Tell us, then, what you think. Are we right in paying taxes to the Emperor, or not?"

"The Emperor's," they answered: on which he said to them: "Then pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and to God what belongs to God."

These men came to him and said: "Teacher, we know that you are an honest man, and are not afraid of any one, for you pay no regard to a man's position, but teach the Way of God honestly; are we right in paying taxes to the Emperor, or not?

And, when they had brought it, he asked: "Whose head and title are these?" "The Emperor's," they said;

And Jesus replied: "Pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and to God what belongs to God." And they wondered at him.

Now it happened in those days that a decree was sent out from Caesar Augustus [the Emperor of the Roman Empire] requiring [people from] the whole empire to be registered [i.e., for taxation purposes].

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius the Emperor, Pontius Pilate being leftenant of Jewry, and Herod being Tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip Tetrarch in Ituraea, and in the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the Tetrarch of Abilene:

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

"Show me a denarius. Whose head and title does it bear?" They said, "The emperor's."

"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."

Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles have absolute power and lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’

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.'"

After these things happened Jesus went across to the east side of Lake Galilee, also called Lake Tiberias. [Note: This lake also bore a name honoring the Roman Emperor Tiberias].

As a result of this, Pilate kept making efforts to release Him, but the Jews kept screaming, “If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar! Anyone who makes himself out [to be] a king opposes Caesar [and rebels against the emperor]!”

At that the people shouted: "Kill him! Kill him! Crucify him!" "What! shall I crucify your King?" exclaimed Pilate. "We have no King but the Emperor," replied the Chief Priests;

But [later on] Philip appeared at Azotus and after leaving there he preached the good news [of Jesus] to all the towns along the way until he reached Caesarea. [Note: Caesarea was a town on the west coast of Palestine, named after the emperor Caesar].

And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the spirit, that there should be great dearth throughout all the world, which came to pass in the Emperor Claudius' days.

Jason has received them into his house; and they all set Caesar's authority at defiance, declaring that there is another Emperor-- one called Jesus."

There he met a certain Jewish man named Aquila, a native of Pontus, [in northern Asia Minor] who, with his wife Priscilla, had recently come from Rome, because Claudius [the Roman Emperor] had ordered all Jews out of that city. Paul met this couple

Paul said in his defense, "I have done nothing wrong against the Law of the Jews, or of the Temple, or of the emperor."

But Paul said, "I am standing before the emperor's judgment seat where I ought to be tried. I haven't done anything wrong to the Jewish leaders, as you know very well.

If I'm guilty and have done something that deserves death, I'm willing to die. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can hand me over to them as a favor. I appeal to the emperor!"

Festus talked it over with the council and then answered, "To the emperor you have appealed; to the emperor you will go!"

But when Paul had appealed to be kept for the decision of the emperor, I commanded him to be kept till I should send him to Caesar.

But I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death: and as he himself appealed to the emperor I determined to send him.

I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore, I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after this examination is over, I may have something to write.

Agrippa told Festus, "This man could have been set free if he hadn't appealed to the emperor."

When it was decided that we should sail to Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were transferred to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the emperor's division.

and said, "Stop being afraid, Paul! You must stand before the emperor. Indeed, God has given to you the lives of everyone who is sailing with you.'

But the Jews objected and forced me to appeal to the emperor, even though I have no countercharge to bring against my own people.

All the saints, especially those of the emperor's household, greet you.

The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen. {The end of the Second Epistle unto Timothy, Written from Rome, when Paul was presented the second time up before the Emperor Nero}

Submit yourselves to [the authority of] every human institution for the sake of the Lord [to honor His name], whether it is to a king as one in a position of power,

Show respect for all people [treat them honorably], love the brotherhood [of believers], fear God, honor the king.