Luke 19
Zacchaeus
1-4 Then Jesus entered and walked through Jericho. There was a man there, his name Zacchaeus, the head tax man and quite rich. He wanted desperately to see Jesus, but the crowd was in his way—he was a short man and couldn't see over the crowd. So he ran on ahead and climbed up in a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus when he came by.
5-7 When Jesus got to the tree, he looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, hurry down. Today is my day to be a guest in your home." Zacchaeus scrambled out of the tree, hardly believing his good luck, delighted to take Jesus home with him. Everyone who saw the incident was indignant and grumped, "What business does he have getting cozy with this crook?"
8 Zacchaeus just stood there, a little stunned. He stammered apologetically, "Master, I give away half my income to the poor—and if I'm caught cheating, I pay four times the damages."
9-10 Jesus said, "Today is salvation day in this home! Here he is: Zacchaeus, son of Abraham! For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost."
The Story About Investment
11 While he had their attention, and because they were getting close to Jerusalem by this time and expectation was building that God's kingdom would appear any minute, he told this story:
12-13 "There was once a man descended from a royal house who needed to make a long trip back to headquarters to get authorization for his rule and then return. But first he called ten servants together, gave them each a sum of money, and instructed them, 'Operate with this until I return.'
14 "But the citizens there hated him. So they sent a commission with a signed petition to oppose his rule: 'We don't want this man to rule us.'
15 "When he came back bringing the authorization of his rule, he called those ten servants to whom he had given the money to find out how they had done.
16 "The first said, 'Master, I doubled your money.'
17 "He said, 'Good servant! Great work! Because you've been trustworthy in this small job, I'm making you governor of ten towns.'
18 "The second said, 'Master, I made a fifty percent profit on your money.'
19 "He said, 'I'm putting you in charge of five towns.'
20-21 "The next servant said, 'Master, here's your money safe and sound. I kept it hidden in the cellar. To tell you the truth, I was a little afraid. I know you have high standards and hate sloppiness, and don't suffer fools gladly.'
22-23 "He said, 'You're right that I don't suffer fools gladly—and you've acted the fool! Why didn't you at least invest the money in securities so I would have gotten a little interest on it?'
24 "Then he said to those standing there, 'Take the money from him and give it to the servant who doubled my stake.'
25 "They said, 'But Master, he already has double . . .'
26 "He said, 'That's what I mean: Risk your life and get more than you ever dreamed of. Play it safe and end up holding the bag.
27 "'As for these enemies of mine who petitioned against my rule, clear them out of here. I don't want to see their faces around here again.'"
God's Personal Visit
28-31 After saying these things, Jesus headed straight up to Jerusalem. When he got near Bethphage and Bethany at the mountain called Olives, he sent off two of the disciples with instructions: "Go to the village across from you. As soon as you enter, you'll find a colt tethered, one that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it. If anyone says anything, asks, 'What are you doing?' say, 'His Master needs him.'"
32-33 The two left and found it just as he said. As they were untying the colt, its owners said, "What are you doing untying the colt?"
34 They said, "His Master needs him."
35-36 They brought the colt to Jesus. Then, throwing their coats on its back, they helped Jesus get on. As he rode, the people gave him a grand welcome, throwing their coats on the street.
37-38 Right at the crest, where Mount Olives begins its descent, the whole crowd of disciples burst into enthusiastic praise over all the mighty works they had witnessed:
Blessed is he who comes, the king in God's name! All's well in heaven! Glory in the high places!
39 Some Pharisees from the crowd told him, "Teacher, get your disciples under control!"
40 But he said, "If they kept quiet, the stones would do it for them, shouting praise."
41-44 When the city came into view, he wept over it. "If you had only recognized this day, and everything that was good for you! But now it's too late. In the days ahead your enemies are going to bring up their heavy artillery and surround you, pressing in from every side. They'll smash you and your babies on the pavement. Not one stone will be left intact. All this because you didn't recognize and welcome God's personal visit."
45-46 Going into the Temple he began to throw out everyone who had set up shop, selling everything and anything. He said, "It's written in Scripture,
My house is a house of prayer; You have turned it into a religious bazaar."
47-48 From then on he taught each day in the Temple. The high priests, religion scholars, and the leaders of the people were trying their best to find a way to get rid of him. But with the people hanging on every word he spoke, they couldn't come up with anything.
Luke 19
Jesus and Zacchaeus
1 Jesust entered Jerichos and was passing through it.2 Nowt a man named Zacchaeus was there; he was a chief tax collectors and was rich.3 Het was trying to get a look at Jesus,t but being a short man he could not see over the crowd.t4 Sot he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore trees to see him, because Jesust was going to pass that way.5 And when Jesus came to that place, he looked ups and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly,t because I musts stay at your house today.”s6 So he came down quicklyt and welcomed Jesust joyfully.ts7 And when the peoplet saw it, they all complained,t “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.”s8 But Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I now gives to the poor, and ift I have cheated anyone of anything, I am paying back four times as much!”9 Thent Jesus said to him, “Today salvations has come to this household,s because he too is a son of Abraham!s
10 For the Son of Man cames to seek and to save the lost.”
The Parable of the Ten Minas
11 While the people were listening to these things, Jesust proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem,s and because they thoughtt that the kingdom of Gods was going tot appear immediately.12 Therefore he said, “A noblemant went to a distant country to receives for himself a kingdom and then return.s13 And he summoned ten of his slaves,t gave them ten minas,s and said to them, ‘Do business with these until I come back.’14 But his citizenst hatedt him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this mant to be kingt over us!’15 Whent he returned after receiving the kingdom, he summonedt these slaves to whom he had given the money. He wantedt to know how much they had earneds by trading.16 Sot the first one came before him and said, ‘Sir,t your minat has made ten minas more.’17 And the kingt said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been faithfult in a very small matter, you will have authoritys over ten cities.’18 Thent the second one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has made five minas.’19 Sot the kingt said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’20 Then anothers slavet came and said, ‘Sir, here ist your mina that I put away for safekeepingt in a piece of cloth.t21 For I was afraid of you, because you are a severet man. You withdrawt what you did not depositt and reap what you did not sow.’22 The kingt said to him, ‘I will judge you by your own words,t you wicked slave!t So you knew, did you, that I was a severet man, withdrawing what I didn’t deposit and reaping what I didn’t sow?23 Why then didn’t you putt my money in the bank,t so that when I returned I could have collected it with interest?’24 And he said to his attendants,t ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has ten.’t25 Butt they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten minas already!’s26 ‘I tell you that everyone who has will be given more,ts but from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.s
27 But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be their king,t bring them here and slaughtert thems in front of me!’”
The Triumphal Entry
28 After Jesust had said this, he continued on ahead,t going up to Jerusalem.ss29 Nowt when he approached Bethphages and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives,ts he sent two of the disciples,30 telling them,t “Go to the village ahead of you.t Whent you enter it, you will find a colt tied there that has never been ridden.t Untie it and bring it here.31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say, ‘The Lord needss it.’”32 So those who were sent ahead foundt it exactlys as he had told them.33 Ast they were untying the colt, its owners asked them,t “Why are you untying that colt?”34 They replied, “The Lord needs it.”35 Thent they brought it to Jesus, threw their cloakst on the colt,s and had Jesus get ont it.36 Ast he rode along, theyt spread their cloaks on the road.37 As he approached the road leading down fromt the Mount of Olives,s the whole crowd of hist disciples began to rejoicet and praises God with a loud voice for all the mighty workst they had seen:t38 “Blessed is the kingswho comes in the name of the Lord!s Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”39 Butt some of the Phariseess in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”s
40 He answered,t “I tell you, if theyt keep silent, the very stoness will cry out!”
Jesus Weeps for Jerusalem under Judgment
41 Nowt when Jesust approacheds and saw the city, he wept over it,42 saying, “If you had only known on this day,s even you, the things that make for peace!t But now they are hiddens from your eyes.43 For the days will come upon you when your enemies will builds an embankments against you and surround you and close in on you from every side.
44 They will demolish youts – you and your children within your wallst – and they will not leave within you one stones on top of another,t because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.”ts
Cleansing the Temple
45 Thent Jesust entered the temple courtsts and began to drive out those who were selling things there,s
46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house will be a house of prayer,’s but you have turned it into a dentof robbers!”s
47 Jesust was teaching daily in the temple courts. The chief priests and the experts in the lawt and the prominent leaders among the people were seeking to assassinatets him,
48 butt they could not find a way to do it,t for all the people hung on his words.s