Luke 19

Zacchaeus the Tax Collector

1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.2 A man named Zacchaeus lived there. He was a chief tax collector and was very rich.
3 Zacchaeus wanted to see who Jesus was. But he was a short man. He could not see Jesus because of the crowd.4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree. He wanted to see Jesus, who was coming that way.
5 Jesus reached the spot where Zacchaeus was. He looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, come down at once. I must stay at your house today."6 So Zacchaeus came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
7 All the people saw this. They began to whisper among themselves. They said, "Jesus has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.' "
8 But Zacchaeus stood up. He said, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of what I own to those who are poor. And if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay it back. I will pay back four times the amount I took."
9 Jesus said to Zacchaeus, "Today salvation has come to your house. You are a member of Abraham's family line.10 The Son of Man came to look for the lost and save them."

The Story of Three Servants

11 While the people were listening to these things, Jesus told them a story. He was near Jerusalem. The people thought that God's kingdom was going to appear right away.
12 Jesus said, "A man from an important family went to a country far away. He went there to be made king and then return home.13 So he sent for ten of his servants. He gave them each about three months' pay. 'Put this money to work until I come back,' he said.
14 "But those he ruled over hated him. They sent some messengers after him. They were sent to say, 'We don't want this man to be our king.'
15 "But he was made king and returned home. Then he sent for the servants he had given the money to. He wanted to find out what they had earned with it.
16 "The first one came to him. He said, 'Sir, your money has earned ten times as much.'
17 " 'You have done well, my good servant!' his master replied. 'You have been faithful in a very small matter. So I will put you in charge of ten towns.'
18 "The second servant came to his master. He said, 'Sir, your money has earned five times as much.'
19 "His master answered, 'I will put you in charge of five towns.'
20 "Then another servant came. He said, 'Sir, here is your money. I have kept it hidden in a piece of cloth.21 I was afraid of you. You are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in. You harvest what you did not plant.'
22 "His master replied, 'I will judge you by your own words, you evil servant! So you knew that I am a hard man? You knew that I take out what I did not put in? You knew that I harvest what I did not plant?23 Then why didn't you put my money in the bank? When I came back, I could have collected it with interest.'
24 "Then he said to those standing by, 'Take his money away from him. Give it to the one who has ten times as much.'
25 " 'Sir,' they said, 'he already has ten times as much!'
26 "He replied, 'I tell you that everyone who has will be given more. But here is what will happen to anyone who has nothing. Even what he has will be taken away from him.27 And what about my enemies who did not want me to be king over them? Bring them here! Kill them in front of me!' "

Jesus Enters Jerusalem

28 After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead. He was going up to Jerusalem.
29 He approached Bethphage and Bethany. The hill there was called the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent out two of his disciples. He said to them,30 "Go to the village ahead of you. As soon as you get there, you will find a donkey's colt tied up. No one has ever ridden it. Untie it and bring it here.31 Someone may ask you, 'Why are you untying it?' If so, say, 'The Lord needs it.' "
32 Those who were sent ahead went and found the young donkey. It was there just as Jesus had told them.33 They were untying the colt when its owners came. The owners asked them, "Why are you untying the colt?"
34 They replied, "The Lord needs it."
35 Then the disciples brought the colt to Jesus. They threw their coats on the young donkey and put Jesus on it.36 As he went along, people spread their coats on the road.

37 Jesus came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives. There the whole crowd of disciples began to praise God with joy. In loud voices they praised him for all the miracles they had seen. They shouted,

38 "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" (Psalm 118:26)
"May there be peace and glory in the highest heaven!"
39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd spoke to Jesus. "Teacher," they said, "tell your disciples to stop!"
40 "I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."
41 He approached Jerusalem. When he saw the city, he began to sob.42 He said, "I wish you had known today what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden from your eyes.
43 "The days will come when your enemies will arrive. They will build a wall of dirt up against your city. They will surround you and close you in on every side.44 You didn't recognize the time when God came to you. So your enemies will smash you to the ground. They will destroy you and all the people inside your walls. They will not leave one stone on top of another."

Jesus Clears Out the Temple

45 Then Jesus entered the temple area. He began chasing out those who were selling there.46 He told them, "It is written that the Lord said, 'My house will be a house where people can pray.' (Isaiah 56:7) But you have made it a 'den for robbers.' " (Jeremiah 7:11)
47 Every day Jesus was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests and the teachers of the law were trying to kill him. So were the leaders among the people.48 But they couldn't find any way to do it. All the people were paying close attention to his words.

Luke 19

1 And he entered and was passing through Jericho.2 And behold, a man called by name Zacchaeus; and he was a chief publican, and he was rich.3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the crowd, because he was little of stature.4 And he ran on before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to-day I must abide at thy house.6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, He is gone in to lodge with a man that is a sinner.8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have wrongfully exacted aught of any man, I restore fourfold.9 And Jesus said unto him, To-day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham.10 For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost.11 And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was immediately to appear.12 He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.13 And he called ten servants of his, and gave them ten pounds, and said unto them, Trade ye herewith till I come.14 But his citizens hated him, and sent an ambassage after him, saying, We will not that this man reign over us.15 And it came to pass, when he was come back again, having received the kingdom, that he commanded these servants, unto whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by trading.16 And the first came before him, saying, Lord, thy pound hath made ten pounds more.17 And he said unto him, Well done, thou good servant: because thou wast found faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.18 And the second came, saying, Thy pound, Lord, hath made five pounds.19 And he said unto him also, Be thou also over five cities.20 And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I kept laid up in a napkin:21 for I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that which thou layedst not down, and reapest that which thou didst not sow.22 He saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I am an austere man, taking up that which I laid not down, and reaping that which I did not sow;23 then wherefore gavest thou not my money into the bank, and I at my coming should have required it with interest?24 And he said unto them that stood by, Take away from him the pound, and give it unto him that hath the ten pounds.25 And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.26 I say unto you, that unto every one that hath shall be given; but from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away from him.27 But these mine enemies, that would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.28 And when he had thus spoken, he went on before, going up to Jerusalem.29 And it came to pass, when he drew nigh unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples,30 saying, Go your way into the village over against you; in which as ye enter ye shall find a colt tied, whereon no man ever yet sat: loose him, and bring him.31 And if any one ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say, The Lord hath need of him.32 And they that were sent went away, and found even as he had said unto them.33 And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt?34 And they said, The Lord hath need of him.35 And they brought him to Jesus: and they threw their garments upon the colt, and set Jesus thereon.36 And as he went, they spread their garments in the way.37 And as he was now drawing nigh, even at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works which they had seen;38 saying, Blessed is the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.39 And some of the Pharisees from the multitude said unto him, Teacher, rebuke thy disciples.40 And he answered and said, I tell you that, if these shall hold their peace, the stones will cry out.41 And when he drew nigh, he saw the city and wept over it,42 saying, If thou hadst known in this day, even thou, the things which belong unto peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.43 For the days shall come upon thee, when thine enemies shall cast up a bank about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,44 and shall dash thee to the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.45 And he entered into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold,46 saying unto them, It is written, And my house shall be a house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of robbers.47 And he was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people sought to destroy him:48 and they could not find what they might do; for the people all hung upon him, listening.