English Standard Version ESV
The Message Bible MSG
1 He entered Jericho and was passing through.
1
Then Jesus entered and walked through Jericho.
2 And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich.
2
There was a man there, his name Zacchaeus, the head tax man and quite rich.
3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small of stature.
3
He wanted desperately to see Jesus, but the crowd was in his way - he was a short man and couldn't see over the crowd.
4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way.
4
So he ran on ahead and climbed up in a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus when he came by.
5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today."
5
When Jesus got to the tree, he looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, hurry down. Today is my day to be a guest in your home."
6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully.
6
Zacchaeus scrambled out of the tree, hardly believing his good luck, delighted to take Jesus home with him.
7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner."
7
Everyone who saw the incident was indignant and grumped, "What business does he have getting cozy with this crook?"
8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold."
8
Zacchaeus just stood there, a little stunned. He stammered apologetically, "Master, I give away half my income to the poor - and if I'm caught cheating, I pay four times the damages."
9 And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.
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Jesus said, "Today is salvation day in this home! Here he is: Zacchaeus, son of Abraham!
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."
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For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost."
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.