Paying Taxes to Caesar

¹⁹ The scribes and the chief priests ^(A)tried to lay hands on Him that very hour, and yet they feared the people; for they were aware that He had spoken this parable against them. ^20 (B)And so they watched Him ^[a]closely, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, in order ^(C)that they might catch Him in some statement, so that they could hand Him over to the jurisdiction and authority of ^(D)the governor. ²¹ And the spies questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You speak and teach correctly, and You ^[b]are not partial to anyone, but You teach the way of God on the basis of truth. ²² Is it ^[c]permissible for us ^(E)to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” ²³ But He saw through their trickery and said to them, ²⁴ “Show Me a ^[d]denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?” They said, “Caesar’s.” ²⁵ And He said to them, “Then ^(F)pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” ²⁶ And they were unable to ^(G)catch Him in a statement in the presence of the people; and they were amazed at His answer, and said nothing.

The Temple Tax

²⁴ Now when they came to Capernaum, those who collected ^(A)the ^[a]two-drachma tax came to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay ^(B)the ^[b]two-drachma tax?” ²⁵ He *said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect ^(C)customs or ^[c](D)poll-tax, from their sons or from strangers?” ²⁶ When Peter said, “From strangers,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are ^[d]exempt. ²⁷ However, so that we do not ^(E)offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a ^[e]stater. Take that and give it to them for you and Me.”

²⁷ When they had brought them, they had them stand ^[a]before ^(A)the Council. The high priest interrogated them, ²⁸ saying, “We gave you ^(B)strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and ^[b]yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and ^(C)intend to bring this Man’s blood upon us.” ²⁹ But Peter and the apostles answered, “^(D)We must obey God rather than men.

A Call to Prayer

2 First of all, then, I urge that ^(A)requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made in behalf of all people, ^2 (B)for kings and all who are in ^[a]authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and ^[b]dignity. ³ This is good and acceptable in the sight of ^(C)God our Savior, ^4 (D)who wants all people to be ^(E)saved and to ^(F)come to the ^[c]knowledge of the truth.