Moses took the carts and oxen and gave them to the Levites. ⁷ He gave two carts and four oxen to the Gershonites,^(H) as their work required, ⁸ and he gave four carts and eight oxen to the Merarites,^(I) as their work required. They were all under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest. ⁹ But Moses did not give any to the Kohathites,^(J) because they were to carry on their shoulders^(K) the holy things, for which they were responsible.

¹⁰ When the altar was anointed,^(L) the leaders brought their offerings for its dedication^(M) and presented them before the altar. ¹¹ For the Lord had said to Moses, “Each day one leader is to bring his offering for the dedication of the altar.”

¹² The one who brought his offering on the first day was Nahshon^(N) son of Amminadab of the tribe of Judah.

¹⁸ On the second day Nethanel son of Zuar,^(AA) the leader of Issachar, brought his offering.

²⁴ On the third day, Eliab son of Helon,^(AC) the leader of the people of Zebulun, brought his offering.

³⁰ On the fourth day Elizur son of Shedeur,^(AD) the leader of the people of Reuben, brought his offering.

³⁶ On the fifth day Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai,^(AE) the leader of the people of Simeon, brought his offering.

⁴² On the sixth day Eliasaph son of Deuel,^(AF) the leader of the people of Gad, brought his offering.

⁴⁸ On the seventh day Elishama son of Ammihud,^(AG) the leader of the people of Ephraim, brought his offering.

⁵⁴ On the eighth day Gamaliel son of Pedahzur,^(AI) the leader of the people of Manasseh, brought his offering.

⁶⁰ On the ninth day Abidan son of Gideoni,^(AJ) the leader of the people of Benjamin, brought his offering.

⁶⁶ On the tenth day Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai,^(AK) the leader of the people of Dan, brought his offering.

⁷² On the eleventh day Pagiel son of Okran,^(AL) the leader of the people of Asher, brought his offering.

⁷⁸ On the twelfth day Ahira son of Enan,^(AM) the leader of the people of Naphtali, brought his offering.

⁸⁴ These were the offerings of the Israelite leaders for the dedication of the altar when it was anointed:^(AN) twelve silver plates, twelve silver sprinkling bowls^(AO) and twelve gold dishes.^{(AP) 85} Each silver plate weighed a hundred and thirty shekels, and each sprinkling bowl seventy shekels. Altogether, the silver dishes weighed two thousand four hundred shekels,^[e] according to the sanctuary shekel.^{(AQ) 86} The twelve gold dishes filled with incense weighed ten shekels each, according to the sanctuary shekel.^(AR) Altogether, the gold dishes weighed a hundred and twenty shekels.^{[f] 87} The total number of animals for the burnt offering^(AS) came to twelve young bulls, twelve rams and twelve male lambs a year old, together with their grain offering.^(AT) Twelve male goats were used for the sin offering.^{(AU) 88} The total number of animals for the sacrifice of the fellowship offering^(AV) came to twenty-four oxen, sixty rams, sixty male goats and sixty male lambs^(AW) a year old. These were the offerings for the dedication of the altar after it was anointed.^(AX)

⁸⁹ When Moses entered the tent of meeting^(AY) to speak with the Lord,^(AZ) he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the atonement cover^(BA) on the ark of the covenant law.^(BB) In this way the Lord spoke to him.

Setting Up the Lamps

8 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to Aaron and say to him, ‘When you set up the lamps, see that all seven light up the area in front of the lampstand.^(BC)’”

³ Aaron did so; he set up the lamps so that they faced forward on the lampstand, just as the Lord commanded Moses. ⁴ This is how the lampstand was made: It was made of hammered gold^(BD)—from its base to its blossoms. The lampstand was made exactly like the pattern^(BE) the Lord had shown Moses.

The Setting Apart of the Levites

⁵ The Lord said to Moses: ⁶ “Take the Levites from among all the Israelites and make them ceremonially clean.^{(BF) 7} To purify them, do this: Sprinkle the water of cleansing^(BG) on them; then have them shave their whole bodies^(BH) and wash their clothes.^(BI) And so they will purify themselves.^{(BJ) 8} Have them take a young bull with its grain offering of the finest flour mixed with olive oil;^(BK) then you are to take a second young bull for a sin offering.^{[g](BL) 9} Bring the Levites to the front of the tent of meeting^(BM) and assemble the whole Israelite community.^{(BN) 10} You are to bring the Levites before the Lord, and the Israelites are to lay their hands on them.^{(BO) 11} Aaron is to present the Levites before the Lord as a wave offering^(BP) from the Israelites, so that they may be ready to do the work of the Lord.

¹² “Then the Levites are to lay their hands on the heads of the bulls,^(BQ) using one for a sin offering^(BR) to the Lord and the other for a burnt offering,^(BS) to make atonement^(BT) for the Levites. ¹³ Have the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons and then present them as a wave offering^(BU) to the Lord. ¹⁴ In this way you are to set the Levites apart from the other Israelites, and the Levites will be mine.^(BV)

¹⁵ “After you have purified the Levites and presented them as a wave offering,^(BW) they are to come to do their work at the tent of meeting.^{(BX) 16} They are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to me. I have taken them as my own in place of the firstborn,^(BY) the first male offspring^(BZ) from every Israelite woman. ¹⁷ Every firstborn male in Israel, whether human or animal,^(CA) is mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set them apart for myself.^{(CB) 18} And I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn sons in Israel.^{(CC) 19} From among all the Israelites, I have given the Levites as gifts to Aaron and his sons^(CD) to do the work at the tent of meeting on behalf of the Israelites^(CE) and to make atonement for them^(CF) so that no plague will strike the Israelites when they go near the sanctuary.”

²⁰ Moses, Aaron and the whole Israelite community did with the Levites just as the Lord commanded Moses. ²¹ The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes.^(CG) Then Aaron presented them as a wave offering before the Lord and made atonement^(CH) for them to purify them.^{(CI) 22} After that, the Levites came to do their work^(CJ) at the tent of meeting under the supervision of Aaron and his sons. They did with the Levites just as the Lord commanded Moses.

²³ The Lord said to Moses, ²⁴ “This applies to the Levites: Men twenty-five years old or more^(CK) shall come to take part in the work at the tent of meeting,^{(CL) 25} but at the age of fifty,^(CM) they must retire from their regular service and work no longer. ²⁶ They may assist their brothers in performing their duties at the tent of meeting, but they themselves must not do the work.^(CN) This, then, is how you are to assign the responsibilities of the Levites.”