¹ Now it happened in those days, that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.

² This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

³ All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city.

⁴ Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David;

⁵ to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant.

⁶ It happened, while they were there, that the day had come that she should give birth.

¹⁰ Pilate therefore said to him, "Aren't you speaking to me? Don't you know that I have power to release you, and have power to crucify you?"

¹¹ Jesus answered, "You would have no power at all against me, unless it were given to you from above. Therefore he who delivered me to you has greater sin."

¹² At this, Pilate was seeking to release him, but the Jews cried out, saying, "If you release this man, you aren't Caesar's friend! Everyone who makes himself a king speaks against Caesar!"

⁹ for a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

²⁵ Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are with him in the way; lest perhaps the prosecutor deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison.

²⁶ Most assuredly I tell you, you shall by no means get out of there, until you have paid the last penny.{Literally, kodrantes. A kodrantes was a small copper coin worth about 2 lepta (widow's mites)--not enough to buy very much of anything.}

²⁷ "You have heard that it was said, {TR adds "to the ancients,"} 'You shall not commit adultery;'

¹² having good behavior among the nations, so in that which they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they see, glorify God in the day of visitation.

¹³ Therefore subject yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether to the king, as supreme;

¹⁴ or to governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evil-doers and for praise to those who do well.

¹⁵ For this is the will of God, that by well-doing you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

¹⁸ Yes, and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.

¹⁹ But when they deliver you up, don't be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say.

²⁰ For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

¹⁵ Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are accounted as the small dust of the balance: Behold, he takes up the isles as a very little thing.

¹⁶ Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the animals of it sufficient for a burnt offering.

¹⁷ All the nations are as nothing before him; they are accounted by him as less than nothing, and vanity.

¹⁸ To whom then will you liken God? or what likeness will you compare to him?

¹ Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are ordained by God.

² Therefore he who resists the authority, withstands the ordinance of God; and those who withstand will receive to themselves judgment.

³ For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do that which is good, and you will have praise from the same,

⁴ for he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid, for he doesn't bear the sword in vain; for he is a minister of God, an avenger for wrath to him who does evil.

⁵ Therefore you need to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath, but also for conscience' sake.

⁶ For this reason you also pay taxes, for they are ministers of God's service, attending continually on this very thing.

⁷ Give therefore to everyone what you owe: taxes to whom taxes are due; customs to whom customs; respect to whom respect; honor to whom honor.

⁸ Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

⁸ Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

¹⁷ Tell us therefore, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?"

¹⁸ But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why do you test me, you hypocrites?

¹⁹ Show me the tax money." They brought to him a denarius.

²⁰ He asked them, "Whose is this image and inscription?"

²¹ They said to him, "Caesar's." Then he said to them, "Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

²² When they heard it, they marveled, and left him, and went away.

²⁴ When they had come to Capernaum, those who collected the didrachma coins{A didrachma is a Greek silver coin worth 2 drachmas, about as much as 2 Roman denarii, or about 2 days wages. It was commonly used to pay the half-shekel temple tax, because 2 drachmas were worth one half shekel of silver.} came to Peter, and said, "Doesn't your teacher pay the didrachma?"

²⁵ He said, "Yes." When he came into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth receive toll or tribute? From their children, or from strangers?"

²⁶ Peter said to him, "From strangers." Jesus said to him, "Therefore the children are exempt.

²⁷ But, lest we cause them to stumble, go to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the first fish that comes up. When you have opened its mouth, you will find a stater coin.{A stater is a silver coin equivalent to four Attic or two Alexandrian drachmas, or a Jewish shekel: just exactly enough to cover the half-shekel Temple Tax for two people.} Take that, and give it to them for me and you."