Luke 19

And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.

1Jesus came into the town of Jericho. He was walking through it.

2And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.

2A man there was named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.

3And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.

3He wanted to see who Jesus was. But he was short, and the crowd was in his way.

NoteThe KJV word "press" here means the crowd of people, not pressing or pushing.

4And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.

4So he ran on ahead. He climbed a sycamore tree, because Jesus would pass that way.

5And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.

5Jesus came to that spot and looked up. He said, "Zacchaeus, hurry down. I must stay at your house today."

6And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.

6So Zacchaeus hurried down. He was glad to welcome Jesus into his home.

7And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.

7Everyone who saw it grumbled. They said, "He has gone to stay with a man who sins."

8And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.

8Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord. I give half of what I own to poor people. If I cheated anyone, I will pay back four times as much."

9And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.

9Jesus said to him, "Today God's saving help has come to this house. This man too is a son of Abraham, part of Abraham's family."

10For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

10"The Son of Man came to look for lost people and save them." Son of Man was the name Jesus used for himself.

11And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.

11The people were listening to this. So Jesus told them a story. He was close to Jerusalem, and they thought God's kingdom would appear right away.

12He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.

12He said, "A man from an important family went to a far country. He would be made king there and then come home."

13And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.

13"First he called ten of his servants. He gave each one a coin called a mina. He said, 'Do business with this until I come back.'"

NoteA "pound" here is a Greek coin called a mina. One was worth about three months of pay. The KJV word "occupy" means do business.

14But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.

14"But the people of his country hated him. They sent a message after him: 'We do not want this man to rule us.'"

15And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.

15"He came back as king. He called in the servants he had given money to. He wanted to know what each one had earned."

16Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.

16"The first one came and said, 'Sir, your one coin has made ten more.'"

17And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.

17"His master said, 'Well done, good servant! You were faithful with a very small thing. So you will rule ten cities.'"

18And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.

18"The second one came and said, 'Sir, your one coin has made five more.'"

19And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.

19"The master said to him, 'You will rule five cities.'"

20And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:

20"Another servant came and said, 'Sir, here is your coin. I kept it wrapped up in a cloth.'"

NoteA "napkin" in the KJV means a piece of cloth used for wrapping, not a table napkin.

21For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.

21"'I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take money you did not put in. You gather crops you did not plant.'"

22And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:

22"The master said, 'You bad servant! I will judge you by your own words. You knew I am a hard man. You knew I take money I did not put in and gather crops I did not plant.'"

23Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?

23"'Then why did you not put my money in the bank? When I came back, I could have gotten it with extra money added.'"

24And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds.

24"Then he said to the men standing there, 'Take his coin away. Give it to the man who has ten.'"

25(And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)

25"They said to him, 'Sir, he already has ten coins!'"

26For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.

26"He said, 'I tell you, everyone who has will be given more. But the one who has nothing will lose even what he has.'"

27But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

27"'Now bring me those enemies of mine. They did not want me to rule them. Kill them here in front of me.'"

28And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem.

28After Jesus said this, he went on ahead of them. He walked up the road toward Jerusalem.

29And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,

29He came near the towns of Bethphage and Bethany, by the hill called the Mount of Olives. He sent two of his followers ahead.

30Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither.

30He said, "Go into the village ahead of you. You will find a colt tied there, a young donkey no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it to me."

31And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.

31"If anyone asks why you are untying it, say, 'The Lord needs it.'"

32And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them.

32The two men went and found everything just as Jesus had told them.

33And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt?

33As they were untying the colt, its owners asked, "Why are you untying our colt?"

34And they said, The Lord hath need of him.

34They answered, "The Lord needs it."

35And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon.

35They brought the colt to Jesus. They laid their coats on it and helped Jesus sit on it.

36And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way.

36As Jesus rode along, the people spread their coats on the road.

37And when he was come nigh, even now 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 that they had seen;

37He came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives. All his followers began to praise God in loud, happy voices. They praised God for all the wonderful things they had seen Jesus do.

38Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.

38They said, "God bless the King who comes in the Lord's name! Peace in heaven, and glory to God above!"

39And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.

39Some Pharisees in the crowd spoke up. Pharisees were teachers who kept God's rules very carefully. They said, "Teacher, tell your followers to stop."

40And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

40Jesus answered, "I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will shout out instead."

41And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

41Jesus came close and saw the city of Jerusalem. He cried over it.

42Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.

42He said, "I wish you knew today what would bring you peace. But now it is hidden from your eyes."

43For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,

43"Days are coming when your enemies will build a wall of dirt around you. They will surround you and shut you in on every side."

44And shall lay thee even with 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.

44"They will knock you flat, you and your children inside your walls. Not one stone will be left on another. This will happen because you did not know the time when God came to you."

Note"The time of thy visitation" means the time when God came to them.

45And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought;

45Jesus went into the temple. He began to drive out the people who were buying and selling there.

46Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.

46He said to them, "God's book says, 'My house is a house of prayer.' But you have made it a hideout for robbers."

47And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him,

47Every day Jesus taught in the temple. But the chief priests, the scribes who copied and taught God's law, and the leaders of the people wanted to kill him.

48And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him.

48They could not find a way to do it. All the people loved listening to him.