There was a man named Zaccheus, a rich man, a tax-gatherer, who wanted very much to see Jesus. One day, when Jesus was passing through the city of Jericho, Zaccheus, who was a small man and could not see over the heads of the crowd who were following Jesus, ran ahead of them and climbed into a sycamore tree. When Jesus reached the tree he looked up and said, “Zaccheus, make haste and come down; I want to go to your house to-day.” Then Zaccheus hurried down and joyfully took Jesus home with him. But the people murmured about it; they said, “He has gone to visit a wicked man.” Then Zaccheus talked with Jesus; he said to him, “Lord, I mean to give the half of all my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man wrongfully, I will give him back four times as much.” Then Jesus said to him, “This day is salvation come to your house. You are a Jew, a son of Abraham; you shall have the promised gift.” |