Thematic Bible




Luke 19:1 (show verse)

So, Jesus [finally] entered Jericho and was traveling through it.

Luke 19:2 (show verse)

Just then, there appeared a man named Zacchaeus, who was a wealthy, chief tax collector.

Luke 19:3 (show verse)

He was trying to see which one was Jesus, but could not due to the large crowd and [because] he was so short.

Luke 19:4 (show verse)

So, he ran on ahead [of the crowd] and climbed up a mulberry tree [Note: This was a tree that produced a fig-like fruit] in order to see Jesus, who was supposed to pass that way [soon].

Luke 19:5 (show verse)

And when Jesus came to the tree, He said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down [from that tree], for I need to stay at your house today."

Luke 19:6 (show verse)

So, he came down immediately and welcomed Jesus gladly.

Luke 19:7 (show verse)

And when the crowd saw this, they began complaining [i.e., because Zacchaeus was a despised tax collector] and said, "He is going to lodge with a sinful man."

Luke 19:8 (show verse)

Then Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, I [plan to] give half of my possessions to poor people. And if I have cheated anyone out of something, [I promise] to repay them four times as much."

Luke 19:9 (show verse)

Then Jesus said to him, "Salvation has come to this house today, since he too [i.e., Zacchaeus] is a descendant of Abraham.

Luke 19:10 (show verse)

For the Son of man came to search for and save those who were lost."

Luke 19:11 (show verse)

And as the crowd listened to these things, Jesus told them another parable, because He was close to Jerusalem and they assumed the kingdom of God was going to appear right away.

Luke 19:12 (show verse)

So, He said, "A certain distinguished gentleman went to a distant country to receive a royal appointment [i.e., as king over a territory] and then return. [Note: This is the only parable of Jesus' that correlates with a known incident; that of Herod's son Archelaus going to Rome to receive from Caesar Augustus an appointment to rule over Judea, Samaria and Idumaea in

Luke 19:13 (show verse)

So, he called ten of his slaves and gave each of them a sum of money [Note: The amount of each sum was equivalent to one hundred days of a farm laborer's pay, or about $7,000 in 1994]. [Then] he said to them, 'Invest this money until I return.'

Luke 19:14 (show verse)

But the citizens [of his newly acquired kingdom] hated him and sent a delegation after him [i.e., to the person who appointed the gentleman king over them], saying, 'We do not want this man to rule over us.'

Luke 19:15 (show verse)

And it happened when the gentleman returned, having received his appointment as king, that he ordered the slaves to whom he had given the [sums of] money, to report to him. He wanted to find out how much [money] they had made on their investments.

Luke 19:16 (show verse)

So, the first one appeared in front of him, and said, 'Master, your sum of money has earned ten times more.'

Luke 19:17 (show verse)

And the gentleman replied, 'Well done, you are a good slave. Because you have proven trustworthy over a [relatively] very small matter, you will [now] have charge over ten towns.'

Luke 19:18 (show verse)

Then the second slave appeared, and said, 'Master, your sum of money has earned five times more.'

Luke 19:19 (show verse)

And the gentleman said to him also, 'You [will] have charge over five towns.'

Luke 19:20 (show verse)

Then another slave appeared and said, 'Look, master, here is your sum of money. I kept it [safely] wrapped up in a cloth,

Luke 19:21 (show verse)

for I was afraid of you, knowing you are a hard man to deal with and that you pick up [and keep] something you did not lay down [i.e., lose], and you harvest a crop that you did not plant.'

Luke 19:22 (show verse)

The gentleman replied to him, 'I will judge you [based] on what you [yourself] have [just] said, you evil slave. [Since] you knew that I am a hard man to deal with, picking up [and keeping] something I had not laid down, and harvesting a crop I had not planted,

Luke 19:23 (show verse)

then why did you not deposit my money in the bank? [Then] when I returned I could have withdrawn [the original sum of money] plus interest.'

Luke 19:24 (show verse)

Then he said to those who were standing around, 'Take the sum of money away from him and give it to the one who made ten times as much [with the original sum].'

Luke 19:25 (show verse)

But the people said to him, 'Master, he [already] has ten times as much money [as you gave him].'

Luke 19:26 (show verse)

[So the gentleman concluded], 'I tell you, to every person who [already] has something, [more] will be given, but from that person who has [almost] nothing, even [the little] he has will be taken away from him.

Luke 19:27 (show verse)

But bring those enemies of mine here [i.e., the citizens. See verse 14], who did not want me to rule over them, and kill them in front of me.'"

Luke 19:28 (show verse)

And when Jesus had said this, He went on ahead [of His disciples. See Matt. 21:1] up to Jerusalem.

Luke 19:29 (show verse)

And it happened when Jesus got close to Bethphage and Bethany [Note: These were two small towns about two miles east of Jerusalem], at a hill called Olivet, that He sent two of His disciples,

Luke 19:30 (show verse)

saying [to them], "Go into the village just ahead of you, and upon entering [it], you will find tied up [there] a colt that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it [here].

Luke 19:31 (show verse)

And if anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' you should say, 'The Lord needs it.'"

Luke 19:32 (show verse)

So, those who were sent [i.e., Jesus' disciples], went away and found [things] just as Jesus had told them.

Luke 19:33 (show verse)

And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, 'Why are you untying the colt?'

Luke 19:34 (show verse)

And they replied, 'The Lord needs it.'

Luke 19:35 (show verse)

So, they brought the colt to Jesus and spread their clothing on it, [then] placed Jesus on it [i.e., held the animal still as Jesus mounted it, since it had never been ridden before. See verse 30].

Luke 19:36 (show verse)

And as He rode [along], people spread their clothing on the roadway.

Luke 19:37 (show verse)

Then, as He descended the Mount of Olives and got close to the city [i.e., Jerusalem], the entire crowd of disciples began joyfully praising God in loud voices because of all the powerful miracles they had seen [Him perform].

Luke 19:38 (show verse)

They were saying, 'May the King who comes in the name [i.e., by the authority] of the Lord, be blessed. May there be peace in heaven and praise [to God] in the highest [i.e., may this praise reach to the highest heaven].'

Luke 19:39 (show verse)

But some of the Pharisees from the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, speak sternly to your disciples [i.e., to prevent them from honoring Jesus]."

Luke 19:40 (show verse)

But He answered them, "I tell you, if these people remain quiet [about me], [then] the stones will shout [about it]."

Luke 19:41 (show verse)

And when Jesus got close and saw the city [of Jerusalem], He cried over it,

Luke 19:42 (show verse)

saying, "If [only] you people realized today those things which [could] lead [you] to peace! But now they are [being] hidden from your sight.

Luke 19:43 (show verse)

For the days will come upon you when your enemies will build a dirt wall around you, surrounding you, and hemming you in on every side.

Luke 19:44 (show verse)

They will throw you and your children, [who are] within your walls, to the ground and they will not allow one stone to remain on top of another in your city because you did not recognize that [God was] visiting you." [Note: This "visitation" refers either to the redemption which they had rejected or to the punishment of the siege and destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70].

Luke 19:45 (show verse)

Then Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out those who sold [things there],

Luke 19:46 (show verse)

saying to them, "It is written [Isa. 56:7], 'And my house [i.e., the Temple] will be a house for prayer, but [Jer. 7:11] 'You have made it a hideout for thieves.'"

Luke 19:47 (show verse)

And Jesus was teaching in the Temple every day. But the leading priests and the experts in the law of Moses and the leading men of the people were looking [for a way] to kill Him,

Luke 19:48 (show verse)

but they could not find a way to do it, because all the people were listening to Him attentively.