Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

1 Paul^[a] and Silvanus^[b] and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

We Give Thanks For Your Faith And Love And Endurance

² We are giving-thanks to God always for you all while making mention of you in our prayers, unceasingly^{[c] 3} remembering your work of ^[d] faith and labor of love and endurance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ before our God and Father; ⁴ knowing, brothers having been loved by God, your election^[e], ⁵ because our good-news did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with great fullness-of-conviction— just as you know what-kind-of men we proved-to-be among you for your sake.

For You Became Imitators of Us And Examples To All

⁶ And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, having accepted the word in much affliction with the joy of the Holy Spirit, ⁷ so that you became an example to all the ones believing in Macedonia and in Achaia. ⁸ For from you the word of the Lord has sounded-forth— not only in Macedonia and in Achaia, but in every place your faith toward God has gone-out— so that we are having no need to speak anything! ⁹ For they themselves are reporting about us as to what-sort-of entrance^[f] we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to be serving the living and true God, ¹⁰ and to be awaiting His Son from the heavens Whom He raised from the dead— Jesus, the One delivering us from the coming wrath.

The Pharisees Try To Snare Jesus: Shall We Pay Taxes To Caesar?

¹⁵ Then the Pharisees, having gone, took counsel so that they might snare Him in a statement. ¹⁶ And they send-forth their disciples to Him, with the Herodians^[a], saying, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful, and You teach the way of God in truth. And You are not concerned about [pleasing] anyone, for You do not look at the face^[b] of people. ¹⁷ Tell us then, what seems right to You? Is it lawful to give a poll-tax^[c] to Caesar, or not?” ¹⁸ But having known their evilness^[d], Jesus said, “Why are you testing Me, hypocrites? ¹⁹ Show Me the coin for the poll-tax”. And the ones brought to Him a denarius^[e]. ²⁰ And He says to them, “Whose is this image and inscription?” ²¹ They say to Him, “Caesar’s”. Then He says to them, “Then give-back^[f] the things of Caesar to Caesar, and the things of God to God”. ²² And having heard it, they marveled. And having left Him, they went away.