¹⁴ that the kingdom might be ^(A)brought low and not lift itself up, but that by keeping his covenant it might stand.

¹⁴ I will bring back the captives of Egypt and cause them to return to the land of Pathros, to the land of their origin, and there they shall be a ^(A)lowly kingdom.

¹⁷ Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

¹⁸ But Jesus ^[a]perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? ¹⁹ Show Me the tax money.”

So they brought Him a denarius.

²⁰ And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?”

²¹ They said to Him, “Caesar’s.”

And He said to them, ^(A)“Render^[b] therefore to Caesar the things that are ^(B)Caesar’s, and to God the things that are ^(C)God’s.”

¹⁷ Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “Thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘If you surely ^(A)surrender^{[a] (B)}to the king of Babylon’s princes, then your soul shall live; this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live.

¹² I also spoke to ^(A)Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, “Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live! ^13 (B)Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the Lord has spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? ¹⁴ Therefore ^(C)do not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they prophesy ^(D)a lie to you; ¹⁵ for I have ^(E)not sent them,” says the Lord, “yet they prophesy a lie in My name, that I may drive you out, and that you may perish, you and the prophets who prophesy to you.”

¹⁶ Also I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Do not listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, “Behold, ^(F)the vessels of the Lord’s house will now shortly be brought back from Babylon”; for they prophesy a lie to you. ¹⁷ Do not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon, and live! Why should this city be laid waste?

³⁰ Therefore the Lord God of Israel says: ^(A)‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.’ But now the Lord says: ^(B)‘Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and ^(C)those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.