Luke 19

 

1 And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.

 

2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, who was the chief among the tax collectors, and he was rich.

 

3 And he sought to see who Jesus was; and could not because of the crowd, because he was small in height.

 

4 And he ran ahead and climbed up into a (tall) sycamore tree to see Him: for He was to pass that way.

 

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

 

6 And he hurried, and came down, and received Him joyfully.

 

7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That He was going to be a guest with a man who is a sinner (of whom they thought God did not approve).

 

8 And Zacchaeus stood up, and said to the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold (this is true repentance of the heart).

 

9 And Jesus said to him, This day has salvation come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham (believing like Abraham unto salvation).

 

10 For the Son of man has come (from the Father) to seek and to save those who were (being destroyed) lost (and perishing).

 

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

 

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

 

13 And he called his ten servants (symbolic of those under the law) and delivered them ten pounds (as in an equal measure of the oracles of God in the law), and said to them, Occupy (ministering this message as priests to the world) till I come.

 

14 But his citizens (Jesus' own people) hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, We are not willing to have this man to reign over us (they rejected Christ, the Messiah).

 

15 And it came to pass, that when he had returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called to him, to whom he had given the money (His treasure which was able to exalt one to blessing and life), that he might (receive an account from them to) know how much every man had gained by trading (to know their fruitfulness).

 

16 Then came the first, saying, Lord, your pound has gained ten pounds.

 

17 And he said to him, Well (done), you good (and faithful) servant (who has harkened diligently to the word), because you have been faithful with a very little (seed), have you authority over ten cities.

 

18 And the second came, saying, Lord, your pound has gained five pounds.

 

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

 

20 And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is your pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: (They hid the word under a bushel instead of making use of it).

 

21 For I feared you, because you are a harsh man: you take up that you did not lay down and reap that which you did not sow.

 

22 And he said to him, Out of your own mouth (from the abundance of your heart) shall you be judged (in your own heart), you wicked servant (who did not harken diligently to the word contained in the law). You knew that I was a rigid man, taking up that which I did not lay down, and reaping that which I did not sow:

 

23 Why then did you not put my money into the bank (keep it in their heart), that at my coming I might have required my own with interest? (If the servant had simply heard and believed the word for themselves, that would have been making good use of His treasure, and they would have seen an increase).

 

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

 

25 {And they (interrupted His parable and) said to Him, Lord, (but) he has ten pounds.}

 

26 For I say to you, That unto everyone who has (harkened diligently and received, making use of My treasure), shall (more increase) be given; and from him that (rejects not making use of My treasure) does not have (treasure stored up, the only treasure that is able to exalt him unto blessing and life), even that he has shall be taken away from him (where moths corrupt and the thief is able to break through and snatch it).

 

27 Furthermore, those (unfaithful servants) my enemies (who stand opposed to the way unto life), who did not desire that I should reign over them (in the power of My endless life), bring them here and cut them down (as unfruitful trees) before Me.

 

28 And when He had spoken this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

 

29 And it came to pass, when He had come near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples,

 

30 Saying, Go you into the village ahead; in which, as you enter, you will find a colt tied, upon which no man has ever sat: loose him, and bring him here.

 

31 And if any man asks you, Why do you untie him? You will tell him, Because the Lord needs him.

 

32 And they that were sent went their way and found it just as He had said to them.

 

33 And as they were untying the colt, the owners asked them, Why untie you the colt?

 

34 And they said, The Lord needs him.

 

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

 

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

 

37 And when He was come near, 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;

 

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

 

39 And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said to Him, Master, rebuke your disciples (forbid them to say this).

 

40 And He answered and said to them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones (themselves, which stones He created) would immediately cry out.

 

41 And when He had come near, He beheld the city, and wept (audibly) over it,

 

42 Saying, (O Jerusalem, Jerusalem) If you had known, especially you, in this your day (of visitation), the things which make for your peace! But now they are hidden (veiled) from your eyes.

 

43 For the days will come on you, that your enemies shall cast a barricade around you, and they will surround you, and close you in on every side,

 

44 And shall level you into the ground, and your children with you; and they will not leave (in Jerusalem) one stone on another; because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.

 

45 And He went into the temple, and began to throw out those who sold inside, and those who bought;

 

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

 

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

 

48 And could not find what (to accuse Him or how) they might do (it): for all the people were very attentive to hear Him.