When the court officers had brought the Apostles in and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, the high priest questioned them, "We gave you strict orders (did we not?) to stop teaching in that name. Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and want to bring this man's blood upon us." But Peter and the apostles said in reply, "We must obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. We are witnesses of these things, as is the holy Spirit that God has given to those who obey him." When they heard this, they became infuriated and wanted to put them to death.

This is why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him. If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

—Romans 13:6-7

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Ouch! Tax day. Not my favorite day, how about you? But where would we be without government, order, and laws? Anarchy! Rebellion! Lawlessness! Dog-eat-dog days where all people are "in it" only for themselves! While we may not always like how the system functions, we need to know from God how he wants us to live with flawed people in community. Paul is not naive. He knows he is likely going to be imprisoned and martyred by the Roman government. So, we can follow Paul's example as we seek to be redemptive in our living, obedient in our citizenship, and ask God to bless our countries and bring revival to them. Jesus left us this principle:

"So give back to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." (Matthew 22:21)

The apostle Paul explained and expanded Jesus' principle in our verse today:

Give everyone what you owe him. If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Now it is up to us, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to live up to that principle even in challenging times!

My Prayer...

Holy God, I thank you that I am free in you and belong to no one and no power other than you. To you, O God, I offer my full and undivided allegiance. Because I want your name and your people to be respected, I will obey the laws of my land as long as they align with your will. I know it is good for the spread of the gospel of Jesus and for the blessing of all people that we be at peace in our world (Romans 12:18), so, dear LORD, I pray for peace. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.

The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.

—Proverbs 15:3

---

Ⓒ 1996-2026 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent.

Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the earth and all living things join in. Let the rivers clap their hands in glee! Let the hills sing out their songs of joy before the LORD. For the LORD is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with fairness.

—Psalm 98:7-9

---

Ⓒ 1996-2026 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent.

[Jesus continued,] "You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life."

—John 5:39-40 NLT

Key Thought

As important as the Scriptures are, Jesus is very much more important. He is the message to whom Scripture points. ^[1] He is the key to unlock the message of God in the Bible. He is the reason the "Amen" can be spoken when Scripture is read. Jesus is the crucial, central, essential message around which Scripture turns. Why? Because he is God's greatest word. ^[2] He is "'Immanuel... God with us.'" ^[3] He is God's message. He gives life.

Today's Prayer

Thank you, O LORD God of Israel, for speaking through nature, Scripture, the Holy Spirit, and experience. Thank you, most of all, for speaking so clearly and definitively in Jesus. Please open my heart and my mind to the message you want me to hear. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

• 2 Timothy 3:14-17
• 2 Corinthians 1:18-20
• John 1:1-3

---

Ⓒ 1996-2026 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form. Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.