Book of Common Prayer

¹³ We thank God without ceasing, because when you received from us the word whereby God was preached, you received it not as the word of man, but even as it was indeed: the word of God, which works in you who believe. ¹⁴ For you, brethren, took after the congregations of God in Judea that are in Christ Jesus. For you have suffered similar things from your countrymen as we ourselves have suffered from the Jews. ¹⁵ As they killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, even so have they persecuted us. And they do not please God, and are contrary to all men, ¹⁶ and oppose us preaching to the Gentiles so that they might be saved, to fulfil their sins always. For the wrath of God has come on them, even to the utmost.

¹⁷ But since, brethren, we have been kept from you for a season (as to bodily presence, but not in the heart), we tried all the more to see you personally, with great desire. ¹⁸ And therefore we would have gone to you – I, Paul, once and again – but Satan withstood us. ¹⁹ For what is our hope or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? ²⁰ Yes, you are our pride and joy.

¹⁹ And the high priests and the scribes in that same hour went about to lay hands on him, but they feared the people. For they perceived that he had spoken this similitude against them.

²⁰ And they watched him, and sent forth spies who would pretend to be sincere, to take him in his words, and to deliver him to the power and authority of the governor. ²¹ And they asked him, saying, Teacher, we know that you say and teach right, and do not consider any man’s degree, but teach the way of God truly. ²² Is it lawful for us to pay tribute to Caesar, or no?

²³ He perceived their craftiness and said to them, Why do you bait me? ²⁴ Show me a denarius. Whose image and superscription does it have?

They answered and said, Caesar’s.

²⁵ And he said to them, Give then to Caesar that which belongs to Caesar, and to God that which belongs to God.

²⁶ And they could not reprove his saying before the people. But they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.