Isaiah 45:1, 4-6
Psalm 96:1, 3-5, 7-10
1 Thessalonians 1:1-5
Matthew 22:15-21
Isaiah 45:1, 4-6
(1) Thus says the Lord to my anointed Cyrus, whose right hand I hold, so that I may subjugate the nations before his face, and I may turn the backs of kings, and I may open the doors before him, and so that the gates will not be shut. (4) For the sake of Jacob, my servant, and Israel, my elect, I have even called you by your name. I have taken you up, and you have not known me. (5) I am the Lord, and there is no one else. There is no god beside me. I girded you, and you have not known me. (6) So may those who are from the rising of the sun, and those who are from its setting, know that there is no one beside me. I am the Lord, and there is no other.
Psalm 96:1, 3-5, 7-10
(1) A Canticle of David himself, when the house was built after the captivity. Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing to the Lord, all the earth. (3) Announce his glory among the Gentiles, his miracles among all peoples. (4) For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised. He is terrible, beyond all gods. (5) For all the gods of the Gentiles are demons, but the Lord made the heavens. (7) Bring to the Lord, you natives of the nations, bring to the Lord glory and honor. (8) Bring to the Lord glory for his name. Lift up sacrifices, and enter into his courts. (9) Adore the Lord in his holy court. Let the entire earth be shaken before his face. (10) Say among the Gentiles: The Lord has reigned. For he has even corrected the whole world, which will not be shaken. He will judge the peoples with fairness.
1 Thessalonians 1:1-5
(1) Paul and Sylvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians, in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2) Grace and peace to you. We give thanks to God always for all of you, keeping the memory of you in our prayers without ceasing, (3) remembering your work of faith, and hardship, and charity, and enduring hope, in our Lord Jesus Christ, before God our Father. (4) For we know, brothers, beloved of God, of your election. (5) For our Gospel has not been among you in word alone, but also in virtue, and in the Holy Spirit, and with a great fullness, in the same manner as you know we have acted among you for your sake.
Matthew 22:15-21
(15) Then the Pharisees, going out, took counsel as to how they might entrap him in speech. (16) And they sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying: “Teacher, we know that you are truthful, and that you teach the way of God in truth, and that the influence of others is nothing to you. For you do not consider the reputation of men. (17) Therefore, tell us, how does it seem to you? Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar, or not?” (18) But Jesus, knowing their wickedness, said: “Why do you test me, you hypocrites? (19) Show me the coin of the census tax.” And they offered him a denarius. (20) And Jesus said to them, “Whose image is this, and whose inscription?” (21) They said to him, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Then render to Caesar what is of Caesar; and to God what is of God.”
