Book of Common Prayer

¹⁵ And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (the number of names that were together was about a hundred and twenty), and said, ¹⁶ Men and brethren, this scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was a guide to those who took Jesus. ¹⁷ For he was numbered with us, and had obtained fellowship in this ministry. ¹⁸ And this Judas has now possessed a plot of ground with the reward of iniquity, and when he was hanged, burst in the middle, and all his bowels gushed out. ¹⁹ And this is known to all the inhabiters of Jerusalem, insomuch that this field is called in their mother tongue Akel Dama; that is to say, the Field of Blood.

²⁰ It is written in the book of Psalms: Let his habitation be void, and let no one dwell in it; and his office, let another take. ²¹ Therefore, of these men who have been with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, ²² beginning at the baptism of John to the same day that he was taken up from us, one must bear witness with us of his resurrection.

²³ And they proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, whose surname was Justus, and Matthias. ²⁴ And they prayed, saying, You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which of these two you have chosen, ²⁵ so that one may take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas, by transgression, fell, that he might go to his own place.

²⁶ And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles.

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.