FOR many years, Israel people de pay money to support true worship. But for time of Jesus, Jew people need to pay plenty tax, and this one make life hard for them.

All mature Jew de pay half shekel (two drachmas). This one na one way wey them de use support the place of worship. For time of Jesus, them de use that tax to provide the sacrifice them for the temple wey Herod build and to care for the temple. Some Jew people ask Peter whether Jesus de pay that tax. Jesus talk say no be bad thing to pay. Jesus even tell Peter where e go see coin to pay that tax.—Matt. 17:24-27.

People wey de serve God that time still need to pay another tax wey them de call tithe. This one mean say they go divide the things wey their farm produce or money wey them de get, to ten parts, and pay one part as tithe. (Lev. 27:30-32; Num. 18:26-28) The leaders for religion talk say the people must really dey careful to pay this tax for all their vegetable, even for small-small ones wey them de call mint, dill, and cumin. Jesus no talk say na bad thing to pay tithe. But e talk say the way the scribes and Pharisees de use the law about tithe no dey correct.—Matt. 23:23.

But that time, na Rome people de rule, so Jew people still need to pay them plenty tax. For example, if person get land e go pay tax with money or any property. If the person harvest four bags of things wey e plant, e suppose to pay about one bag as tax. Each Jew person go still pay another tax wey them de call head tax. Na this tax the Pharisees ask Jesus about. The thing wey Jesus talk show how we suppose de see tax. E talk say: “So, pay back Caesar things to Caesar, and God things to God.”—Matt. 22:15-22.

Business people still de pay tax for things wey they buy from another area, and things wey they carry go sell for another area. Them de collect this tax for where people de enter ship de travel, for bridge, for different-different junction, or before they enter town or market.

The tax them wey Rome government say make people de pay that time, really be like heavy load wey de press the people. One man wey e name na Tacitus, write about the history of Rome people. E talk about the time wey Emperor Tiberius de rule, when Jesus dey for earth. E talk say that time, “Syria and Judæa people beg say make they reduce the tax wey them de pay because e don too heavy for them.”

The way them de collect the tax even make-am hard more for the people. Na the person wey pay the highest money, them de give the work to collect tax from people. Then, the person go try to get e own gain from the tax, and e go send other people go collect the tax from people. This people wey e send, go try to get their own gain too. E be like say Zacchaeus wey Bible talk about get this kind people wey e de send go collect tax. (Luke 19:1, 2) No wonder the people hate this kind thing, and they no like the people wey de collect tax from them.