¹⁴ that the kingdom might be humble and not lift itself up, and keep his covenant that it might stand.

¹⁴ and ^(A)I will restore the fortunes of Egypt and bring them back to ^(B)the land of Pathros, the land of their origin, and there they shall be a lowly kingdom.

¹⁷ Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay ^(A)taxes to ^(B)Caesar, or not?” ¹⁸ But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why ^(C)put me to the test, you hypocrites? ¹⁹ Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius.^{[a] 20} And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” ²¹ They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, ^(D)“Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.”

⁶ and it sprouted and became a ^(A)low ^(B)spreading vine, and its branches turned toward him, and its roots remained where it stood. So it became a vine and produced branches and put out boughs.

¹⁷ Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “Thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: ^(A)If you will surrender to ^(B)the officials of the king of Babylon, ^(C)then your life shall be spared, and this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live.

¹² To ^(A)Zedekiah king of Judah I spoke in like manner: ^(B)“Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and ^(C)serve him and his people and live. ^13 (D)Why will you and your people die ^(E)by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, ^(F)as the Lord has spoken concerning any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? ^14 (G)Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are saying to you, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon,’ ^(H)for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you. ¹⁵ I have not sent them, declares the Lord, but ^(I)they are prophesying falsely in my name, with the result that I will drive you out and you will perish, you and the prophets who are prophesying to you.”

¹⁶ Then I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, “Thus says the Lord: ^(J)Do not listen to the words of your prophets who are prophesying to you, saying, ^(K)‘Behold, the vessels of the Lord's house will now shortly be brought back from Babylon,’ ^(L)for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you. ^17 (M)Do not listen to them; ^(N)serve the king of Babylon and live. Why should this city ^(O)become a desolation?

³⁶ Behold, ^(A)we are slaves this day; in the land that you gave to our fathers to enjoy its fruit and its good gifts, behold, we are slaves. ^37 (B)And its rich yield goes to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. They rule over our bodies and over our livestock as they please, and we are in great distress.

³⁰ Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ^(A)‘I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,’ ^(B)but now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.