Luke 19:1-5

Jesus and Zacchaeus

19:1 Jesus ¹  entered Jericho ²  and was passing through it. 19:2 Now ³  a man named Zacchaeus was there; he was a chief tax collector ⁴  and was rich. 19:3 He ⁵  was trying to get a look at Jesus, ⁶  but being a short man he could not see over the crowd. ⁷  19:4 So ⁸  he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree ⁹  to see him, because Jesus ¹⁰  was going to pass that way. 19:5 And when Jesus came to that place, he looked up ¹¹  and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, ¹²  because I must ¹³  stay at your house today.” ¹⁴ 

[19:1]  ¹ tn Grk “And entering, he passed through”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[19:1]  ² map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[19:2]  ³ tn Grk “And behold.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the introduction of a new character. The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

[19:2]  ⁴ sn This is the one place in the NT the office of chief tax collector is noted. He would organize the other tax collectors and collect healthy commissions (see also the note on the word tax collector in 3:12).

[19:3]  ⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[19:3]  ⁶ tn Grk “He was trying to see who Jesus was.”

[19:3]  ⁷ tn Grk “and he was not able to because of the crowd, for he was short in stature.”

[19:4]  ⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Zacchaeus not being able to see over the crowd.

[19:4]  ⁹ sn A sycamore tree would have large branches near the ground like an oak tree and would be fairly easy to climb. These trees reach a height of some 50 ft (about 15 m).

[19:4]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “that one”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[19:5]  ¹¹ tc Most mss (A [D] W [Ψ] ˹³ 33^vid Ï latt) read “Jesus looking up, saw him and said.” The words “saw him and” are not in א B L T Θ Ë¹ 579 1241 2542 pc co. Both the testimony for the omission and the natural tendency toward scribal expansion argue for the shorter reading here.

[19:5]  ¹² tn Grk “hastening, come down.” σπεύσας (speusa") has been translated as a participle of manner.

[19:5]  ¹³ sn I must stay. Jesus revealed the necessity of his associating with people like Zacchaeus (5:31-32). This act of fellowship indicated acceptance.

[19:5]  ¹⁴ sn On today here and in v. 9, see the note on today in 2:11.