Tribute to Caesar and the Centurion’s Son

Then drew near unto Jesus the priests, and said: 'Master, is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar?' Jesus turned round to Judas, and said: 'Hast thou any money?' And taking a penny in his hand, Jesus turned himself to the priests, and said to them: 'This penny hath an image: tell me, whose image is it?'

They answered: 'Caesar\'s.'

'Give therefore,' said Jesus, 'that which is Caesar\'s to Caesar, and that which is God\'s give it to God.'

Then they departed in confusion.

And behold there drew nigh a centurion, saying: 'Lord, my son is sick; have mercy on my old age!'

Jesus answered: 'The Lord God of Israel have mercy on thee!'

The man was departing; and Jesus said: 'Wait for me, for I will come to thine house, to make prayer over thy son.'

The centurion answered: 'Lord, I am not worthy that thou, a prophet of God, shouldest come unto my house, sufficient unto me is the word that thou hast spoken for the healing of my son; for thy God hath made thee lord over every sickness, even as his angel said unto me in my sleep.'

Then Jesus marvelled greatly, and turning to the crowd, he said: 'Behold this stranger, for he hath more faith than all that I have found in Israel.' And turning to the centurion, he said: 'Go in peace, because God, for the great faith that he hath given thee, hath granted health to thy son.'

The centurion went his way, and on the road he met his servants, who announced to him how his son was healed.

The man answered: 'At what hour did the fever leave him?'

They said: 'Yesterday, at the sixth hour, the heat departed from him.'

The man knew that when Jesus said: 'The Lord God of Israel have mercy on thee,' his son received his health. Whereupon the man believed in our God, and having entered into his house, he brake in pieces all his own gods, saying: 'There is only the God of Israel, the true and living God.' Therefore said he: 'None shall eat of my bread that worshippeth not the God of Israel.'