¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature,^(A) who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.^(B)

¹³ Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?^{(A) 14} But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.^(B) “Do not fear their threats^[a]; do not be frightened.”^[b](C)

⁹ And this is my prayer: that your love^(A) may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,^{(B) 10} so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,^(C)

¹⁴ The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God^(A) but considers them foolishness,^(B) and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. ¹⁵ The person with the Spirit^(C) makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments,

⁵ Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.^(A)

⁶ This is also why you pay taxes,^(B) for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. ⁷ Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes;^(C) if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

¹⁹ But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him?^(A) You be the judges!

²⁵ He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s,^(A) and to God what is God’s.”

²⁹ Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!^(A)