1 A nd entered Jericho and was passing through it.

Jesus went on to the city of Jericho and was passing through it.

2 A nd there was a man called Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector, and rich.

There was a rich man named Zaccheus. He was a leader of those who gathered taxes.

3 A nd he was trying to see Jesus, which One He was, but he could not on account of the crowd, because he was small in stature.

Zaccheus wanted to see Jesus but he could not because so many people were there and he was a short man.

4 S o he ran on ahead and climbed up in a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass that way.

He ran ahead and got up into a sycamore tree to see Him. Jesus was going by that way.

5 A nd when Jesus reached the place, He looked up and said to him, Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.

When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw Zaccheus. He said, “Zaccheus, come down at once. I must stay in your house today.”

6 S o he hurried and came down, and he received and welcomed Him joyfully.

At once he came down and was glad to have Jesus come to his house.

7 A nd when the people saw it, they all muttered among themselves and indignantly complained, He has gone in to be the guest of and lodge with a man who is devoted to sin and preeminently a sinner.

When the people saw it, they began to complain among themselves. They said, “He is going to stay with a man who is known to be a sinner.”

8 S o then Zacchaeus stood up and solemnly declared to the Lord, See, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone out of anything, I restore four times as much.

Zaccheus stood up and said to the Lord, “Lord, see! Half of what I own I will give to poor people. And if I have taken money from anyone in a wrong way, I will pay him back four times as much.”

9 A nd Jesus said to him, Today is '> Messianic and spiritual] salvation come to this household, since Zacchaeus too is a son of Abraham;

Jesus said to him, “Today, a person has been saved in this house. This man is a Jew also.

10 F or the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.

For the Son of Man came to look for and to save from the punishment of sin those who are lost.” The Picture-Story of the Ten Servants and the Money

11 N ow as they were listening to these things, He proceeded to tell a parable, because He was approaching Jerusalem and because they thought that the kingdom of God was going to be brought to light and shown forth immediately.

As they heard these things, Jesus told them a picture-story. Because He was near Jerusalem, they thought the holy nation of God would come at once.

12 H e therefore said, A certain nobleman went into a distant country to obtain for himself a kingdom and then to return.

So Jesus said, “A leader of a country went to another country far away. A nation was to be given to him, then he would return home.

13 C alling ten of his bond servants, he gave them ten minas and said to them, Buy and sell with these while I go and then return.

He called ten of the servants he owned. He gave them ten pieces of money and said to them, ‘Put this money to use until I return.’

14 B ut his citizens detested him and sent an embassy after him to say, We do not want this man to become ruler over us.

But other men in his country hated him. They sent men after him to tell him they did not want him as their king.

15 W hen he returned after having received the kingdom, he ordered these bond servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know how much each one had made by buying and selling.

After he had been given the other nation, he returned as king. He asked for his servants who had received the money to come to him. He wanted to know how much more they had after putting it to use.

16 T he first one came before him, and he said, Lord, your mina has made ten minas.

The first one came and said, ‘Lord, the piece of money you gave me has made ten more pieces of money.’

17 A nd he said to him, Well done, excellent bond servant! Because you have been faithful and trustworthy in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.

He said to him, ‘You are a good servant. You have been faithful in using a little. Now you will be leader over ten cities.’

18 T he second one also came and said, Lord, your mina has made five more minas.

“The second man came to him and said, ‘Lord, the piece of money you gave me has made five more pieces of money.’

19 A nd he said also to him, And you will take charge over five cities.

He said to him, ‘You are to be leader over five cities.’

20 T hen another came and said, Lord, here is your mina, which I have kept laid up in a handkerchief.

“Another one came saying, ‘Lord, look! Here is your piece of money. I have kept it hid in a piece of cloth.

21 F or I was afraid of you, because you are a stern (hard, severe) man; you pick up what you did not lay down, and you reap what you did not sow.

I was afraid of you. You are a hard man. You take what you have not put down. You gather where you have not planted.’

22 H e said to the servant, I will judge and condemn you out of your own mouth, you wicked slave! You knew that I was a stern (hard, severe) man, picking up what I did not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow?

The king said to him, ‘By the words from your own mouth I must say that you are guilty. You are a sinful servant. You knew I was a hard man. You knew I take what I have not put down. You knew I gather where I have not planted.

23 T hen why did you not put my money in a bank, so that on my return, I might have collected it with interest?

Why did you not put my money in the bank? Then when I came back I could have had my own money and what the bank paid for using it.’

24 A nd he said to the bystanders, Take the mina away from him and give it to him who has the ten minas.

“Then he said to those who were standing by, ‘Take the piece of money from him and give it to the one who has ten pieces of money.’

25 A nd they said to him, Lord, he has ten minas!

And they said to him, ‘Lord, he already has ten pieces of money.’”

26 A nd I tell you that to everyone who gets and has will more be given, but from the man who does not get and does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

Jesus said, “I tell you, he who has, to him will be given more. To him who does not have, even the little he has will be taken from him.

27 B ut as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to reign over them—bring them here and slaughter them in my presence!

‘Bring here those who hated me and did not want me to be their king and kill them in front of me.’”

28 A nd after saying these things, Jesus went on ahead of them, going up to Jerusalem.

When He had finished the picture-story, He went on ahead of them up to Jerusalem. The Last Time Jesus Goes into Jerusalem

29 W hen He came near Bethphage and Bethany at the mount called Olives, He sent two of His disciples,

When Jesus was coming near the towns of Bethphage and Bethany by the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His followers on ahead.

30 T elling, Go into the village yonder; there, as you go in, you will find a donkey’s colt tied, on which no man has ever yet sat. Loose it and bring.

He said, “Go into the town ahead of you. There you will find a young donkey tied. No man has ever sat on it. Let it loose and bring it to Me.

31 I f anybody asks you, Why are you untying ? you shall say this: Because the Lord has need of it.

If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you letting it loose?’ say to him, ‘Because the Lord needs it.’”

32 S o those who were sent went away and found it as He had told them.

Those who were sent found everything as Jesus had told them.

33 A nd as they were loosening the colt, its owners said to them, Why are you untying the colt?

As they were letting the young donkey loose, the owners said to them, “Why are you letting the young donkey loose?”

34 A nd they said, The Lord has need of it.

They answered, “The Lord needs it.”

35 A nd they brought it to Jesus; then they threw their garments over the colt and set Jesus upon it.

Then they brought it to Jesus. They put their coats on the donkey and they put Jesus on it.

36 A nd as He rode along, the people kept spreading their garments on the road.

As Jesus was going, they put their coats down on the road.

37 A s He was approaching, at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to rejoice and to praise God loudly for all the mighty miracles and works of power that they had witnessed,

Jesus was near the city and ready to go down the Mount of Olives. The many people who were following Him began to sing with loud voices and give thanks for all the powerful works they had seen.

38 C rying, Blessed (celebrated with praises) is the King Who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven '> freedom there from all the distresses that are experienced as the result of sin] and glory (majesty and splendor) in the highest!

They said, “Great and honored is the King Who comes in the name of the Lord. There is peace and greatness in the highest heaven.”

39 A nd some of the Pharisees from the throng said to Jesus, Teacher, reprove Your disciples!

Some of the proud religious law-keepers who were in among the people said to Jesus, “Teacher, speak sharp words to Your followers.”

40 H e replied, I tell you that if these keep silent, the very stones will cry out.

Jesus said to them, “I tell you that if these did not speak, the very stones would call out.” Jesus Cried as He Saw Jerusalem

41 A nd as He approached, He saw the city, and He wept '> audibly] over it,

When Jesus came near the city, He cried as He saw it.

42 E xclaiming, Would that you had known personally, even at least in this your day, the things that make for peace (for freedom from all the distresses that are experienced as the result of sin and upon which your peace—your security, safety, prosperity, and happiness—depends)! But now they are hidden from your eyes.

He said, “If you had only known on this great day the things that make peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.

43 F or a time is coming upon you when your enemies will throw up a bank about you and surround you and shut you in on every side.

The time is coming when those who hate you will dig earth and throw it up around you making a wall. They will shut you in from every side.

44 A nd they will dash you down to the ground, you and your children within you; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not come progressively to recognize and know and understand the time of your visitation '> in which God showed Himself gracious toward you and offered you salvation through Christ].

They will destroy you and your children with you. There will not be one stone on another. It is because you did not know when God visited you.” Jesus Stops the Buying and Selling in the House of God

45 T hen He went into the temple '> enclosure] and began to drive out those who were selling,

Jesus went into the house of God. He made those leave who were buying and selling there.

46 T elling them, It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer; but you have made it a cave of robbers.

He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer.’ ‘But you have made it a place of robbers.’”

47 A nd He continued to teach day after day in the temple '> porches and courts]. The chief priests and scribes and the leading men of the people were seeking to put Him to death,

Jesus taught each day in the house of God. But the religious leaders and the teachers of the Law and other leaders of the people tried to think of some way they could kill Him.

48 B ut they did not discover anything they could do, for all the people hung upon His words and stuck by Him.

They could not find a way because the people were always near Him listening to Him teach.