Silvanus said, “Your property has been a small help to Caesar, I’ll grant you that. So I will let you live for now. But I know you have more. You cannot have been giving so much without having it stored up somewhere.” Nicholas met his stares with silence. Silvanus demanded, “Where is your gold?”
Nicholas thought of the priceless books of the apostles hidden away with the gold. He refused to answer. Silvanus said, “I know your game. You and your father have been hoarding the money to avoid paying taxes to Caesar.”
Nicholas’ felt his face flush. He reigned in his anger and said, “We have given to Caesar what is Caesar’s. And I will give to God what is God’s.”
Silvanus said, “You know full well that Rome taxes wealth, not just income.”
Nicholas said, “Taking a share in a gain is a tax. Taking what is already in the hand is theft.”
“So you admit you have hidden treasure! You are a tax rebel. You wish to hold on to Caesar’s share for yourself.”
“I own nothing. Anything in my hand belongs to Christus.”
Silvanus’ face grew fierce. He said, “If you die, it will do no one any good, even your Christus!” He calmed himself and said, “Look, since you seem so eager for everyone to hear of your Christus, I can make sure of that. Just tell me where the gold is. I will release you, and if you wish, you can condemn yourself in public, telling them all of Christus.”
“If I’m condemned, I’m ready to die now. Even if no one else hears me, he hears me.”
“He will hear your cries of pain,” said Silvanus and left. He soon returned with the lictors and they strapped Nicholas to a wall and beat him until his back was covered in bruises.
That night, Nicholas lay on his stomach. His back stung and ached at the same time. He couldn’t sleep, so he began to pray. He prayed for his former workers, now slaves. He prayed for them each by name. He prayed for the other believers in Myra, that they might have greater boldness than he. And he prayed for Silvanus, that Christus would forgive him and change his heart. He found himself quietly singing praises to Christus, and at some point, he drifted off to sleep.
Nicholas thought of the priceless books of the apostles hidden away with the gold. He refused to answer. Silvanus said, “I know your game. You and your father have been hoarding the money to avoid paying taxes to Caesar.”
Nicholas’ felt his face flush. He reigned in his anger and said, “We have given to Caesar what is Caesar’s. And I will give to God what is God’s.”
Silvanus said, “You know full well that Rome taxes wealth, not just income.”
Nicholas said, “Taking a share in a gain is a tax. Taking what is already in the hand is theft.”
“So you admit you have hidden treasure! You are a tax rebel. You wish to hold on to Caesar’s share for yourself.”
“I own nothing. Anything in my hand belongs to Christus.”
Silvanus’ face grew fierce. He said, “If you die, it will do no one any good, even your Christus!” He calmed himself and said, “Look, since you seem so eager for everyone to hear of your Christus, I can make sure of that. Just tell me where the gold is. I will release you, and if you wish, you can condemn yourself in public, telling them all of Christus.”
“If I’m condemned, I’m ready to die now. Even if no one else hears me, he hears me.”
“He will hear your cries of pain,” said Silvanus and left. He soon returned with the lictors and they strapped Nicholas to a wall and beat him until his back was covered in bruises.
That night, Nicholas lay on his stomach. His back stung and ached at the same time. He couldn’t sleep, so he began to pray. He prayed for his former workers, now slaves. He prayed for them each by name. He prayed for the other believers in Myra, that they might have greater boldness than he. And he prayed for Silvanus, that Christus would forgive him and change his heart. He found himself quietly singing praises to Christus, and at some point, he drifted off to sleep.
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