²² Is it lawful for us to give ^(A)tribute to ^(B)Caesar, or not?”

^37 (A)And its rich yield goes to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. They rule over our bodies and over our livestock as they please, and we are in great distress.

³⁷ After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of ^(A)the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered.

¹⁴ And they came and said to him, “Teacher, ^(A)we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For ^(B)you are not swayed by appearances,^[a] but truly teach ^(C)the way of God. Is it lawful to pay ^(D)taxes to ^(E)Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” ¹⁵ But, knowing ^(F)their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why ^(G)put me to the test? Bring me ^(H)a denarius^[b] and let me look at it.” ¹⁶ And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar's.” ¹⁷ Jesus said to them, ^(I)“Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” And they marveled at him.

¹⁷ Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay ^(A)taxes to ^(B)Caesar, or not?” ¹⁸ But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why ^(C)put me to the test, you hypocrites? ¹⁹ Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius.^{[a] 20} And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” ²¹ They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, ^(D)“Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.”

²⁵ He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, ^(A)“What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or ^(B)tax? From their sons or from others?”

⁴ And there were those who said, “We have borrowed money for ^(A)the king's tax on our fields and our vineyards.

^7 (A)From the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great ^(B)guilt. And for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, ^(C)and to utter shame, as it is today.

¹⁹ And I made a decree, and search has been made, and it has been found that this city from of old has risen against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it. ²⁰ And mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, ^(A)who ruled over the whole province Beyond the River, to whom ^(B)tribute, custom, and toll were paid. ²¹ Therefore make a decree that these men be made to cease, and that this city be not rebuilt, until a decree is made by me. ²² And take care not to be slack in this matter. Why should damage grow to the hurt of the king?”