LUKE 19:3 Interlinear View

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. Καί
2. kai
3. And
4. -
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. S
10. Y33
11. 56110
1. ἐζήτει
2. zēteō
3. he was seeking
4. -
5. 22120
6. VIIA3··S
7. ˱he˲ ˓was˒ seeking
8. ˱he˲ ˓was˒ seeking
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56111
1. ἰδεῖν
2. horaō
3. to see
4. -
5. 37080
6. VNAA····
7. ˓to˒ see
8. ˓to˒ see
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56112
1. τόν
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····AMS
7. ¬the
8. ¬the
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56113
1. Ἰησοῦν
2. iēsous
3. Yaʸsous
4. -
5. 24240
6. N····AMS
7. Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa)
8. Jesus
9. UN
10. Person=Jesus; Y33; F56142; F56147; F56148
11. 56114
1. τίς
2. tis
3. who
4. -
5. 51010
6. R····NMS
7. who
8. who
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56115
1. ἐστίν
2. eimi
3. is
4. -
5. 15100
6. VIPA3··S
7. is
8. is
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56116
1. καί
2. kai
3. and
4. -
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56117
1. οὐκ
2. ou
3. not
4. -
5. 37560
6. D·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56118
1. ἠδύνατο
2. dunamai
3. was able
4. -
5. 14100
6. VIIM3··S
7. ˓was˒ able
8. ˓was˒ able
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56119
1. ἀπό
2. apo
3. because of
4. -
5. 5750
6. P·······
7. because_of
8. because_of
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56120
1. τοῦ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····GMS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56121
1. ὄχλου
2. oχlos
3. crowd
4. crowd
5. 37930
6. N····GMS
7. crowd
8. crowd
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56122
1. ὅτι
2. hoti
3. because
4. -
5. 37540
6. C·······
7. because
8. because
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56123
1. τῇ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····DFS
7. ¬the
8. ¬the
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56124
1. ἡλικίᾳ
2. hēlikia
3. in stature
4. -
5. 22440
6. N····DFS
7. ˱in˲ stature
8. ˱in˲ stature
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56125
1. μικρός
2. mikros
3. small
4. -
5. 33980
6. S····NMS
7. small
8. small
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56126
1. ἦν
2. eimi
3. he was
4. -
5. 15100
6. VIIA3··S
7. ˱he˲ was
8. ˱he˲ was
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56127

19:3 It’s commonly assumed that Zacchaeus was the short person in this sentence, but the Greek is ambiguous. (See https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-topics/new-testament/jesus-the-short-king/.)

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 19:1–10: Zacchaeus the tax collector began to follow Jesus

In the preceding section Jesus was approaching Jericho. In this section he entered Jericho and met a tax collector named Zacchaeus.

The Jews thought that the tax collectors were more sinful than other people. Most tax collectors cheated their own Jewish people by charging them more money than they actually owed. The tax collectors also worked with government officials who were not Jews, so the Jews assumed that tax collectors were often ritually unclean. While they were ritually unclean, they were not able to enter the temple or synagogue to worship God publicly. If another Jew entered a tax collector’s house or ate with him while he was unclean, that Jew also would become unclean.

The city of Jericho, where Zacchaeus worked, was a busy trading center. People were required to pay taxes on things that they sold. A chief tax collector like Zacchaeus could easily become rich through collecting taxes there.Keener (p. 240) says: “Being a border city, Jericho had a customs station. Because it was also one of the wealthiest cities of Palestine, in the most fertile part of Judea and boasting a Herodian palace, other tax income would also be extensive. The ‘chief’ tax gatherer would be the one who contracted for sales and customs taxes and hired collectors under him. Given this role, Zacchaeus could have become rich without cheating; but it seems that he had cheated anyway (19:8).” However, it was often difficult for people to pay these taxes, and high taxes caused many of them to remain poor. That may have been a reason why Zacchaeus promised Jesus that he would give half of his possessions to poor people (19:8).

You may want to include footnotes in your translation to help readers understand this background information. Suggested footnotes are given at 19:2b, Paragraph 19:5–7, and 19:7b.

Jesus was a Jew, but he went to Zacchaeus’ house and ate a meal with him. During that time, Zacchaeus repented of his sins and received salvation.

Other examples of headings for this section are:

Jesus and Zacchaeus (GNT)

Jesus went to Zacchaeus’ house

Jesus ate with Zacchaeus the tax collector

Only the Gospel of Luke tells about this event. The other gospels do not mention it.

19:3a

He was trying to see who Jesus was,

He wanted to see what Jesus was like,
Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus.

He was trying to see who Jesus was: The BSB follows the literal Greek closely here. The statement probably indicates that Zacchaeus had heard about Jesus and so was trying to see him. He wanted to know what Jesus was like. Other ways to say this are:

He was eager to see what Jesus looked like (REB)

Zacchaeus wanted to see what he was like (CEV)

19:3b–c

The BSB follows the Greek order here. Other versions use a different order from the Greek text for the phrases in this verse. For example:

because he was short he could not see over the crowd (NIV11)

but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small in stature (RSV)

The text gives two reasons why Zacchaeus could not see Jesus:

there was a crowd around Jesus;
Zacchaeus was too short to see over the people.

In some languages it is more natural to combine these two reasons. For example:

because he was too short to see above the crowd (NCV)

See the General Comment on 19:3a–c below for suggestions about reordering.

19:3b

but could not see over the crowd

but he was not able to see him, because many people were with/around Jesus,
But he could not see him over the heads of the crowd that was around him,

but: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as but introduces a contrast. The contrast is between Zacchaeus wanting to see Jesus (19:3a) but not being able to see him (19:3c). Translate this contrast in a way that is natural in your language.

could not see over the crowd: This clause indicates that Zacchaeus could not see Jesus because many people were standing around Jesus. Zacchaeus was too short to see over them all. Some ways to say this are:

he was unable to see Jesus because there were many people surrounding Jesus

he could not, because of the crowd (NIV)

19:3c

because he was small in stature.

and Zacchaeus was a short man.
because he was not tall enough.
because he was too short.

because he was small in stature: The phrase because he was small in stature describes Zacchaeus’ height. He was not as tall as most people. Be sure not to imply that this clause describes Jesus. Other ways to translate this are:

Zacchaeus was a small man (GW)

he was a little man (GNT)

he was not a tall man

General Comment on 19:3a–c

It may be more natural in some languages to reorder the parts of 19:3. For example:

^3aHe wanted to see who Jesus was ^3bbut he could not ^3cbecause he was a short man ^3band because there was a crowd around Jesus.

^3aHe wanted to see who Jesus was, ^3bbut a crowd was around Jesus. ^3cZacchaeus was a short man, ^3bso he was not able to see Jesus above the crowd.

uW Translation Notes:

ἐζήτει ἰδεῖν τὸν Ἰησοῦν τίς ἐστιν

˱he˲_˓was˒_seeking ˓to˒_see (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἐζήτει ἰδεῖν τόν Ἰησοῦν τίς ἐστίν καί οὐκ ἠδύνατο ἀπό τοῦ ὄχλου ὅτι τῇ ἡλικίᾳ μικρός ἦν)

Alternate translation: [Zacchaeus was trying to get a good look at Jesus] or [Zacchaeus was trying to see what kind of man Jesus was]

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

οὐκ ἠδύνατο ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄχλου, ὅτι τῇ ἡλικίᾳ μικρὸς ἦν

not ˓was˒_able (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί ἐζήτει ἰδεῖν τόν Ἰησοῦν τίς ἐστίν καί οὐκ ἠδύνατο ἀπό τοῦ ὄχλου ὅτι τῇ ἡλικίᾳ μικρός ἦν)

If it would be helpful in your language, you could reverse the order of these phrases, since the second phrase gives the reason for the result that the first phrase describes. Alternate translation: [because he was short, he could not see over the crowd]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

οὐκ ἠδύνατο ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄχλου, ὅτι τῇ ἡλικίᾳ μικρὸς ἦν

The implication may be that the people resented Zacchaeus for taking their money, and so they would not let him come forward and stand in front of them, even though they would have been able to see over him. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: [he could not see over the crowd because he was short, and the people would not let him stand in the front, because they resented him for taking their money]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

1. OET-LV words
2. OET-RV words
3. Strongs
4. Greek word
5. Greek lemma
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. And
2. -
3. 25320
4. S
5. kai
6. C-·······
7. and
8. and
9. S
10. Y33
11. 56110
1. he was seeking
2. -
3. 22120
5. zēteō
6. V-IIA3··S
7. ˱he˲ ˓was˒ seeking
8. ˱he˲ ˓was˒ seeking
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56111
1. to see
2. -
3. 37080
5. horaō
6. V-NAA····
7. ˓to˒ see
8. ˓to˒ see
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56112
1. the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····AMS
7. ¬the
8. ¬the
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56113
1. who
2. -
3. 51010
5. tis
6. R-····NMS
7. who
8. who
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56115
1. Yaʸsous
2. -
3. 24240
4. UN
5. iēsous
6. N-····AMS
7. Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa)
8. Jesus
9. UN
10. Person=Jesus; Y33; F56142; F56147; F56148
11. 56114
1. is
2. -
3. 15100
5. eimi
6. V-IPA3··S
7. is
8. is
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56116
1. and
2. -
3. 25320
5. kai
6. C-·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56117
1. was
2. -
3. 14100
5. dunamai
6. V-IIM3··S
7. ˓was˒ able
8. ˓was˒ able
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56119
1. not
2. -
3. 37560
5. ou
6. D-·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56118
1. able
2. -
3. 14100
5. dunamai
6. V-IIM3··S
7. ˓was˒ able
8. ˓was˒ able
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56119
1. because of
2. -
3. 5750
5. apo
6. P-·······
7. because_of
8. because_of
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56120
1. the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····GMS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56121
1. crowd
2. crowd
3. 37930
5. oχlos
6. N-····GMS
7. crowd
8. crowd
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56122
1. because
2. -
3. 37540
5. hoti
6. C-·······
7. because
8. because
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56123
1. he was
2. -
3. 15100
5. eimi
6. V-IIA3··S
7. ˱he˲ was
8. ˱he˲ was
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56127
1. the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····DFS
7. ¬the
8. ¬the
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56124
1. small
2. -
3. 33980
5. mikros
6. S-····NMS
7. small
8. small
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56126
1. in stature
2. -
3. 22440
5. hēlikia
6. N-····DFS
7. ˱in˲ stature
8. ˱in˲ stature
9. -
10. Y33
11. 56125

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear LUKE 19:3