OET interlinear LUKE 19:5

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.

Paragraph 19:5–7

In Jewish culture, a person usually would not eat or stay in someone’s house if that person did not invite him. But Jesus invited himself to be the guest of Zacchaeus. Jesus showed that he was willing to enter the house of a tax collector even if it meant that he would be considered ritually unclean.

If you are using footnotes to give background information, you might want to use one here. For example:

In Jewish culture it was not customary for a person to invite himself to eat at another person’s house. Jesus did that to help Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus knew that most religious leaders would not enter a tax collector’s house, so Zacchaeus might not feel that he should invite Jesus.

For more background information about tax collectors, see the introduction to Section 19:1–10.

When Jesus came to that place,

• ¶ When Jesus arrived at the place/tree,

• ¶ Then Jesus came to the tree,

He looked up and said,

• he looked up at Zacchaeus and said to him,

• and he looked up and saw Zacchaeus. Jesus said to him,

“Zacchaeus, hurry down,

• “Come^(sing) down right now, Zacchaeus.

• “Zacchaeus, quickly come/climb^(sing) down from the tree,

for I must stay at your house today.”

• Today I must stay/lodge at your^(sing) house.”

• because I have to be your^(sing) guest today/tonight.”

General Comment on 19:5c–d

In some languages it may be more natural to change the order of the clauses in this verse. For example:

^5cZacchaeus, ^5dtoday I must stay at your house, ^5cso hurry down.