(GWT)
Luke
19
:
1
Jesus was passing through Jericho.
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
2
A man named Zacchaeus was there. He was the director of tax collectors, and he was rich.
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
3
He tried to see who Jesus was. But Zacchaeus was a small man, and he couldn't see Jesus because of the crowd.
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
4
So Zacchaeus ran ahead and climbed a fig tree to see Jesus, who was coming that way.
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
5
When Jesus came to the tree, he looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, come down! I must stay at your house today."
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
6
Zacchaeus came down and was glad to welcome Jesus into his home.
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
7
But the people who saw this began to express disapproval. They said, "He went to be the guest of a sinner."
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
8
[Later, at dinner,] Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Lord, I'll give half of my property to the poor. I'll pay four times as much as I owe to those I have cheated in any way."
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
9
Then Jesus said to Zacchaeus, "You and your family have been saved today. You've shown that you, too, are one of Abraham's descendants.
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
10
Indeed, the Son of Man has come to seek and to save people who are lost."
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
11
Jesus was getting closer to Jerusalem, and the people thought that the kingdom of God would appear suddenly. While Jesus had the people's attention, he used this illustration.
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
12
He said, "A prince went to a distant country to be appointed king, and then he returned.
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
13
[Before he left,] he called ten of his servants and gave them ten coins. He said to his servants, 'Invest this money until I come back.'
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
14
"The citizens of his own country hated him. They sent representatives to follow him and say [to the person who was going to appoint him], 'We don't want this man to be our king.'
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
15
"After he was appointed king, he came back. Then he said, 'Call those servants to whom I gave money. I want to know how much each one has made by investing.'
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
16
"The first servant said, 'Sir, the coin you gave me has earned ten times as much.'
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
17
"The king said to him, 'Good job! You're a good servant. You proved that you could be trusted with a little money. Take charge of ten cities.'
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
18
"The second servant said, 'The coin you gave me, sir, has made five times as much.'
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
19
"The king said to this servant, 'You take charge of five cities.'
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
20
"Then the other servant said, 'Sir, look! Here's your coin. I've kept it in a cloth for safekeeping because
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
21
I was afraid of you. You're a tough person to get along with. You take what isn't yours and harvest grain you haven't planted.'
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
22
"The king said to him, 'I'll judge you by what you've said, you evil servant! You knew that I was a tough person to get along with. You knew that I take what isn't mine and harvest grain I haven't planted.
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
23
Then why didn't you put my money in the bank? When I came back, I could have collected it with interest.'
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
24
The king told his men, 'Take his coin away, and give it to the man who has ten.'
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
25
"They replied, 'Sir, he already has ten coins.'
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
26
" 'I can guarantee that everyone who has something will be given more. But everything will be taken away from those who don't have much.
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
27
Bring my enemies, who didn't want me to be their king. Kill them in front of me.'"
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
28
After Jesus had given this illustration, he continued on his way to Jerusalem.
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
29
When he came near Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives (as it was called), Jesus sent two of his disciples ahead of him.
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
30
He said to them, "Go into the village ahead of you. As you enter, you will find a young donkey tied there. No one has ever sat on it. Untie it, and bring it.
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
31
If anyone asks you why you are untying it, say that the Lord needs it."
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
32
The men Jesus sent found it as he had told them.
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
33
While they were untying the young donkey, its owners asked them, "Why are you untying the donkey?"
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
34
The disciples answered, "The Lord needs it."
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
35
They brought the donkey to Jesus, put their coats on it, and helped Jesus onto it.
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
36
As he was riding along, people spread their coats on the road.
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
37
By this time he was coming near the place where the road went down the Mount of Olives. Then the whole crowd of disciples began to praise God for all the miracles they had seen.
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
38
They shouted joyfully, "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven."
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
39
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, tell your disciples to be quiet."
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
40
Jesus replied, "I can guarantee that if they are quiet, the stones will cry out."
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
41
When he came closer and saw the city, he began to cry.
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
42
He said, "If you had only known today what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden, so you cannot see it.
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
43
The time will come when enemy armies will build a wall to surround you and close you in on every side.
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
44
They will level you to the ground and kill your people. One stone will not be left on top of another, because you didn't recognize the time when God came to help you."
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
45
Jesus went into the temple courtyard and began to throw out those who were selling things there.
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
46
He said to them, "Scripture says, 'My house will be a house of prayer,' but you have turned it into a gathering place for thieves."
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
47
Jesus taught in the temple courtyard every day. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people looked for a way to kill him.
(GWT)
Luke
19
:
48
But they could not find a way to do it, because all the people were eager to hear him.