October 18, 2026

1Thus says the LORD to his anointed, Cyrus, whose right hand I grasp, Subduing nations before him, stripping kings of their strength, Opening doors before him, leaving the gates unbarred: 4For the sake of Jacob, my servant, of Israel my chosen one, I have called you by name, giving you a title, though you do not know me. 5I am the LORD, there is no other, there is no God besides me. It is I who arm you, though you do not know me, 6so that all may know, from the rising of the sun to its setting, that there is none besides me. I am the LORD, there is no other.

1Psalm 96 God of the Universe I - Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. 3Tell his glory among the nations; among all peoples, his marvelous deeds. 4II - For great is the LORD and highly to be praised, to be feared above all gods. 5For the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. 7III - Give to the LORD, you families of nations, give to the LORD glory and might; 8give to the LORD the glory due his name! Bring gifts and enter his courts; 9bow down to the LORD, splendid in holiness. Tremble before him, all the earth; 10declare among the nations: The LORD is king. The world will surely stand fast, never to be shaken. He rules the peoples with fairness.

1Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: grace to you and peace. 2Thanksgiving for Their Faith. We give thanks to God always for all of you, remembering you in our prayers, unceasingly 3calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father, 4knowing, brothers loved by God, how you were chosen. 5For our gospel did not come to you in word alone, but also in power and in the holy Spirit and [with] much conviction. You know what sort of people we were [among] you for your sake.

15that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like lights in the world, 16as you hold on to the word of life, so that my boast for the day of Christ may be that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

15Then the Pharisees went off and plotted how they might entrap him in speech. 16They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. And you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion, for you do not regard a person’s status. 17Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” 18Knowing their malice, Jesus said, “Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? 19Show me the coin that pays the census tax.” Then they handed him the Roman coin. 20He said to them, “Whose image is this and whose inscription?” 21They replied, “Caesar’s.” At that he said to them, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”