Luke 19 : 1 (NCV)
Jesus was going through the city of Jericho.
Luke 19 : 2 (NCV)
A man was there named Zacchaeus, who was a very important tax collector, and he was wealthy.
Luke 19 : 3 (NCV)
He wanted to see who Jesus was, but he was not able because he was too short to see above the crowd.
Luke 19 : 4 (NCV)
He ran ahead to a place where Jesus would come, and he climbed a sycamore tree so he could see him.
Luke 19 : 5 (NCV)
When Jesus came to that place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down! I must stay at your house today."
Luke 19 : 6 (NCV)
Zacchaeus came down quickly and welcomed him gladly.
Luke 19 : 7 (NCV)
All the people saw this and began to complain, "Jesus is staying with a sinner!"
Luke 19 : 8 (NCV)
But Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "I will give half of my possessions to the poor. And if I have cheated anyone, I will pay back four times more."
Luke 19 : 9 (NCV)
Jesus said to him, "Salvation has come to this house today, because this man also belongs to the family of Abraham.
Luke 19 : 10 (NCV)
The Son of Man came to find lost people and save them."
Luke 19 : 11 (NCV)
As the people were listening to this, Jesus told them a story because he was near Jerusalem and they thought God's kingdom would appear immediately.
Luke 19 : 12 (NCV)
He said: "A very important man went to a country far away to be made a king and then to return home.
Luke 19 : 13 (NCV)
So he called ten of his servants and gave a coinn to each servant. He said, 'Do business with this money until I get back.'
Luke 19 : 14 (NCV)
But the people in the kingdom hated the man. So they sent a group to follow him and say, 'We don't want this man to be our king.'
Luke 19 : 15 (NCV)
But the man became king. When he returned home, he said, 'Call those servants who have my money so I can know how much they earned with it.'
Luke 19 : 16 (NCV)
The first servant came and said, 'Sir, I earned ten coins with the one you gave me.'
Luke 19 : 17 (NCV)
The king said to the servant, 'Excellent! You are a good servant. Since I can trust you with small things, I will let you rule over ten of my cities.'
Luke 19 : 18 (NCV)
The second servant said, 'Sir, I earned five coins with your one.'
Luke 19 : 19 (NCV)
The king said to this servant, 'You can rule over five cities.'
Luke 19 : 20 (NCV)
Then another servant came in and said to the king, 'Sir, here is your coin which I wrapped in a piece of cloth and hid.
Luke 19 : 21 (NCV)
I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You even take money that you didn't earn and gather food that you didn't plant.'
Luke 19 : 22 (NCV)
Then the king said to the servant, 'I will condemn you by your own words, you evil servant. You knew that I am a hard man, taking money that I didn't earn and gathering food that I didn't plant.
Luke 19 : 23 (NCV)
Why then didn't you put my money in the bank? Then when I came back, my money would have earned some interest.'
Luke 19 : 24 (NCV)
The king said to the men who were standing by, 'Take the coin away from this servant and give it to the servant who earned ten coins.'
Luke 19 : 25 (NCV)
They said, 'But sir, that servant already has ten coins.'
Luke 19 : 26 (NCV)
The king said, 'Those who have will be given more, but those who do not have anything will have everything taken away from them.
Luke 19 : 27 (NCV)
Now where are my enemies who didn't want me to be king? Bring them here and kill them before me.'"
Luke 19 : 28 (NCV)
After Jesus said this, he went on toward Jerusalem.
Luke 19 : 29 (NCV)
As Jesus came near Bethphage and Bethany, towns near the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent out two of his followers.
Luke 19 : 30 (NCV)
He said, "Go to the town you can see there. When you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here to me.
Luke 19 : 31 (NCV)
If anyone asks you why you are untying it, say that the Master needs it."
Luke 19 : 32 (NCV)
The two followers went into town and found the colt just as Jesus had told them.
Luke 19 : 33 (NCV)
As they were untying it, its owners came out and asked the followers, "Why are you untying our colt?"
Luke 19 : 34 (NCV)
The followers answered, "The Master needs it."
Luke 19 : 35 (NCV)
So they brought it to Jesus, threw their coats on the colt's back, and put Jesus on it.
Luke 19 : 36 (NCV)
As Jesus rode toward Jerusalem, others spread their coats on the road before him.
Luke 19 : 37 (NCV)
As he was coming close to Jerusalem, on the way down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of followers began joyfully shouting praise to God for all the miracles they had seen.
Luke 19 : 38 (NCV)
They said, "God bless the king who comes in the name of the Lord! There is peace in heaven and glory to God."
Luke 19 : 39 (NCV)
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, tell your followers not to say these things."
Luke 19 : 40 (NCV)
But Jesus answered, "I tell you, if my followers didn't say these things, then the stones would cry out."
Luke 19 : 41 (NCV)
As Jesus came near Jerusalem, he saw the city and cried for it,
Luke 19 : 42 (NCV)
saying, "I wish you knew today what would bring you peace. But now it is hidden from you.
Luke 19 : 43 (NCV)
The time is coming when your enemies will build a wall around you and will hold you in on all sides.
Luke 19 : 44 (NCV)
They will destroy you and all your people, and not one stone will be left on another. All this will happen because you did not recognize the time when God came to save you."
Luke 19 : 45 (NCV)
Jesus went into the Temple and began to throw out the people who were selling things there.
Luke 19 : 46 (NCV)
He said, "It is written in the Scriptures, 'My Temple will be a house for prayer.' But you have changed it into a 'hideout for robbers'!"
Luke 19 : 47 (NCV)
Jesus taught in the Temple every day. The leading priests, the experts on the law, and some of the leaders of the people wanted to kill Jesus.
Luke 19 : 48 (NCV)
But they did not know how they could do it, because all the people were listening closely to him.
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