Zacchaeus the Tax Collector
1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.
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A man named Zacchaeus lived there. He was a chief tax collector and was very rich.
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Zacchaeus wanted to see who Jesus was. But he was a short man. He could not see Jesus because of the crowd.
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So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree. He wanted to see Jesus, who was coming that way.
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Jesus reached the spot where Zacchaeus was. He looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, come down at once. I must stay at your house today."
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So Zacchaeus came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
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All the people saw this. They began to whisper among themselves. They said, "Jesus has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.' "
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But Zacchaeus stood up. He said, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of what I own to those who are poor. And if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay it back. I will pay back four times the amount I took."
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Jesus said to Zacchaeus, "Today salvation has come to your house. You are a member of Abraham's family line.
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The Son of Man came to look for the lost and save them."
The Story of Three Servants
11 While the people were listening to these things, Jesus told them a story. He was near Jerusalem. The people thought that God's kingdom was going to appear right away.
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Jesus said, "A man from an important family went to a country far away. He went there to be made king and then return home.
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So he sent for ten of his servants. He gave them each about three months' pay. 'Put this money to work until I come back,' he said.
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"But those he ruled over hated him. They sent some messengers after him. They were sent to say, 'We don't want this man to be our king.'
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"But he was made king and returned home. Then he sent for the servants he had given the money to. He wanted to find out what they had earned with it.
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"The first one came to him. He said, 'Sir, your money has earned ten times as much.'
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" 'You have done well, my good servant!' his master replied. 'You have been faithful in a very small matter. So I will put you in charge of ten towns.'
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"The second servant came to his master. He said, 'Sir, your money has earned five times as much.'
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"His master answered, 'I will put you in charge of five towns.'
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"Then another servant came. He said, 'Sir, here is your money. I have kept it hidden in a piece of cloth.
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I was afraid of you. You are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in. You harvest what you did not plant.'
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"His master replied, 'I will judge you by your own words, you evil servant! So you knew that I am a hard man? You knew that I take out what I did not put in? You knew that I harvest what I did not plant?
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Then why didn't you put my money in the bank? When I came back, I could have collected it with interest.'
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"Then he said to those standing by, 'Take his money away from him. Give it to the one who has ten times as much.'
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" 'Sir,' they said, 'he already has ten times as much!'
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"He replied, 'I tell you that everyone who has will be given more. But here is what will happen to anyone who has nothing. Even what he has will be taken away from him.
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And what about my enemies who did not want me to be king over them? Bring them here! Kill them in front of me!' "