Zacchaeus

1He entered and started passing through Jericho. ³⁹⁸

2A man named Zacchaeus was there—he was a chief tax collector, and he was wealthy!

3He was trying to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, because he was short.

4And running on ahead he climbed up into a sycamore tree, in order to see Him, since He was about to pass by there.

5And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, because today I must stay at your house.” ³⁹⁹

6So he came down quickly, and received Him joyfully.

7But when they saw it, they all started complaining, saying, “He has entered to lodge with a sinful man!”

8Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Indeed, Lord, I herewith give half of my goods to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone, I restore fourfold.” ⁴⁰⁰

9So Jesus said about him, “Today salvation has happened in this house, ⁴⁰¹in that he also is a son of Abraham;

10because the Son of the Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Parable of a despised king

11Now as they heard these things, He continued with a parable, because He was near Jerusalem and they were supposing that the Kingdom of God was on the verge of being revealed. ⁴⁰²

12So He said: “A certain nobleman went to a distant country to receive for himself a kingdom and return.

13He called ten of his slaves, gave them ten ‘minas’, and said to them, ‘Conduct business until I come.’

14But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’

15It happened that he did receive the kingdom, and upon returning he ordered that those slaves to whom he had given the money be called to him, to know who had gained what by trading.

16So the first one came and said, ‘Master, your mina earned ten minas!’ ⁴⁰³

17He said to him: ‘Super, you good slave! Because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities!’

18And the second one came and said, ‘Master, your mina made five minas.’

19Likewise he said to him, ‘You also be over five cities.’

20Then a different one came, saying: ‘Master, here is your mina, that I kept laid away in a piece of cloth

21—I feared you because you are a hard man, removing what you did not place, and reaping what you did not sow.’

22So he said to him: ‘I will judge you out of your own mouth, you wicked slave! You knew that I am a hard man, removing what I did not place, and reaping what I did not sow.

23Why then didn't you put my money on deposit, and upon coming I would have collected it with interest?’

24And to those standing by he said, ‘Take the mina from him and give it to him who has the ten minas.’

25(They even said to him, ‘Master, he already has ten minas!’)

26‘Indeed I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given; ⁴⁰⁴but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.

27But as for those enemies of mine who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them in front of me!’ ” ⁴⁰⁵

The ‘Triumphal Entry’

28Having said these things, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

29When He drew near to Bethphage ⁴⁰⁶and Bethany, at the mountain called ‘of Olives’, it happened like this: He sent two of His disciples,

30saying: “Go to the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no man ever yet sat. Untie and bring it.

31And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this to him: ‘The Lord needs it.’ ”

A steed for the King

32So those who were sent went and found it just like He told them.

33As they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

34So they said, “The Lord needs it.” ⁴⁰⁷

35Then they brought it to Jesus; and throwing their own clothes on the colt, they placed Jesus on it.

36And as He went along people were spreading their clothes on the road.

Rejoicing and praising

37Then, as He was approaching 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 they had seen,

38saying: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! ⁴⁰⁸Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

A sour note

39Some of the Pharisees said to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

40In answer He said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the very stones would cry out!”

Jesus weeps over Jerusalem

41Now as He approached, observing the city He wept over it,

42saying: “If you, yes you, especially in this your day, had known the things pertaining to your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.

43Yes, the days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you; indeed they will surround you and hem you in on every side.

44And they will raze you, and your children within you, to the ground—they will not leave in you one stone upon another—all because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.” ⁴⁰⁹

Jesus cleanses the temple—second time

45And upon entering the temple He began to drive out those who were selling and buying in it, ⁴¹⁰

46saying to them, “It is written: ‘My house is a house of prayer,’ ⁴¹¹but you have made it a ‘den of robbers’!” ⁴¹²

47And He was teaching daily in the temple; but the chief priests and the scribes, as also the leaders of the people, were trying to destroy Him,

48but could not figure out how to do it, because all the people were hanging on His words.