About that time an edict was issued by the Emperor Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole Empire.

In the fifteenth year of the reign of the Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was Governor of Judea, Herod Ruler of Galilee, his brother Philip Ruler of the territory comprising Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias Ruler of Abilene,

Are we right in paying tribute to the Emperor or not?"

"The Emperor's," they said; and Jesus replied: "Well then, pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and to God what belongs to God."

And they began to accuse him: "This is a man whom we found misleading our people, preventing them from paying taxes to the Emperor, and giving out that he himself is 'Christ, a King.'"