Book of Common Prayer

¹³ And here is another reason why we always thank God all the time. When you heard God's word from us, you did not say, `That is men's word.' But you said, `That is God's word.' And it really is God's word. The word is working in you Christians.

¹⁴ My brothers, you were like the churches of God in Judea which belong to Christ Jesus. The people of your own country troubled you in the same way that the Jews troubled them.

¹⁵ The Jewish leaders killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets. And they drove us out of their country. They do not please God and they are against all other people.

¹⁶ They try to stop us from talking to those people who are not Jews. They do not want them to be saved. So they are always doing wrong things. And now at last, God has become very angry with them. have been away from you for a short time in body, but not in heart. We wanted very much to see you face to face, and we tried hard to come.

¹⁷ We wanted to come to you. Twice, I, Paul, wanted to come. But Satan stopped us.

¹⁸ What is our hope when our Lord Jesus comes? What will make us happy and proud then? It is you people!

¹⁹ You are ones of whom we are proud. You make us happy.

¹⁹ The scribes and the chief priests wanted to catch Jesus right then but they feared the people. They understood that he had told this story against them.

²⁰ So they watched for a chance to catch him. And they sent men to spy on him. These men acted as if they were good men. They did this because they wanted to catch him in something that he said. They wanted to give him over to the ruler who would judge and punish him.

²¹ So they asked Jesus, `Teacher, we know that you talk and teach what is right. You do not fear any person. But you teach the true way of God.

²² Is it right to pay money as taxes to Caesar or is it not?'

²³ He knew they were trying to get him into trouble.

²⁴ So he said, `Show me a piece of money. Whose picture and name are on it?' They said, `Caesar's'

²⁵ Then he said to them, `So give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.'

²⁶ They were not able to catch him in anything he said in front of the people. They were surprised at his answer and they could not say anything.